Table of the Month August

August,

"When the corn is as high as an elephant's eye"

Tomatoes are ripe.

Sunflowers are full grown.

Skies are bluer.

Grass is fading.

Daylight is ebbing.

And 

Autumn is knocking at the door.

Fear not, the "Dog Days of Summer" are upon us!

There is still time to wallow in the lazy days of summer

Grab a beach  chair, sit back, and relax.

Feel the warmth of the sun on your sun screened body, as you watch the cumulus clouds drift by.

The arrival of August allows Mother Nature to show the fruits of Her labor.

Road side stands and Farmers' Markets groan with the weight of fruits and vegetables for us to buy for dinners that require little time in ovens .

Now is the best time to overwork your grill.

If you have a pretty bowl, a favorite basket, or a much too large platter that you have a hard time storing, grab it, and fill it with  all that beautiful produce. The basket, the bowl, or the platter can serve as a perfect centerpiece.

Not to mention, a good reminder that we should be eating multiple fruits and veggies every day.

Rest assured, leaves will fall, but slowly, Tuesday, the 31st will be the last day of August. But in the mean time make the most of these lazy days; remember, the markets and stands do not usually close until Thanksgiving, and there is still tile to make gazpacho. There is nothing better than chilled Spanish vegetable soup.

August

ourhousefordinner

Judith Sweeney

August 10, 2021

 

Inspiration

The Public Relations Director of  Keystone College once said this about my daughter, Rachel's photography, "Rachel seems to believe that taking photographs is more than just a way to record history of people or events. Great photography can tell a meaningful story or make a seemingly routine experience of its own." 

Naturally, I was proud that was the way he viewed her photography, but not quite sure where her talent came from. Her father was a salesman and I am a teacher.  Both of us were successful in out professions but would not have considered ourselves creative.

From the time I was a little girl, I loved watching my mother set the table. I loved the dishes, the flowers and seeing what vase she would fill with the flowers. And when I became the caretaker of my own table, I found myself envisioning everything as a potential prop for centerpieces . I wanted the centerpiece  to make that routine experience  have a special meaning. Placing a child's first birthday picture,  a few school pictures, even a good report card, in the middle of a table on the child's tenth birthday can change that birthday dinner into a walk down memory lane. Those props are letting the child relive their story with the best yet to be. And just like Rachel's photographs, the "props" used serve as an opportunity for family and friends to share their stories of the birthday child. So it seems that I might have just discovered the visual DNA that Rachel and I share,

Our House For Dinner, is more than about cooking .It is about dining spaces that change ordinary things you own into extra ordinary experiences. 

Welcome to my Blog, stay awhile and find out why favorite thing about cooking is "setting the table."

 

Christmas Thoughts for the new year...

December 26, the day after Christmas and most everyone I spoke with said "all I want to go is... stay in my pjs!" Everyone seems a little out of sorts,tired. And just think still a week to go!
I share some of those feelings,
How soon we tend to forget the anticipation of Christmas, the hope that in preparing, we will feel Christmas.
Since the first of December, I too have rushed to find the time to enjoy the things I love about Christmas, like the tree,  that it is finally up, still drinking water, not dropping needle, and still full of scent that I smell as soon as I come into the house.
There is nothing like a walk late in the day when the oncoming dark is kept at bay by the twinkle of tiny white lights surrounding porches and windows of all the homes.
One can only imagine the life stories of the home owners.
Inside the house we rush to create the Christmas image we hold in our minds eye.
Upon reflection, however, I find
I do not grow tired of that image.
When I look at this picture, taken by my daughter Rachel, of our tree and the centerpiece on our dinning room table, I hope the rush to get through the holidays will stop.Just a few minutes spend in the quite of the tree can do something to calm the soul.
All too soon, that scene will be gone, and the tranquill feel it protrays will only be a memory of another christmas past, leaving us with only 11 months to long for December 26.
But for now may we be blessed with the feel of Christmas.

November

November 3, 2013 ... a chilly, crisp, sun filled fall day! I knew I had to work quickly because the sun is setting much earlier today. Daylight savings time began yesterday and nothing announces the arrival of daylight saving time as the early arrival of fading sun and a darkening sky. But one quick glance at the day's forecast assured me that this day was going to offer a sun filled sky, casting brilliant color on the leaves that have manged to hang on to branches despite some pretty strong winds yesterday.

