A Colonial Williamsburg Christmas From Susan of Between Naps On The Porch

Colonial Williamsburg At Christmastime
Primmies, click on the above link to go to Susan's blog Between Naps On The Porch
to see some lovely colonial Christmas florals
at Colonial Williamsburg.
Later, primmies... (I'm still readin' blogs!)

FREE MULTIPLE BLOG EXPOSURES FOR YOUR GIVEAWAYS AND MY SUNDAY ADVENTURE

Hi, Primmies, I'm sorry I'm just letting you know at this short notice date but I didn't know about this. You can post with a linky link on Sew Mama Sew's blog your giveaways and leave them open until December 16th.
If this is really too soon for you we can still enjoy the open giveaways until then. The only problem we have is too many giveaways, too little time!! (to enter them all).
On Sunday last we decided to take a drive. We had a rental car (again, I won't go into it) and it was a beauty so off we went. We had no particular destination in mind, I thought we'd head in the general direction of east and we ended up stopping unexpectedly in Oakham where we saw a big boulder carved with 'The Village of Cold Spring'. We went down the lane and it's the ruins basically of a place that was founded in 1748 and held 35 houses and about 100 people. They were self-contained with a railroad, water power, etc. The village lasted until the early 1900's when it was turned into a resort area. The Ware River Act of 1926 caused the Metropolitan Commission to "take it" in 1930 and I don't know what happened after that. It looks like The Army Corp of Engineers has it now, there's a dam in there at the opposite end of the site. It's huge, we drove and drove for 40 minutes and crossed about 15 miles. The roads are dirt for the most part. There's fishing, hunting, trapping, skimobiling, horseback riding, hiking trails, dog walking, etc. We stumbled upon the
Parker Cemetery. In the front the headstones that are still standing, albeit broken, are of the Parker Family and their descendants. The one that I couldn't stop looking at was of Maria L (nee Parker). She died at the age of 32 in 1841. She is buried with her babies Maria age 2, Andrew age 2, and I think Philip age 15 months. One of the children also died in 1841. Her parents and siblings are to her left and two of the sibling died in 1841, and one of the parents (I think).
We are wondering if something happened in 1841 to the people in the village or if it was just coincidence.
I have to Google it, I've been meaning to.
Then we went off to Rte. 62 towards Sterling and Princeton. We were looking for the 1761 Old Mill restaurant and we discovered a sign for a Christmas tree farm beforehand. Off we went. Drove down and through the woods, the tree farm was awesome. All red bows and ribbons on green laurel garlands and wreaths on the property. Ah, the smell of fresh trees... 
Next was to find our way out and back on the route. Well, this primmie found an antique shop first. It's the most quaint and adorable little house, and I mean little. The head clearance was about 3 inches. The floors, walls and ceilings were original wood boards, and the windows were very old glass with the little bubbles. I'd say about early 1700's it was built. The owner called down from her little red antique cape that she'd be right there, that it was too cold to stay in there all day so they wait for customers to stop.
She arrived and she was absolutely charming. Her name is Prudence (yes, Prudence just like you!) and she's close to 90. She loved having us, it was a learning experience for us, too. Her grandfather was in The Civil War and they settled in Connecticut. She
mentioned Willimantic. There were vintage milk bottles and crates and advertising bottles from Willi-
mantic and some things from the farm that her father had. I'm tellin' ya, we were there for at least an hour and a half. And was it cold. We just got some tissue from the car and wiped our noses and tucked our hands in our pockets and kept walking the shop. And Prudence happily chattered with Mr. Glen Oaks. When she found out that he was a woodworker and cabinet maker, watch out. She ran back and forth to her house and barn about 4 times lugging back boxes and different things that she wanted lids built for or this and that done. They are working something out I think trade for trade. So this fast worker had started a pile around the corner of what I needed Prudence to hold for me until we could get back there with the Explorer and take it home. Should I tell you what I bought? Nah, I'm gonna make you think about it. I didn't have a camera and still don't have one that works so I'm gonna make you wait until I can take the photos. Pictures are so much better than just words. This is also dependent on Mr. Glen Oaks buy-
ing me a camera for Christmas. So keep your fingers crossed... I will tell you that Prudence made me take home the little red sled that I bought. And a really neat copper pot oil lamp. It's like a fancy Betty Lamp.
Except no whale oil, and it's not wrought iron, and it's got a lid and a wooden handle, ok it's not like a Betty Lamp but I don't no what else to compare it to. It's like nothing we've ever seen before. It's really unusual. See, pictures necessary. The little red sled was her great aunt's so how old does that make it if grandpa was a Civil War vet? Wow. It's going on the door with some greens from our property.
By now Mr. Glen Oaks has had so much coffee that he needs a rest stop. We needed to go to Walmart anyway so off to Gardner to Wally's. Then I just had to go to Dollar Tree and look for those little socks that Tammy of A Primitive Place did a tut on. Well I forgot to look for the darn socks as soon as I walked in the door. The Christmas stuff hit me and gosh girls everything is $1.00 after all. I picked up some cool red and silver sparkly ornie balls for a wreath I want to do that I saw in a picture. And some big jingle bells that already look rusty but aren't really. It's out-side and away from the street so it doesn't matter. They will hold up well with all the snow and rain. Then they had these little knock-off Limoges boxes and I got a little Nativity scene box. And a couple of rubber stamps and big boxes of matches to make a little mouse in his bed pattern from Sandy of The Olde Country Cupboard. We get to the checkout line and oh here I go again, I'm welling up over it still. The Mastercard wouldn't go through, the store doesn't take them. Mr. Glen Oaks tried his bank debit card but since he's never used it that wouldn't go through either. He fished in his pocket for cash (we had a lot when we started out) but realized he'd dropped most of it back at Prudence's. So what happens next? He asked the clerk to leave our pack-
ages there and said he'd be right back and that he was going to the Stop n Shop ATM. This lady comes from the line across and says "no, I'll get it". I told her I couldn't let her do that, but this woman was serious! She had that card in the slot and was swiping it while I'm gently tugging on her arm now.
That damn clerk put the sale through and I was so moved I said "I've never had anyone do anything like this before, I'm going to cry" and she said "Oh, no, don't do that" and I did. Her son was smiling like a grinning fool and the lady was too. I had just kept saying "thank you, thank you" and I hugged her. The rest of the people in the store were just staring like awestruck. Some people were asking what happened and it was just incredible. Now, there's an example of the Spirit of Christmas if I ever saw/heard of one.
This has been quite an end-of-the year for us. We've had some incredible things happen and have never been more aware of the presence of the Lord in our lives. We were blessed during that awful storm and through the whole roof/car thing and meeting people like Prudence and then this lady at the store. I'll never go in or drive by another Dollar Tree that it won't cause me to remember the kindness of one
special lady.
Merry Christmas everyone,

