Independence Day Dinner

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Let's Dish is a fun  mid week theme and  one I  am delighted to share on today  for   Independence Day!

As  stated previously  Lynn and I are celebrating  rather low key today,,  partly because  it is so very hot outside, and  because   there are  still 23,000 in our  community   who a re stuggling  with no  a/c or power today...    but  since  we did enjoy  a nice  festive  holiday  dinner,,  I would like to share about it...

alas, my beautiful hydrangea is suffering the ill effects of 100+ degree days so I am using my silk arrangement..

oops, I forgot the napkins. hehehehe

Always so happy to use my South Hampton china from Mikasa and the ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS Flatware vintage 1876 is a happy accoutrement with any setting!

A simple square of red gingham tops my more formal tablecloth and makes an easy and very inexpensive covering adding just enough color and attitude to the anbiance! Gives it a bit of a picnic flavor!

Flameless candles give off just enough sparkle yet keep us ever mindful of the cooling a/c we are so very appreciative of this week!

So what was the menu?

Barbecued Chicken strips

Tomato mozzarella cheese salad

Mom's famous potato salad

A lovely cold fruited melon salad

deviled eggs

This rather old fashioned menu brought Lynn and I happy memories of Fourths we had celebrated years ago with friends and family!

And after all that is what holidays are all about!

I will also be sharing on 

Tablescape Thursday

Do The Bunny Hop

Visit Bunny Jean  for this fun  weekly party!!!!

I have to admit that the extreme temperatures and  the  crisis  that our area has  endured  this week with  so many  folks still our of  power, no A/c and  little water,and ice,   the  whole  celebrating   of the fourth has  taken  aback seat  in my  heart...  I    love our country and am praying  mightily for  our  leaders and  am so thankful for  our  wonderful country and  pray that  the very nature and fabric of who we are as nation will endure  for  generations to come...  but it is difficult to  celebrate this week...    Just a bit here and there is all we can muster!!!

 Earlier we had  a lovely  early  breakfast  al fresco!

Yummy poached eggs over  English muffin  and  thick sliced bacon...     and a  very patriotic  fresh  fruit cup with  strawberries,    blueberries,  and bananas  and bit of  real whipped cream!As always  fresh  ground/ brewed arabica coffee!!!
  
  A bit of   devotions  and our day is off to a good start!
  

The Trinkle Mansion

Return to A Southern  Daydreamer and  more  Outdoor Wednesday!  
last week  before  we    were deep in the throes  of this  devastating  extreme weather Lynn and I  toured  the most lovely  bed and breakfast,  The Trinkle Mansion in Wytheville, Virginia.    We can hardly wait  til  autumn or possible   December, to  spend  some real time there...  Patty, the hostess is  awesome,  the  home is  majestic, and  the hospitality is sublime!!!  Here I have  created a collage of  some of the outdoor gardens and areas around the home!

  The Trinkle Mansion    is one of the top rated  bed and breakfasts  in  the state of Virginia...  every possible  consideration  for  the guest has been  prepared and    provided  in exquisite taste and comfort.  We are hard pressed to  know  when  the perfect time of year would be to  visit  for our stay.   Thankfully, it is only  about 90 minutes away, so  why not  just  try out every season...   Sounds great to me!

WFW

For more   WFW   visit here!

Tabletop Tuesday

Visit a Stroll Through Life for more!!

July is here and  time to plan for  overnight  guests in our household....  it's family birthday season and the kids will be here in a couple of weeks!!! last post  I revamped the  guest room to  lighten up and   give it a cool comfy  look!

  Again,  to  create  a space   that  provides  the  best  consideration  for  my guests  I  have used my tabletops   to  house  various  accoutrements  for  comfort and    personal  needs.

 When the kids   come  home that long distance    it is necessary to    have  creature  comforts  ready  at their disposal...   So we keep  shampoos and   personal items  handy for them so they dont have to pack them... 


 we even  have a drawer dedicated to comfy  clothes and slippers  Amanda wears here when she comes!

One thing  we have recently added to the guest room is  our new  luggage rack... nothing on it yet,  but  definitely  a wonderful addition, and it sits waiting to be  topped  with precious cargo!

The dresser top   

signals  early summer. and reminds  our guest that a cup of fresh brewed tea always awaits them!
 This room is dedicated to  our most precious  daughter and son in law!
  
Their photo   hopefully  gives them a sense of permanence and      welcome  when they come to stay!
Extra linens and    something  to entertain  during down time is  a happy  addition.

