Wichita Houses

This house used to be called the Christmas house because the owners decked it out with hundreds of lights.  Now they are getting older and aren't interested in making such a fuss. In fact, I think it is for sale.  We were able to see it on the Historic Homes tour this fall.

Everything I love....porches, balconies and fancy woodwork.
The inside was lovely too.

We were not allowed to take photos inside, but I managed to sneak two...
this was the fireplace in one of the upstairs bedrooms. 

 The people in the mirror were snooping in the closet. 

Perhaps one of the children who lived in this house...?

When we left the house, we exited through a back door. It took us past this gate.

 We also sat for a second on the swing on the front porch.

The house next door was also on the tour. It wasn't as fancy on the outside, 
but the inside was fascinating.  An artist lives here.

The front yard was one big flower bed.

Cleome and some sort of cockscomb.

Love Lies Bleeding.

After we spoke with the artist, she said I could take a photo of her mantle in the living room.

She also told me I could get some seeds from the love lies bleeding plant.
Of course, the line to tour the house was still in place when I stopped to get some so I felt I  had to do it stealthily, even though I had permission! 

This is the back of the Christmas house next door from the second house's backyard.

Typical Kansas landscaping.

I really appreciate all the home owners who open their houses to let strangers walk through and look at all their stuff. It's even better than looking in living room windows at Christmas.
I'm already looking forward to next year's tour.