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This elf reminds Torrice of a nosy acquaintance.
Lois Torrice can live without a huge house--she's been there, done that--but a bland, unadorned expanse of privacy fence doesn't cut it. |
Lois Torrice likes the two-bedroom villa she moved into in 2004.
She raised three children with her husband, John, in a 6,000-square-foot house with a five-car garage in Stafford County.
But after the children moved out and her husband died, the house she'd lived in for nearly 30 years just seemed too much.
She settled into her current Spotsylvania County community. She liked having her neighbors close by, and she liked having less house to keep clean. But she didn't like her backyard.
Her former home had an expansive backyard with views of streams and trees.
Her new small yard was dominated by a 6-foot wooden privacy fence. The previous owner had two dogs and the grass was in horrible shape.
Torrice, 82, enjoys being outdoors. She likes to sit on her outdoor glider and relax.
But she didn't like looking at that ugly yard.
One day, she decided to pretty up her view a bit.
She had three small clay pots with open backs. She decided to hang them on her fence.
It was the start of a habit. She now has 109 items on the backyard fence, and she's still looking for more.
It's a cheerfully eclectic assortment that includes metal and ceramic suns, stars, butterflies, dragonflies, wind chimes and baskets filled with artificial flowers.
There's a ceramic pastel ice cream cone, a few ceramic jungle animals and a set of masks.
She finds items for her collection at the Salvation Army and other thrift stores, rarely spending more than $5.
"I love going places and finding things for it," she said.
Other items were given to her by friends and family members, such as a large, brightly painted sun her daughter, Terri Pishdad, recently brought from California.
Torrice selected some items because they remind her of people, such as the little figurine of an elf with a long nose who "reminds me of a nosy person I know."
Others remind her of places she's been, such as the chopsticks from a trip to China.
Some of the items on the fence she doesn't much care for. But they were given to her, so she hung them up anyway.
She likes to sit out there on mild, sunny days, working in her small lily bed or just looking out at her fence. Her green Amazon parrot, Tequila (named by a previous owner), often joins her.
Her children aren't surprised that their mom has developed a unique pastime.
She has always done things her own way.
Years ago, she was known for her often funny calls to the WFLS radio show "Party Line."
Now, she's known for tooling around town with Tequila. She takes him with her through the McDonald's drive-through (he likes french fries). She used to take him with her to the grocery store, too, where he'd perch on her grocery cart, until another customer complained.
"Mom is something else," her son, John, said with a laugh.
Her children are glad that Mom has found a new hobby.
"I think it's great that she brightened her backyard up to give her things to enjoy when she's out there," Pishdad said.
But her fence isn't without its critics.
A friend likes to tease her about her it.
That led Torrice to ask her son what he thought of her collection.
"If it makes you happy, Mom, that's all that's important," he told her.
And it does.
It's a quiet life, but for Torrice it's enough.
"I have my yard and I have my bird."
Kim Baer: 540/834-0656
Email: kbaer@freelancestar.com
