Thank you for your thoughts and prayers

Thank you to each of you who has lifted us up in prayers this past week. My father-in-law passed away peacefully this morning, and while we're saddened to no longer have him physically with us, we're grateful for God's mercy for a blessedly short time of suffering. Our dear "Pop" (pictured at a birthday celebration for our twin grandgirl's 1st birthday and at his own 86th birthday last spring)has joined the saints and angels now celebrating his heavenly "birthday".

Ever grateful for your sweet words of encouragement and friendship,

Martha

Tablescape Thursday - Winter Blues

It's Tablescape Thursdays over at "Between Naps On the Porch" -- Susan is such a wonderful hostess week after week -- she has a "dish party" every week and like the wonderful hostess she is...she's introduced me to so many of you other dish lovers too-- I do so love being invited to your tables and having you over to mine each week. Who would have guessed how much fun this is.. A BIG THANK YOU Susan!



I titled this week's tablescape "Winter Blues" -- not to reflect my mood, but the beautiful blues that are reflected in a winter sky or an icy pond... a crisp blue that we find only in the wintertime. Welcome to the table.



Here's a closer look at the centerpiece -- no blues here. I was so glad that the sun was shining on Monday when I was off from work and I could get some daylight pictures.



Our table is set for two today. I'm so glad that you could join me.



Lately I've been gathering goblets and glasses of color. The blue water goblets were purchased recently from GoodWill -- I got a set of 6 for $4.25 and they're very heavy and sturdy. I couldn't find any signs of wear on them at all. The wine glasses were from Dollar Tree a couple of weeks ago.



I was impressed with their slender delicate stems. I think they look pretty elegant on the table, especially for the price.


White battenburg lace napkins layered over ice blue damask napkins. I've had both for a number of years and they came from Garden Ridge. The white bow napkin rings were purchased from an antique store recently.



I thought they looked pretty layered.



How about a closer look at the dishes.


The salad bowls were purchased last summer from the Antique store. I picked up six.


They're substantial bowls, look at the thickness of the rim. I thought the pressed pattern in the glass was striking....especially in the sunlight.


The next dish layer is the salad plate. I purchased these from eBay last spring for my "Granny luncheon". I already had some pink dishes and wanted some pretty blue ones -- these were very inexpensive.



The china stamp on the back.



I thought the salad plates were so pretty that this fall I went back to eBay and purchased six dinner plates -- again very inexpensive -- less than $20. Neither set has much wear at all.



I loved the sparkle of the dishes with the silver rim. Flatwear came from Target -- I've almost got 12 place settings - minus 4 knives. But I think they've been discontinued now.


Snowflake tea light holders on top of antique depression glass saucers.


I found three snowflake tea light holders at GoodWill on Friday for $2.25. The label on the back says that they came from Crate and Barrel (and they even had the tea lights in them!)



I purchased these saucers last winter from an antique store. I used them on the table for a winter luncheon layered on top of mirror tiles with candles -- a very sparkling look.


The centerpiece is a small silver tray (GoodWill) with some ivy, a pot of paperwhites (a Christmas gift from my friend Jane), and a little sitting angel holding a heart (I purchased from eBay for an anniversary dinner last year for my Father-In-Law and my husbands step mother). Little snowflakes came from a thrift store after Christmas last year.



A full view of the centerpiece.


The Target birds are back on the table (thought maybe they'd flown south for the winter).



The two antique candlesticks are usually on my sideboard. These were my husband's grandmothers.


An overview of the table -- (I honestly did iron that tablecloth...really! It came from Target this past summer)


Overview of the centerpiece.



As evening falls the candles are lit.



A pretty mood is set.



Ring of lights around our angel.



Target mercury glass votives.


Notice how the glow outlines the snowflakes.




Farewell from our table of "Winter Blues".

To see more tablescapes and dishes of inspiration, be sure to visit "Between Naps On The Porch" -- there are tables awaiting your visit. Thanks so much for stopping by -- it's always a pleasure to have guests at my table.

See ya!

Bedtime Stories

I love to read, but it seems like the only time I have is at bedtime. There's almost nothing better than to crawl in bed with a cup of tea and a good book on a cold winter night.

Right now I'm reading "She Flew the Coop" by Michael Lee West - also known as Gollum over at "Designs By Gollum". I'm loving it just as much as I enjoyed "Crazy Ladies" and "Mad Girls in Love". When I got a little money at Christmas, I went straight to Amazon and purchased 5 "bedtime stories" -- 4 of them were Michael Lee's! She spins a great story. And she's writing a new book that's sure to be added to my reading list when it comes out. First though I'll be finishing up this one along with "American Pie", "Consuming Passions" and "Mermaids in the Basement".


I had heard that this was a great book as well -- some of you may have read Miss Janice review it on her blog last month. Well, it's a hoot! And this book's a long lasting keeper because....



...it has recipies! I'm cooking the Homemade Vegetable Soup for tonight's supper.



