Holiday Greenery, Berries & Blooms

       The nandinas at the farmhouse are loaded with red berries and look so festive at the holidays.
 

                        Driving around town I started to notice all the Yuletide Camelias in bloom. I had forgotten how much I liked these. I needed one at the farmhouse!

          They bloom right in time for Christmas.

       Don't know if I like them shaped, but they still had lots of blooms.

                     So I headed to the local nursery to buy one for next year!

                                          If the weather holds out this week, I will get it in the ground.  While at the nursery I took lots of photos of all the beautiful Christmas greenery to be posted on Instagram, TinyFoothillsFarmhouse.  Merry Christmas!

Holiday Table

     Tablescape complete!
 

         Handmade doilies used as a table runner resembling snowflakes.

    The snowman is from Rucus Studio, one that I've had for years.

    The holly figurine is another Rucus Studio. The snow bunny is Bethany Lowe.       

                                                                               

       Hoping I can fit plates for my brunch around the decorations!

Start of the Holiday Season

I started off decorating the porch with a group of cedar trees cut from the property, all lit with tiny white lights, then the winds from the gap came in one night and took them all down.  Thought it easier to just light the boxwoods and add to the porch as I go along.
 

                           Inside I worked on the free bottle brush tree, just white lights and vintage red ball ornaments and a vintage tree topper.

                            Pieces of tinsel were still on the tree when I brought it home, so I left them.  

        White, bright and cheerful!

   This week I will be working on decorating and cleaning up the farmhouse for a holiday brunch I will be hosting for some friends. I've decided to post on www.campbluewall.blogspot.com.  It's been a year since my mother's passing, and I feel I'm ready to do a Christmas post because I always liked to refer back to what I did with the tree and wrappings and gifts I sent to family and friends.  

A Very Old Christmas Tree

                            This white bottle brush Christmas tree was free at a Habitat for Humanity store.  I asked why, only because the top knot was missing.  In my mind, that was perfect, so much easier to place a tree topper!
 

                           Pure white, still wearing some tinsel, looks as if it has been packed away for quite some time. Going to take some work fluffing these branches, straightening them, but when done, will look very pretty at the farmhouse.

            I have never seen one that was made like this. Each branch looks like a giant candy cane and you slip the hook into a hole on the main pole.  Very heavy and well built.

                            The branches just hang and sway. I think it will be easy to put lights on this one.

       I wasn't planning on having a decorated tree inside, I was planning on cutting a lot of trees that are growing where they shouldn't be and decorating the porch so that it's all lit up, but now I guess we'll have one inside, too!

    Next weekend the decorating will begin!

The Kitchen

                       So pleased with the light over the sink, it adds so much light to the room.  When I bought it, I never thought I would be keeping it, especially without a globe. When I found the globe, I knew it was meant to be.
 

    The more I oil this vintage butcherblock, the better it gets! So glad I have two other large pieces to be used somewhere in the future.

                               This range works for now, but oh how I would like to buy the one below (it would be better than the one in the main house), so not an option right now.  

                              This ILVE range at only 30 inches would be a perfect fit.  Mindy bought the double oven in black for the flip house, I fell in love. She sold that house in one day $10,000 over asking, I didn't even get to see it staged, but did see it online. A bit more modern than I would have done, but someone really liked it.  You can see it here:

                      A vintage floral print above the stove in an old frame. I can't wait to decorate for Christmas. I found the perfect tree for the farmhouse!

Local Hiking - Chimney Rock - Outcroppings Trail

One of the wonderful attractions for those who come to this area are the local hiking trails. New ones are always in the works.  Great attraction to Airbnb guests.

 We picked Sunday to finally go for a hike to view the leaves.  It was supposed to rain all day, but we took the chance, it never rained and the fog made the leaves even more dramatic. It was perfect.
 

We did the outcroppings trail up to 2300 feet.  That was all the time we had allotted for hiking.  The next portion is the Exclamation Trail and Skyline Trail that will go to 2700 feet and will take about three hours.  We hope to do that Thanksgiving weekend.

                          As the name implies, there was a lot of rock to climb and my calves were definitely feeling it the following days. 

                      Going through some of these tight passageways reminded me of 127 Hours, not a good thing!

                   Bob bought my hiking tights from Anthropologie and I love them!  His taste is getting better with age!

              Had to get Bob in here.  

      Chimney Rock is a beautiful place. We are so lucky to live here!