Breakfast (NOT) at Tiffany's

It's close to Valentine's day and I thought it was time for some girl time at my house. The Gardener is out of town and it was just the time to enjoy breakfast with three friends--two of the three are blogging friends.

It was nice just to relax and enjoy a cold sunny day inside a warm, cozy house. It was also time for some pink.

Everything I set the table with had meaning for me. Well, except maybe my 50 cent bird candles and the fake 50 cent pearls. The flowers are in a depression glass sugar bowl. And I love pink carnations, by the way. They last (almost) forever.

The cutlery is from a charity shop in England, and I know it's for fish (knife) but it worked fine to spread our clotted cream and lemon curd, which was served in an old bon-bon dish given to me at my last birthday by Lydia Grace.

Napkins from a garage sale many years ago, owned by someone who was elderly then, so they must be old, but they are pink and that works for me! The old pink tablecloth is my mother's--probably 50 years old.

Teapot is newish, from Youngest when he was in highschool. It's my favorite because he gave it to me, and because of how pretty it is.

Two of the teacups are a story for another time but are the old stamped Tower Spode and very old, and very dear to me because of the story.

I love using my grandmother's depression glass, and my mother's nearly 70 year-old Fostoria crystal glasses. And even the little "salt dishes" at the left side of the plates are old, from my mother in law's things.

Menu: fruit, cranberry scones, muffin quiches, assorted teas, and HEALTHY chocolate inch-size brownies.

Of course the best item on the menu were the friends around the table!

I thought I'd end with "the end." How often on our tablescapes do we show that the meal was actually enjoyed?

Today I'm joining Susan's Tablescape Thursday. Check her out for more beauty!

first stage miracles

"Difficulty is the very atmosphere of miracle in its first stage. If it is to be a great miracle, the condition is not difficulty, but impossibility."
 ~ Lilias Trotter, who lived 1853-1928

all in pink

See Little Red House for more monday mosaics.

lace for the eyes

The Gardener and I have been to Romania, but not at the same time. But both of us were drawn to the hand work the ladies sold in the market. And we both came home with some. Such wonderful detail work. This large one is one of my very favorite things!

This is a "cheaper" one but I find it lovely as well.

And this little sweet thing was just an extra thrown in by the market lady I bought from, to thank me for my purchases. I hang it on the guest bath wall. They all bring wonderful memories of our time in that country.

Connecting to My Romantic Home "show and tell" today.

saying thanks

I think there's a lot of power in saying thanks. A "thank you" shows courtesy, and acknowledges the gift has been received and appreciated. And even in this day of email, texting, and FB, I still think a hand written thank you is the best! It sort of extends the celebratory life of the giving and receiving of the gift! If that makes sense. And requires a bit of effort, which is also a gift returned, in a way.

So I wanted to write a thank you to the salesman and store where we had our refrigerator experience. At least to let the manager know what a good salesman he had. I know customer satisfaction and thank you's are very important where I work.

I was amazed how much work it took to research where and how to send this letter. It obviously was not a normal thing. In fact, when I eventually arrived (by phone) at the corporate office they couldn't believe I was not talking about a complaint. They just seemed shocked I wanted to write something positive. So I'll be writing my letter today, and I hope it will encourage at least our salesman, if not his boss!

Speaking of our frig, dear friend  Lydia Grace came over the other night with a new magnet for my shiny new refrigerator. I thought the message was right on! Thanks, LG!!

thawing out

Southerners don't tolerate winter for long. (I, as a "notherner," enjoy a good cold spell.) Of course there's nothing they can do about it anyway. But after a couple weeks of frigid temperatures and two days of rain, spring peeked her head into our neighborhood this week. Three days of near 60 degrees and people are out celebrating in shorts. I notice daffodil shoots pushing up through the soil.

Clear blue skies and the warm sun call me out to walk. It's definitely weather to notice and be thankful for. Of course winter will be back, but today is today.

don't forget the chalk

I found this little tray sort of thing at Michael's.

After priming I painted the back and frame in green.

I'm not that artistic but can cetainly work with tiny paint drops to decorate the edges.

Final: paint with chalk board paint.

