Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Thankful and Blessed





Blessings to everyone today! Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. Today, I am joining Rita @Panoply and a sweet and talented group of bloggers for a Thanksgiving Tablescape Blog Hop. Thank you Rita, for organizing this tablescape hop. I appreciate all your hard work.


At the end of this post, there will be links to bloggers participating in this Thanksgiving  Tablescape Blog Hop. Give them some love and leave them a comment.

 I named my blog post, Thankful and Blessed because I am very thankful and feel blessed to be a part of this group of table stylists as well as the myriad of blessings we have every day. 
I am setting a more casual table today, and everything can go in the dishwasher except the bamboo cutlery.


Years ago, when brass candlesticks were all the rage, I just had to have this Baldwin Brass lantern. It has a finish that never needs to be polished! I was also attracted to the beautifully curved handle. Years later, I was excited to find another lantern just like it at an estate sale. I  have used both of them in separate rooms on shelves. This is the first time I have used them in a tablescape. It does pay to shop your house!


A white-handled urn holds autumn shades of mums, daises, white carnations, white hydrangeas, and variegated pittosporum for the centerpiece. Faux bittersweet, white pumpkins and silk leaves accent the arrangement.


I love to arrange fresh flowers, but sometimes shopping for flowers where I live can be a challenge. I found out one package was not enough because this one had two lily buds that had not opened. Fortunately, I had more hydrangeas to add from another occasion, so I had enough flowers.  Note to self: don't buy bouquets with lilies.
 Do you set your table first and then look for flowers? This time I did, but ended up with entirely different flowers than I had in mind. I originally wanted rust alstroemeria and could not find them. I think the assorted colors added more color and variety than one color alstroemeria! I am always learning, which is fun!


The warm tones of the burled wood grain of the table, burlap runner, shiny brass lanterns,  and assorted kinds and colors of fresh flowers provide lots of texture for the season.


My plate stack consists of Mansard by Spode white dinner plate, Walmart charger, Crown Linen cream-colored velvet placemat, Fostoria amber footed goblet, a multi-color cotton damask napkin, and Southern Living bamboo cutlery.


"Hem your blessings with thankfulness, so they don't unravel." Unknown


"An attitude of gratitude is a never-ending prayer."


"All which we behold is full of blessings."
William Wordsmith~ 1798

The only day I had to photograph my table was very cloudy, so I had to open the shutters and turn on all the lights and lamps!

🦃🍁🦃🍁🦃🍁
 As we look forward to traveling to Colorado to visit our son and family this year for Thanksgiving, I  am remembering a particular Thanksgiving memory that still pulls at my heart. The memory took place in 2007, when my son was stationed in Del Rio, Texas, in the Air Force.
 Stationed at Laughlin Air Force base, where he was an instructor pilot, he met a young enlisted African man with no family and invited him to have Thanksgiving dinner with us.  He was from the central African country of Cameroon. He told the story of the long struggle he had experienced to immigrate to the U.S. My husband, who loves maps and geography, poured over Google Earth on his iPad with Romeo and found his actual village and very own house. It was very touching to share his joy of seeing his home and village so far away. That was his first American Thanksgiving. I wonder where Romeo is now. That experience truly made us realize how blessed we are to live in a free country and have opportunities for education and advancement. Romeo joined the U.S. Air Force to better himself and allow him to work toward U.S. citizenship. 



So from my house to yours, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. 🍁🦃🍁 We are indeed very blessed. 

"Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving And His Courts with Praise. Give thanks to Him and Bless His Name."
Psalm 100:4


Below are the links of those participating in the Thanksgiving Tablescape Blog Hop.


Living With Thanksgiving - Thankful and Blessed
Everyday Living - Thanksgiving Traditions
Home is Where the Boat Is - Porch Dining with Plaid & Proud Tom Turkey
Corner of Plaid and Paisley - Give Thanks
The Painted Apron - Grateful Gathering
Belle Bleu Interiors - A Time to Give Thanks
Red Cottage Chronicles - A Cozy Cottage Thanksgiving Tablescape
The Little Yellow Corner Store - A Northwoods Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving!🦃🍁🦃
Living Thankfully,

21 comments:

