Tuesday, December 21, 2010

A few more pictures to share, thanks for your comments Christine, my gosh I know what you mean burned out bloggers need a break too, I have been neglectful to my blog as well but I still keep at it when I have the time or something to share. Best Wishes!
Just a few more pictures to add from the tour it was hard to take good ones with no flash and tripod but I still wanted to get some for decorating references like paint colors used in the hallways and wallpapers that were selected as historical reference to the time period and some of the lovely framed lithographs the large one of Queen Victoria is so sweet, the McNab family were devote Catholic so there was quite a few religious framed pieces of Jesus Sacred Hearts and in the girls room Sophie and Minne they had little prayer altars that they would use daily with Rosarys and Missals. The room pictured with the white curtained bed was the "Sick Room" in the house and at that time Influenza and T.B. where fatal and required months of bed rest, not like our Benelyn take a pill and rest a "day" sick day's we are used to today , the ill person would take up residence there and be tended to by nurses, ahh life in the castle!





Kitchen





Music Room


Sick Room



Butler's Pantry









Monday, December 20, 2010

December has brought with it a delicate and silent winter wonderland for the weekend!!
(We are nestled in and making a cozy soup, yum!)

The folksical forest outside is blanketed with snow, and the flurries are still falling.

Wishing you all a magical holiday!

Here is some pictures from a Christmas Tour of Dundurn Castle all decked out in it's Victorian Finery, they use all fresh greenery and historically accurate decorations for that time period of late 1800's. I love the history of the Kissing Ball done in cedar bows and cloved oranges in the front foyer, it was to represent the winter solstice and the planets at that time of the year, in the center was the sun which is a mirrored ball. The mantels in each room were so beautifully done I spent time taking many pictures, and the Rose Drawing Room is one of my favorite rooms with the cranberry gas chandelier and the table top Victorian tree, as part of our tour we made one of the paper Fan ornaments to take with us, love that, and the tour of the historic kitchen was great they had samples of all the period foods of the Christmas feast Orange Gingerbread, and Christmas Pudding, Scotch Shortbreads, and warm cider, we stayed there for a while.
I wanted to spend some time taking photos of Sophia McNab's nursery where she was taught at home by a governess, many of the original pieces made are still there to view, samplers, and journals, watercolor paintings done by the children and family. Enjoy!