Dining Room

As promised, I'm sharing the dining room  Christmas décor today. I am an enormous fan of slim trees because they are easily tucked into corners without obstructing floor space in high-traffic places. I think they work out well in those applications. They're easy to store, too. I have purchased mine on sale, through the years, and usually find them for around $40. This one is just right in the corner of the dining room and allows us to entertain throughout the season without compromising space. Guests can still easily navigate the area without running into branches or toppling over the tree!

We have the angel tree in the dining room this year.

On all of our trees, you'll find a mix of vintage and new ornaments. Some are handcrafted, some are heirlooms and most are gifts. Their common denominator is that they're all treasures and have a special story to tell. I can honestly say that I think of the history of each ornament as I hang it and I am always reminded of the person who gave it to me. The only time we ever purchase an ornament for ourselves is when we're on vacation and pick up one (a tradition we started on our honeymoon). This tree is loaded with angels and here are just a few shots...

Our Precious Moments nativity was a gift from my parents the first Christmas after Randy and I were married. Although it's on special display each Christmas, it is in my curio the remainder of the year so it's always out. By the way, my dad made the stable to go with it! It's on the antique hutch this year.

These little angel candles belonged to my grandparents, so my dad and aunt grew up enjoying the little singing cherubs. Each holds her own song book. They're on one of the shelves on the hutch.

Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o'er the plain...

Are you also enjoying Christmas music? I love it!

Tuesday's Tablescape

Our Christmas decorating is a work in progress! The kitchen isn't quite presentable yet, so I decided to set the table in the dining room for today!

This is my favorite set of Christmas china. It was a gift from my parents just a few years after Randy and I got married, so I've had it for quite some time! I love it because I find the classic pattern to be striking and versatile.

I'll share the angel tree and the remainder of the room in tomorrow's post. Right now, there are just a few rooms completely decorated for Christmas and this is one of them. I have my work cut-out for me, though, because tomorrow evening I am hosting an event here. How's your decorating going?

Boathouse Bleu -Cheese Slaw

This recipe appeared in the newspaper years ago and is a known specialty at a local restaurant. If you love bleu cheese, this is a must for you!

Boathouse Bleu Cheese Slaw

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 T. balsamic vinegar (I use a splash more)

1 tsp. chopped garlic

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese

1 bag shredded cabbage

In a large bowl, mix together mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and cheese. Fold in cabbage.
(I often make another half-recipe of the mayo, vinegar, salt and pepper to add for a moister salad.)

Perhaps you'd like to make this salad to accompany your leftover turkey?! 😊

A Wish for You...

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving,

turn routine jobs into joy and

 change ordinary opportunities into blessings.

William Arthur Ward

If you're reading this, please know that I am thankful for you. I look forward to writing my

next post on Monday. Enjoy your family

and friends over the Thanksgiving weekend!

Tuesday's Tablescape

Today's tablescape continues my focus on thankfulness. Of course, the first Thanksgiving was a feast to give thanks for a bountiful harvest and remains a good reminder for all of us to be grateful!

The centerpiece is part of my mother's Precious Moments collection. She's had this Thanksgiving platter and salt/pepper set for many years and I snuck it off my parents' buffet (where it was on display) for today's table! 😊

While the soft colors are not those we typically associate with a Thanksgiving tablescape, they're in keeping with Precious Moments and work well. I just had to be a little creative for the place settings!

My green plates needed softening, so I pulled out these more daintily-designed plates which belonged to my grandparents. That seemed to tie-together the colors. A silver charger dressed it up a tad.

The matching shakers looked more complete on my new "Give Thanks" table linen which my friend made for me last month.

I know that you join me in your thankfulness for family and friends with whom you can share food as you gather to count your blessings.

Does this not say it all?

Thankful Week

How is it possible that Thanksgiving is just days away? My posts will be focusing on the spirit of thankfulness these next few days. We all have so many blessings and reasons to be thankful!

Last year at this time I wrote about Operation Christmas Child (click on Operation Christmas Child to read that post for a review) and, once more, we have just completed our national collection week. It's humbling and rewarding to be a part of this exceptionally worthy endeavor. I am thankful that Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse is in existence so that help and hope can be offered to children across the globe.

