CHRISTMAS 2016

The Christmas season at the Juniata Valley Winery Wilson House Bed and Breakfast is a time for celebrating and a time for giving.  Please come in and see what we’ve been doing this year.

 

 

DRESSING UP FOR THE OCCASION

Before the fun begins, there is much work to do dressing up the tasting room and the B&B.  We decorate just as November gets underway in order to prepare for the wine trail (see "Heartland Wine Trail Christmas" below) that commences before Thanksgiving.

 Santa Greets His Guests

 

 

No Chestnuts Roasting, Just a Cozy Fire!

 



Santa, It's DOWN the Chimney!

 

 HEARTLAND CHRISTMAS WINE TRAIL

Our Christmas season kicks off with the Susquehanna Wine Trail’s Heartland Christmas wine tour.

 

Tasting Room in a Festive Mood for Wine Trail

The tour spanned three weekends beginning on November 19.  A multitude of trail travelers come from miles around, filled with a holiday spirit for sampling fine wines and shopping our selection of gifts, gift boxes & baskets, and, of course, wines.  Many choose to order custom labels on their wine to personalize and, perhaps, add a whimsical touch.

 

Santa Loves Our Gift Baskets & Custom Labels

 

SANTA VISTS WILSON HOUSE

 

On December 11, just as the crowds enjoyed their last day of making the rounds of the wine trail's 17 wineries, Santa arrived at the Wilson House.   Each year Santa spends a morning here for children from around the area to sit on his lap, whisper in his ear, and have their photos taken by proud parents. 

Soldiers Guard Santa

 

 

Make Yourself at Home

 

To add to the festivities, JVW provides a fun craft and plenty of cookies and milk for the children and their parents.

Crafty Couple
 

 

Hey, Leave Some Cookies for Me!

 

 

CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE

 

We are ever mindful of the most important aspect of CHRISTmas - why – that is, Who - we are celebrating

 

REJOICE!  A CHILD IS BORN.

 

and what He asked us to do, that is, love and care for our neighbor.  Therefore, each year at JVW Wilson House we sponsor a toy drive, asking our patrons to bring gifts for children of families in need.  We acknowledge the generosity of our patrons with a 15% discount on their wine purchases.

 

We are most grateful to the many kindhearted people who donated a gift to our toy drive, and who thereby made a child somewhere in the area very happy on Christmas morning.  That's the spirit!  THANK YOU!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 AND

A VERY HAPPY 2017

TO ALL!

       

 

COMMUNING WITH OUR GREEN FRIENDS

This summer we undertook phase one of a landscaping revival here at Juniata Valley Winery Wilson House Bed & Breakfast.  Here are excerpts from a note I recently sent to our friend Suzanne King who created a design plan that she is helping to implement over the next few years.

              Dear Suzanne,

"I think of you often when standing on the front lawn for hours, hose in hand, communing with our green friends. 

 

"Yes, sad to say, 2 transplants have died from post surgery trauma and thirst.  It has been a challenge to keep everything adequately watered with our primitive, by-hand/sprinkler system, rationed time and manpower available for the task, and a dearth of rain. . .As for pulling the two bushes, there is a contingent that believes in magic and thinks those two boxwoods will come back . . . It’s not looking good.



TREE HYDRANGEA OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO SAD BOXWOOD

"All your other plantings seem to have adjusted to the environment.  The little trees and bushes have taken quite happily to their new digs. 

 

NEWLY PLANTED EVERGREEN COURTS POTTED PETUNIAS

 

The foxglove and lavender are also settled – I cannot wait to see them when they come back next year.  All of the pots look fabulous.

A HAPPY GATHERING

 

 My favorite is the gray one out back."

 

GORGEOUS - AND KNOWS IT

 

 

 

I'm sure for someone like Susan, the surroundings of the gorgeous stone home we call Wilson House Bed and Breakfast are a veritable playground.  The towering deciduous and evergreen trees on the grounds occasionally give way, so that the property is variously studded with sun-drenched sections juxtaposed with areas of deep shade.

 

SHADED HYDRANGEA FEELS FOR SUN-ROASTED FRIENDS

 

Then there are the dappled spaces:
 

*"GLORY BE TO GOD FOR DAPPLED THINGS. . .LANDSCAPE PLOTTED AND PIECED"

A favorite of Suzanne's additions to the landscape is the tree hydrangea that delighted us with delicate white flowers.

CLOSE UP PHOTO OF HYDRANGEA TREE

Sadly, the many existing hydrangeas yielded but one, lone, albeit gorgeous, pink flower this year.

 

NEEDS A FRIEND!

We capitalized on Suzanne’s creativity on a small patio beside the winery.  Susan added a tropical feel with enormous pots of canna and potato vine on this shady side of the house.  We added garden seating to provide a cozy, shaded nook for our patrons to “chill out,” sip wine, and chat.
 

INVITATION TO AFTERNOON WINE & CHEESE!

Suzanne’s invaluable input is part of an ongoing beautification project in the gardens at JVW Wilson House.  The vision is to include most of the existing landscaping, enhanced by Suzanne’s plan.  Phase one called for re-arranging our boxwoods and added new flowers - foxglove, lavender, a hydrangea tree - some evergreens, and large, strategically, placed pots.  The evergreens, to use Suzanne’s words, are “the key elements. . . to add structure and some winter interest.  As for the overall feel of landscaping, Suzanne says, “I wanted just a bit of formality with some cottage whimsy feel.”



TRUTH

BEAUTY

 

*From "Pied Beauty" by Gerard Manly Hopkins