Sunday, December 15, 2013

Snowy Days at our Vermont Estate

A Sleigh Ride Through a Winter Landscape, 1915

Grandbaby and I went on a horse-drawn carriage ride this weekend. We had the Uncles with us. "The Uncles" are my sons John (16) and Matt (20).   Uncle Matt wore his wool overcoat and a pair of sunglasses. He looked charming.  He held baby.  Baby loves both of his Uncles, but when there are difficult things to do, Uncle Matt is the one baby reaches for.   He held baby and comforted him during the entire ride. Baby felt safe and secure and very happy.

It is cozy here at home. Our wood stove is blazing and the gospel music is playing quietly in the background.  We will make a small batch of sugar cookies late this afternoon.

It can get bitterly cold here with temperatures below zero.  We have to close up some of the house to maintain heat in only a few of the rooms.  Our parlour is the main room where we keep it mostly cozy. It is attached to our kitchen. We put up a pretty floral quilt in the hall doorway to block out any cold drafts. It makes things look vintage and old fashioned to have a curtain - of - sorts for a door!

Mothers in the old days would stuff newspapers in windowsills and cracks in the walls to help keep out the chill.  Can you imagine how cold it must have been (before modern heating and plumbing) when families would wake up and find a sheet of ice over the water in a washbasin on cold winter mornings?

With heating costs so high, we have to work on overcoming depression and sadness on the coldest of days. We have to bundle up and think of our extra efforts at warmth as an adventure!  We may notice the pretty snow outside and decide to make a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate to provide an extra sense of comfort and warmth.  Knitting or crocheting by the fire (or electric heater) are nice ways to stay warm.   If one can bake or cook something special, it will certainly help heat up the kitchen.  It is good to set a "mood" or create an "ambiance" of home.

I love having a little lamp in my kitchen.  It adds a sense of gentleness to our evenings.  In just a little while, I will wash dishes and start supper.  Grandbaby will sit in his highchair and play while I work. I will give him little treats and little toys as I go along.  Then baby and I will sit by the window and look at the snowy landscape and enjoy the view from the second story of this 1800's Estate. It shall be another pleasant day in Vermont.

Blessings
Mrs. White


From the Archives:

Are you doing this? - Creating a 1950's Like Childhood.

Keeping family Bible Time on Busy nights -  Cooking While Holding a Bible.

The foundation of a Christian Mother's Home - The Mission House.




Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."




An Invitation - Subscribe to The Legacy of Home and have it delivered directly to your email. 






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15 comments:

Noelle the dreamer said...

So nice to catch up Mrs. White!
Wishing you and yours the Merriest of Christmas and a Happy New Year!
May His light shine upon you always,

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

Last week, before the chimney had been cleaned so we could have our first fire of the year, we awoke to a very cold house. The propane had run out!

I just got up, put a kettle of water on to boil for doing breakfast dishes, set the kettle on to boil, and preheated the oven for biscuits. The kitchen was warm. ~smile~ By evening, hubby and landlord had the propane and the woodstove ready to go.

The moral of the story, do what you can, with what you've got, where you are!

Rhonda said...

What a sweet pleasant post. I hope you all are able to stay warm enough.
I smiled when I read your sons names. My son in law and grandson are John Matthew, the daddy is the sr and baby JJ is the jr.

Cathy said...

Hello, Mrs. White. Your grand babies are very blessed to have their grandparents and their uncles. I know my grandchildren feel loved by all their aunties and uncles(my children). And the aunts and uncles are enriched by having their nephews and nieces. Abundant Blessings to you and yours.

Melissa M. said...

Beautiful and peaceful narrative.

MaineFarmMamma said...

We got 15inches of snow today! It was a wonderful day for cooking- split pea soup, homemade biscuits, and M&M cookies :) And don't neglect the cocoa for the kids when they come in! Brianna

jviola79 said...

Beautiful photo! I am so glad that it will be a white Christmas here for us as well. May you & yours have a blessed Christmas!

Illinois Lori said...

Good morning, Mrs. White! We are also waiting on the woodstove chimney inspection and also for the gasket to be repaired here at Bryan's old farmhouse before we can use it...and the woodburning furnace outside hasn't yet been fired up due to all of our travel. We just went through our first propane tank this heating season, WOW it went fast. We cannot afford to do this again! I often think about the pioneers, like the Ingalls family, how they might wake up to find themselves--in their beds--covered in snow! And how someone would get up in the darkness of the morning to start the fire before anyone else would get out of their cozy beds. You are correct, winter warmth IS and adventure!
Blessings and {{{HUGS}}} to you,
Lori

Housewife59 said...

Lovely post, Mrs White. I have been thinking recently of the very same thing. People of my parents and grandparents time, just 'got on' with things and very often their physical activity kept them warm. Certainly the children didn't spend all day whining and thinking only of their own needs. It struck me recently that the 'world' has given us fearful mindsets about cold and fear of what we don't have rather than enjoying what we do have. I spotted a headline on a newspaper three weeks ago here saying 'Three months of Winter H*ll to come' In fact, we are only due a typical, perfectly normal winter, but they have got people so scared.

Joyfulmomof6 said...

I grew up in New England (CT) and loved spending time in VT over the years. Your pictures and posts bring back good memories.
I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for the last 12 years...so although we don't get much snow, when we do, it's a rare and special treat. We can see Mt Rainier, which is snow-capped mountain all year long from our window. When we need a "snow fix" we can drive over there and go sledding. :)

I am on Day 19 of your 90 day Early Morning Revival Challenge...I have been so blessed and look so forward to that special quiet time first in the mornings.I highly recommend it to anyone needing to boost their spirits, get more focused, and gain a closer walk with the Lord.

Dolores said...

What a beautiful picture you paint!

Deborah Montgomery said...

Mrs. White,

such a lovely post, as always. Your sweet spirit always shines through. Your family is blessed to have you!

Karen Andreola said...

If you go out in the cold and come back inside it feels so much warmer in the house, doesn't it. Taking baby out to see the snow, as you describe it, sounds so gentle and sweet a thing to be doing between household chores.
I hope you are enjoying your knitting projects.

Shirley-Ann said...

Oh how I loved this post! So lovely! Our family is rediscovering the old 'hot water bottle'while trying to cut the time we have the heating on during the day. I have made a pretty cover for it and recently bought one with a lovely fair isle knitted cover - so comforting!

Merry Christmas to you and yours Mrs. White :o)

Deanna said...

Hello, Mrs. White.
A carriage ride sounds so charming and inviting!
I could invasion the entire ride out in the snow.

Staying warm has it's challenges. I try really hard to not use the air conditioner during the hot months which helps keep our utility bill down. We're on a even payment plan and because I do this the monthly averaging is better for our pocket book during the cold months.

Working at lowering the heating bill. It's a challenge!!!

Wonderful post.
d