Susan

I WON DANI'S GIVEAWAY

Hi, Primmies,
I was supposed to come back tonight and tell you about the rest of what we did (and happened) today.
I wanted to let those of you know that don't that I won
sweet little Virginia in Dani's giveaway at Homespun Hannah's Blog. Virginia is a Raggedy from a pattern by Sandy at
The Olde Country Cupboard. She's a sweet little dollie
that I'm proud to have come and live with us.
Thank you, Dani, for having the giveaway.  I am especially
grateful to have Virginia because for those of you who don't know, Dani had become disabled and doesn't sew anymore.
She'll hold a very special place in my heart, Dani.
I think you'll have to wait until tomorrow for the rest of
our adventure from today. Time just got away from me and I promised myself I wouldn't stay online late/all nite anymore.
Until tomorrow, 'nite Primmies...

vintage image free from morninggloryvintageandprims

A NEW TWIST ON THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS AND MY CHRISTMAS SURPRISE FROM MY SWEETHEART

Evenin', Primmies,
If you can please visit Karen of Buttons In The Attic. She is
doing a series of The Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies.
Today is Day 2 so we aren't too far behind. She said she might sneak some candy recipes in there, too!
Also announced was the winner of Karen's first Giveaway winner. It's Jodi of Crafts By Jodi. Congratulations, Jodi.
I hope to be back tonight to post again about our day. It was
extraordinary in a couple of ways. I know you're going to
be super busy from now til Christmas, but I'd hoped to get
more of you to give me your "giveaway wish". I asked a couple of days ago from some of my suggestions of what I'm able to craft what you'd like to see me have in a giveaway.
I only had about half a dozen responses.  If that's to be what
I go from, that's ok, too. Cuz I got different answers and that's good for a surprise. I am planning on adding a 'real primitive'
from one of my treasures along with a handmade by me so
I hope I get a lot of entries. I said it would be after the holiday and I think it will be right after the 1st of the year, because I found out that Mr. Glen Oaks is taking me to The Wachusett Village Inn on Christmas Eve through to New Year's Eve. We'll be home on Christmas Day to be with our kids and then back we go. It's only 25 minutes from here, but they have separate fireplaced cottages on the grounds that were built in the late 40's-early '50s and they are very Early Colonial. The furniture and bedding, too. The beds and chairs are very colonial. I was there today in the fireside lounge (did that fire smell good) and saw the cottages. They look like they were just built, most of them are Cape Cods. There were a couple of Gambrel-style. I'm so excited. I haven't been away in years.
They bring the wood to the cottage, it's right near                     Mt. Wachusett which is a pretty popular ski resort.
No more skiing for this primmy (too many rods, ceramic plates and screws in my spine) and Mr. Glen Oaks has never skied. We're planning on having Christmas Eve dinner at 
The 1761 Old Mill, you should see this place inside. I hope I can take some pictures. I was hoping Santa brought me a new camera but I don't really want him to now after this surprise. I think this is over the top for a present and I love my hubba so much.
Wow, I meant to stop talking paragraphs ago. I still have more to tell you about our day. We had the most beautiful thing happen to us. I am still getting teary-eyed about it.
We took a drive that was supposed to go nowhere in particular when...

free vintage graphics:http://morninggloryvintage-prims.blogspot.com/

Season's Special Meaning Giveaway at Prims By Olde Lady Morgan

Marie at Primitives By Olde Lady Morgan has asked us to
share what special meaning the Christmas season holds for us.
I feel the love of Jesus and the Virgin Mary all year, but at
this time of year the love is especially strong. The beautiful meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus our Savior and
Mass is especially beautiful during the Christmas season.  It
gives me such an overwhelming sense of peace and happiness. I am very blessed to feel this in my heart so much more as Christmas approaches.
I think Marie came up with an incredible idea for this give-
away by asking us to look inside our hearts to search for the
meaning of Christmas. Here's the adorable little pouty girl
doll she is giving away, her original design called "Better
Not Pout, Virginia":

Thanks, Marie for asking us to share our special meaning of the season.