Mailed it to my sister in her birthday package. Of course I don't forget to add a couple of pieces of chalk. Lulu photographed it once it arrived at her house, along with her birthday flowers! (see above)

I also tried the chalkboard paint on a stray plate. I'd read it needed a porous surface, but so far it's working.

I think my new love of chalkboard paint has something to do with remembering the old chalkboards in school. Anybody else remember the gizmo my teachers used--a metal thing they could put four or five pieces of chalk in at a time, to draw lines on the board? Music teachers would use this, as well as those trying to teach us good penmanship!

Top photo credit: lmm


See Between Naps on the Porch for more "metamorphoses."

happy?

We hear the word "happy" often this time of year related to new year greetings. I think a lot about happiness and how we get it. And I think about joy, which I consider more a more deeply rooted emotion, not based on outside things, coming from the depths of my being. Happy, to me, is more temporary and maybe a bit more superficial, but I guess it's all in the semantics.

If my happiness depends on circumstances and things, and even people, it can shatter instantly into a zillion tiny pieces, just like a jar dropped on my ceramic tiled kitchen floor. But if it's based on looking outside of myself, if it's based on caring about and doing something for others, it becomes more deeply rooted and genuine. I may not have it all figured out, but one thing I know, it's all about putting others first. And everyday life in my small world, and in the big world around me (think Haiti), gives an abundance of ways to do that.

Heart Time

It's not too early to start thinking about Valentine's Day. A perfect time to have a tea party.

Things of interest on table: blue plates from a charity shop; teacups/saucers/creamer purchased in Romania (by the Gardener, a man with a good eye. Brought home in a suitcase, poorly packed, I might add, but all intact!); placemats brought from India by my Asian friend, pink napkins and tablecloth from a yard sale 24 years ago and they were old then. Teapot and sugar bowl from Good Will. Pink depression glass cup (filled with M&Ms) from my grandmother. Antique stoneware white pitcher from, guess where? --an antique shop. This would be a good picture for one of those elementary observation skill games, for I can spot three errors in this tablescape!

Check out Between Naps on the Front Porch if you'd like to see more tablescapes.

waiting game

A good friend of my mother's died. Actually quite a few friends of Mom's are dying ... and cousins, brothers-in-law ... I guess that's what happens when you get old. If you live long enough, it can get pretty lonely. This was a particularly good friend; Mother ate dinner with him and his wife every night at the small retirement center where she lives. G. was a good friend of my dad's as well, and added much culture to their conversation around the dinner table.

We went to his memorial service last weekend. The place was packed out with residents, and G's former students and friends from afar. Old hymns were being played as people gathered, waiting for the service to begin. I suddenly realized that low hums were accompanying the piano, growing louder all the time. I found myself joining in. The old hymns I grew up with -- how could I not hum along as the others were? As one song was being played, a woman next to mom leaned over to say, "This is my favorite song; it will be used at my funeral." I looked at the program, and noticed one song my mother had already requested for her service. She pointed to the one on the opposite page and said, "That would be great too; I love it."

I looked around at all the (mostly) octogenarians, there to honor a friend, looking as fit as they could, but many suffering with some ailment related to age. I wondered just what was in their minds as they laid another friend to rest. "Will I be next?" I'm guessing each one was thinking. I felt like I was in a sort of "waiting room."


"Man knows not his time," someone has said, but how good to have a hope in what lies ahead.

Pillow Talk

I like to recover old pillows with whatever I find around the house, or something on the sale shelf at Marshalls, etc. I seem to mostly use old tea towels or cloth napkins.

In this case you can see it was some recycled blue jean material--maybe from some old clothing.

And sometimes I just add a ribbon to "dress  up" a pillow. I am noticing a color theme here!

Thanks, Rhondi, for encouraging us to show off our pillows. So I'll join in with  Rose Colored Glasses and also Mosaic Monday. Thanks, ladies.

is your frig running?

"Hello, is your refrigerator running?"  "Yes it is."  "Well, you better go catch it!" I can't believe that was a game we used to play as children ... calling random phone numbers and asking them such a question. Of course that was "back in the day," a relatively small town, and people probably tolerated such foolishness with a smile (I hope.) Certainly my frig has not been running well lately, and it's a new one at that.

