Wednesday, December 24, 2014
“It’s just the way I like it,” she says.
The “it” Arlene Jadin refers to is the home she has lived in
for nearly 65 years.
“I’ve only lived in two houses in my lifetime,” she explains. “I moved from my mother’s to my mother-in-law’s
home when I got married in 1949.”
She lives in the farmhouse she shared with her husband,
Darrell, their five
daughters and one son. Now, it is a
welcoming place for her many friends and relatives. It is also home to an eclectic variety of
handmade decorations which are the result of Arlene’s many hobbies.
Outside, her yard hints at the crafty nature of the
homeowner. In the side yard, Santa
drives a big, horse drawn wagon carrying a Christmas tree. A ceramic raccoon peaks out from the corner
of one of her farm buildings. Mary and
Joseph are nestled in a crèche near the front door of the house. A windmill is adjacent to the driveway.
Step inside the 110-year-old farmhouse in Thiry Daems in
rural Kewaunee County to see how Arlene has brought the outside in. The south
facing sun porch is perfect for reading the newspaper and relaxing. A canopy of many little birdhouses--no two
alike--hangs overhead, stemming from a tree mural painted up the wall that
spreads across the ceiling. A beautiful,
lush fern and other greenery give an impression of sitting in a park on a
summer’s day. Fairy gardens are tucked
beside a tree covered with ornaments she made with colorful pheasant feathers. No cats are allowed in her home because Arlene
says her house is “for the birds.”
Further inside, the scope of Arlene’s many hobbies and
interests becomes obvious. Featuring the
home’s original wood floor, her Victorian parlor is filled with period-inspired
furnishings. On a wall, she displays treasured,
old wedding photos honoring her family’s ancestors. Using her 30+ years of experience as a bridal
shop seamstress, she has fashioned beautiful miniature replicas of the wedding dresses
worn by the women in the photographs.
Dolls on the fireplace mantle wear the tiny bridal garments she made of
scrap fabric and lace—of her mother, mother-in-law and grandmother. 
In the same room, a store mannequin has been re-purposed. “She had broken fingers and was going to the
junk,” Arlene says, “so I brought her home, fixed her hand and dressed her up.” Parts of an artificial Christmas tree form her
dress and parasol. Handmade ornaments
adorn her skirt. Glass and crystal
icicles hang from her umbrella. The resulting
Victorian lady can only be described as stunning.
Where does Arlene get her unique decorating ideas? She says she always enjoyed shopping—especially
in Door County. Over the years, when she
didn’t have the money to buy everything she liked, she would sketch what she
saw. “I knew I could recreate it
myself!” she exclaims.
Obviously, she can!
Arlene has so many talents and interests. She: has milked cows in the morning and again
at night; can source organic meals from her farmland—from potatoes and carrots
to rabbits--and tops off the dinners with homemade apple pie; refurbished the
home’s original floors and furniture; paints and wallpapers; makes jam for
gifts from the myriad variety of fruits she grows, and; has created a house
full of the most unique décor imaginable.
Furthermore, she’s eager to use her new toy--an ATV--to run
through the woods. She has a bottle of
wine reserved for the first occasion. “I’ll
christen it with holy water,” she says, grinning. “The wine is for drinking later.”
Arlene has plenty of friends and family with whom she shares
her lovely country home. Her kitchen
table is ready to welcome guests, fully extended with all of its leaves. She is set to host her children,
grandchildren and great-grandchildren for a meal or up to ten guests each
Sunday evening when friends gather there to play cards. The card game of choice is a Belgian one pronounced 'Coo-you', she explains, “It's like Sheepshead but easier to play.”
My thanks to Arlene Jadin for the opportunity to interview her and visit her home.
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