Seasonal Sunday

 

The name -- of it -- is "Autumn" --
The hue -- of it -- is Blood --
An Artery -- upon the Hill --
A Vein -- along the Road --

Great Globules -- in the Alleys --
And Oh, the Shower of Stain --
When Winds -- upset the Basin --
And spill the Scarlet Rain --

It sprinkles Bonnets -- far below --
It gathers ruddy Pools --
Then -- eddies like a Rose -- away --
Upon Vermilion Wheels --  

Emily Dickinson

I will be linking to The Tablescaper on Sunday for Seasonal Sunday. Be sure to run over and check out some of the other wonderful posts!

Do you send your sheets to the laundry?

 

Imagine my surprise when I was asked if I send my sheets to the laundry. Not that I haven't done that before. And my grandmother always sent hers to the laundry. But.....NO!

Here's what I do to get a smooth as ironed finish to the all cotton sheets:

1. Wash as directed.
2. Take them out of the washing machine one piece at a time and drop into the dryer.
3. Set the dryer to hot.
4. Test your dryer, but I set mine to dry 18 minutes for our complete set of king-sized sheets.
5. Take them out of the dryer. They will be damp to the touch, but this is how you want them.
6. Put the fitted bottom sheet on the bed. Smooth out any wrinkles with your hands.
7. Place the top sheet or duvet cover on top, once again smooth out any wrinkles with your hands.
8. Put the pillow cases on your pillows, again, smooth out the wrinkles.
9. Do not tuck in any sheets at this time!
10. In a short time, maybe about 1 hour, everything will be dry.
11. Make the bed as you normally do. 

Tip: if your sheets a bit on the dry side and the wrinkles don't smooth out, use a water-filled spray bottle to make the sheets a bit more damp.
If however, that doesn't help, then you've baked the wrinkles in and need to rinse the sheets again and start over.

 

Enjoy your perfectly smooth sheets!

How do you make your bed?

Fall on the patio

 

We are still enjoying beautiful weather. It's cool at night and still warm during the day. It's probably my favorite time of the year! 

Once again, we find ourselves outside for a late night fall dinner. I was so inspired by all the pumpkin centerpieces from last week's Tablescape Thursday that I knew I wanted to try to create one myself. 

Layered a teak charger under a white plate under a wooden salad bowl. Rosewood brass ware yet again. You would think it's the only set I have!

 

Four different pumpkin napkin rings around a large color-blocked woven napkin.

 

 

 

 Amber goblets for a more hearty Rosé.

 A "designer" pumpkin on top of of some green Spanish moss.

 Autumn colored woven napkins seen better with a view from above.

 Instead of fresh flowers, a garland wrapped into a wreath shape surrounding the pedestal.

 

 Green votive holders

 

 

 Dusk has arrived, the candles are lit, the amber glasses reflect the lights above and the lights on the table.

The table all aglow.

 

 

 Thanks for dropping in. We love company. 

Cast:

Tablecloth - pumpkin colored from Steinmart

Teak chargers - 30+ years old

China - Wedgwood 

Salad Bowls - Ironwood

Rose handled brass flatware - gift from mom

Amber wine goblets - Steinmart

Napkins - Steinmart

Napkin rings - Hobby Lobby

Green votives - Pottery Barn Chicago abt. 5 years ago

Garland - Hobby Lobby abt 4 years ago

Pedestal bowl - unknown (can't remember)

Green Spanish Moss - Wholesale florist

Tip: Do you have chargers on which your plates skootch around? My husband hates that, and makes no bones about it. Solution? Purchase some of the foaming type shelf liner from Wal-mart, cut into circles and place between the plate and the charger. No more sliding around! Marriage saved.

Please drop in at Susan's Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch for some wonderful inspiration! I'll be linking on Thursday! Your comments make my day!

Turning 65 and guacamole - recipes for success

 

We had a party this weekend. To celebrate sweet husband turning 65. 

Plan.

 

Plan were to serve, were to eat, were to have drinks...

Plan a special place just for the little people.

Plan a picture wall for the honoree.. pics from birth to present day!

Plan your guest list and fill it with special friends.

  Plan some fun for special great nieces and nephews.

Plan to laugh at the gag gifts.. overalls like your dad used to wear and a gift card to Furr's cafeteria for the senior specials.