This is a picture when I put everything in my stock pot and it's simmering right now....if it tastes as good as it smells right now, it may appear on this week's "Foodie Friday" over at Gollums.

So what are you reading? Hope your bedtime story's a good one!

See ya!

Foodie Friday - Potato Soup

Foodie Friday is always a great recipe swap day -- I've tried lots of new dishes since Gollum started this party months ago. I haven't shared anything for quite awhile -- but since so many of us are experiencing such cold weather I thought I'd share one of my favorite crock pot soup recipes.




There really wasn't much way to make this look "pretty" -- it just sort of looks like white stuff in a crock pot. And you'll notice my "lazy gal" liner -- I use these all the time. They make cleaning up so easy -- just lift out the liner and wipe out the pot -- no scrubbing!


Maybe this looks a little better -- a ladle of "white stuff" -- anyway ...here's the recipe:

1- 30 oz. bag of frozen hash browns
3- 14 oz. cans of chicken broth
1- 14 oz. can of cream of chicken soup
1- 14 oz. can of cream of celery soup
1/2 Cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 small container sour cream

place in crockpot for 6 hours low

Simple! Easy!

I just read today that if you don't put the sour cream in until the last 15 minutes -- it will look better. (wish I'd known that before I took these pictures!)




Since I often don't leave my office until 6 or 7p.m. --- it's wonderful to come home on a cold night to a hot bowl of soup -- just add good bread and a salad and you've got a wonderful winter supper.

Now to see what everyone else is cooking up -- be sure to visit Foodie Friday over at "Designs by Gollum" .

See ya!

A Winter Walk

Thursdays are such a happy day for me -- I love Tablescape Thursdays over at "Between Naps On The Porch" that Susan so graciously hosts for us week after week. Today, I'm calling my TT "A Winter Walk" -- I love green and white together and in the winter months, it reminds me of snowy evergreen trees....so....let's go for a walk today.



Welcome to my winter table filled with evergreen and snow white.


The centerpiece contains snowy trees, buffalo snow, snow bunnies and a shabby tea light holder.


This little light holder was a Goodwill treasure found last winter. I believe it was a dollar. It's sitting on a small footed plate -- I don't know what it was intended for -- it's an antique, from my grandmother -- I use it often to elevate small things on my table -- anybody know what is is supposed to be? Whatever it is...I love it and use it often. I found a similar footed glass do dad recently that is slightly more bowl like.


Here we have a little bunny by the garden watering can. Poor little thing looks a little cold doesn't he? He is a Hallmark ornament purchased years ago. I didn't get a good picture, but there's also a little bird on the spout of the watering can.


On the other side we find some snow bunnies nestled inside a hollow log (also an old Hallmark ornament).



I love the edge of this oblong pewter platter I purchased from eBay -- don't think I paid more than $10 for it.


Have a seat... I think a bowl of hot soup would be wonderful after a winter's walk...just the thing to warm us up a bit.


Let's uncover the layers of dishes. The bowl is from the Gibson white dishes many of us have from Big Lots.


Next we have a small glass plate I purchased from a local thrift store last summer -- I think they look sort of like snowflakes. I can't remember what I paid for them, but I have six.


And lastly, we have the white Gibson dinner plate.


Antique cut glass goblets -- their shape looks like an inverted evergreen tree to me. The glasses came from my husband's grandmother, the crystal coasters were purchased about 5 years ago from Tuesday Morning - 4 for $7 -- I picked up two sets.


My antique silver came from my Mother In Law's family and the antique napkins were purchased from a local antique store last summer. Napkin rings came from e-bay about a year ago -- I paid @ $5 for 12. My dark green tablecloth is at least 20 years old. I bought two very inexpensive ones for Thanksgiving, I believe I got them at Walmart or K-mart. Having younger children and expecting spills, I figured they wouldn't last long and I didn't want to have paid a dear price for them. Well - here we are 20+ years later and they're both going strong!


A treetop view of our winter table.


The centerpiece from above.


The afternoon sun shines on the table.


As evening falls the tealights are lit.


Perhaps our little shivering bunny will warm up by the lantern. It doesn't really photograph well - but the light looks really pretty shining through all the little glass "beads" of the tea light holder.


Loved the little starburst glow from this crystal votive holder.


I've certainly gotten my 99 cents worth out of the mercury glass votive holders I purchased from Target right before Christmas -- they have such a lovely glow -- I hope you were able to grab a few too!


Our winter table by candleglow.


I'm so glad that you've joined me at the table and I hope you'll visit again soon. For more tablesettings and dish delights, be sure to visit "Between Naps On The Porch"

I might not post quite as frequently for awhile -- My husband's father is being sent home from the hospital this week and there is nothing more that can be done for him medically. He's losing his battle with Parkinson's and they are predicting that he won't be with us much longer. We would certainly appreciate any prayers for a peaceful end for this dear man who's been our strength for years. We will miss him terribly but will rejoice when he is no longer encumbered with a failing body and will join my Mother-In-Law in the life everlasting.

See ya soon.