Everyday Living

Come To The Table

~ Decorating, Food & Entertaining

“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!”
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭16:8‬ ‭

When the fourth Thursday in November rolls around, families travel many miles to be together to celebrate the blessings God has given.  We enjoy the company, the laughter, and of course the food!  Butch and I host Thanksgiving in our home each year and we love doing it!  However, I must acknowledge that a lot of planning is involved!  You’ve got to clean the house, set the table, and the obvious…cook the food!  And because I want all who come into our home to feel special when they sit down, a nice table is always a part of our Thanksgiving. I look around at each face gathered around, and thank God for their life and what they mean to me.  Today, we find ourselves just four weeks away…not too early for me to be thinking about my table setting!

Since the weather has been sort of yucky here with all of the rain, I have found myself perusing Pinterest for ideas, and I thought it might be helpful to share them for your upcoming holiday tablescapes!

All pins were taken from my Pinterest boards Autumn Splendor and Apples Of Gold In Settings Of Silver.  
Click the picture for its original source.
 The cream, copper, and brown hues make a casually elegant table. The turkey centerpiece is perfect!  This table offer drama with the black salad plate and gold flatware. The simple rosemary sprig and name tag adds just the right touch!  A gorgeous table that is lush with texture and color…the eggplant-colored napkins are one of my favorite elements!   A table runner with a leaf-patterned border and napkins with leaves and pumpkins provide a creamy background for this festive table! I love a centerpiece of  vegetables and fruit for any season or holiday!  The fig on the salad plate is perfect!  This is a favorite tablescape by event designer, Bronson van Wyck….the china pattern is “Les Champignons” by Alberto Pinto….amazing! I always like the addition of blue to a fall tablescape!  The pear at each place setting adds more autumn to the table.  The peacock colors set a non-traditional Thanksgiving table, but nonetheless inviting!  How warm and cozy is this dining room for Thanksgiving dinner!  Love this outdoor setting if you live where it is warm enough! Natural elements on a rustic table with touches of blue…bliss!  Turkey plates and shades of blue and rust with white linens make for a chic setting!  An easy-to-make centerpiece with color and texture!  Brown transfer ware with purple accents – perfection!  The shades of green with the burlap table runner and leaf chargers are non-traditional for Thanksgiving, but a nice alternative!  This table sings Autumn!  Yvonne, at StoneGable always sets a beautiful table – so elegant dressed in browns and creams  Another fellow blogger, Mary at Home is Where the Boat Is, sets this lovely alfresco table with texture galore!  Shades of gold for this elegant tablescape!  A table of traditional Thanksgiving colors, orange, brown, green, and gold!  Black and gold are always stylish for any season – love the menu card!  Tree slice charger provides a textural foundation for the beautiful place setting!This is a great way to remember what the holiday is all about…the things we are thankful for!  

 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver”
Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭11‬

pam closing

Linking with Pieced Pastimes, Silver Pennies, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Thoughts From Alice, Mod Vintage Life, Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, The Dedicated House, Dwellings-Heart of Your Home, Savvy Southern Style, Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage, From My Front Porch To Yours, Stone Gable, Confessions of a Plate Addict, Worthing Court, Between Naps on the Porch, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, The Style Sisters, The Charm of Home, The Winthrop Chronicles, Cornerstone Confessions, A Delightsome Life, Imparting Grace, Posed Perfection, Katherines Corner, My Romantic Home, Chic On A Shoestring Decorating, Rooted In Thyme, Share Your Cup, TheEnchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Oh My Heartsie Girl,  Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, The Turquoise Home, My Flagstaff Home, In The New House, Natasha in Oz, Vintage Refined, Rustic & Refined, Must Love Home, Grammie Time

Tablescape Tuesday: Warm Days & “Chili” Nights

~ Food & Entertaining, Tablescape Tuesday

“As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭103:15-17‬ ‭

It’s the time of year when the weather can make things a little confusing.  Should I wear short sleeves or long?  Light jacket or heavy coat?  Fall colors or summer?  It can be a hard time of the year to dress, but it allows for the best of both worlds when it comes to dining alfresco!  On Saturday, there was just enough autumn in the air for a bowl of chili on the patio!  I guess you could say it wasn’t too chilly for chili outside!  I so love the beauty of the outdoors that I am trying to savor every moment before cold weather arrives and the only option is to eat indoors.  I doubt we will be dining alfresco when the snow comes!

