Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Lovely Holiday Weekend



Thanksgiving has come and gone. I hope all of you had a lovely time with family and friends wherever you spent it. We have hosted my family since we first bought our farmhouse back in 1999. 


It is my favorite holiday full of family, food, and friendship. I feel so fortunate - I guess that is what the holiday is about! With the animals outside grazing and the fire blazing in the fireplace inside, the setting couldn't be any more perfect. Thank goodness my mom and sister Lynn arrive a couple days early - it gives us a great chance to catch up, relax before the big day, and do some last minute shopping. This year we hosted 21 people - I think it was the largest group that has ever been at our house. 

We made these little cornhusk dolls as napkin rings the day before. Fun craft seen on Martha's site that goes quickly and is easy for kids. Hardest thing was finding the cornhusks.


With many of Julia's cousins away at college now, we were able to introduce their foreign friends to the American Thanksgiving tradition. We had guests from Norway, Sweden, and Australia. I conceded to throwaway plates as I couldn't stand the thought of washing all those dishes. Big decision on my part but it made clean-up so much easier.


Every year The Farmer hooks up his tractor to a haywagon and we take an old-fashioned hayride on our dirt road. This year, we were treated to a flock of wild turkeys. Totally surreal experience considering the bird cooking in the oven back at the house. 


We rode up the big hill and then the turkeys lifted off. Man, can those birds fly. 


The wagon had quite a load of people, didn't it? 


Turkey was delicious - carved meticulously by brother-in-law David. Sides contributed by all the guests.


Several years ago we formed our own kind of Black Friday tradition with no shopping involved. Whoever can extend the Thanksgiving Holiday travels to my sister Nancy's home in New Hampshire and we do some kind of communal craft activity. I must say this has become one of the nicest traditions our family does and probably one of my favorite days of the year. Time to sit around Nancy's dining room table, catch up with everyone's busy lives, eat leftovers (although this year there was barely a scrap of turkey left), and not stress out too much. 

This year we did not have a real craft theme. It was a mish-mosh of crafts we have done in the past. From needle-felting.....

Anna from Australia had never felted before but caught on quickly
to knitting......

Niece Celia casting on.
to Mom building one of my favorite crafts - the Birch Holiday houses (tutorial here). She made a church to add to her little collection.


Niece Olivia is a master and can make anything with wool. Here she is working on a nativity scene.


My niece Celia had just finished a Color by Kristin Fair Isle Pullover that she proudly modeled for me. She used French Roast 3276 and Natural 3216 to make my design that was featured in last fall's Vogue Knitting 2011 issue
 
 
Remember the design? 
 

The pattern is not available on-line at the moment but VK still is selling the back issues of the magazine here. This was Celia's first sweater! What a knitter! I hope she keeps it up. Amazing job Celia!

The holiday is all over now and the dining room will go back to its normal life as shipping room and catch-all for our farmer's market supplies. It will be ready and waiting for next year though. I hope you all enjoyed your American holiday too!
 



12 comments:

Diana said...

Wow, your niece did an impressive job with the sweater. It's stunning!

Anita said...

Wow! When your niece showed you the sweater she knit AND with your pattern, you must have felt good. I would have loved to be with all the crafters at your house.

Voie de Vie said...

What a great post-turkey day tradition! I love that "mish-mosh" of crafts going on, with several different generations present - just excellent.

And that sweater is stunning. It doesn't lose a beat in the more casually styled setting. Well done both of you.

Unknown said...

Wow, nice job, Celia! That's an awesome sweater!

Lee said...

Thanks for the peek at your happy holiday! Looks like fun. And that sweater blew me away. Great job, Celia!

sally said...

Can I borrow Celia for as long as it takes her to knit me a sweater?!?! WOW. And aren't wagon rides great fun?

Auntie Shan said...

AWESOME JOB, CELIA!! -- Watchout Kristin, She'll have Her own SHOW soon!

So. I guess those wild turkeys weren't part of some elaborate "RESCUE PLAN"..? -- Just hope you guys weren't "under" them when they took off! ;-D

Sally said...

I love every single thing about this post. Thank you for sharing, and please tell Celia, "brava!" xo

Unknown said...

what a great family tradition!! i never shop on black friday...staying home is so relaxing, with knitting, of course!! great sweater! she must have had a great teacher!!
^)^ linda

Rebekah said...

Does Celia have a ravelry id? I would love to see what else she has knitted.

Anonymous said...

I hope that i was able to start a tradition somewhat along your lines at my sisters house. As I got to teach one niece and two great nieces 8 & 9 yrs old to knit and we had our own little Friday knit night.

Sarah said...

Sounds like a lovely weekend. We're going to make more birchbark houses on Christmas Eve again. That's our newest tradition, inspired by you!

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