I think we have a lemon ... at least six service calls, and we bought it less than two years ago. It's been acting up again. And during a particularly challenging week, and not only because I was sick. Monday the food was all frozen, so we emptied the frig to the slightly less frozen porch. Repairman finally came out and fixed it "for now," with a new part ordered, to come in two weeks. The Gardener went shopping for me and replaced some of our spoiled food. Friday night at our small group we talked about how God does not promise a trouble-free life, but He does promise enough grace for each day's troubles. Not more, just enough.

Saturday I woke up thinking about making our blueberry pancakes. Taking a stretch, I turn up the heat a bit and headed towards the kitchen. Opened the frig to be met by a slight gush of sour scent and warm air. Freezer the same. Everything warm. No!

I didn't handle it very well. The gardener sat me down and reminded me about the grace. The repair people I called, as I choked back tears, said this was related to the repair job earlier in the week so did not qualify us for a "lemon" frig replacement.

We headed to the rental place. "What? You need our SS number just for an $80 frig rental?" They don't ask for that when you rent a car! So nix on that; we don't share that number so freely. Ambled into the store where we bought the frig two years ago, checking out the price of mini frigs, contemplating, can we live two weeks without a frig? (I had decided we could). A pleasant salesman came up to us and asked, "How are you folks today?" (Later he told me our faces had said it all before he even asked.) Of course I poured out our whole story and two years of frustration. (You know, it really helps to have a woman along in cases like this.) Then I realized we were speaking to the very man who had sold us the frig, and he remembered us as well (many people remember the Gardener; he's 5' 18" and covers his chin with a beard). "Let me see what I can do," he responded, without any promises, and, I might add, without us asking for anything.

Just think about it: what caused us to not get the rental? ... and to go to that service store and have our salesman available, and he approach us? ...and five minutes after we left, apparently, his manager walked up to him and they worked things out. The phone was ringing as we walked back into our house. Our friendly salesman was going to replace our frig with a new one. We went back an hour later and sealed the deal. New frig to arrive the next day.

To me it was all about God's mercy and grace there for us today. 

Photo above has nothing to do with the story other than to effect a much-needed peaceful, calm feeling.

scraps

Scraps of yarn need using up, and I enjoy making little miniature afghans and most recently, caps and capes for three little girls I care about. They seem to have a good deal of imagination, so appreciate the work of my hands and find lots to do with the little things I send them. It's nice to keep my hands busy if I'm sitting at a doctor's office, etc. 

I never know for sure what the yarn will turn into, but I was thrilled with these little caps especially when these small flowers appeared on them!

If they read this blog, they'll know what's coming in the mail! And these  three sisters (you can see them in pencil sketch on the side of this blog) remind me of three other sisters who were little a good while ago. This is a photo of my mother and her three girls. The baby in this photo is grandmother to the three sisters who will get my package.

See Cindy's My Romantic Home for more "show and tells."

Gifts for Thanks

I'm always thankful for Rhondi, who reminds us to be thankful. She does a special post about this every Thursday. So today I'm thankful for these gifts:

1. The Gardener recovering, finally, from a painful dose of shingles.
2. A warm house in this very cold weather.
3. Feeling a little better after a flu bug.
4. My friend Susanna recovering so well from her knee replacement
5. My friend Lydia Grace who so graciously went and helped with my mom so I could stay home today.
6. Two unexpected "sick days at home" --- one to sleep, and today, maybe, I'll feel like reading.
7. A pot of hot soup.

And our pausing to give thanks, is a gift in itself to our heavenly Father, isn't it?

hey it's cold outside

A solid dose of cold weather -- that's what we're having here, as it seems to be in most parts of the country. I love it, at least for awhile.

Here in the sunny south you may be cool in the morning, but by afternoon you shed your coat or sweater. But this week, in spite of sunny days, you can start out with a turtle neck and sweater, and wear it the whole day (plus a coat, scarf, hat, and gloves.) Brrr! Hot drinks coming right up! It is tempting to stay indoors, wrapped in a blanket.