Our coordinator brought in her antique school desk for display purposes this week. The booklets shown are an example of the one each child receives in his or her box. Published in the child's native language, these books are added to the shoebox by Samaritan's Purse before distribution.

I am thankful to have the opportunity to do my small part for Operation Christmas Child by volunteering the past eight days with other workers (including Randy who was able to juggle his schedule and help some and my mother who prepared and served food at their church for the area workers).  I have the privilege of meeting and greeting donors and also packing shoeboxes into cartons. A year ago, I blocked-out the 2016 dates on my calendar so that I would be fully available without any conflicts and I have already done this for 2017. 😊 As a donor, I enjoy shopping year-round for the "goodies" we put in our shoeboxes and it's exciting to think of the sweet recipients.  I am thankful  for the donors who took the care and time to lovingly prepare shoeboxes and bring them to us so that our church could collect and transport 3,880 of those shoeboxes to the collection center.

We load shoeboxes into these large cartons. Depending upon the size of the boxes people donate, we are able to fit anywhere from 12-23 in each carton.

The cartons go into trailers which are taken to the local collection center (which happens to be my parents' church). Our church transported 215 cartons to the collection center this year!

My friend put it best when she said that each box represents a child's smile. These boxes of supplies, surprises and love will go to children who have so little. It is a blessing to help children all around the world.

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done.
                                                                  1Chronicles 16:8

Birch Wreath

My mother recently gave me this birch wreath.

I like it because it's wrapped with real bark which gives it such a natural, rustic appearance. I decided it would be perfect in the solarium next to the woodland tree this Christmas and could envision just a bit of greenery and maybe something red on it. Then I remembered the little cardinal bird our Kansas City Royals fan cousin gave to us, the St. Louis Cardinal fans. She shared it as a joke...but we still love her! 😊 That, a few greenery picks, berries and a glue gun equipped me for this project.

Although I originally thought a plaid ribbon would look nice on this wreath, I opted to omit it for a more simplistic look.

Isn't it hard to imagine that we're on the brink of decorating for Christmas? This is the last weekend before Thanksgiving and then we'll be in the happy whirlwind of the most wonderful time. What do you have planned for your Saturday and Sunday?

Town Crier Lantern

Earlier this fall when I was decorating, our town crier lantern landed on the hearth. It's been in various locations throughout the house since we acquired it, but I really like it here.

My dad built it for his mother (my grandmother, of course) and my parents gave it to her for a Christmas gift in the 60s. I remember seeing it in her home and she always loved it, too.

He made it using a pattern which was offered in one of his woodworking magazines.

It has a lift which allows the candle to be pulled to the top of the lantern so that you can light and extinguish it. It also has vent holes in the bottom for airflow. I happen to use a battery-operated candle in it now, but those had not even been thought of when Dad built this! See the wooden rod in the picture below? That's how you operate the lift. 

Lanterns are great home décor accents since they're so versatile. You can just have candles in them or you can fill them with seasonally-related items.  I have even used this one as a centerpiece filled with a Santa figurine, rather than a candle, at Christmastime. I have another lantern which I switch-out for the seasons. For example, here's what it looked like in a post from last fall and I replicated that same look this year...fall lantern. Another smaller lantern I have was a gift from a student and his family and I enjoy using it at Christmastime as I did last year (New Red Lantern). Do you have a lantern? If so, how do you use it?

Pumpkin Bread

This is a wonderful pumpkin bread recipe! I'm sharing it since it's the time of year for this sweet treat. I know there are a million versions of this recipe, but this is one comes from my aunt and is our favorite because it's moist and has the perfect blend of spices. You could spread a little cream cheese on your slice, but you honestly don't need anything because it's perfect just plain! I think you'll like it.  Our family has been enjoying it for years.

Aunt Kay's Pumpkin Bread

1 cup oil

3/4 cup water

1 can pumpkin

4 eggs

3 cups sugar (try using 2 cups white and 1 cup brown)

Mix all ingredients.

Now mix the following together and add to above:

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. cinnamon

Lightly spray two large loaf pans with Baker's Joy and bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours (you can also divide batter into four smaller pans and bake about 40 minutes, or until done).