I headed out doors and draped a cream colored quilt over a garden table to help the stage for an "Outdoor Thanksgiving." If it was good enough for the Indians and Pilgrims then... and after all the quilt goes all  the to the grass; giving guests the perfect place to place cold toes!

In my minds eye, I must have been planning this for awhile because I had just been to a Goodwill Industry Store and found wonderful glass wear. In fact all the glasses you see on this table setting are from the Goodwill store. I have decide to visit a number of their stores over the next few months and see if I can set a spring table with merchandise from  Goodwill. It will be fun and a good way to contribute to a good cause. If you have any suggestions for the spring table, I'd love to hear from you.

Most of my flowers are pretty well gone by now, except an occasional hydrangea; even that is looking tired. Pine cones are plentiful in my neighborhood. Going for the natural look, I filled a hurricane lamp with them, and what better way to circle the lamp then with a slightly used wreath. This makes for a festive center piece!

I an certain that many of you could enhance the centerpiece with objects from nature. I would love to hear about them.

The desert dishes placed on top of the dinner plate prove to be a perfect nest for the turkey card holders. Or they will be, once I know who "is coming to dinner." Now if I can just convince my family that eating outside in November is fun,  wearing fleece for Thanksgiving is cool, and turkey done on the grill is tasty, I think we can change the image of the Thanksgiving table!

ourhousefordinner

August11,2021

 If one is fortunate to have a passion , one is very fortunate.
For the longest time I thought  I had many passions and I approached them separately.
Over the years, however, I began to see a connect between my love of teaching young children and my love of entertaining. The underlying theme for each was really a combination of nature and nurture.
I enjoyed seeing how excited my Kindergarten students were to discover the feel, and taste of the vegetables when we made a visit to the local Farmers' Market. I equally enjoyed the look of those same vegetables artfully arranged in a pretty basket and used as a centerpiece on a late summer dinner table.
For children, the trip to the Farmers' Market is an opportunity for fun interactive learning. For family and friends an attractively set table  creates the tone for an entire evening.
 The taste of food is enhanced by  presentation of the on  pretty dishes.
This might be a thought to keep in mind if you are not such a good cook!

When my daughter Rachel started to follow her love of photography as a career path, I decide that this was my chance to bring my passion to light.
Rachel's photography is more than photos of pretty tables.
And as you go through our blog,ourhousefordinnerblog  I hope you will get our message.
Beautiful things can be found in department stores and gift shops. But the picture of your parents with your children, arranged as part of your Christmas table is also beautiful and adds that nurturing touch to this special day.

One of the comments we have received after people saw a television segment we did was, "You gave me ideas and after watching you set the table, I felt like, now, I can do that!"
Along with having had the chance to work with Rachel, comments like that bring  affirmation that I have finally found my passion.
How fortunate for me!
Enjoy ourhousefordinnerblog, and share your comments
I am hoping to publish a book based on this theme.
Your comments provide inspiration for this dream.
Thank-you,
Judy Sweeney
Keystone College

Father's Day   

    Three pages in the local paper had pictures of fathers and their children.

A far cry from the weighty paper that appears on Mother's Day.

Sunday ads speak loudly for the "perfect gift" for the man of the house who needs another tool or gadget for the yard.

And many a man is busy holding a tie saying this is just what I needed while the vision of a golf club dances in his head.

And while he might dream of getting a little rest while pretending he is reading the paper, casting his fly fishing rod, reading a book, or even getting in a round of golf, more than likely he will be firing up the grill.

After all, it is Fathers' Day and the family is getting together, and who handles the grill better than dad!

And so it goes for fathers on Fathers' Day, surrounded by those who love them and for whom they do so much.

Often what they do goes unnoticed and is not really thought of unless it does not get done.

But the interesting thing about fathers is they understand that. They do what is expected and truely what they expect of themselves without a lot of fanfare.

They are steady and steadfast in their duties.

They work hard but find time to make it to our games, provide the car, or serve as our late night pickup when a ride is needed. 

They are the go to guy when mon just does not understand.

And while many of them do not often express their feeling, their very presence says it all.

We are able to explore the world, find our place in it, and move forward, because we are confident that we have a person and a place to fall back on should we have the need.

Fathers give us that.

What greater gift.

Happy Father's Day to all fathers, most especially my father, the late John Hennemuth, whose devotion to me and my siblings is remembered today and always, and to the father of my children, the late Alan Sweeney

They are the best because you gave them the best.

The ground hog saw his shadow...just when winter is starting to get a little long for me.
The quiet I longed for after the holidays is becoming just a little too quiet
                                                                TIME FOR A DINNER!

