Vineyard Rehearsal Dinner

First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.

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We just returned from a trip to Paso Robles, California where we attended the wedding of the son of very dear friends.  I took lots of pictures, and today, I wanted to share some shots of the rehearsal dinner celebration.  This wedding was all about the wine country; the rehearsal dinner was held at Still Waters Vineyards.  Earlier in the day, it had been blazing hot, but as dusk sauntered in, the temperatures dropped and it was a pleasant evening for an al fresco cocktail reception and dinner.  Minimal comments...I don't really know anything about the elements used for the tablescapes.  I just thought that you'd enjoy the lovely settings and the glorious vistas.

Overlooking miles of lush and verdant wine vineyards...

...the cocktail welcoming reception was staged in the middle of a glorious olive orchard.

After cocktails, we meandered toward sun-kissed tables set for 150 guests..... 

...in the midst of glorious wine country... 

...and as evening draped her cloak around us, the glow of candlelight created a magical setting for our dinner.

Sweet Mister and I had a glorious time!  In the next few weeks, I look forward to sharing the wedding reception and our day at The Hearst Castle.

Thank you, yet again, to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting her magical meme, Tablescape Thursday.  I'll be linking my post to "TABLESCAPE THURSDAY."   Hop on over and check out the myriad of marvelous tablescape designs, after 10:00 AM on Thursdays.  You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

When I think of August, I think windows of opportunity to travel to new spots.  How about you?  With thankfulness for her dedication and efforts, I'm joining the multi-talented Tablescaper for her fabulous meme SEASONAL SUNDAYS.  Hope to see you there!

Wednesday evening is the twenty-second edition of Cuisine Kathleen's meme, "LET'S DISH"...a Summer Fun Challenge.  So excited to be a charter member.  Pop over (pun intended for the Chef Supreme Kathleen) and join the fun!

You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube.  I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen.  You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site.  The girl can really write!  KC has just released her 5th studio CD project, "The Tag Hollow Sessions".  The sold out CD release concert was this past weekend.  "The Tag Hollow Sessions" is available on iTunes or through her website.  I hope that you'll give her music a chance.  I know that I have zero objectivity where she is concerned, but I think that you'll fall in love with her music and her!  

                                                              

Mixed Greens

First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.



I've been at home baby sitting workmen the past two weeks.  An exciting project is in the works...more later.  Some of my sweet friends called to say that they were bringing lunch, so I pulled together a table for us.  It's still so blooming hot outside; I decided to go with a mix of cool greens.

I used the green runners a couple of weeks ago on the dining table HERE.  Today, I crisscrossed the runners, and then I gave them a twist.  The twist created that gathered effect that you see in the middle of the table.  I placed a small wooden stand over the "knot" and then perched the Bordallo Pinheiro Cabbage Leaf Tureen and Underplate on top.  Centerpiece done...no time to buy flowers today, and the heat has crispy fried just about everything in my garden despite all efforts at watering.

I chose the Caspari Rattan Charger for several reasons.  I like the organic texture that the plate provided, and the brown color picked up...

...the vines in the wreath featured on the Wedgwood "Napoleon Ivy" dinner plate.

I had just enough time to grab our everyday stainless steel flatware, Wallace, "Antique Bead." I've always liked iced tea spoons...reminds me of my mama.  This one is Dansk "Variation V."  It was our original wedding stainless, and over the years, Sweet Mister and the kids carted much of it off on picnics, cook-outs, etc.  I've always thought that I would replenish it...someday...maybe.

The Williams-Sonoma Hemstitched Linen Napkins are gathered in the Coalport Countryware Napkin Ring.  The small white reticulated plates were placed for dipping oil for our bread...big mistake!  The oil slopped out of the the reticulated spaces, and I had to get busy and remove the spots from the runners.  Lesson. Learned.

The Vietri Optical Goblet continued the mixed greens concept.  The clear bullet wine was purchased many years ago at a store close-out sale for $1.00 per stem.  They're kind of like that little black dress that's always perfect to wear when you're not quite sure what to wear.

It may be scalding hot outside, but cool greens rule at the games table today.  Crisp cold salad, lots of iced tea, and sweet fellowship...if you're ever close enough, I'd be thrilled to add a place setting for you!

Thank you, yet again, to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting her magical meme, Tablescape Thursday.  I'll be linking my post to "TABLESCAPE THURSDAY."   Hop on over and check out the myriad of marvelous tablescape designs, after 10:00 AM on Thursdays.  You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

When I think of August, I think hot hot days that lend themselves to gathering friends around a table to find a few moments of cool and calm for sharing good food and fellowship.  How about you?  With thankfulness for her dedication and efforts, I'm joining the multi-talented Tablescaper for her fabulous meme SEASONAL SUNDAYS.  Hope to see you there!

Wednesday evening is the twenty-first edition of Cuisine Kathleen's meme, "LET'S DISH".  So excited to be a charter member.  Pop over (pun intended for the Chef Supreme Kathleen) and join the fun!

You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube.  I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen.  You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site.  The girl can really write!  KC has just released her 5th studio CD project, "The Tag Hollow Sessions".  The sold out CD release concert was this past weekend.  "The Tag Hollow Sessions" is available on iTunes or through her website.  I hope that you'll give her music a chance.  I know that I have zero objectivity where she is concerned, but I think that you'll fall in love with her music and her!  

