Thank you for finding That Old House amidst the chaos of the Internet. We are delighted that you are here.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Breakfast For One, In The Sun, With A Scone, Having Fun . . .

And that's enough rhyming of things that sound like done! 
Because we are.  Done, I mean.

********************************************************************

I've dipped back to May 2010, for a little tablescape post.
Like that day, it's brilliantly sunny here these days, after a period of relentless rain.
Enjoy your Sunday breakfast!
********************************************************************
(May 20, 2010)

After a couple of wet days, it's grand to see the sun again.

Come into the conservatory, where the morning light is pouring through the windows,
and we've got your breakfast all prepared . . . .




Please, sit down.
There's freshly brewed coffee, and a special parfait, just for you!

Layers of sliced fresh strawberries and thick Greek yogurt,
topped with crunchy granola and a few ripe blackberries.


Go ahead, dig in . . .

while I tell you what I used to make your breakfast table setting.

Oh!  Don't forget; there's a cranberry scone on the plate!

The dishes are from a luncheon set for 6 that I bought last year at a hospital thrift shop.
They struck a chord in me when I saw them -- and they were only $15 so that struck a chord, too --
but it wasn't until months later that I realized why they'd struck a chord.

Take a look at this pattern; it's inexpensive "made in China" stuff called China Garden,
and it is my thrift shop bargain:


When I was first married, I fell in love with a Noritake pattern called Adagio.
I couldn't afford them, so I'd visit them at Kaufmann's Department Store in Pittsburgh.

This is the Noritake Adagio pattern:
Guess what?
My Bargain Barn bargain dishes are nearly identical in pattern to the Adagio china I couldn't afford 'way back when.
That pattern clearly imprinted itself in the part of my brain that stores my love of dishes
(and that is a great BIG portion of my brain)
and when I saw it on the thrift shop shelves . . . well, the rest is history.

You know what?  I still love this pattern, even in the knock-off china!


To spoon up your parfait and cut your scone, there's luncheon-sized pieces of Ambassador silverplate,
introduced in 1918.  Some of it has my husband's monogram: HL.
He was not introduced in 1918, thank goodness.

The flatware is tarnished, but we'll pretend we like it that way,
rather than admit that I was too lazy to run the silver cloth over it this morning.

The crocheted tray cloth is from my mother-in-law.
It's gorgeous, and makes a wonderful placemat.

To wipe the scone crumbs from your ruby lips, a vintage Irish linen luncheon napkin.

And to hold a few posies for your pleasure, a small early 19th-century Imari tureen.
It might have been in That Old House since this house was built, but it was not.
I got it on eBay for just a few dollars.  I wonder where it's been in its very long life?


Cobalt blue, a rusty red, a bit of gilt.  And the marks of much usage and many hands.


The parfait glass is part of another thrift store bargain -- 5 handblown goblets in watery blue.

I hope you enjoyed your breakfast in the conservatory, even in make believe.

Now, a confession:  I ate the yogurt parfait, but Howard made it.
He asked if it was legal to actually eat something off a blog Tablescape.
I said, Yes!

He also brewed the coffee that I took from the table to the computer. . .

. . . and it's pretty danged good, too.
The scone?  Back in the bakery box! -- Cass
**************************************************************
Meanwhile, back in 2011,
Welcome Back, Followers!
I don't know where Blogger hid you for the past few days,
but I'm delighted to see you returned to the bosom of the That Old House family!
**************************************************************
For more re-run posts, visit Chari at Happy To Design, for Sunday Favorites.  Click here!


8 comments:

  1. Cass, I totally understand about a china pattern imprinting itself on the brain - especially when we can't afford it! My heart skipped a beat 20 years ago when I first laid eyes on Christian Dior "Tabriz" ... and this week I found 4 never used 5-pc place settings on eBay for $700 less than Replacemenents charges. Even then I hesitated for several days - but I just hit Buy It Now this morning! I can't wait to get them and do a long-awaited tablescape. You certainly did a beautiful one with yours in this post! Without know it, I'd have thought your china was Adagio! The colors are gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a lovely post, but I must tell you that if you look in the bakery box you'll discover that the scone is missing. Yea, after a year, it is a bit on the dry side, but hey, that's what scones are all about! I'll just put on another pot of tea to wash it down.

    My followers have been disappearing and re-appearing for days now and from what I've read, this will continue until they find a permanent fix. So sad, too bad, but hopefully, we'll soon be glad. Okay, that's it for my rhyming today also!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Things always taste better when someone makes them for us. Legal to eat the blog props? I'm not sure. I have told my husband that if it isn't in the blog it didn't really happen.
    And no Shellbelle...they don't have to be dry...I had the most tender amazing scones at the bakery over where my sister lives and did a post about the white chocolate raspberry scones there. Of course after a year all bets are off.

    ReplyDelete
  4. An outdoor delicious breakfast!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful table and breakfast. I think it's great that you found your knock off favorite dishes! They do look much the same. Very lovely! Pamela

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a wonderful breakfast!

    ReplyDelete
  7. A lovely breakfast indeed! I adore Greek yogurt, and who can resist a scone? Not me...
    Beautiful table setting too.
    Maureen

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hey, that's my china, lol. That's my wedding china, the made in china set. My MIL bought it at Jewel grocery store before my then future-husband even met me. I think she got stamps with grocery purchases then saved them up and bought the set. We were married in 1984 if that helps you date it. The funny thing is I always thought it looked like a Noritake pattern.
    My son has since taken ownership of the set.
    Beautiful photos!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting That Old House; it's always exciting to find new comments -- they are treasured! Because of increasing spam, I have reluctantly eliminated "Anonymous" commenting. Legitimate anonymous commenters, please forgive me! You might try using "Open ID" instead. Blogger's spam software worked for a good long time, but, sadly, no longer.