                                                                           FEBRUARY
And this dinner must be special. Isn't that what Valentine's Day is really about, making each other feel special.

No better time to use the pink  cotton tablecloth that I once again found in a consignment shop, Home Again, in my neighborhood. I hope by now you are getting the idea of where to go for great tablwear, from tablecloths to placemats. There are beautiful things out there.
I would love to hear where some of you find your treasures.

My sister has the china that belonged to my Aunt Christine and Uncle Cyril. She was gracious enough to not only let me use it ,but to also let me set the table in her dining room.  She better, because after all I was bring
ing treats from the Dunmore Candy Kitchen.

TJ Max use to be the home of the beautiful  rose wreath. But now that it is mine, I decided it would look even more striking on my milk white cake dish. Or is that my cake dish?
For those of you who have sisters, cousins, close friends, please let me know how you deal with the borrower who accidently forgets that they borrowed1

In the meantime plan to do something kind for someone else,, light the candles, prepare a comfort food dinner, and have a fun Valentine's Day!

Deep in December

The problem with a December table is that it is hard to decide how to set the table because just as there are many dishes to choose from, there are ideas about how to celebrate Christmas.
This is the way I start.
 First, I feel Christmas. Walking past a lot of freshly cut trees I smell the scent of winter pine and I conjure an image of a living room whose center piece is a Christmas tree and the scent is warming the house and the people inside. Under a moon lit sky, I see wide open fields decorated with snow and frozen foot prints.
 I hear silence in this very regal setting, which has served as the backdrop to many Christmas stories.
So to should  the table reflect the majesty of the waiting world.
Spode Christmas dishes are enhanced by the backdrop of a rich green silk tablecloth. I found this fabric in a now closed Scranton store, The Fabric Center. I immediately saw it as rich and understated and that it would lend dignity to the Christmas celebration.
 My late husband loved toy soldiers and it gives me great joy to ask  this life size
wooden soldier, which he purchased from his friend Jim Hillestad, owner of  The Toy Soldier in Cresco, Pa. to stand gruard over the festive table.  Although I think he could have
drawn our attention to the crooked candle before snaping the picture!
I frequently use less formal settings.
However, at Christmas I think there is no better time to polish the silver, add fresh greens, shine the crystal, and, light the candles as we celebrate the time at which many people the world over attempt to find  co-exist in a world seeking peace, if only for a day! I would love to have you share your thoughts on Christmas. It is fun to hear about others ideas. There is so much creativity out there.

Merry Christmas

November, Table of the Month

 We give Thanks!
It took me about one second to think of the room in which I would like to set the November table.
My friend agreed. And so I loaded the car with some of my favorite fall dishes and went to set the table. The lite scones enhanced the creamy textured walls and provided the backdrop for one of our warmest holidays. People look at me funny when I say November is my favorite month.
I don't focus on how brown the earth has turned . Rather I see it as a time to come inside, enjoy the fruits of our labors and be thankful for what we have. And given the storms, and world unrest, it is nice to focus on the things that matter, even if just for a day.

So much to be grateful for.
My mother found the soup tureen in a gift shop on Cape Cod and it sat on our
dining room table every year adorned  with a red ribbon at Christmas. She so loved that tureen
that I  love having it, finding new uses for it, and sharing her love of it. I see it more as a Thanksgiving piece, however.
My mother was also a wonderful pie maker and although I did not inherit her talent for pie making, my sister  Susan did. So like most of you, pie is a must have at Thanksgiving. My children love chocolate pie and have such fond memories of my mother's that Susan now makes sure to include it along with pumpkin.

There is something about etched glass that has always fascinated me . So it as fun to be able to mix some of what I have with my friends glassware. I think I enjoy seeing how the light reflects in and on the glasses. Glassware adds a touch of elegance to a table.
Just as there are infinite number of Thanksgiving tables, there are ways that each of us celebrates. I would so love it if you would share some of your Thanksgiving traditions and thoughts with me.
In these very trying times, we need to be reminded of how we can come together and help each other. Remember that when the Pilgrims needed help, the native Americans came to their aid.
                                                               Happy Thanksgiving.

                                                     October

Who does not love the brilliant color of fall leaves, the sound of them crunching under one's feet, even the disarray  they bring to our once perfectly manicured lawns.I know that there is a part of me that wishes I could take a trip to any of the New England States to enjoy fall at its finest.

