Pleasant Pheasant

I was given a pheasant pelt (complete with the tail feathers) about 25 years ago.  I mounted it on a grape wreath vine and embellished it with bittersweet, magnolia leaves and other autumnal foliage...I was enamored!  From then on I wanted pheasant feathers in my decor. Though long, quality feathers can be costly, they are much more reasonable and available today than all those years ago. Does anyone else like or use pheasant feathers? Photos: 1) I have several pheasant ornaments; pheasant placemats from Twiggery; Pheasant lamp from Old Wildlife Decor; needlepoint pillow from Decor Medley;  handbag from Ferragamo; dishes from Pottery Barn (now unavailable); pheasant boutonniere; pheasant writing lap desk from Robin King Designs; this last one....vintage and a little over the top!

 

 

I Adore Harvest Tables

I've always wanted a narrow antique harvest table IN the center of the kitchen as a place to eat and prepare food. It reminds me in history, how servants would serve dinner in the formal dining room to the master of the house, but ate  in the kitchen at the *harvest* table. It seems honest, unpretentious and wholesome to me. By definition, a harvest table should be six to eight feet long and usually has hinged drop-leaves and/or drawers. Here are some nice examples. Anyone got one?  

No More Turkey!

It's  Sunday and I'm thankful for the abundance of food we ate at Thanksgiving, even though my silly jeans shrunk A-GAIN!  Hello?   I don't think I take food for granted.  I enjoyed every bite of turkey and all the "trimmings."  But I'm over it. 

We drove by a few Waffle Houses on Thanksgiving night and they were PACKED.   It seemed to be mainly guys who were crowded inside gobbling up waffles and drinking steaming hot coffee from thick, white mugs.   I wondered if those guys offered to run an errand so they could escape the house full of company and avoid turkey leftovers a-gain?

I talked it over with my honey..........in Waffle House. Oh yeah!!!   "Waffles. An egg over easy. Hashbrowns - scattered and smothered. Your best cup of hot coffee. Pronto!"  My honey ordered as he winked at me across the booth.  Yeah, I'm one  thankful gal right now....

Anyone else go to Waffle House? If not, where do you go or what do you eat to "get back to normal?"

Make a Wish

 

As kids we always were excited to get the wishbone of the turkey.  Though we really didn't believe that our wish would come true by pulling the wishbone apart, we did it anyway.    I think it was more of a contest just to see who got the longest part of the bone.   

Pilgrims from England are reported to have brought this custom over with them.   A wish is a desire or strong inclination or prayer-petition for a specific thing. 

 

• I wish for you, gentle reader, that today if your heart is heavy, you will discover a spark of joy in the most unlikely place.
• If your mind is troubled, I wish you find peace in a healthy way.
• If your body is in pain, I wish that you find relief from your suffering and at the most unexpected time.
• If today is wonderful and all is well.....I wish you more of the same. 
 

 This is the stove our moms cooked the turkey in 1968, if they were fortunate enough to have a brand new stove!

Holiday Scents

Scents affect our mood. I've noticed when my honey smells a pie baking he gets all "giddy."  When I smell expensive perfume, I feel romantic and feminine. 

This Thanksgiving will be filled with all kinds of scents. Some of us will have the scent of....

• Turkey and pumpkin pie in the oven
  
• Fire in the fireplace
  
• A brand new baby in the house
• Coffee brewing
• Attic boxes (for those who put up their Christmas decorations)
• Woolen sweaters

What scents will be in your home?

The candle in the top photo is "Spiced Chestnut" from Williams Sonoma and the birdcage candle holder is from Mona's. Click on photo to go to their site. 

Tea Towels and Old Stoves

I'm thankful for tea towels. Truly. I adore slinging a freshly laundered tea towel over my shoulder while I'm cooking.  A clean tea towel hanging in my kitchen makes me feel "all is well" somehow.  I'm also thankful that cloth tea towels are replacing paper towels (never a fav of mine). I buy mine everywhere, but I've seen a lot of crafty blogging gals stencil their own!  

Any others who appreciate linen (or cloth) tea towels? What kind -- vintage, modern, loop, linen....?  How about the old Roper gas stove?  Be still my heart!! Anyone got one?

These are from Williams Sonoma.

 

Saturday Before Thanksgiving!

At first glance, I would pass this pie plate up....snub my nose....however....

   

 

Who would have thought a "floppy" pie plate would  make such a wonderful pie shape?   The real secret: one of these little handy crust pressing tools!   You could probably use any small cookie cutter, but it wouldn't have the pressed design.  

Do you make your pies simple or fancy?   Are you asked to bring your "special" dish for Thanksgiving dinner or other special occasions? 

The pie plate and pastry shaped cutters are all Williams Sonoma. I thought this little half apron, available on Etsy, would be the perfect color!

 

Lake Memories

One of my favorite memories of Thanksgiving didn't involve turkey or a huge gathering. One year my honey (husband); son; brother; SIL and parents all met at an acquaintance's cabin on a Lake Clark Hill.   We packed the car with the planned Thanksgiving dinner.   We wrote down ides for activities.   It was all fun, but my favorite thing was meeting my brother around 3:30 in the morning to fish. 

The lake was just behind the cabin. I remember us sitting on the little dock, not saying much at all...just listening to an occasional tree frog or splash of a fish.  I also remember how  tranquil it was. I've wished I could relive those few hours many times, they were that special. Maybe some day.    Does anyone else have a favorite "spot" that brings a warm, fuzzy feeling? 

I have an old Willow Creel similar to this to remind me of that day.

T is for Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for...Teddy Bears                      

Twine...

Tea pots and tea cups...

Tabby cats...

Tulle...

 

 Tureens...

 

And Tranquility...

 

What are you are thankful for?