Labor Day 2013

Labor Day was grey and drizzly, but I wanted to start the morning with a small nod to the red, white, and blue.  We were only home for breakfast, so everything had to be quick and simple.

 

Sorry for the glare, but it was so dreary that I had to have the overhead lights on to even see.  I thought I'd use these plastic, Ralph Lauren look-alike plates. 

For this table, roses are too formal, gerberas are too whimsical, but carnations are just right if you mound them closely with no spaces in a pave style.  I used an off-white container and a couple of flags for fast details that made it more holiday-like. 

 

This old quilt top keeps popping up for a red/white/blue event.  Some folks have berated me for using a quilt for a tablecloth, but it is not a precious piece and it easily washes by hand.

A red napkin with a blue willow napkin ring and some red handled flatware makes this come together so easily.

And these small blue goblets were just the ticket for juice.

Just the two of us, rearranging the day because of the rain.

 

 

I'm posting at:

 

Cuisine Kathleen's

Let's Dish

 

Between Naps On the Porch's

Tablescape Thursday

 

Savvy Southern Style's

Wow Us Wednesday

 

Open House

No Minimalist Here

Dahlias and Tomatoes

Last week, on my way home from Cashiers, N. C. (post to come on that), I passed a darling couple who were selling dahlia plants and arrangements.  If you've ever driven that area, you know how I risked my life when I turned around at my first opportunity and went back to buy some.  That mountain is steep and the curves are wicked.  Here's what I chose: mixed dahlias in a commercial sized empty tomato tin can.  Here they are sitting on the railing of our deck when I got home.

Well, I originally intended to put the flowers into another container, but as I looked at them, I decided to celebrate the humble tomato with a yellow and red tablescape. 

I haven't used these dishes or these linens in ages.

These French linens from Souleiado fit the bill.  Actually, the French do red and yellow together pretty often, and these small prints were just about perfect to go with this can label. 

I used these wicker chargers from World Market and added a dinner plate made in Portugal by Vista Alegre called "Bahia".

Then, to make a break from the busy tablecloth and dinner plate, I added a salad plate by Over and Back, Inc., made in Italy.  The bowls were some I picked up at Homegoods last year, made by 222 Fifth and fittingly called "Heirloom Tomato".  Each one of the four is different and the variety is depicted on the outside, as well as the inside.  This one is all red......

 

This one all yellow.......

Another red one......

 

And a red and yellow stripe.  I served gazpacho in them, of course!

I think this red and yellow flatware came from Target many moons ago. 

This red goblet is pretty old.  I can't even remember where I got it.  The clear stemless wine glass beside it is Reidel.

Even though there were just four of us, I put out place cards, mainly because I wanted to use these small, red zebra tomatoes with them.  Aren't they cute?  And, man, oh man, do they taste good!  All of the tomatoes come from a wonderful road side fruit stand called Osage Farms in Rabun Gap that I passed on the way up to Cashiers and couldn't wait to stop at on my way home.  Incredible stuff!

 

It made a pretty table.  Kind of different, and certainly a tribute to the end of summer.

Overhead view.

Just before our company came, I was in the refrigerator getting cheese, and I spied this quart of heirloom cherry tomatoes in all of these great colors, so I sprinkled them around the base of the tin and shot one more photo.  Brilliant, huh????  I love the way they look.

Ahhhh!  Daliahs.  That north Georgia/ North Carolina area grows some mighty fine beauties. I had heard that all of the rain this year spoiled them, but the sweet lady I bought these from said that God shone on her fields and she had plenty!  I love that!

 

 

I'm posting at:

 

Cuisine Kathleen's

Let's Dish

 

Between Naps On the Porch's

Tablescape Thursday

 

Savvy Southern Style's

Wow Us Wednesday

 

Open House

No Minimalist Here

 

 

 

Thanks for Asking!

So many of you have been so kind to inquire about my well-being.  I am just fine, but I decided to take the summer off from blogging.  I was loosing my mojo, and I needed to decided if I wanted to continue.  This has been a very unusual summer for us, but we are all fine and I'm recharged and eager to share my interest in design and entertaining.  I've got some parties that I have shot, but not put into a post, and I know I keep promising, but I will post more shots of our home.  I have still followed my favorite bloggers, and you have all inspired me!  I guess I have a couple of good posts left in me, so jump aboard and we'll share this beautiful world I'm blessed to live in.