And yet there is a little voice inside me saying asking that fall lasts along time because I am not sure I am ready to close the doors and hibernate yet.

So dinner at our house on these cool October nights, has to provide a warn fuzzy feeling that says "Come on in, we are so glad you are here"!

I choose Hydrangea for the centerpiece because I love them,  my garden abounds in them, and they are still as beautiful as they were in the heat of the summer months, just different colors!

I have no doubt that many of you share my feeling but I would love to know what else you use as a centerpiece.

I used the silver pumpkins on this table because I wanted to make it a little more dressy.

And boy am I glad saw the new commercials for Marshall's. Maybe you have seen, the actress, Jessica St. Clair, urging all "the ladies" to buy their designer clothes at Marshall's. I followed her advise but as soon as I walked in the store, I headed straight to home goods! For me home goods at Marshall's  and other stores like it, TJ Max's, and Home Goods, is like a visit to a candy shop. I never know what they are going to have and how I am going to chose! 

Only this time I had no trouble making a decision, it was the silver pumpkins.I soon as I spotted them, I knew they would make very seasonal candle holders.It would be nice if you would share a treasure  you found when shopping at Marshall's . Some one might tell Jessica about Marshall's housewares. She might have a whole new group of shoppers!

 The Gazebo @ Keystone College

 It must be that I am very aware summer is quickly coming to a close that I see the sun as brighter, the days as shorter, and thus the time spent outdoors more precious.
It was with this in mind that The Gazebo in the heart of Keystone College campus , located in LaPlume, Pennsylvania,seems the perfect spot for a late summer luncheon. I did not have to look far for dishes since my sister in law had a closet full of green cabbage dishes. She was willing to share and I now am keeping my eye peeled  for the same when I am in TJ Max's.A trip to the local Farmers Market provided all the vegetables I needed to fill an Adirondacks basket. I love this idea for a centerpiece. I would like to hear  about other unique centerpiece ideas. Brass silverware, a wedding gift from a friend who lived in Vietnam for awhile, was just the ticket to capture sunlight and the reflection of the gazebo's ceiling.
It always amazes me when I find something that I had forgotten about, like the silverware, and    suddenly I find a new use for it.
I am left wondering what else do I have in the attic and how can I use it.
Better yet, I start to wonder what might be my friends' attics!
Please feel free to share any treasures. I promise to return everything.
Mary Ellen from Scranton, thanks for the idea of jello in a glass vase with seasonal flowers.
There are so many grasses and fall flowers that I think you could take this idea into Thanksgiving!

Our House for Dinner: Table of the Month: Table of the Month August

Our House for Dinner: Table of the Month: Table of the Month August: The lazy days of summer are quickly turning into the dog days of summer. Side walks are steaming, flowers are wilting, and we long for th...

Table of the Month August

The lazy days of summer are quickly turning into the dog days of summer.
Side walks are steaming, flowers are wilting, and we long for the cool of  shady trees, or shelter of  air conditioned kitchens.
Two good friends, who know me well, gave me the wonderful  sunflower tin, that they found in the Long Wood Gardens gift shop.
As soon as I saw it, I felt sure it would be one of my favorite things and that I would  put it to good use.
A simple piece like this can make an ordinary table more inviting.
A summer luncheon if a perfect time to fill it with flowers, in this case sun flowers, place on the table, then listen to the complements.

Mouth watering juicy tomatoes are not only good to use to make tomato sandwiches, but can serve as a
seasonal centerpiece. Last year a woman, with whom I was doing physical therapy, introduced me to the earth box . This year I now have all the tomatoes I want! What a great invention. I am sure many of you are using them. I would love to hear what  vegetables you are growing and what month watering ways you are putting them into your dishes.

August 5
How nice to hear from Ellen in New Hampshire who told me that her sister also loved the Earth Box.
She uses it on her deck to grow fresh herbs. What a great idea. I might just have to get another one next year!

 lillies.jpg

Our House for Dinner: Table of the Month: July

Our House for Dinner: Table of the Month: July: In anticipation of one of my favorite holidays, I look longingly at this picture of a July table and I envision myself cooling off by swi...