How odd that our nearly new frig is freezing the food. I think we have a lemon. Meanwhile, the food is on the porch--it's a little less frozen there. I think there is some humor here somewhere, and I may find it--right after I finish listing the spoiled fresh veggies and other foods that they say we'll be reimbursed for.

And, how thankful we are that the Gardener is feeling better!

wmsbg glimpses

My younger sister, known as lulu on this blog, has a good eye with her camera, and I love it when she emails me photos. She knows I enjoy visiting Williamsburg, so when she went there earlier this year, she sent me some of her favorite photos. You'll see a good number of window images; we love windows. So, of course, I put them in a mosaic. I find it very relaxing to create that way.

See Little Red House for more fun mosaics.

the year in pictures

Since I believe a photo is worth many words, here are a few random photos from the past year. Each one evokes a happy memory: a bridal shower, book club meeting, vacation in the mountains, visit of a cousin, Beatrix Potter finds, our home, and a tea party. I'm happy to join Cindy in her "Year in Review" party. Click on her name for some beautiful photo viewing. Happy New Year!

the week between

The house is quiet again, but filled with echoes of happy times. Soon after Little One and her parents drove away after coming to say good-bye, my thoughts turned to putting Christmas away. Not yet, of course, but I'm thankful to have an extra day or two off this week to putter around the house. It's that wonderful week between the two holidays where we eat up the leftovers, clean out the frig, organize a closet or two, get out the new calendars, contemplate how less cluttered the house will be with the decorations put away, and ponder what goals we may at least contemplate for 2010. I went to the red circle store and noticed how organizing components are highlighted now where all the Christmas stuff had been. Good intentions always float around right about now. It's a good process, even if it ends up bringing only small changes.

I enjoy the quiet of this week. People are away, the phone rings less, and the email box is not as full. This whole month it's been pretty quiet for us with the Gardener so sick. He has barely been out of the house. Instead we had a lot of people in (so he could retire to bed if he needed to) and we have great memories of some pretty special times. Which proves no matter how it goes, big splash or simple quiet, there's much about Christmas that is just plain special. I think we know the reason.

cycles

My sister commented that four grandchildren ages five and under made for a lively Christmas dinner. It doesn't seem that long ago that our kids were that age and we wondered if we'd ever have another peaceful meal. We did for what seems like a short bit, and now ....  happily we are washing little hands, wiping noses, and cutting up bits of food.

Time seems to pass more quickly as we grow older. It seems like just yesterday our children were gazing at our little manger scene figures that we bought for $10 to take with us for our Christmases in Africa. (We've never found any we like any better, and now how sweet to hear Little One learn to say "Baby Jesus.")

I thought about the cycles of life when I realized Little One was using her daddy's baby cutlery. Wasn't it also just yesterday a little blonde boy was learning to eat with that fork and spoon?


I don't say much about it. It's a mother thing you notice and just tuck quietly in your heart. But I know some of my blogging friends understand. :-)

the red ball tradition

While 2/3 of the country, I hear, was enjoying a white Christmas, we here in the usually sunny south experienced a torrential rainstorm. I waded out to bring my mother to our house to enjoy our traditional "special" Christmas brunch. My mother used to make this for all of us, but now it's up to me. There were only three of us, but I decided to carry on and make it a really nice occasion. When Mom came to the table she said, "Oh! Edam!" I had the remnant of our yearly Christmas Edam ball of cheese sitting on the table. Edam cheese has always been associated with Christmas for as long as I can remember, and we continue that tradition in our family.


My mother explained that her grandfather, a Dutch immigrant, always had Edam cheese at Christmas. And as his children married, he would give a red waxed ball of edam cheese as his Christmas gift to each family. After he died, my mother's father continued to go to the little shop in that northern New Jersey city, to purchase one for his family. And so the tradition continued. I remember the balls of cheese being a lot bigger than the ones we find today.


 I became curious about this tradition and sent an email to my cousins and second cousins to see if they also have Edam cheese at their house this time of year. So far most who responded do. The wonder of family traditions.

Light

The candles and beautiful lights we see at Christmas remind me that the baby in the stable came to bring us light and truth and salvation. I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12) A blessed hope, and the source of my joy.