Contentment

Contentment...

I love that word.  As I grow older,  it becomes more real.  Contentment.....The deep, deep sigh that comes every time I walk in my back door.  I'm really not sure where this peace comes from.  I am absolutely sure it's not because I have the most wonderful house or furnishings.  I don't.  I do know that as we (my sweet husband and I) celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary, It does have much to do with living.  Most of the kinks have been ironed out and it is a wonderful thing to be married to that man!  Our home is truly our haven, our soft place to fall.  I'm ramblin'......
I've decided I am going to give you a tour of our home.  After living in a historic district for about 15 years.....a big old queen anne style house that was built in circa 1889, It was hot in the summertime and freezing in winter!  I loved that house but we just about killed ourselves restoring it.  About 14 years ago, we bought our town home.  It wasn't new by any stretch of the imagination and it took lots of work (and money) to get it like we wanted it.
My goal with this series of blogs is to walk you through our home.  If you are like me, I love to see how other people live.  As we come in the back door from the garage, we are in the kitchen....Oh, I am skipping the laundry room today.  Guess why?  The laundry isn't done!




I almost always have some sort of bouquet on countertop.  (from my garden)






Ta Da!.... My sink!



All the cabinets were dark, ugly, oak.  We had them all painted and I haven't regretted it for one day!



There were no open doors.  I took them to a cabinetmaker and he just cut them out and put glass in.  'Haven't regretted that either.

This gives you a glimpse of the trays around the top of the cabinets.





My range.....sorry about the light.

....

Our good friend and neighbor gave us the island.  It was in his kitchen and his wife didn't care for it.  It was the
ugly, dark oak too.  It is literally the workhorse of my kitchen!  So handy!




Banana bread for breakfast!






My grandmothers rolling pin.



Bakers rack is behind the island.  Another really functional piece





I think I have showed you everything except the inside of the refrigerator!  No way!

This is the beginning of "where I live".  Looking back over this post before I press "publish", I'm thinking I may just be very tired!
Contentment lives here too.  Where is your soft place to land?

First published on bcp my life 

The Gift of Hospitality

I like to publish this post every year because of the sweet memories I will forever hold in my heart.


(We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessings…)

My mother-in-law (Ma Ida) taught me many things.
She was a feisty little redhead who raised eight sons, three daughters, and two grandsons.  Nothing made her happier than to have family and friends around her table.

(Christmas Day at Ma Ida’s, 1969)

Everyone loved to come to her house.  They never came without eating a meal.  She hardly ever knew who or how many would be at her table.  It never occurred to her that some would not have a place to sit. In summer,  many of us ate on the front porch balancing our plate on our laps and finding a place close by for a glass of sweet tea.  It wasn’t important that the dishes matched.  I can’t remember ever having a centerpiece!  None of that mattered.  She never owned a dishwasher.
What we did have was an abundance of wonderful food!  Always home-grown and so good.  At family dinners, at least three meats with a whole table of desserts!
Isn't it neat that many of the family were "dressed up"!  


(Dessert table on back porch)

You know, I am ashamed to admit this, but I never remember taking a dish to her house(and I don’t think anyone else did either).  What were we thinking!



The joy of gathering at Ma Ida’s is a memory that we all treasure.


(New Years Eve Party at our house, 1974)

(She was also the only person who has ever called me “little”!  She referred to me as “little Betty”.  God love her!)

New Thrift Store Finds!

These were just too good!

The pretty gold plate is Bordallo Pinheiro (made in Portugal)

Blue bowls are unmarked (only found 2) they have a dragon on them.

Does anyone know more?

The heavy blue plate has Chinese markings ?

The white plate is part of a set of ironstone and I love them(see below)

Dear God in heaven, I surely didn't intend to buy more dishes but who could resist these!

Seven perfect dinner plates

One creamer, four elegant cups and saucers

Not a chip or flaw!

Four soup bowls, salad plates, and small bowls, etc.  I should have counted pieces...

And last but not least, this incredable teapot!  Again, not a chip!

There is a top too.  This is a bad photo!  Sorry,  the real thing doesn't have the poured  look.

OK, people......want to guess how much I paid for the set?

$12.00!!!

Don't you just love it!

(I guess I could get a storage unit)

First published  bcp My Life 10-26-12