Saturday, December 25, 2010

A CHRISTMAS MEMORY

This Christmas will always be memorable, for many reasons. It's the very first Christmas that we spent as a family in our new home. Words can't express how happy I felt when my mother arrived today. She's 89 and very frail, and there have been a few times within this past year, where she took a turn for the worse, and we feared we might not have her with us this Christmas.

It was a wonderful Christmas day, and we were even graced with a beautiful sunset! I however missed experiencing it with everyone, since I was driving back to the farm to get the carving board I'd forgotten.

It's been a little like camping here at Hillwood, and not everything was perfect, or even went smoothly. A few vegetables were a little on the burned side, and my gravy boiled over; because I answered the phone and forgot about the fact I was in the midst of cooking. In spite of all the things that went wrong, it turned out all right! Both Bob, and Sam said this is the best Christmas in years.
I couldn't agree more. Well, maybe I could, if my husband hadn't refused to even taste one of the gifts I put in his Christmas stocking. It was a small packet of Kopi Luwak coffee, and I thought he'd get a kick out of it. He didn't. My brother and I did though, thoroughly enjoyed it, and crossed it off our 'bucket list.'





Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Cheers,
Donna

Saturday, December 4, 2010

TIME ON MY HANDS

  Lately  I've noticed a number of blogs regarding the polishing of silver, and I'm compelled to throw in my two cents.

I've polished generations of silver, and I can't recall a single Christmas that didn't involve me polishing every last piece of it.

Over the years, I've used many brands, and forms of polish; but with Hagerty Silver Foam,  the former time consuming, twelve days of Christmas polishing,  now leaves me wondering how to fill my idle hands the remaining eleven. Yeah right.

In my opinion, Hagerty Silver Foam, is simply the best.     It's the only polish that I use on my sterling, gold and silver rimmed china, and even jewellery.
It's very gentle, and doesn't smell too strong.
Using it is as easy, as washing dishes, and I think it's much more economical. I seem to remember going through bottles of the liquid polish in no time.


Below are some photos of my various china and silver. I'm having a difficult time adding photos, and inserting a description. Adding to my frustration is my husbands camera battery keeps needing to be changed.
I haven't yet found time to buy myself another charger.

All sterling, and sterling vermeil is Wallace, and my china includes, Minton, Royal Doulton, Versace (Rosenthal),Lenox,and Mikasa.




Pictured above is undated porcelain, that belonged to my fathers  grandmother.  That's all I can recall being mentioned about it; so this service is at least over 150 years old.  

 As far as I can find researching online; it's french in origin.      My fathers family was originally from France, and emigrated to Scotland.

While certainly not the prettiest pattern, it's sentimental value is priceless.    Two years ago, I viewed Napoleons apartments in the Louvre, and saw porcelain of similar properties, and body colour.     I suddenly saw this service in a different light.           There were inexpensive copies of Sevres porcelain even way back then, and I would love to find some clue as to who produced this china.





                                                       Minton china above

                                                   Versace china that I like to mix, and match
below
Royal Albert,  Royal Doulton, Wallace Sterling,  Wallace Sterling Vermeil


                                                  
                              
                                     Raynaud and Versace china


I have a fair amount of china and silver; some fine, some everyday.    My everyday sterling, just gets tossed in the dishwasher, and it never really needs polishing.   I don't have photos of it to post at the moment; but believe me, if you use Cascade powder, it's fine to put your silver in the dishwasher. Even my Minton china paperwork from the 60's states you can put their china in the dishwasher.


I have put  my good sterling, vermeil, and china in the dishwasher without damage; but I much prefer to hand wash them.
                                                    



Versace, Mikasa china below.




With the hours I save polishing my silver, you'd think I'd have time to shop for a battery charger.