Garden Friends' Fix

First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.



During the summer months, my beloved Garden Friends Bible study group takes a hiatus from our organized studies that we have been sharing for about 25 years.  Periodically throughout the summer months, we still carve out time to gather for lunch and fellowship.  It's always a blessing to be able to share a meal and catch up with each other....praise reports, prayer requests, learning about ministry opportunities that have blessed our lives...I feel especially blessed to have these wonderful sisters sit at my table. This day I needed a "Garden Friends' Fix."

The Williams - Sonoma Tattersall Plaid Tablecloth established an easy going, lazy days of summer tone....Besides, blue, white, and yellow is my favorite color combination.

Kind of a "six degrees of separation" sort of centerpiece grouping...a mix of random elements that each have a "Blue Onion" type motif in common...

The vintage ginger jar, sans lid, was a gift from my dear friend Marsha many years ago.  She gave it to me to use at my daughter's wedding reception.  I filled it with mums called '"Innie-outies"...made me smile.

I like to keep two small blue and white water carafes with lids that serve as drinking glasses on the night tables in one of the guest rooms.  Today, I filled each piece with yellow alstroemerias and called them vases.

The pair of antique Wedgwood "Blue Onion" tureens were eBay finds.  Tip:  I originally bought them as a gift for a friend, who after many years found the dining table of her dreams.  It's a large table, and she wanted a good size tureen to sit on it.  I found these for a great price, and the description said that they were 8 1/2"...not large for a tureen, but I thought that a pair would make them just right.  Big error on my part...I assumed that they were round.  They looked round in the angle of the pictures in the listing...Wrong!  They were oval, and they are a slight 4 1/2" wide.  They are actually sauce tureens and no where close to being large enough for my friend's table.  I learned a good lesson, one which I've shared with you before...Ask questions before bidding...verify that an item is really what you are seeking...and NEVER ASSUME!  You know what they say about "assume"...sigh.  I'll enjoy these, and I'll keep looking for my something just right for my friend's table.

  The Steelite Cobalt Charger has become somewhat of a workhorse for my tables this year.  I still haven't tired of it, and you'll probably see it many more times.  Tip:  I am a huge advocate of charger plates.  I can't tell you how many times I remove the tablecloth to launder it...only to discover that there is not a single spot on my cloth.  Most of the time I'm able to simply fold my tablecloth and return it to the linen closet.

  The Wedgwood "Countryware" dinner plate is another of my go-to-patterns.  It adapts well to a

large variety of designs.

The Miessen "Blue Onion" luncheon plates were a great bargain found at the tail end of an estate sale.  The L'Argent "Sophia Gold" flatware was found at Tuesday Morning and Horchow.  The Williams-Sonoma Navy Hemstitch napkin is caught in a Wedgwood "Countryware" napkin ring.

  Our Vietri Optical Amber goblet, and the AJKA "Arabella" Cobalt goblet continued the color story for my design.

The buffet sported a pair of elevated white reticulated vases, filled with more yellow alstroemerias.

After sharing grace, everyone brought their dinner plates to the breakfast room table where lunch was waiting.  It's so hot that I've had the shades pulled to help keep the house cool.  Do you darken your rooms during the high heat of summer?  Also, can you tell what I've been doing lately?  We have some wonderful peach orchards in our state, and I can always hardly wait for the peach harvest.  We eat fresh peaches daily, and I peal, slice, and freeze as many as possible to take us through the rest of the year.  Sweet Mister and I love peaches!

The Casola Ceramique Poisitano Bread Board was my special gift from Sweet Mister when we made our magical trip to Italy last year.  For dessert I served...what else...fresh peaches resting in a Vietri Leaf Bowl with homemade vanilla ice cream in the Haviland "Ranson" coupe bowls. 

 Lunch was a "Salad Quartet" featuring Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad, Layered Salad, and Fruit Salad with Yogurt.  Asiago Bread was all we needed to add.

I think that many of us who relish preparing a table to honor friends and acquaintances have been blessed with the gift of hospitality.  It would bless me to be able to honor you at one of my tables.  Just give me a heads up if you happen to pass my way.

Thank you, yet again, to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting her magical meme, Tablescape Thursday.  I'll be linking my post to "TABLESCAPE THURSDAY."   Hop on over and check out the myriad of marvelous tablescape designs, after 10:00 AM on Thursdays.  You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

When I think of August, I think hot hot days that lend themselves to gathering friends around a table to share a bevy of cooling salads and homemade ice cream.  How about you?  With thankfulness for her dedication and efforts, I'm joining the multi-talented Tablescaper for her fabulous meme SEASONAL SUNDAYS.  Hope to see you there!

Wednesday evening is the eighteenth edition of Cuisine Kathleen's meme, "LET'S DISH".  So excited to be a charter member.  Pop over (pun intended for the Chef Supreme Kathleen) and join the fun!

You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube.  I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen.  You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site.  The girl can really write!  KC has just released her 5th studio CD project, "The Tag Hollow Sessions".  The sold out CD release concert was this past weekend.  "The Tag Hollow Sessions" is available on iTunes or through her website.  I hope that you'll give her music a chance.  I know that I have zero objectivity where she is concerned, but I think that you'll fall in love with her music and her!