Tags
Bees, Christmas pudding, Green Gay Bulls B&B, Homestead, Lucky Bee Homestead, Murray Harbour North, PEI, Roast Beef, Sir Andrew MacPhail, Vernon Bridge
In the last few days the weather has returned to normal for the Season, finally. Though I do enjoy the nice warmer than usual weather, it was a bit worrisome because it is so out of the usual.
Sunday was another crisp sunny day and we went to the Craft Fair at the Homestead of Sir Andrew MacPhail. I always enjoy going to the homestead in Orwell, the house is lovely dating from 1830 surrounded by a large wooded area. Driving up to the house through a narrow unpaved road bordered by poplars and other trees I am reminded of Leo Tolstoy’s Estate Yasnaya Polyana.
The house is beautiful in a peaceful setting and you feel that Sir Andrew and his family still live here. His daughter Dorothy lived at the house until 1962. The food is always good prepared in the small kitchen of the house, we had tea and lunch at the house on separate visits.
Sunday was a day to look at and buy some local crafts. In the long glassed-in veranda, the first vendors were a couple, Sabina and Michael Schonknecht formerly from Dresden in Saxony, they now live in Murray Harbour North and make jams, pickled fruits, breads and also sell chickens. They had for sale amongst other things, Dresdner Stollen which to me is one of the symbols of the Advent and Christmas Season.
There was also many other things to look at from natural pine bows and books and beautiful wool blankets made by MacAusland Wollen Mills in Bloomfield. Will bought a small water colour by Mel Giddings of Murray Harbour. We also bought a home made Christmas pudding by Jim Culbert, who uses his grandmother’s recipe. It is a big pudding, we had a sample taste it was very good. So we do not have to worry now that item is out of the way for Christmas. This year, as we rotate menus each year, will be Roast Beef, other years it has been Rack of Lamb or Roast Goose.
We had tea a biscuit and a cup of turkey vegetable soup made on the premises by the chef, it was very good, everything they serve comes from the farm of the homestead.
Our pudding maker Jim Culbert is also a furniture restored and upholsterer and he owns a B&B in Vernon Bridge, it is just off the main road and called Green Gay Bulls B&B not to be confused with Anne of Green Gables in Cavendish. Ken Gallant who is Jim’s partner told us a funny story of a Chinese family who arrived unannounced at their B&B one day wanting to visit the house. Jim and Ken were surprised and did not understand why they wanted to visit but were ever so eager to see it all. The house is very beautiful and full of wonderful furniture and accent pieces, all belonging to Jim’s family, the grounds around the house are also lovely. At the end of the visit their visitor thanked them and gave them some money for the visit. Jim and Ken still did not know what to make of it but suddenly one of the visitors made the reference to Anne and the penny dropped, they thought they were at the home of Anne Shirley. Jim did not have the heart to tell them otherwise, their english was a little faulty.
Larry Muffin At Home 