Tip: For maximum texture and flavor, bake this bread a day before you plan to serve it!

Have you begun your holiday baking?

Tuesday's Tablescape

Guess what I have? Some beautiful new dishes! Last week a friend at church shared these with me. Aren't they lovely? They are special because they're colored glass, have a story and represent kindness. ♥

Obviously, they show more color when stacked.

The six delicate, pale yellow pieces were in my friend's china cabinet and had belonged to her grandma.

I, of course, wanted to highlight them in today's tablescape. I selected my cobalt and yellow set to complement my newly-acquired pieces.

With the glare from the sunlight, it's a little difficult to see the yellow glass plate on top. In person, it pops nicely!

My pilgrims and turkey are old candles from my childhood. Hmmm...I think they'd qualify as antiques now!?!

Have a great day!

By the Light

Did you look at the moon last night? Did you find yourself singing By the Light of the Silvery Moon?! ♫♫ We've all been hearing about this supermoon and it's very interesting! As we know, we have a supermoon when a new or full moon occurs with the moon at, or near (within 90% of), its closest approach to Earth in an orbit. It will appear brighter and closer than usual and that was exceptionally apparent when we went outside last night. The sky was clear and the view was spectacular! However, the best day to view it is tonight!

Supermoons aren't that uncommon. In fact, this is the fifth we've had in 2016 and we're to have another on December 14. This one tonight is to be the biggest and brightest in nearly 70 years, though.

The moon will look orange and red when it first rises and will then return to its normal white color, as shown above.

Provided the weather conditions are favorable, you can view the moon tonight at 7:52 CST. You don't want to miss it because the next one won't be until 2034!

I'll see you in the light...of the silvery moon!

Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day!

This special day is a time to honor all military, both past and present.  Take a moment to remember, acknowledge and appreciate those who have given so much for our country.

Bless those who have served and

those who serve today.

Show and Tell

My parents recently had this lovely little treasure out on display and it made me think about its history. Growing up, this was always somewhere around our house if not in its place in the china cabinet. My mother acquired it years ago from her grandparents and fondly recalls it from her childhood.

By no means are we experts, but we believe it to be carnival glass rather than depression glass due to its iridescent finish. Carnival glass gets its sheen when metallic salts are applied while the glass is still hot. It's then fired again and that results in its finish. Isn't it pretty? We don't know how this lidded jar came to my great grandparents, but it would be interesting to know. Was it won at a carnival or fair, as was often the case? Was it purchased for décor because it was a pretty color? What my mother does know is that it always contained candy ---and a particular kind at that. Do you remember those  pink round mint candies? The same color of Pepto-Bismol, they had and "X" or two on top and came in a bag (not individually wrapped). You let them melt in your mouth one or two at a time. My mother's grandparents kept this jar full of mints in their dining room and she said that Grandpa Taylor often helped himself to what was likely his favorite sweet treat! Who would have thought that a pretty little jar would contain candies for generations of a family?

Does your family have any old glass pieces? If so, what's the story?

Spinach Salad

As you're aware, I am a big fan of salads and we eat them pretty frequently. No two are exactly the same because most are invented during preparation, depending upon what's in our refrigerator at the time!

This isn't so much a recipe as it is an idea that you may want to try or a reminder of something you haven't made lately. I think this fresh salad is a good one for fall with its colors and it's easy to put together. I like the combination of sweet oranges, tangy Craisins and salty nuts.  I just recently made it for us  and also prepared it as part of a dinner I took to a recuperating friend from church. Everyone seems to like it.

You need:

fresh spinach (I snip off the stems)

canned mandarin oranges (drained)

Craisins

salted sunflower seeds (or any nuts you have on hand)

Italian dressing

croutons

Toss spinach with oranges and Craisins and then just before serving, pour some Italian dressing in a glass jar and slightly warm it in the microwave. Pour over salad and gently toss once more. Top with croutons and sunflower seeds.

Enjoy!

Tuesday's Tablescape

Can you believe that we'll soon be celebrating Thanksgiving? I gobble up my turkey dishes and enjoy using them during the month of November.

I waited and waited for the cloudy, rainy skies to clear so that I could capture some good photos. Alas, nature didn't cooperate so I did the best I could!

Have a good dinner!