Christmas Touches In The Dining Room

Hello dear friends, the Christmas season has already started here at the farm!   Our first dinner with friends has come and gone as has the family Christmas dinner which was held last weekend to accommodate my brother's travel plans.  We will be having a small Christmas dinner here on Tuesday with my mother with two more family events scheduled before heading back to work in January.  We have even managed to fit in some visits with other friends in this busy holiday season!  

Friends, I very often over-think and over-plan festivities at the farm!  While I never feel properly prepared we are always delighted that our guests feel so much at home and have such a lovely time while visiting.  This year is quite busy for us so I have enlisted the aid of Willow, our sweet old yellow lab. I believe that Willow may be looking for new recipes to try.  Or she might be looking for ideas on how to decorate the farm for the holidays.  Or, considering her breed, she might just be looking for comfortable dog beds. 

I somehow ended up  with quite a few ornaments that didnt make it into trees this year.  As we were waiting for guests to arrive we added some of the ornaments and lights to a crystal vase and fruit bowl.  I like it!

The dining room fireplace mantel is decorated for Christmas.  The year we installed an antique plate rack and plates above the fireplace.  I must ask my mother about the history behind some of the items that traveled from Europe to Canada and are now reside in our farmhouse.

Some of you may recognize the stone wall in the dining room.  For some 150 years this was an exterior wall in our old stone farmhouse.  After starting major renovations four years ago this stone wall is now an interior wall in several rooms including two bedrooms and the kitchen.

The dining room is the last room that will be finished.  When we designed the addition we wanted a formal dining room that would comfortably seat about 10 people and would be roomy enough for our formal dining room furniture.  The new dining room is approximately 12 by 20 feet and although it still needs wood trim and wood flooring we have been using it frequently.  We have lots of room for our 7 foot tall Christmas tree.  

A little table-scape.  We have been using red floodlights to illuminate the stone house at Christmas which gives a pink shade to our lace curtains.  They are actually beige.

 Another view of the dining room mantel with a small St Nicholas. 

   

Earlier this year I found these little gold acorns at a gift shop.  We added them to champagne flutes and martini glasses on the mantel.

This glass bird ornament was supposed to be part of a larger ornament which broke.  I have hung it from an antique decanter.

I found little glass reindeer a couple of years ago and love how the reflect on a mirrored tray.

Over the next couple of weeks I will share more pictures of some of our Christmas decorations.  

~Thank you for visiting!~

Preparing for Christmas

Hello dear friends, thank you for those of you patiently waiting for me to post some farm updates!  We have had a busy fall and with a recent snowfall I am shifting into Christmas mode.  Our celebrations will be more subdued than usual this year but we will extend the holiday season by hosting dinners for friends on alternate weekends.   We love to serve great food and wine with people that we have not seen in far too long!

Christmas decorating is underway.  I have been adding to our collection of Christmas trees and as we get closer to finishing our never ending renovations I will be able to put more of them up.

We have 2 small trees on either side of our front door.  After some reflection I think that they need some additional ornaments.

Earlier this year I bought a small metal sign that says "Please Close The Gate".  At the time we didnt actually have a gate but now we do!  And here it is lit and with a dusting of snow.  My very handy husband built the gate a few weeks ago.  One more project done!

A little burst of snow created some beautiful scenery.  This is the terrace area adjacent to our dining room.  The stone wall holds the waterfall garden that has appeared in other posts.  At this time of year the waterfall is not running and the fish have been moved to the koi pond to overwinter.

This festive tree is on the veranda on the side of our old stone house.

Here is a peaceful early morning view towards the barn.  

We have not had any time to enjoy the little gazebo this year but I thought it still deserved a tree.  

There is still much work to be done decorating the trees in the house.  I will be able to share more photos shortly!

~Thank you for visiting~