Plan the menu! and then enjoy your friends and the moment!

 

 Pray you don't need a fire-extinguisher for the cake!

Thank God for the perfect weather.

Guacamole Recipe

adapted from word of mouth instructions from a Dallas area chef

who seems to have adapted a recipe by Emeril Lagasse

3 large avocados, peeled, seeded and coarsely mashed

3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/3 cup minced cilantro leaves

1 Tablespoon minced jalepeno - seeded and deribbed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or regular sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne - be wary this gets hotter as it sits

1/2 cup red onions, minced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 small can of sweet corn

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2lb lump crab meat, picked over to remove shells and cartelage

Mix all ingredients together being careful not to overwork the avocados nor breakup the crab meat. Season to taste. I tend to adjust the seasonings to compensate for the flavor of the avocados. I like more cumin and more garlic, tend to shy on the red pepper. 

Serve with tortilla chips.

Thanks for dropping in.. be sure to jump over to Creative Journeys too to leave a comment, become a follower and sign up for the cutest Martha Stewart punch giveaway.. extended till Friday!!

Artichokes and a most pleasant evening

The leaves were mostly still on the trees. The weather was perfect. The bugs were at bay. The artichokes were ripe. Can you think of a better way to spend a delightful Saturday evening?

A beautiful stack: rattan charger, bone china and green Portuguese china on a sea of Mediterranean blue.

A well-ed plate especially for artichokes. The center well is for the artichoke, the upper well is for the spent leaves and the lower portion is for the golden hued dipping sauce - lemon butter.

 

Gentle radiating ridges encircled by small bands and dots are all the adornment that is on the white bone china.

Rosewood handled flatware. Place setting adorned with a simple golden, woven napkin rolled simply and placed across the top of the plate.

 A gleaming copper and brass rechaud to keep the extra golden hued lemon butter at the right consistency.

 French hand-blown crystal hued the faintest green.

A golden olive server. Large portion for the olives, smaller bowl for the pits.
 

The color of the Mediterranean, clear blue overprinted with black olives - so very Provençal.

Wrought iron centerpiece chandelier with 8 votive cups on two different levels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dusk has arrived and so has dinner.

 

 

The bewitching blue hour

 As we chatted late into the evening in the glow of the candlelight.

Thanks for dropping in today, I'm glad you could join us.I love to have you come by.

Before we get to the recipe, the players in this evening drama are:

Rattan chargers - World Market

Wedgwood Windsor China

Neto and Gomes artichoke plates 

Rosewood brass flatware - gift from Mom

Tablecloth - purchased in Santa Fe, NM from a vendor on the square

Votive light chandelier - Mineral Wells, Texas

napkins - so old they could be vintage

French glasses - Santa Fe, NM

How to cook an artichoke:

1. If the artichoke has points on the ends of the leaves, trim off the points with scissors.

2. Slice off 3/4" to 1" of the tip of the artichoke.

3. Remove the smaller leaves toward the base of the artichoke.

4. Remove excess stem, leaving only about 1". I tend to leave less than that so that the artichoke will sit nicely on a plate.

5. Rinse the artichokes in cold water.

6. In a large pot, put a couple of inches of water. Use either an artichoke stand (one per artichoke) or a steamer basket placing the artichokes above the water. Steam for 25-45 minutes, until the lower leaves easily peel off the stem. Length of cooking time is relative to the size of artichoke, the larger they are the longer they cook

How to eat an artichoke:

1. Pull off the outer layers of leaves, one leaf at a time.

2. Dip white fleshy end into lemon butter or sauce of your choosing.

3. Place in mouth, fleshy part down, pull through your teeth to remove the fleshy portion. Discard the uneaten portion.

4. Continue in this manner until all the petals are gone.

5. The heart is left and once the "choke" is removed, it can be eaten too. Take a spoon and scrape out the hairy, soft bristles covering the heart. Cut the heart into pieces and dip into sauce and enjoy!

 Will be linking up with the hostess with the mostet - the gracious Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Be sure to jump over there on Thursday to visit the others and be inspired to take your dishes out of mothballs!

Also, click on over to Creative Journeys too - I'm giving away a Martha Stewart Halloween appropriate edge punch this Monday, October 18th, 2010.