  1. Good Morning Bonnie! I love your handsome pair of brass lanterns and curve of the handles. What serendipity to find a twin lantern at an estate sale. They look beautiful flanking your floral centerpiece on your table. I have to confess I don’t care for lilies and their over powering fragrance. Your variegated pittosporum makes a beautiful filler to pair with your pretty combination of daisies, hydrangeas and mums. I love the story you shared of Romeo, how thoughtful of your son to invite him to join your family for Thanksgiving. I don’t recall seeing a view of your entrance before. I love the columns, handsome planters flanking your door and porch ceiling. My MIL's porch ceiling was painted 'haint blue'. As always it’s a treat to join you at the table. Happy Tuesday. ♥

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  2. Good morning, Bonnie. I love your beautiful and traditional dining room. Even a more casual table setting is elegant in your curated space. The Baldwin brass lanterns are gorgeous and add elegance to the casual. I noticed how lovely they are with your chandelier. I understand the problem of not being able to find flowers during the late fall and winter months. However, your mix makes a beautiful arrangement and is perfect as your centerpiece. The CLD placemats and burlap runner make a nice take on rustic elegance. Thank you for sharing the story of Romeo and your son’s invitation for him to join your Thanksgiving celebration. We have had a few guests for Thanksgiving from other countries, and I have fond memories of them. It is always a pleasure to sit in your dining room and enjoy your tablesettings. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  3. Bonnie, what a beautifully traditional Thanksgiving table. Those Baldwin candle lanterns are gorgeous! We had Baldwin lanterns on our former home and you are right, they never need polished. We had a Baldwin lantern very similar (possibly exact) in our booths several years ago, too. Lucky you to find a mate. Your table looks wonderful with the pattern of the napkins and the rich color of the stems. The bittersweet looks authentically real, and the florals very nicely arranged. The room looks very inviting. I love the story of your son's friend from Cameroon. Seeing someone go through citizenship really drives home how blessed we are. Thank you for sharing that story. I hope your trip to Colorado will be just as blessed this Thanksgiving. Thank you for participating in this hop. Oh, and your front porch is divinely Southern - beautiful!

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  4. Your table is so beautiful -- I love that wood. And the setting is perfect for it. Very interesting about the flowers -- that's excellent food for thought. Sometimes it's so hard to find decent blooms at this time of year. You did well! Love the china but I think the thing I loved the very most was the story of Romeo's Thanksgiving visit. It really puts a different spin on things, doesn't it, when you meet someone who has had his experiences.

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  5. What a sweet story about Romeo! Your table is so warm and welcoming - wonderful colors of fall! Your centerpiece is lovely and the lanterns are so eye-catching! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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  6. Hi Bonnie, your table is lovely, with classic golds, rusts, deep reds so perfect for Autumn and Thanksgiving. I like the bare wood of your table adding to the ambient glow. I can see why you were taken with that beautiful brass candlestick, how amazing you found a matching on at an estate sale! Thank you for sharing your special memory of Romeo and I know you're looking forward to going to Colorado for Thanksgiving, safe travels!
    Jenna

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  7. Beautiful Bonnie! I love the brass lanterns. Such elegant lines and classic style. How lucky were you to find a second one! It sounds like you and I had similar "issues" with our centerpieces! In the end, you have created a stunning autumnal display! Your table has such a warm glow with the lanterns, the gold chargers and bamboo flatware. What a touching memory of Romeo. How blessed he was to have the opportunity to join your family. Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels to visit your son!

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  8. Bonnie, your Thanksgiving table is lovely. The Baldwin lanterns are so elegant, so glad you were able to find a second one. They look fabulous with your chandelier. The CLD placemats and burlap runner are wonderful additions. Love the amber goblets. I do love seeing the beauty of your wood table. The story of Romeo is so touching. Here's hoping his life has improved and you may see him again one day. Your house entry is gorgeous. Always a pleasure joining you. Happy Thanksgiving.

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  9. Hi Bonnie. What a wonderful find to be able to pick up another lovely brass candle holder. They are such a classic piece and can be used for all of occasions. The colorful floral centerpiece is so lovely and makes the table even more welcoming, especially with the addition of the bittersweet on the runner. I loved your story about your son's friend who celebrated his first Thanksgiving with your family. It touched my heart as the such a holiday should. We all can be inspired to do the same. Happy Thanksgiving.

