Sunday, December 19, 2010

ONCE UPON A WINTER'S EVE

Yesterday I turned another year older....and that is all I'm going to say about that. Amen. In honor of my birthday my husband took me to Strawberry Banke to partake in the Holiday Candlelight Stroll. Strawberry Banke is a historic museum located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The museum consists of 32 buildings on their original sites in the neighborhood of Puddle Dock. Many of the homes were decorated for the holiday season according to a particular era. We first were greeted by St. Nicholas in the Rider-Wood House, an early 19th century home of English immigrant and widow Mary Rider. At the Chase House an 1818's mid winter dinner party was happening with live harpsichord music in the formal parlor. At the 1870 Goodwin Mansion, Governor and Mrs. Goodwin had made a wonderful maze of colored ribbons on the Christmas tree-each leading to special color coded gifts for each individual child. The year was 1943 at the Marden Abbott House /Store where the family was preparing a special dinner to welcome home their soldier son who was on leave for Christmas. At the Shapiro House the year was 1922 and featured the family celebrating the last evening of Hanukkah with special food, games and music. At the Masons Historic Lodge-Pitt Tavern soups and hot drinks were available, a perfect amenity to a cold winter's evening. The Candlelight Stroll is a wonderful event to put one in the holiday mood. You will find musicians in many of the homes, carolers singing as you stroll along the dirt paths illuminated by candlelight. Warm spiced cider and hot chocolate were available and a bonfire to warm your bones.... In my case "old bones." If you have never visited Stawberry Banke place it on your list of places to see.... in my case I refer to this as my "bucket list". In summer the flower and vegetable gardens are amazing here and are especially enhanced with the view of Portsmouth Harbor and the smell of the ocean air. Thank you sweetie for taking your "old lady" out on the town.... it was a wonderful evening.

23 comments:

Farm Girl said...

well have a belated birthday wish from me. It looks like it was a wonderful day anyway.
Thanks for sharing it with us.

acorn hollow said...

sorry we missed each other but a very happy birthday. It was a wonderful night we sat at the bonfire for a while to warm up.
cathy

ClassyGal said...

Let me be the first to wish you a belated Happy Birthday! From the sounds of it, you had a wonderful one, what a place! It sounds amazing!

Kim said...

Happy Happy Birthday!! That sounds like a nice, festive way to celebrate. Your sweetie has some great ideas.
Kim

Bonnie said...

I've only seen Strawberry Banke in the summer. I bet it was a lovely site to see it decked out for Christmas.

Eve said...

Don't listen to her folks!! She's not old!!!
What a wonderful birthday trip Julie! Too cold for my old bones tho!! hahahahaha!

Pondside said...

Happy Birthday!
I loved reading about your birthday treat. It sounds an awful lot like the Fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island. It's such fun to 'drop in' on a moment in time.
If I ever make it back to your part of the world I'll put Strawberry Banke on my list.

Larkrise garden girl said...

That sounds like so much fun! Cheri

Anonymous said...

Belated happy birthday to you! That sounds like a fabulous event, maybe next year it will appear on my bucket list!

Just remember, youth is wasted on the young. The bard had it right.

A New England Life said...

What a fun event to attend on your Birthday! Glad you enjoyed it. Maybe one day you and your sweetie can visit Strawberry Banke during the summer.

Happy Belated Birthday Julie!

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

Happy Belated Birthday!!!

Julia said...

Happy Belated Birthday dear friend. What a sweet treat from your husband. You are not getting older, you are getting better like a well aged wine. JB

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

Happy Birthday to you!! What a nice day you must have had. Portsmouth is such a fun place to visit.

Rowan said...

Belated Happy Birthday - what a lovely way to celebrate it too. I love Strawberry Banke but have never had the chance to see it at Christmas. My favourite houses are the Shapiro House and the Marden/Abbott House/Store mainly because they are from periods that interest me. I can see that one of these years I'm going to have to spend Christmas in the USA!

Rural Rambler said...

Well well Julie at Dog Trot Farm Happy Happy Happiest Belated Birthday from CH and Me!!!! I am thinkin I know what # this one is! Amen.

I'm with Evis, it woulda been too dang cold for these old bones and mine are lots older than yours!

Unknown said...

What a fun way to spend your birthday! See, time travel is possible after all! Happy Birthday Julie and you're not older, you're more experienced and in life that's a good thing. The Artist's birthday was yesterday. Having a birthday in July myself, I've always felt sorry for Christmas babies but as I get older, I think it's kind of nice. Experience will do that. ; )

~Andrea~

Janet-Olde Crow Primitives said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Janet

Jacque. said...

Happy Belated Birthday, Julie! WOW...the Candlelight Stroll sounds wonderful! And, from the sounds of it, one couldn't help but be in the holiday spirit. What a wonderful time to spend with your husband.
Happy Holidays!

peaceomom51 said...

Hey, Check out my blog, we went there last weekend!! So fun! We loved the Goodwin Mansion, too. Merry Christmas! Happy Happy birthday to you!

~Vonnie, NH

Missouri Gal said...

Happy belated birthday!!!

Peacemom said...

Oops, I'll try again so you can use the link to check out the Strawbery Banke pictures...

http://thepeaceablekingdom.blogspot.com/

~Vonnie, NH

Cathy G. said...

Happy Belated Birthday wishes from another Dec. birthday girl. Mines on the 22nd. Looks like you celebrated in style! How wonderful to have spent the day in gorgeous historic surroundings with your Hubby!
Sweet Blessings!
Cathy G

Genny said...

Julie, happy birthday!! I knew we were connected somehow. My birthday is the 20th, and like you, that's all I'm going to say 'bout that. I'm so glad you had a wonderful day.