Train and some Christmas at home

Hope all had a Happy Christmas.   The month of December flew by.  I was not in a hurry to shop or even decorate.  I took it slow and enjoyed the season.  I did get most of my decor up by the first but on and off tweaking and rearranging during the season.  Wind blew some things down, but we go them back up along with some lights.  The weather turned blustery cold.  Not a new thing, I remember some mighty cold and very snowy winters.  

Wednesday before Christmas we took grandchildren for a train ride to Fredericksburg. They wanted to experience a train, and this was the perfect short trip for them to shop and have meal at Sammy T's. 

We caught the train at our Ashland station

What cold day it was

Inside the visitor center at Ashland 1923 train station.  Museum houses RF&P railroad memorabilia

Our seats were facing each other in the very front which was pleasant

The Amtrak conductor offered the girls a tour of train since it was their first time to show them around.  They hopped up right away to take a look

Very pleasant first train experience.  

Genevieve captured some pretty scenery along the way

Now arrived and 

on our way downstairs to the street

The city of Fredericksburg Va. dates back to pre-colonial times. 

Several historic buildings from 18th and 19th century are here

Wreath on door of a home built in 1770

ready to  eat

children had burger and fries

Steve had stir fry

Shops were closed by 6 o'clock. Little surprised at that.  Not quite as decorative as in past years but still the experience of the train ride was important to them.

A window with Christmas scene

We had time til the train came so we popped into the hotel lounge Starbucks for hot chocolate.

It was so cold and so thankful the train was only 15 minutes late

We left at 8:30 p.m.  Good day it was

Now

Back home with some Christmas decor

I hung this mirror found at a thrift shop with a plant holder beneath and flickering candle

The gold ivy leaves are from a sale that I stuck in with the poinsettia flowers

I dried some oranges and place them in container with pine cones and incense oil to scent entry way

Entry way

A Christmas frosty scene puzzle I did few years ago.  Not properly framed as yet but I hung about the doorway

Another puzzle of a winter scene

Retro angel at top of tree in dining room

Retro type tree in Grandchildrens room

Another bedroom

Close up of a pillow with a picture I took of my lamp post and made into Christmas cards last year and the pillow seen on bed

Christmas village on mantle in den

The greatest and momentous fact the history of the world records is the fact of Christs birth

Author-Charles Spurgeon

A video and hope for one more Christmas post.   Not enough time in the days it seems anymore.  Well, I am a lot slower than I used to be also. 

Christmas visit to Gari Melchers home to tour

A visit to Falmouth near Fredericksburg VA, home of Gari Melchers and his wife Corinne Melchers. 

A native of Detroit Michigan born Julius Garibaldi Melchers in 1880 studied art at 17 at Kunstakademie Dusseldorf, then off to Paris after 3 years for study there.  

His wife Corinne was an American painter. A gardener and rosarian, she was involved with the restoration of the grounds of Kenmore Plantation, built by George Washingtons sister Betty Washington Lewis and husband Fielding Lewis a Fredericksburg merchant. 

Home of Gari and Corinne went through many changes over the years

We enjoyed the walk outside seeing natural greenery with ribbon.  Inside lovely Christmas decorations.  

front door

entrance hall with his little tree that had crystals on the limbs that shimmered with the spotlight 

Looking straight ahead entering the hallway is this view of the landscape surrounding home.

"On my return to Fredericksburg, I walked through the house and opening the back door, looked down the hill across the fields and the river.  The beauty of Virginia made me wonder how I could ever have left it even for a winter." __Gari Melchers

peek to sunporch

Up the stairs to guest rooms

Pretty guest room upstairs 

I especially like the below painting and the discription

Spring house on property circa 1932

Christmas decorations 2022

I hung these two weeks ago. 

Christmas shopping and sightseeing in Va.

My husband and I had a short get away to do some shopping in Clifton Forge Va.  at their Kriskindlmarkt that was inside and so glad for that as it was a very chilly day. It was held in the School of the Arts building.  German style food and crafts.  

Places to sit to eat or just take a break

I purchased these handmade weihnachtsmann.  Cute painted faces on small logs.

All made in Virginia, and I do like to buy and support local businesses here in Virginia when I can.

on our way back home, we decided to sightsee some in the Alleghany Highlands, Covington Va. and see the Falling Springs Falls. 

 Brr it was breezy and cold but kept us moving on the short walk to see the Falls.

Thomas Jefferson surveyed this area as stated below.

We stopped at a roadside to see a bridge and was hoping to walk across but it was private. It reminded me of a swinging bridge not far from the area that my dad and Mom walked across with us when very young.  

I was sooo tempted to go across but didn't.  

Virginia has some pretty country side with old barns that I love.   

Love these curious fellows.  It's like they wanted their picture taken.  So cute!

A stop in Staunton Virginia at the Edelweiss restaurant for some German food.  I call this homestyle cooking as it reminds me of food Mom would fix.  

Very warm and inviting two story large log cabin type structure. 

We had dinner at Edelweiss in Colorado not too many years back and loved the food there.  

Delicious!  Not exactly like the ones I had at restaurants in Germany but very close.  These were a little more moist and softer texture.  

I asked about the nice tablecloths, but they came from Germany and don't think I could get any like this.  Can barely see in picture but I like the needlework.  Done by machine I am sure but very pretty.

Wienerschnitzel for me with a somewhat sweet sauce for dipping

Steve had Rahmschnitzel  with a sour cream mushroom sauce.

Several types of sauerkraut, one is my favorite Bavarian Sauerkraut, macaroni in a sauce and German style green beans.

You can see we took plenty home for another meal the next day

Now in the mood for putting up the tree at this point.  We were here November 26

A video if in the mood for seeing.  

Thank you and now to finish decorating here at home so I can post some of my home decorations of Christmas