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  10. Your Thanksgiving table is so lovely. Thank you for sharing your memory of Romeo. We were stationed at Laughlin AFB back in the 1960's. Our family was hosting a young man from Africa. I remember that he was dressed in a white caftan-type robe. My siblings and I were just children, but I remember that we were fascinated with him and he was so kind and tolerant of all of our questions. - Briana from Texas

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  11. What a charming table, Bonnie! I love your brass lantern and pretty floral accents! Blessings, Cecilia @My Thrift Store Addiction

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  12. Bonnie, thank you so much for sharing Romeo's story with us. My heart is full of joy reading about that special Thanksgiving in 2007! Your dining room is gorgeous. I love all the pretty colors and textures on your table. I especially like your placemats! I also enjoyed reading about your styling process. I sometimes start with the flowers if I'm out and and purchase flowers that speak to me! I hope you have a Blessed Thanksgiving visiting your family in Colorado. Travel mercies for y'all!

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  13. What a lovely story -- we are more blessed than we know. Your table is lovely as well, embracing warm delicious colors. The flowers are gorgeous, you can almost feel the petals through the photos. I love the burled wood on your table!

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  14. It's wonderful to hear the story of Romeo and how he came to be here. Opening our hearts and homes to those less fortunate is truly what Thanksgiving means. I also loved the way your flowers matched your table setting. The whites picked up your placemats and the deeper Fall tones went beautifully with the rest of the decor. Happy Thanksgiving!
    Lynne

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  15. Oh Bonnie your story of sharing your Thanksgiving dinner touched my heart and that is what Thanksgiving is all about. How sweet of your son to take the time to show Romeo his home. Speaking of homes, yours is lovely. I am drawn to your candle holders and their shine. Lucky to find it's mate. Flowers are always special on a table and you arrange them so well. I can never seem to find that just right bouquet... but I don't have your talent of arranging and combining. I'm afraid mine will always be that proverbial 'child-looking' bouquet. Have a Happy and enjoyable Thanksgiving in beautiful Colorado! Hugs

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  16. Oh Bonnie, I just love your gorgeous table and your floral centerpiece. I think my favorite part was seeing your lantern and then finding out that you found it’s mate at an estate sale. To this day, I still love glass hurricanes! Your napkins are beautiful and your ruffled placemats on your table look perfect.

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  17. Bonnie, I first have to tell you that your dining room is absolutely gorgeous. Also, your front porch is so pretty. I love the light blue ceiling on the porch and have been thinking about painting ours that color. Your Thanksgiving table is beautiful! Your flowers look so lovely, and I spotted those stunning hurricanes first thing. I enjoyed reading about the story about the young man who spent Thanksgiving with you. I often stress, because I have to be at two dinners in one day. My parents for lunch and my husband's parents for dinner. However, I remind myself that I should be thankful that I have family to spend the day with. I am truly grateful for my blessings. I hope that you have a Happy Thanksgiving! Shannon@Belle Bleu Interiors

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  18. Your table is just gorgeous! And I especially loved this quote, "An attitude of gratitude is a never-ending prayer." I believe this may be what the Bible means when it says to "Pray without ceasing." Thank you for sharing such a lovely post, and may God bless you richly this Thanksgiving season!

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  19. Your table is beautiful.. I love your rich colored napkins. Your story about sharing your Thanksgiving with the young man brought back a memory. We too were able to share our Thanksgiving one year with a young Chinese girl that had never experienced an American Thanksgiving. It was so fun to share our traditions with her and she loved all the food! Great post!
    Karin
    Https//www.karinskottage.com

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  20. Bonnie, your traditional Thanksgiving table is beautiful. I love the flowers you said you where not planning on- they turned out to be wonderful and I like the added bittersweet. What a wonderful quote- Hem your blessings in thankfulness, so they don’t unravel- I have never heard that before, but I love it💕. Thanks for sharing the touching story of Romeo and your son. I hope you have a fabulous thanksgiving in Colorado with your family🧡🦃🍗

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  21. Bonnie, you've fashioned together a beautiful table for Thanksgiving. The quote is one I've never heard before, yet so fitting. Laughlin Air Force base, sounds so familiar to me. Is it an Airforce base?

    Happy Thanksgiving,
    Rachelle

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