My Home and Garden
I cheated with the silver this year and used my mothers silver cleaning plate. I really enjoy cleaning silver, and like to leave tarnish in the grooves...a nice old patina. However, I am running out of time, so the plate it is. I must say, it sure looks clean!!
The flash created this gold shine. I love it. Let's all pretend that my old battered silver is actually gold!!
No flash...and the silver as it actually looks.
This teapot, cream and sugar was a gift from Allan for Mother's Day...one week after I had Noel.
All washed and polished to a shine
Two shelves of dishes done!!! One to go.
I took two hours tonight and washed my 73 year old Wedgwood Embossed Queensware dishes. I really took my time, even using my little Lee Valley nail brush to wash out all the blue grape and vine design around each dish.
Washing the dishes
Drying and stacking
Back in Great Grandma's china cabinet
The other side
Two shelves left to go
All polished and shiny and ready to be put back in my great grandmothers China cabinet.
Another 8x12' greenhouse!!!! Allan, the 'usedvictoria' guru, found one for $400.00 with an exhaust fan and thermostat...everything but a heater. This BC Greenhouse new with the extras, would be about $6000.00. It'll need a bit of cleaning up, and three or four new glass panes, but that is all. Oh and a lot of sweat equity. Here it is during the dismantling.
For next year anyway, I think I will fill it with tomatoes and peppers. I LOVE tomatoes.
Welcome to Middlebrook Farm little glass house!
I have been collecting Christmas ornaments for 42 years. I was inspired by a tree I saw with all different types of ornaments and finished with plastic icicles. I loved it. This was in a time when everyone's trees were decorated by colour. For example, you would have blue lights, with blue and silver shiny balls and finally some tinsel. So this unique tree fascinated me. I immediately started looking for different ornaments. I was about 18.
There weren't any Christmas stores near me, so I found some wonderful Hallmark ornaments. We have the first rocking horse in their long running series.
Once there were Christmas stores, it all became much easier. I began collecting in earnest, and then discovered Glass Icicles. I think I have about 300 of them. I buy at least one ornament per year. I have gotten choosier as the years passed and the tree became fuller. All the ornaments are wrapped in tissue and stored in Rubbermaids, so it takes me two days to decorate the tree.
The recipe for this wonderful tree:
1. Start by putting on all of the hanging ornaments. I begin with the German Glass, new and Antique. They are exquisite and I place them in special places. In the first phase I place the really special decorations as well. Like the little pecan mouse sleeping in a walnut that my son Noel made in Grade 2. I love it with all my heart and place it front and centre every year.
2. I then place the old hallmark ornaments.
3. Next, the Snowbaby, Wedgwood, and other quality heavy ornaments.
4. Then come the heavier ornaments. The mercury glass and the sturdier ornaments. {They are packed in the Rubbermaids by these categories}
5. Then I put on the filler ornaments. They are the small ornaments that can fill those tiny spaces where nothing else will fit.
6. Next is the little ice ball garland. I had several and cut them into two foot lengths and place them on the branches. They look like ice on the branches.
7. I have some branches of red berrys that I cut into smaller pieces as well. They were large and many branches per stem and I cut them into three branch pieces. They get placed here and there in the tree.
8. The last step is the most satisfying. Glass icicles. The more you have, the better. This is the part that makes the tree come alive. My tree has 800 lights on it, so this makes the tree sparkle. Literally. I would buy new icicles every year on sale after Christmas. I have about 300. Many have broken over the years, as kids and cats knocked them off, so maybe it is about time I grabbed another 20 or so to make up the missing.
I hope this helps you start your own traditional family tree. It will be wonderful for your own family to stand around the tree and reminisce over the stories that surround the ornaments. That, my friends, is the absolute best part. Merry Christmas.
My very old Tupperware pitcher with the Rose cuttings soaking until I can get them planted.
With the loss of Charlotte a few weeks ago, it made five little urns and mementos on my bedroom dresser. I felt like I wanted to have them altogether where I could see them and it felt more respectful. I thought of lots of options but decided to find a little shelf for the hallway. Where it wouldn't be in front of me all day, but I would see it many times. This is the result. It isn't quite done as I have yet to print out a few of the photos, but the frames are ready. It will be done within a couple days.
The lettuce and kale are finally big enough to plant in the citrus house. It is a bit cooler down at that end of the greenhouse, and the light is perfect. I cannot wait to have fresh lettuce this winter.
