The Season Has Begun

It's really begun, the season that is!  Christmas at Springfield House was the name given for this years event put on by the Friends of The Leeds & Thousand Islands Libraries.  As in years past, this season is no different, a  whirl of non-stop Christmas activities planned. The Santa parades are the kick offs, then, the various organizations make ready to show off their wares, those are the items we have to sell or give by way of gaining donations for our various worthwhile causes.  
To this end, the Friends of the Library threw its 2011 Christmas event at  Springfield House.   
Springfield House is located between Lansdowne and Mallorytown and is  the Township of Leeds and Thousand Islands, Ontario, and is historically important to the residents of the area settled z\along the St. Lawrence Seaway.  This tiny House houses the Library serving the residents of Mallorytown and is important to this area and surprisingly, very up to date for a very small library in a rural area. 
For its age this house has been lovingly cared for and its upstairs rooms remain nicely decorated in a homey atmosphere and where people can congregate during events.
We had planned "Make and Take" crafts, meaning there were some small craft projects which visitors could sit and make and then take home with them. There were three flavors of home made soups, scones with fresh butter, cookies, cakes and mincemeat tartlets.
I decided some pictures were worth taking to share it all with you.

Sweet Grass swaying in the wind

Springfield House

Outcropping fields where currently cows are grazing

Zoey was wearing her Xmas coat and visiting

One of our local artizans who makes beautiful jewellery from upcycled zippers and other wonderful materials, such as old sweathers and coats, buttons and wool sweaters and generally crafts around the clock

Mural on the attic walls of Springfield House depicting the Women Weavers of the area in the 1800's

Another wall mural in the attic

The story of the Weavers continues along the remaining attic walls

The mural ends with a woman at her loom while her baby sleeps in its cradle in front.
The spinning wheel you see pictured here was donated to the Historical Society and remains a permanent display in the attic of Springfield House today

Glen making a Christmas Ornament one of the Make and Take craft events on Saturday

Donation items for the Library, people took whatever they might want and left a donation

Crafters of the Make and Take event on Saturday

Dated in the Quilters own hand using cotton embroidery thread is the date 1892
This quilt is beautiful and for its age in relatively good shape and in the attic there are several other "old" historical quilts which are cycled as display around the seasons in Springfield House

The quilt pictured above was made using velvet and silks of the day, absolutely too beautiful.
I helped myself to the home made butternut squash soup, mmmmmmmmm was it good!   I was greedy and had two bowlfuls.. and more than some of tastiest fruit drop cookies.  The lady who made them has kindly shared the recipe with me and at the end of this post you will find that recipe.  Believe me, they are scrumscious....  

The sweet table was becoming woefully bare by the time I got to snap a photo

At this time of writing I haven't a clue as to how much money we raised, probably not enough to cover any one persons' time that whole day and there were many of us there, the importance of the day was exposure and fun which was had by all who came to visit. 
SUNDAY was spent shopping with a member of the Seeley's Bay Lions, we left very early in the morning and managed to get all of the shopping we could get done for the Angel Tree Project.  At this latest count we have 101 children of all ages to provide for.  The parcels are quickly filling up my spare room. 

FRUIT DROP COOKIE RECIPE

Thank you for sharing some of your time with me today, I sincerely hope you have enjoyed the visit and the recipe.