 For Joshua something a bit more   meaty!

  

Extraordinary Days

Kathy of   The Delightsome Life  hosts this  beautiful theme each week...   July is birthday month in our family....   my birthday is coming up next week followed  by  dad's and  then our dear daughter, Amanda's, at month's end...  To celebrate,  the kids are  coming home in mid July  and  it is my  distinct  pleasure and joy to be preparing for their  visit!! Therefore, I am reminded of one of my favorite  books on the topic....
Extraordinary Touches for an Ordinary Day.... by 
Jo Packman..

Of course, this isnt to say when the kids are home,  it's just an ordinary  day...    just the opposite is true....   so this book is exactly  what I need to   to pre-consider   what I  can do to make their visit   extraordinary! 
  The inside jacket reads...."Simple tips range from placing fragrant, tasty fruit in bowls around the house to leaving flowers and books in the guest room. Bring out favorite objects for a romantic dining display when you entertain a lover, or heirlooms during holiday parties. For everyday freshness, maximize natural light and fresh air, and make quick emergency sweeps before company arrives. It’s the special, thoughtful features that clearly show you care."
The guest room  looked like this last summer..


  A bit too floral and    busy....
 then  mom  had this  amazing  velvet  quilt made and Im keeping it for Amanda  for awhile  and it  was a cosy addition  through the winter.   The bedroom looked like this  this morning...

  You have to admit that a velvet quilt just isnt  the  covering of choice  during a heatwave we are experiencing this summer...
So   I  have been thinking  lighten up....   a lot!  And since  the  charm of this room is the country  English      quaint look,   I  thought of  my  wonderful heirloom  coverlet  I found at mom's house...
  made by my great grandmother  on her loom with  hand  crotcheted    fringe!

 I love this look  with the  wonderful vintage  photo I  found   for over  the bed...  this is the  print grandma  always had over her bed...



The book calls for fresh flowers,  but  with the  terrible heat and dry  weather, my flowers arent in good stead,  so I am using    my daisy  arrangement.. light and airy!

  My tea pot for one  is  ever ready for a  nice refreshing  cup of tea... a gentle reminder  of how much  our  darling daughter  loves a fresh brew in the morning!
Some other accents that    bring to mind a romantic  bygone era  are the pillows...



I love this    beautiful  tapestry pillow  with its madrigal  singer wooing his lady love



  and another heirloom,, the double wedding ring  pillow my grandma made for me..
 Other areas of the room.. not quite so busy...

 Yet more areas set aside  for the guest to  enjoy  the   accoutrements of  the hostess.


  And the text of the book reminds us to  offer  items  not only of a personal nature,  but  of an entertaining nature...
for Amanda, extra  linens, and a few books  that would interest her sensibilities..


  Hee, hee, hee,  I do spy  some  reminders of Amanda's   sweet  girlhood, as well,   !!!!
 And little something special for Joshua as well.



 a bit of light and heavy reading  perhaps??
   Well,    so far so good.. Im well on my way now  in preparing  the  room for   their visit...    well in advance of their arrival  and  this gives me  plenty of time to  consider  the menus and other    lovely touches,  like    laying out a  tray of  light refreshments ,  fruit,  cooling drinks,  and  perhaps a basket of    healthy snacks....  and  I  am  very excited to now have the time to  plan  the birthday celebration  coming up  mid month...   I'll post about that as I  go along!

Mosaic Monday, Freedom

 Mosaic Monday  hosted my Mary    at the Dear  Little Red House




The Fourth of July has always been  a favorite  time for me....   being a history teacher  teaching  fourth graders  the  wonderful   history of our Founding Fathers and the  establishment of our nation I  was at my most  animated...  thrilling to  role play and present  the drama and the  victory , heroism and the  sacrifice    to  promote   our freedoms and    our way of life...      So  the Fourth  always   is represented by  the wonderful  icons of flag,     fireworks and the red, white, and blue  colors of  freedom, liberty, and    bravery!
But storm clouds  seem to be gathering on the horizon in my  mind....   I wonder  how my  teaching would  reflect    what I am feeling  today  as I see  history revisions, and  the decline of  American ideals....  I am seeing more and more that  we can not put our faith  and trust in our  nation  and especially our government  to perpetuate our  freedom and way of life....   Only  the Lord, Jesus Christ and God , the Father  deserve our trust and our faith!
   A  great site  for help  is  found here!