Monday, September 5, 2022

A Touch of Provence

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Monday Morning Blooms

I am honored to be invited to be a 'guest bloomer' for Monday Morning Blooms today. Mary, Pam, and Lidy are very talented floral designers that showcase their talent on the first Monday of every month.  Click on the links below to view their beautiful posts.  I am so happy to join them today!















The theme today is sunflowers.
 Join me for a touch of Provence.  I'm using a sunflower tablecloth that was bought in1997, in Avignon, by my mother-in-law.



The yellow plates were my grandmother's. I remember fondly using those at her farmhouse when I was a child. The plates are Rivera by Homer Laughlin made in the '30s and '40s. They bring back pleasant memories, and I am happy to have them. Gold vintage Fostoria goblets add a touch of fall to the table.



I used this same tablecloth back in 2016 in a local sunflower field. I had hoped to do that again, but it did not work out. However, my garden is much cooler than the 90-degree day when this picture was taken.



Limelights from my garden were added to store-bought sunflowers and placed in vintage olive oil jars. Sunflowers are such happy flowers, and sunflower seeds and oil are useful products made from sunflowers.  They grow here in the United States and in many countries and are the national flower of Ukraine and the state flower of Kansas.
 The memory of my in-law's trip to Provence and my mother-in-law's tablecloth makes me think of the olive groves there. The taste of fresh olives and a baguette of bread dipped in olive oil transports me back to our trip there also. 


Here are some fun facts I found on the web about sunflowers.

  • Fun Facts About Sunflowers.
  • Each sunflower is actually thousands of teeny flowers.
  • Each sunflower can contain as many as 1,000 to 2,000 seeds. ...
  • Sunflowers are native to North America. ...
  • There are about 70 species of sunflowers. ...
  • The tallest sunflower on record was over 30 feet tall. ...
  • Sunflowers track the sun.



  • Sunflowers brighten a room and make a delightful statement in any setting.


    And since I have a large open area, I thought three arrangements would fill the space nicely, and I had three similar containers.

    I thoroughly enjoyed eating the props after taking the photos!

    I read this online: Did you know that in 1987, an anonymous buyer paid 39.85 million dollars for Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" painting? The artist originally hoped to sell the painting for $125.00. 



    I wish we all could sit down together in my garden and have a lovely chat.



     " Light enchanted sunflower, thou who gazest ever true and tender on the sun's revolving splendour." 
    Vincent Van Gogh


    I look forward to seeing Mary, Pam, and Lidy's sunflower arrangements. Thank you, ladies, for inviting me to join you today! 
    Click below to view their lovely posts.


    Mary at Home Is Where the Boat Is



    Lidy at French Garden House



    Pam at Everyday Living 

    I had a great time, friends.

    Living Thankfully,🌻🌻🌻







    Sunday, August 21, 2022

    Grands Summer Visit

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    Our Colorado grandchildren flew by themselves to Alabama for a visit recently. Usually, we have a tea party, and after church the last Sunday they were here, we did just that. 


    They are big enough now to help and give input. 

    The kids were here six days before their parents joined us. Their mother, Sarah, is in this picture all tan from a getaway in the Dominican Republic. 


    Lemon bars, cheese straws, pound cake squares, strawberries, macaroons, cheesecake, and raspberries were a welcome treat, along with cups of tea. Due to the early afternoon heat, we served our plates and went inside to eat! 







    Earlier in the week, we drove south to Panama City for a two-day visit. My husband took his boat, and we enjoyed showing them around places we took their Dad and older cousins years ago.



    I was very pleased with the weather conditions for their first boat outing. The water was calm, with little boat traffic, and it was a picture-perfect day. We went to Shell Island and had a fun day. That night we drove the boat across the bay to the restaurant, Uncle Ernies, for those familiar with the area. 


    Sugar white sands on Shell Island and no crowds were wonderful.



    The water was beautiful. This pic is of the ocean side of the island. The only thing missing was seeing dolphins. I guess it was the wrong time of day. We have fond memories of the dolphins coming alongside our boat, and there was a time the kids got out and swam in the water with them. 

    We enjoyed several sunrises on the bay. Will took these photos.



    The kids enjoyed exploring my garden. They both picked a few flowers and wanted to arrange them. This time of year, most of my flowers are spent.  I thought they did well.

    The boys golfed for two days. The girls plundered the attic one day, finding all kinds of interesting things. We found some of my dolls I thought had been lost years ago.  Looking in the attic reinforced my goal to go through and sort out things.  
    My DIL helped with several projects that I appreciated very much. The other day we shopped downtown and had a special brunch at a restaurant. It was a great eleven days that passed very quickly.
    It was also nice to show off our family at our church for two Sundays.
     I have one regret, which was that I failed to get a group picture, but we were so busy enjoying one another that I forgot.

    July and August passed so quickly, getting ready for company and then after they arrived. I have missed visiting all of your blogs, and I hope you understand why I have not been able to comment. 
    I also have not been on IG or FB hardly at all for three or four weeks.