July

In anticipation of one of my favorite holidays, I look longingly at this picture of a July table and I envision myself cooling off by swimming back and fourth across the lake, then returning to enjoy Fourth of July fare sitting at this table. I am so glad I saved the red, white and blue twine from a long ago gift. Whoever knew how happy I would be that I went to Kohl's a few years ago when they were having the summer white sale. Where else would I have found navy napkins decorated with stars! And of couse the TJ Max tablecloth says it all.
What a perfect spot to watch the sun go down, the stars come out, and the fireworks fill the sky.
I would love to have you share your memories. Mary Louise from upper Montclair New Jersey told me that her adult children still love to grab their blankets and head to the local high school for the fire works display.
They spend time catching up with seldom seen friends...but now the blankets they are bring are for their children to sit on the grass!
what great memories!
Happy fourth of July
judy.sweeney@keystone.edu

Table of the Month

July

Welcome to the July table of the month of ourhousefordinnerblog. First, I want to thank those of you who sent comments. As I suspected many of you have memories and are happy to share. I especially enjoyed Susan's from Pennsylvania story about her family's trip to Pallman's Farm. In June, they spent the day picking strawberries, taking them home, making jelly, and then serving the home made jam for dinner. What a wonderful story and a testimony to the warmth of family dinners.

I am certain after reading this blog  on July and seeing this month's table, my comment box will be filled with similar thoughts.

For who can forget the fun of summer's first holiday!

The day that  begins with the raising of many flags,  the sound of drums beating out the excitement of  recognition of freedom and independence. Store fronts display plenty of red, white, and blue,  and Main Street is covered with bunting of all shapes and sizes . Stoves are cold, grills are hot, and backyards fill up with family and friends. Before setting the table for this special occasion, I roamed the isles of such stores as the Christmas Tree Shoppe. and TJ Max looking for the perfect tablecloth. I knew I wanted one that had a patriotic look, evoked happy memories of a Fourth of July spent at a lake, watching fireworks at local football fields, or the people who made those special foods we associate with summer and fun, like my Aunt Clair's chocolate cake! The patchwork quilt seen on the table another TJ Max find, is it, and the first thing I reach for when I was ready to set the stage. 

One can almost feel the cool breeze coming off the lake when we see the rise of the cloth!

A simple thing like red, white, and blue stars attached to twine that ties navy and white napkins together adds a festive touch.

The twine was saved from a birthday present a few years ago.

Remember, never throw anything away!

The best seats in the house.If we can hold on to them long enough, the sun will fade, the stars will come out and the fireworks will begin!

The silver bowl, a gift from a very dear friend, proved not to be too formal for the lake. Rather, the perfect touch to add to the festive mood.

Strawberries Are Ripe For Picking - June Table

From a very early age, I loved to watch my mother set the table and was happy when she asked me to help. When I became the caretaker of my own table, I knew I had found a passion. When I roam through stores such as TJ Max, Marshalls, Home Goods and some local consignment shops, such as Home Again, my focus is usually the housewares. The floating candles I used in the glass insert of a small silver vegetable dish that once belonged to my Uncle Cyril and Aunt Christine , came from the "reduced for quick sale" at TJ Max. They cost $2.00 and I knew when I saw them that they would come in handy some day. The strawberry dishes came from Wegmans.
Our home is filled with such treasures and I alway say why save them.
I see things as asking to be used and enjoyed. And so I started working them into my table settings. After a time, it came to me that what I really
like about the things used to set tables was the memories they evoke and the warmth they create whenI am planning dinner for family and friends, as
well as how nice they look.
So slowly my passion has been taken to a deeper level when I decided that a book about the importance of dinners and table setting would be my goal.
This blog is my way of laying the ground work for my goal and hopefully for you, the readers, to share your thoughts. I am certain that each of you has a thing, a person, a moment or two  that still give a warm feeling while reflecting on time spent around the table. I would like to read your comments.
Please enjoy my Table of the Month,

                                                 JUNE

I love the time of the year when my house
gets an addition. When the doors open and summer furniture transforms yards into  new dining room.
During the month of June a few farmers in our area,turn their fields into strawberry patches and for a small fee anyone can go and pick an many strawberries as their baskets will hold.
I love to make strawberry jelly and cold soups.
So while everything is boiling and simmering my thoughts turned to" a favorite set of 20" strawberry dishes that I could not pass up one day at Wegmans.
Many years later, they are still gracing my table both indoors and out. Notice below how  they capture the graceful swing of the leaves through  filtered sunlight.

I found this napkin ring  when we were cleaning out my husband's grandparents home. I hate to see such beautiful things go unused so out it came. I love how in shines against a white  table runner and keeps the napkin in place. Save everything. you never know when you  will find a use for it.

The silverware, though often used for only formal occassions, add a touch of festivity  when used outside for lunch.