Tuesday, November 10, 2015

FANTASIES AND FRESH FLOWERS...








This above picture
 really has nothing to do with
 fantasies or fresh flowers 
but it does represent the fact that 
  fall and harvest time
 are now being celebrated
 and we have
 so much to be 
thankful for.


Now, about those fantasies...



This is one
 of my biggest...

...a beautifully
 appointed dining room table
 with happy and smiling
 family around it...





...there would be 
signs of the season 
in the choice of dinnerware...




...lovely crystal glasses
 and accessories...




...burning candles,
 fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers 
on display from the Farmers Market 
and good food, of course. 





Once upon a time...
 this wasn't a fantasy,
 it was a reality,
 but that was before the kids grew up
 and had their own fantasies to fulfill
 and we moved away 
from the majority of 
the rest of the family.






Now, 
we are the ones to travel
 to someone else's table 
and be thankful for 
being a part of their fantasies,
 but I don't mind...

I have my memories.





I set this table
 a couple of years ago and,
 to be honest,
 have shown it before,
 but now we are in the process
 of redoing the dining room 
after thirty years,
 so to have 
any kind of a dinner in here now,
 would be 
the biggest fantasy of all.









I just wanted to share
 with you

what I would do..

if only...






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Now,
 I can tell you
 that we don't live 
an uneventful life here 
at the Cottage.

 No sir, 
we still have our fantasies
 and we fulfill them.






During the holidays 
the big fancy dinner
 is not the only meal
 that exists...





...we do have to eat
 on all the other days
 during the holiday seasons,
 so I try 
to set a pretty table
 to celebrate those ordinary meals
 and the ordinary fantasies
 that go with them.





A set of
 vintage restaurant china (Tepco)
 that we picked up at a swap meet...






...along with
 some beautiful orange tulips, 
displayed in a
 vintage batter bowl...






...make up for the nights
 we sit in front of the TV 
with our plates on our laps.




An ordinary dinner,
 planned around

 pretty china and lovely flowers,

 good food and good company

 becomes an
 extraordinary one.





Hope you have
 every one of your fantasies fulfilled
 this holiday season.


...Judy...

*FYI:  I was inspired to share my tablescapes by BloomNation, a service that supports local florists.


 I was not compensated for this post.






Sharing today with:





















15 comments:

  1. It's a lovely fantasy, Judy. I have the same ones, of when my mom was well, when my sisters and brother lived close by and their kids all lived at home and 30 people at holiday dinners was the norm. Everyone is scattered now, our holiday dinners are smaller and interrupted by FaceTime chats from far away. Like you said, still good, just different. Thanks for sharing your pretty table! :)

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  2. Judy, your fantasy table is gorgeous! And I also like your 'everyday' table setting. I believe in setting the table nicely for our meals although there won't be flowers all the time or candlelight (except in December). Sometimes we host and sometimes we're the guests for special occasions. I'm not sure what Christmas will bring this year. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving no matter who is hosting. Hugs. Pam

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  3. Hi Judy, love your fantasy table. Everything you share is gorgeous and your settings for two are extra special. It's so nice to set a table to enjoy a great meal, it seems to make the food taste better.
    I too live away from family but we make the best of our holiday dinners either at home or with travel.
    Enjoy this wonderful season and thanks for all the inspiration. xo

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  4. Oh your tables are so pretty. We too will set a pretty table just for the two of us. My fantasy - since I was about 6 years old was to have a family of 9 kids (we were really really lucky to get the three that we have - so no complaints there) and have them all come home for holidays with their families - and we live that fantasy. Sometimes they are not all here - but we are happy when any of them can be here - and the grandsons are a bonus.

    You set such a pretty table - I love your restaurant ware - that is one thing that I just love - I have a couple settings of some restaurant ware also - just love the idea of the days when restaurants served on such pretty dishes. There are a few I'd like to have - but oh my they have gotten spendy. Maybe I'll find some at thrift shops one day.

    Instead of moving away from family - we moved here to Bellingham to be near our daughters and their families. Our son is in West Virginia and we treasure the time when they can come out and join the rest of us.

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  5. I love doing that, too, Judy. I just don't do it often enough. It is so easy to just snatch a quick meal and be on about our day (or night). Everything looks just beautiful. A perfect table for a perfect meal. xo Diana

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  6. So pretty Judy and so inviting. I too try to at least once in awhile set a table for Terry and I. Most nights we are in front of the TV eating dinner. My daughter does Thanksgiving and I turned that over to her a few years ago. She loves to host now so I guess it is the right of passage. Have a great evening.
    Kris

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  7. Your fantasy table is lovely, Judy. Food always looks better and tastes better on a well appointed table. Sort of like sipping tea from a real china cup. It always tastes better. But really, enjoying food with the ones we love is more important than a fancy table, isn't it? Love the lacy chargers and the orange tulips. The pilgrims are adorable too. Wonderful post and memories. Thanks for sharing with us.

    Autumn blessings,
    Sandi

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  8. Judy, I love all your photos. A big table surrounded by friends and family is so much fun...but a table for two is lovely. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

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  9. Pretty tables, Judy! I think it's a great idea to make every meal special - I know I don't do that often enoug. Thanks for the kick in the pants, er....reminder, lol! It is amazing how fast the full house becomes empty, isn't it? Those precious times just fly by! Jane

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  10. Dreams, fantasies, and reality...there is Joy to be found in each. May your holiday season be blessed and filled with treasures. Blessings, Cindy

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  11. Oh Judy it all looks so festive and pretty!!....whether its now or then or whenever!

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  12. Oh Judy it all looks so festive and pretty!!....whether its now or then or whenever!

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  13. Judy, your table is gorgeous. It appears there will likely just be three of us around our table this Thanksgiving, so I suspect I will keep it simple. I will revisit tables past and hopefully garner some inspiration. ;-)

    Happy Thanksgiving to you!

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  14. Your tables are beautiful...we so lean toward paper at this time of year. We are expecting at least 18 and possibly 21 for our T'giving dinner. I delight in finding pretty Thanksgiving paper plates and napkins...it's so fun to throw the plates and plastic forks in the trash and get out the pies and games and not worry about a lot of clean-up....am I just getting plain lazy...?? or just decided, after years of kitchen clean-up, that I want to spend every minute with my fantastic family when we are all together? I'd venture to say it's a little of both. :)

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  15. I love your fantasy and the table settings. My holiday usually consists of Chinet paper plates. LOL
    Last year my sister in law decided to do the nice place settings. I have to admit it's really nice.

    These days I'm grateful when someone else does the cooking. I'm tired. LOL or is it lazy

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Your comments are so special to me...Judy