Bowled Over!

Last week, I said it was package-on-the-porch week.

And it sure was.

Look at the size of this box, after I brought it in

off the porch and into the front hall:

I'd been expecting delivery of an 8-quart enameled cast iron

roasting pan, and I thought, "Wow!  It's bigger than I thought."

Then I looked at the return address.

The box was from my friend Martha,

she of Lines From Linderhof fame.

And inside . . . was this:

A big -- and I do mean big -- and spectacular blue and white bowl.

With a wooden stand.

I tell you, I was bowled over!

Martha has featured Linderhof's big blue and white bowls in several of her posts.

Like this one:

 And this one, in the dining room at Linderhof.

This picture, and the one above, property of Lines From Linderhof.
I stole 'em.

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I have always admired Martha's fabulous blue and white bowls -- and told her that.

Two weeks ago today, I met Martha and her husband Jim in Connecticut for lunch,

and it was like meeting a dear and precious friend.

After they were back home in Kansas, Martha decided that my driving 2 hours each way to meet them

deserved a thank you . . . and she packed up this amazing centerpiece bowl and sent it off to New Jersey.

Can you believe it?  I nearly passed out when this amazing bowl came out of that Fed Ex box!

Oh, thank you, Martha!  You completely astonished me!

Now, of course, I don't deserve any thank you gift, as meeting Martha and Jim was pure delight, and a
gift in its own right.  The only downside is that they live in Kansas and we live in New Jersey.  Too far away!

This gorgeous bowl will live on the dining room table at That Old House.

Unfortunately, the dining room is once again a repository for things up from the cellar,

to keep them out of the mess of more jack hammering last week.
I should have this bowl where it belongs and ready for its closeups, Mr. DeMille, in a couple of days.

Meanwhile I've put it on the coffee table in our study, where I can admire it when I'm at

the computer, and in the evening watching TV.  To give you an idea of how big and sassy this bowl is . . .

. . . that's a large decorating book resting in it.

Yes, I could probably bathe Dion in this bowl.  

But I won't!

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This is my first post since last Wednesday; I left Friday morning for

the beach house, and forgot to bring my laptop.

But a quick overview of how we spent our October weekend:

We found a great local wine, and no, Howard and I didn't drink all 3 bottles by ourselves.

Although we do like a good challenge. . . .

We had guests at the house for pre-dinner-ing on Saturday and then went into Greenport,

to a restaurant with excellent food and ridiculous pretensions and prices.

In our inlet, some of the neighbors are still kayaking, clamming, even swimming.  A little chilly, but to each his own.

On Saturday morning, we took a field trip to the Pottery Barn outlet.

Howard clambered up on a bar stool to give his imitation of the chair umpire at a tennis tournament.

This is why he is not making a living as a chair umpire at tennis tournaments.

Since I got my Pottery Barn fix, Howard snuck in a trip here, for cigars.

See him skulking through the door?

Cigars do keep gnats away on the deck at sunset.

The smoke keeps 'em from diving into your wine and doing the backstroke.

Have a lovely Monday, my friends.

Go visit Martha at Lines from Linderhof;

she's cooking up some amazing goodness today.  -- Cass

Tomorrow -- my Pottery Barn finds.

Monday Link Parties

Mosaic Monday at Little Red House.  Click here.

At The House In The Roses, it's Show Off Your Cottage Monday.  Click here!

Visit Smiling Sally for Blue Monday.   Click here!

And thank you, Peri, for this beautiful shot you snapped

from our deck on Saturday evening.

Dion stole it off your Facebook page!