 
I was searching through my linen closet and discovered this leaf-printed Indian cotton tablecloth that I haven’t used in a couple of years.  It is perfect for an autumn dinner alfresco style!

 
When searching the closet, I also discovered the quilted gold placemats!  As I often say, shop your house!


The placemats provide texture for the pumpkin-color dinner plates, leaf salad plates, and cream-colored soup bowls!

 
I was so excited to find these hand-crafted napkin rings last week at the Kentucky Artisan Center.  The artisan makes one-of-a-kind pieces from fallen trees all across the Bluegrass region of Kentucky.

 
The handmade dough bowl is a treasured keepsake made by the loving hands of a precious man who passed away a few years ago.  It is a simple centerpiece filled with pumpkins and gourds!

 
The amber stemware is a go-to for autumn table settings!

 
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The faux antler candle stands holding rust colored taper candles add height and more color to the table!  Have I mentioned how much I love color? 

 
I added a pair of orange Dollar Tree bottles filled with nandina and Japanese maple leaves clipped from the yard!


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I love the colors of fall perfectly designed by our Creator! 


The garden has lost most of its color, but it still has a beauty even with the changing seasons!  

 
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver”
Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭11‬

 
The Details:
Tablecloth/placemats/faux antler candle stands – TJ Maxx
Dinner plates/leaf salad plates – Tuesday Morning
Soup bowls/faux tortoise flatware – Horchow.com
Stemware/napkins – Department store (several years ago)
Dough bowl/napkin rings – Handcrafted
Orange bottles – Dollar Tree

pam closing

Linking with Pieced Pastimes, Silver Pennies, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Thoughts From Alice, Mod Vintage Life, Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, The Dedicated House, Dwellings-Heart of Your Home, Savvy Southern Style, Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage, From My Front Porch To Yours, Stone Gable, Confessions of a Plate Addict, Worthing Court, Between Naps on the Porch, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, The Style Sisters, The Charm of Home, The Winthrop Chronicles, Cornerstone Confessions, A Delightsome Life, Imparting Grace, Posed Perfection, Katherines Corner, My Romantic Home, Chic On A Shoestring Decorating, Rooted In Thyme, Share Your Cup, TheEnchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Oh My Heartsie Girl,  Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, The Turquoise Home, My Flagstaff Home, In The New House, Natasha in Oz, Vintage Refined, Rustic & Refined, Must Love Home, Grammie Time

Boone, Beliefs, and Berea

~ Travel

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:4-5‬ ‭
I mentioned last week in October’s Edition of Pam-perings that one of my favorite things, now that I am basically retired, is to tag along with Butch on his business trips.  His job requires travel all over the southeast, so he may have to go to a bigger city or a smaller, more rural town.  I am not picky about the destination because being with him is what it’s all about!  Last Monday and Tuesday, we hit the road for Berea, Kentucky and the surrounding area.  I had heard of Berea College and Boone Tavern, the historic hotel where we stayed, but knew little else.  One thing I have learned in our travels: every place has something unique to its own.  No matter the population or popularity, there is something interesting to be learned about every place on the map!  And Berea was no exception.  I did a little research before our road trip and became fascinated by what I learned about this one-of-a-kind college town!  Berea, in scripture, was a place that was known to be very welcoming to all people. And this holds true today in Berea, Kentucky.  It is home to a thriving art community of weavers, glass workers, potters, painters, musicians, wood workers, and many more artisans.  We visited the Kentucky Artisan Center where outstanding arts and crafts made in Berea and throughout Kentucky are for sale.  But what is even more interesting than all of the arts and crafts is that Berea College provides all students with full tuition scholarships…earned by working jobs provided by the college.  It was a fun little road trip with good food, lots of history, beautiful hand-made crafts, and pretty scenery!

