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Thursday, September 17, 2009

A Simple Late Summer Table -- Come For Lunch!

Ah, Thursday!

Time to play with our old stuff and our dishes.

I'm joining three blog parties today; click on the icons to join in yourself,
or see what everyone else is up to!




Thank you Leigh, Suzanne, and Susan for hosting these parties!

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On this late summer's day, with its clouds and occasional drizzle, you are visiting a friend, who just happens to live in an old yellow country house.
She welcomes you with good food, a simple table, and lots of laughter.

Your friend apologizes.
The plan had been to take advantage of the very last of the warmer days
and dine outside. Mother Nature made other plans.

The next best thing is to have lunch in the glassed-in conservatory, high above the street -- it's almost like being in a tree house, only you needn't scramble up a ladder to get there.



On the table, a few simple garden flowers in an old lustreware teapot,


Blooming sedum, and a few small, late summer volunteer mums:


Vintage lace upon lace on the round oak table,


Place settings of old Wedgwood:



The Patrician style, hand painted in the floral Bognor designs.


Your friend has been collecting these sweet dishes for several years.


Some are from her in-laws,


some arrived through the magic of Ebay and UPS.


The flatware is 100-year old silverplate, the type that was used
"downstairs" in great houses, and used by working families.

(Your friend likes to watch Merchant-Ivory films and spot this same
silverware in the scenes at the servants' table. Yes, she does need more hobbies.)


These few are slightly tarted up with a design; most that your friend has are completely plain.


Oops. One fork was a bit of a brawler in its younger days.


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Hmmm... something smells good . . . and you are wondering what's for lunch.

Oh dear! You'll have to wait for Friday to find out!


I hope you are not too hungry;
if you are, you can always dodge the drizzle, and grab some of these, outside:

Enjoy your visit!

Remember to pet the dog. He loves visits from lovely friends! -- Cass

30 comments:

  1. Hi Cass,
    I must admit that I enjoyed visiting your lovely 'old house' and seeing your beautiful table setting.
    Thanks for sharing!
    Living it up at Lakewood,
    Cindy

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  2. It all looks lovely! But I must admit - the puppy is my favorite! LOL!

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  3. Well naturally I'll pet that cute dog. You know how much I like dogs. And you must know by now how I truly am salivating over your linen collection! The plates are divine. I would love to visit you in that old house!
    Brenda

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  4. How pretty...it was all nice even without a meal!
    Pam

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  5. Your dishes are lovely as the pink cloth! Don't you just love the UPS Man! Oh, I mean what he brings to your door, another part of a beautiful collection!

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  6. Your little dog is a cutie!! I ended my post with Mele so we were thinking alike.

    I love the crochet on your table. LOVE it. I have a lot around my home and will always use it. It gives such a soft old fashioned look. Beautiful dishes and beautifully put together tablescape!
    :)
    Mona

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  7. ooooooooooooo, I love love those plates , dishes, whatever!! They are gorgeous. I love the flowers in the tea pot and the layered lace!! HEY..QUESTION....I have found some old silverware forks to be hard to eat with since they are not always curved quite right...it is just the way they were made--sometimes things go flying off of the dish!! Do you ever have that problem?

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  8. A beautiful table setting as always -- love your "things"!

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  9. Sedum is my new favorite thing to cut and put in a vase! It lasts forever1
    I'm not disappointed at all to be dining in the conservatory! You've set a lovely table, from the beautiful floral plates to the gorgeous silverware, to that wonderful pink crocheted tablecloth!
    Happy VTT!

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  10. Fabulous setting for a beautiful tablescape. I love the pretty dishes with all the lovely flowers. Each one is so lovely. Everything looks wonderful. Hugs, Marty

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  11. Beautiful post...love the dishes...and that pup is so cute!

    Have a great VTT and a wonderful weekend.

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  12. Love the dishes! Such a beautiful table setting.

    Jocelyn
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/

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  13. everything looks divine and so inviting..i especially love the flatware and that sweet crochet tablecloth :)

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  14. Inside or out I would be happy to be there for lunch.

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  15. Very fun. I love the tablecloth!
    Valerie

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  16. Beautiful, in a word! TTTN ~ Marydon

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  17. Cass, You are delightful, witty, charming and I just adore my visits here...and I love petting the dog! The line "Oops. One fork was a bit of a brawler in its younger days." made me LOL.
    Cant wait to see whats for lunch tomorrow!

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  18. I absolutely love your Wedgewood china and crochet tablecloth! Lol, and I must admit-- I have serious porch-envy. :)
    Maureen

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  19. Always love your table settings! I've never seen dishes that ornate, so pretty. Love your little King Charles pup!

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  20. I SO enjoyed looking at the photos today - lovely flowers, dishes - even the bent fork! The pretty little dog is the BEST! Happy VTT!

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  21. Sweeeet!! Pretty dishes, pretty flowers, pretty DOG, too! :)

    You must love your conservatory as much as I love my gazebo. Both are up on a hill with a commanding view.
    I wish mine was a 4 season room though, like I imagine yours to be.

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  22. I always love coming over to your house!

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  23. Your table looks so pretty, Cass. The Wedgwood dishes are sweet and I love the 'downstairs flatware'. You gain a lot of history on your pieces and that is a very proper hobby in my book...

    Your tablecloth looks so pretty too. It brings out the flowers in your china and bouquet.

    Lovely!! And I will gladly pet that precious pooch. Probably slip him a morsel under the table, assuming I have been invited!! lol!

    xoxo
    Jane

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  24. Hello Cass,

    Beautiful table setting, absolutely lovely. Enjoy a wonderful weekend.

    Smiles...

    Beverly

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  25. Very Pretty table setting and view. Give Dion a little pet for me. Have a great weekend.

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  26. Lunch in the conservatory -- How delightful -- what a lovely table at your wonderful home.

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  27. What bright and wonderful plates with all that raised detail...They are wonderful with the table setting you created..

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  28. Lovely!

    Jane (artfully graced)

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