“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”
Matthew 24:35
“Holy, holy holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee. Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three persons, blessed trinity!”
Reginald Heber
The Gilliland-Reese Covered Bridge was built in 1899 and moved to Noccalula Falls in 1967.
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I think it’s time for a little travel, what do you say? Today, we find ourselves back in Newport, RI, touring another gorgeous mansion! Do you remember when we took a walk through The Rosecliff Mansion? It was the most romantic of the mansions we toured, and today we will be at The Breakers…the grandest of Newport’s summer “cottages”! It is a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial preeminence in turn of the century America. Cornelius Vanderbilt II was the grandson of Commodore Vanderbilt who had established the family fortune in steamships and later in the New York Central Railroad. After Cornelius became Chairman and President of the New York Central Railroad system in 1885, he purchased a wooden house called The Breakers in Newport that same year. In 1893 after a fire destroyed the wood house he commissioned a new house to be built. The Breakers was completed in 1895. The design is based on Italian Renaissance villas. This house was their stage to receive the world, and foreign ambassadors and dignitaries came to enjoy the grandeur of this American mansion! Grab a cup of coffee…you are in for a “Gilded Age” treat!
I can’t imagine calling this a summer “cottage”. There are seventy rooms and more than three hundred windows. The house measures 138,300 square feet and only took two years to build and furnish.
The Great Hall was inspired by the open courtyards of Italy. But for all its opulence, the Breakers was always a family home. Generations of Vanderbilt grandchildren slid down the staircase and rode their tricycles around this Great Hall.
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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Romans 15:13
It’s that time of year…do I wear closed or open toed shoes? Short or long sleeved shirts? Do I dare wear white in March? We are caught in the middle of winter and spring, and I am just not sure how to dress…and I was feeling the same about setting the table this week! I rarely have a week that I have absolutely nothing in mind for a tablescape, but this was one of those weeks! I always have to have a jumping off point, but I was coming up empty….no flowers are in bloom in my garden, and I didn’t have any fresh fruit for a centerpiece! But then I remembered some adorable salad plates I had tucked away! So, I decided to shop my house and before I knew it, I had a little Provencal-style setting.
One of life’s enjoyments is to sit at the table with wonderful food and conversation…no rushing and no agenda…just being in the moment. That is rare in our world today, but the French seem to do that very well. Butch and I find such joy in the simple things like sharing meals, reading books, listening to music, and of course eating good food with those we love! It’s the simple moments in life that are etched into my heart and memory. I hope you will take time today to relax and bask in the joy of living, or as the French say the “Joie de Vivre!”
As I was shopping my house, I pulled out a wicker tray to hold the centerpiece…
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