 Boone Tavern has been in continuous operation since 1909.  It was built as a guesthouse for Berea College at the suggestion of Nellie Frost, the wife of the college president. After receiving 300 guests one summer…the idea for a college guest house was born!  Boone Tavern is named for its location on the Daniel Boone Trail, which ran from North Carolina to Kentucky in 1775. The “Tavern” portion of the name is derived from the historic definition that refers to a public inn for travelers. An $11 million “green” renovation in 2009 ensured  efficiency and comfort without infringing on the historic beauty of the hotel.  The Tavern was built with bricks manufactured by students in the college’s brickyard and was constructed by the college’s woodwork department at a total cost of $20,000. Boone Tavern is owned by Berea College.  Butch and I took a walking tour of the beautiful Berea College Campus.  The school was founded in 1855 and began as a one-room schoolhouse that served as a church on Sundays.  Strong beliefs in an impartial love toward all has always shaped the institution’s culture and programs and is reflected in the college’s motto, “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth.” Berea College admitted both black and white students making it the first non-segregated, coeducational college in the South.  Berea was founded by Protestant Christians.  It maintains a Christian identity separate from any particular denomination.Berea has a mandatory student work program in which all students work 10 or more hours per week in campus and service jobs.
Some of the work-study has helped to extend and support practice of traditional crafts from the Appalachian region!
 Admission to the college is granted only to students who need financial assistance.  The majority of the incoming class is drawn from the Appalachian region of the South and about 8% are international students.
Of course, I found some things that I had to bring home…a hand-blown glass bowl, an interesting wood-crafted bowl, and napkin rings…all of which you will see on a future blog post!
 Berea has one of the largest financial reserves of any American college. Fine dining has brought Boone Tavern much of its international acclaim!  The menu offers a blend of traditional and creative southern cuisine.  Spoonbread is a signature item generously served.  The Boone Tavern recipe is included at the bottom.  A seared Kentucky raised rib chop, with Kentucky Barrel Ale barbecue sauce, roasted jalapeño corn cakes, and braised greens was my fare for the evening, and delicious, I might add!  The restaurant uses locally grown ingredients, some of which are grown by the students in the College’s gardens and greenhouses.

Boone Tavern Famous Spoonbread
3 cups milk
1 1/4 cups white cornmeal
3 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Stir meal into rapidly boiling milk.  Cook until very thick, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  The mixture will be very stiff.  Add well-beaten eggs, salt, baking powder, and melted butter.  Beat with an electric mixer for 15 minutes.  Pour into well-greased pan and bake for 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve from pan by spoonful with butter.

Thank you all for reading and commenting!  I hope you learned something about the small college town of Berea, Kentucky!  What are some of your favorite travel experiences?  I would love to hear from you!

pam closing

Linking with Pieced Pastimes, Silver Pennies, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Thoughts From Alice, Mod Vintage Life, Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, The Dedicated House, Dwellings-Heart of Your Home, Savvy Southern Style, Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage, From My Front Porch To Yours, Stone Gable, Confessions of a Plate Addict, Worthing Court, Between Naps on the Porch, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, The Style Sisters, The Charm of Home, The Winthrop Chronicles, Cornerstone Confessions, A Delightsome Life, Imparting Grace, Posed Perfection, Katherines Corner, My Romantic Home, Chic On A Shoestring Decorating, Rooted In Thyme, Share Your Cup, TheEnchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Oh My Heartsie Girl,  Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, The Turquoise Home, My Flagstaff Home, In The New House, Natasha in Oz, Vintage Refined, Rustic & Refined, Must Love Home, Grammie Time