Bridge Buddies and Azaleas

Thanks to these wonderful bloggers, there's a great Spring Linky Party happening.  I'm joining by reposting this luncheon I held for my Bridge Buddies.  Take a minute to visit this fun day with me, and then go to the rest of the blogs and remind yourself how wonderful spring can be!

Several weeks ago, when my azaleas were at their peak, I invited my bridge group here for lunch.

I can't remember what kind these are, but I love to mix them with these tiny, fringy native azaleas.  They are exactly the same color, but add a really lovely texture.

This organza and pique tablecloth is perfect for this spring table.  It is so sheer, that I layer it over a white caterer's linen cloth.

I just love the embroidery and the fabric combination.

I chose this white Portugese wicker patterened charger, with a lime green dinner plate from Target.  Then, just for this photo, I put the majolica pink cabbage leaf that I use for a bread and butter plate on top.  The flatware is from World Market, but I only have place settings for four, so I used a different pattern, but still in green at the ends of the table.

I layered the napkin over a plain hot pink linen one and used a lucite napkin ring that holds water to keep the azalea fresh. 

These dainty little placecard holders are perfect for the girls, and I added some white china birds here and there. 

These cranberry glass goblets made just plain water beautiful.

I love to include a menu card and I'm always surprised how many people take it home.  The quote that I used this time from Henry Van Dyke reads:  "The first day of spring is one thing and the first spring day is another.  The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month".  

The salt and pepper set is nestled in a wire basket.

This dish held Splenda and lemon wedges.

Here's the way the coffee/tea tray looked.

This was such a happy day and a happy table.

When the girls arrived, we had what we call "bridge tea" in the bar.  It is a calorie-free ginger tea. These glasses are from Ikea and so are the napkins.

This tray is from Ikea, too.  I used it for spoon shaped pastrys topped with pimento cheese and garnished with chives.  The spoons are just refrigerator pie crust with seasoning sprinkled on top and then baked.  I saw this in some magazine this spring and it said that Crate and Barrel had a spoon shaped cookie cutter.  When I went shopping for it, they said they never had such an item, so I just cut one out of light weight cardboard and cut around it.  They were fragile, but oh, so good!

Asparagus soup was the first course, garnished with pink sour cream and chives.  I found these little lidded ramekins at Homegoods several years ago.  The green plate is vintage depression glass and I added a paper doily.  The soup spoons are vintage silver plate.

The main course was a luncheon salad that was a riff on procuitto wrapped melon.  The greens were wrapped in procuitto, and then the plate was napped in melon coulis, small melon chunks, and toasted pine nuts.  I first had this salad at a bistro in State College, Pennsylvania called Zola's when were were there for a Penn State football game.

What better spring dessert is there than strawberry shortcake?????

It was a lovely day with lovely ladies and I am so grateful for their friendship.  I love to set a table and cook for them, as their appreciation is deep and genuine.  The day just ended too soon.

Joining:

Open House Thursday

No Minimalist Here

Tablescape Thursday

Between Naps On the Porch

Featherd Nest Friday

French Country Cottage

Seasonal Sundays

The Tablescaper

                                                                 

Let's Dish

Cuisine Kathleen

Tom Turkey and Me

It seems that I'm being stalked!!!!  There is a peeping Tom at my house!!!!  I have a creepy new friend!!!!!

Last Monday morning,  I heard a knocking at the entry door into our terrace level.  An insistant, constant knocking.  As I was still in my jammies, I crept down the stairs, trying to figure out what the noise was.  This is what I found.......a tom turkey with his feathers all fanned out.  Isn't he a beauty?  He was hitting the glass with his bill.....over and over and over.

Then on Tuesday, he was back.....same thing.....banging on the door with his head.  Same time of the morning, too.

And Wednesday. 

And Thursday.

And Friday.

And HELLO!  He was back today!  How freaky is this????  What do you think he wants????  Any ideas?  I told him that I have enough turkeys for friends, but he won't go away.