Happy Thanksgiving!

Gather around a table with family and friends...

 

 

 

I think my friend Kate will have the best Thanksgiving this year.

 

After being diagnosed with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer at age 19

 

in February of this year,

 

she has undergone multiple surgeries, chemo, radiation, and complications alike.

 

This week, 10 months later, she had her port taken out and

 

her scans show she is cancer free.

 

Let's pray it stays that way!

 

That's what Thanksgiving is all about.

 

Share the day and your gratitude for all of God's gifts.



Linking with Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Cloves and Oranges

I know for sure that I was first introduced to the decorated orange

 

through the "Little House" books.

 

 

 

 

A colonial treasure, these served as natural Christmas decorations

 

and also gifts to friends and neighbors.

 

 

 

 

This year I let the kids do this project again.

 

They enjoy it because it's something different to do, and they

 

feel they are helping with the decorating and preparations.

 

All you have to do is pierce the flesh of an orange with a clove and push it in.

 

Repeat in rows!

 

If the skins are a little tough, you can first pierce the rind with a safety pin

 

before inserting the clove.  I recommend safety pins because the kids pushed the straight pins

 

all the way in.

 

 

 

 

These make a very powerful natural deoderizer for your home.

 

Super pungent and highly highly fragrant, you only need a few to capture

 

that aroma of holiday citrus spice.

 

The first day out on the table, if you sit there for too long your eyes will water.

 

But they smell so clean.

 

 

 

 

Here in a table setting, the bold natural hue of orange

 

can serve as a direct contrast to white and green linens and tableware.

 

A few evergreen branches will add rhythm between forms.

 

 

 

 

I love them because they are natural and elegant...

 

 

 

 

...and of course old-fashioned!

 

It's getting time to deck the halls around here...

 

 

 

I'll be sharing with:

 

Tabletop Tuesday at a Stroll Through Life

 

{Primp} Your Home Wednesday

 

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style



Green Garden Pumpkin

 

 

Who doesn't love a pumpkin?

 

Especially a gorgeous one.

 

This little green plump-kin was home grown.

 

 

It's such a beautiful little pumpkin,

 

 the only greenie this year.  He turned out to be in a pack of

 

seeds that were just gourds (supposedly).  He took us by surprise!

 

He has very firm flesh.

 

 

 



I think it's of the Jarrahdale variety.

 



I love the soft color of the skins

 

and the dry textures of the stem.

 

 

 





 

It seemed like such a magical little garden pumpkin....

 



 

 

 

I also brought in some milkweed pods from the nature trail.

 

They too were a textural mystery-

 

feathery, velvety, and spiny.

 

 

 

They could almost be mistaken for a sea creature.

 





 

 

 

Sharing these sweet textures with

 

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

 

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage



The Pigeon is Home to Roost Tonight

Never did I intend to even take a "break" from blogging.

 

I have been so wrapped up in other matters that suddenly a month 

 

just slipped through my fingers and flew away.

 

 

 

 

 

~You are in my club if you have a vintage soul.~

 

Let's all just go back to simpler times and get rid of the modern hoopla tonight.

 

Tonight I'm giving myself a moment to just reminisce and day-dream

 

about objects from the vintage time machine...

 

(...I feel my brain is starving...)

 

 

 

 

This utilitarian fly-wheel was salvaged

 

out of the old sewing cabinet I found on the street a few months ago.

 

 

 

 

I decided that the work it would take to bring the rotted cabinet back

 

was not what I was up to (don't hate me!)  But, I did want to save the artful metal components.

 

(And Dan needed the room in the garage.)

 

He dug the sewing machine piece out too, of course.  That in itself is a sculpture to me.

 

 

 

 

(Stamped: Patent 1885!)

 

 

 

 

Together with my shoe-forms and some fresh holly

 

it pairs beautifully for a utilitarian farm-style holiday table top setting.

 

 

 

 

My shoe forms?

 

They've been in the fam.

 

Sharing my roadside rescue salvage with:

 

Tabletop Tuesday with A Stroll Through Life

 

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

 

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground