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!

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