    The roses we used for the tea party lasted well over a week. I was grocery shopping without a plan for flowers, and they had a special buy one get one free. I felt so fortunate to get such fresh flowers, which worked beautifully for our tea party.

    Wishing all of you a beautiful week ahead. I hope to catch up soon.



    Friday, June 24, 2022

    Happy Birthday, America!

    13 comments
    The Fourth of July is Monday, July 4th. 
    Independence Day commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.
     Celebrations include fireworks, family reunions, concerts, barbeques, picnics, parades, and baseball games. 
    Do you have a specific tradition in your family to celebrate the Fourth of July?🇺🇸

    I've set a  Patriotic table outside today. 




    Join me for a yummy fruit dessert. The blueberries and strawberries were so sweet and any fruit is good with whipped cream. 

    Gardenias were blooming in my garden and their fragrance was heavenly.


    A reticulated white tray held blue and white chinoiserie vases with red roses, gardenias, and American flags for a patriotic centerpiece. 
    Fringed red, white, and blue stripe napkins added additional texture. For some reason, I always prefer my matelasse tablecloth.






    The plate stack consisted of a white Ikea charger, solid red plate, Royal Stafford blue floral salad plate, and a vintage blue and white floral bread and butter plate.  


    Whatever your menu or activity, red, white, and blue celebrates July 4th! 
    Happy Birthday, America!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

    Here are several links to older Patriotic Posts.


                                   God Bless America


    My Country Tis of Thee

    Grateful for our country. May God Bless America!

    Tuesday, June 7, 2022

    Summer Celebrations

    27 comments


    Welcome to my garden and a tablescape set just for you. Summer has not officially arrived on the calendar yet but our weather in south Alabama says summer has arrived. My garden is shady so I invite you to have a seat and let's visit. 


    I am participating in a Summer Tablescape Blog Hop sponsored by Rita @ Panoply. There are 23 table stylists participating in this blog hop. You can find the links to their tablescapes at the bottom of this post.  Please leave them a comment so they will know you enjoyed their post.


    My hydrangeas are blooming and I had a delightful time cutting blooms and making an arrangement for this small table in my garden. 


    It has been a number of years since I had enough hydrangeas to make a large arrangement and still have  other blooms left in the garden to enjoy. I look forward to my hydrangeas blooming all year.
     This tortoiseshell vase is one of a pair given to me by my daughter-in-love's mother. I wish she could be here and have a cup of tea with me. I used the tortoiseshell vase in another tablescape here.





    The cheetah dishes are fun to use and work nicely with the tortoiseshell vase. I've been amazed at how many accent colors work well with these cute dishes from Hobby Lobby.


    The checked tablecloth was also a gift, from my husband's aunt when she downsized. I'm getting a lot of use from the things she passed on to me. Thank you, Joyce. I loved the pattern and color play it added to the tablescape.



     The bamboo flatware is new for me. I have secretly wanted some for years and when I found them on sale I gave in. I love the variety and texture it added. I keep learning that all the elements of design each play an important part in design but I think texture really makes a difference. The vintage brass teapot is another example of variety and texture pleasing the eye.



    This little bistro set from Lowes bought years ago normally resides on my porch but I could not resist a photo op in front of the hydrangeas. These hydrangeas are an old variety named Nikko Blue.

    "In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explode, and every sunset is different." John Steinbeck


    Memorial Day was on May 30th. It is the day we honor those that have fallen in the service of our country. We had an informal dinner party for six for the occasion. It had been so long since we entertained because of all the problems with Covid. It felt so nice to have friends over again.
     Our menu was: Rack of pork, potato casserole, green beans, and Key Lime pie. 


    I did a smaller than usual arrangement for the table so as not to impede conversation and enjoyment. You will chuckle at this comment from my husband. As I was setting the table, he said, "Now Bonnie, don't get carried away. Just keep it simple! "

    Summer has two patriotic holidays, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. 
    Memorial Day kicks off the beginning of summer. School is out. Life is at a slower pace.  Picnics, ballgames, swimming, biking, hiking, camping, vacations, and on and on will be happening. Let the celebrations begin.
     In the tablescaping world, the sky is the limit for your imagination in planning a fun summer tablescape.
     Enjoy the links below to jumpstart your imagination for a summer tablescape.

    Click on the links below to view the blog hop tablescapes.


    Life and Linda - A Taste of the Tropics
     Plaid and Paisley - Yellow and Blue Alfresco Setting
    Hyacinths for the Soul - Tis the Season of Patriotic Tablescapes
    Home is Where the Boat Is - Anchors Aweigh on the Pontoon
    Thrifting Wonderland - Butterfly Garden Table Setting
    The Little Yellow Corner Store - Sweet Old Summertime
    Red Cottage Chronicles - Dining Al Fresco - A Summer Tablescape
    From My Carolina Home - Summer Sunshine Tablescape and Hop
    Living With Thanksgiving - Summer Celebrations
    The Bookish Dilettante - Beach Reading Tablescape
    The Painted Apron - Let's Go Fishing
    Belle Bleu Interiors - A Summertime Luncheon in the Garden

    Have a great summer.