Table of the Month August

August,

"When the corn is as high as an elephant's eye"

Tomatoes are ripe.

Sunflowers are full grown.

Skies are bluer.

Grass is fading.

Daylight is ebbing.

And 

Autumn is knocking at the door.

Fear not, the "Dog Days of Summer" are upon us!

There is still time to wallow in the lazy days of summer

Grab a beach  chair, sit back, and relax.

Feel the warmth of the sun on your sun screened body, as you watch the cumulus clouds drift by.

The arrival of August allows Mother Nature to show the fruits of Her labor.

Road side stands and Farmers' Markets groan with the weight of fruits and vegetables for us to buy for dinners that require little time in ovens .

Now is the best time to overwork your grill.

If you have a pretty bowl, a favorite basket, or a much too large platter that you have a hard time storing, grab it, and fill it with  all that beautiful produce. The basket, the bowl, or the platter can serve as a perfect centerpiece.

Not to mention, a good reminder that we should be eating multiple fruits and veggies every day.

Rest assured, leaves will fall, but slowly, Tuesday, the 31st will be the last day of August. But in the mean time make the most of these lazy days; remember, the markets and stands do not usually close until Thanksgiving, and there is still tile to make gazpacho. There is nothing better than chilled Spanish vegetable soup.

August

ourhousefordinner

Judith Sweeney

August 10, 2021

 

Inspiration

The Public Relations Director of  Keystone College once said this about my daughter, Rachel's photography, "Rachel seems to believe that taking photographs is more than just a way to record history of people or events. Great photography can tell a meaningful story or make a seemingly routine experience of its own." 

Naturally, I was proud that was the way he viewed her photography, but not quite sure where her talent came from. Her father was a salesman and I am a teacher.  Both of us were successful in out professions but would not have considered ourselves creative.

From the time I was a little girl, I loved watching my mother set the table. I loved the dishes, the flowers and seeing what vase she would fill with the flowers. And when I became the caretaker of my own table, I found myself envisioning everything as a potential prop for centerpieces . I wanted the centerpiece  to make that routine experience  have a special meaning. Placing a child's first birthday picture,  a few school pictures, even a good report card, in the middle of a table on the child's tenth birthday can change that birthday dinner into a walk down memory lane. Those props are letting the child relive their story with the best yet to be. And just like Rachel's photographs, the "props" used serve as an opportunity for family and friends to share their stories of the birthday child. So it seems that I might have just discovered the visual DNA that Rachel and I share,

Our House For Dinner, is more than about cooking .It is about dining spaces that change ordinary things you own into extra ordinary experiences. 

Welcome to my Blog, stay awhile and find out why favorite thing about cooking is "setting the table."

 

Christmas Thoughts for the new year...

December 26, the day after Christmas and most everyone I spoke with said "all I want to go is... stay in my pjs!" Everyone seems a little out of sorts,tired. And just think still a week to go!
I share some of those feelings,
How soon we tend to forget the anticipation of Christmas, the hope that in preparing, we will feel Christmas.
Since the first of December, I too have rushed to find the time to enjoy the things I love about Christmas, like the tree,  that it is finally up, still drinking water, not dropping needle, and still full of scent that I smell as soon as I come into the house.
There is nothing like a walk late in the day when the oncoming dark is kept at bay by the twinkle of tiny white lights surrounding porches and windows of all the homes.
One can only imagine the life stories of the home owners.
Inside the house we rush to create the Christmas image we hold in our minds eye.
Upon reflection, however, I find
I do not grow tired of that image.
When I look at this picture, taken by my daughter Rachel, of our tree and the centerpiece on our dinning room table, I hope the rush to get through the holidays will stop.Just a few minutes spend in the quite of the tree can do something to calm the soul.
All too soon, that scene will be gone, and the tranquill feel it protrays will only be a memory of another christmas past, leaving us with only 11 months to long for December 26.
But for now may we be blessed with the feel of Christmas.

November

November 3, 2013 ... a chilly, crisp, sun filled fall day! I knew I had to work quickly because the sun is setting much earlier today. Daylight savings time began yesterday and nothing announces the arrival of daylight saving time as the early arrival of fading sun and a darkening sky. But one quick glance at the day's forecast assured me that this day was going to offer a sun filled sky, casting brilliant color on the leaves that have manged to hang on to branches despite some pretty strong winds yesterday.

I headed out doors and draped a cream colored quilt over a garden table to help the stage for an "Outdoor Thanksgiving." If it was good enough for the Indians and Pilgrims then... and after all the quilt goes all  the to the grass; giving guests the perfect place to place cold toes!

In my minds eye, I must have been planning this for awhile because I had just been to a Goodwill Industry Store and found wonderful glass wear. In fact all the glasses you see on this table setting are from the Goodwill store. I have decide to visit a number of their stores over the next few months and see if I can set a spring table with merchandise from  Goodwill. It will be fun and a good way to contribute to a good cause. If you have any suggestions for the spring table, I'd love to hear from you.

Most of my flowers are pretty well gone by now, except an occasional hydrangea; even that is looking tired. Pine cones are plentiful in my neighborhood. Going for the natural look, I filled a hurricane lamp with them, and what better way to circle the lamp then with a slightly used wreath. This makes for a festive center piece!

I an certain that many of you could enhance the centerpiece with objects from nature. I would love to hear about them.

The desert dishes placed on top of the dinner plate prove to be a perfect nest for the turkey card holders. Or they will be, once I know who "is coming to dinner." Now if I can just convince my family that eating outside in November is fun,  wearing fleece for Thanksgiving is cool, and turkey done on the grill is tasty, I think we can change the image of the Thanksgiving table!

ourhousefordinner

August11,2021

 If one is fortunate to have a passion , one is very fortunate.
For the longest time I thought  I had many passions and I approached them separately.
Over the years, however, I began to see a connect between my love of teaching young children and my love of entertaining. The underlying theme for each was really a combination of nature and nurture.
I enjoyed seeing how excited my Kindergarten students were to discover the feel, and taste of the vegetables when we made a visit to the local Farmers' Market. I equally enjoyed the look of those same vegetables artfully arranged in a pretty basket and used as a centerpiece on a late summer dinner table.
For children, the trip to the Farmers' Market is an opportunity for fun interactive learning. For family and friends an attractively set table  creates the tone for an entire evening.
 The taste of food is enhanced by  presentation of the on  pretty dishes.
This might be a thought to keep in mind if you are not such a good cook!

When my daughter Rachel started to follow her love of photography as a career path, I decide that this was my chance to bring my passion to light.
Rachel's photography is more than photos of pretty tables.
And as you go through our blog,ourhousefordinnerblog  I hope you will get our message.
Beautiful things can be found in department stores and gift shops. But the picture of your parents with your children, arranged as part of your Christmas table is also beautiful and adds that nurturing touch to this special day.

One of the comments we have received after people saw a television segment we did was, "You gave me ideas and after watching you set the table, I felt like, now, I can do that!"
Along with having had the chance to work with Rachel, comments like that bring  affirmation that I have finally found my passion.
How fortunate for me!
Enjoy ourhousefordinnerblog, and share your comments
I am hoping to publish a book based on this theme.
Your comments provide inspiration for this dream.
Thank-you,
Judy Sweeney
Keystone College