An Autumn Luncheon and the Giveaway Winner

On Saturday I had a few friends over for lunch. I can seat 6 comfortably and any more than that is tight. So I invited 5 friends.

I planned all the details. The menu, the tablescape, the flowers, the music, even the scents in my home. I wanted it all to be perfect.



So you can imagine my surprise and disappointment when I woke up on Saturday morning to the sound of hammering and drilling. My new upstairs neighbor was having all of her windows replaced! I went outside and asked the workmen how long they would be working. It was 8:30AM and my luncheon was at 2:00. They didn't speak English. Finally one workmen came outside and told me they would be working all day. I was not pleased.

I went back into the condo and I looked out the living room window. There was a bulldozer in front of the house. Evidently, the sidewalks were being paved and the police were not even letting anyone park on the road.

I wondered where my guests would park as there were window frames falling in the parking lot at my condo and no parking on the street. Great!



Normally I would go ballistic but I found my inner zen and I laughed it off. I was a little ticked when the workmen left the back door open and all the cold air and leaves rushed in. And my fresh flowers went limp from the chilly breezes blowing in.

Anyway, everyone had a good time. We dined on butternut squash soup, grilled sandwiches stuffed with oven roasted turkey, brie, arugula and cranberry apple butter. For dessert, my guests had three choices, warm pumpkin pudding cake, cranberry apple crisp a la mode, and brownies. With dessert, I brewed an artisan tea called Jasmine Fairy Maidens. This is a very beautiful tea and should be brewed in a glass teapot. Once the boiling water hits the tea pod it begins to unfurl and eventually a red flower emerges. It is really fun to watch.
Sorry no photos of the tea, I could not get a good photo of the flower.



For pre luncheon nibbles, we had a pumpkin cream cheese spread with assorted crackers, white stilton cheese with cranberries, herbed goat cheese and red and green grapes. The grapes were so large they looked like something from a rainforest! We drank hot spiced cider and cranberry autumn tea.

Despite the initial upset with the workmen and the paving going on outside the condo, I would say the luncheon was a success.

And as promised I have drawn the winner's name for the 2 bird mugs and the tea. Congratulations to From Beyond My Kitchen Window! Please contact me so I can get your info and send you your goodies.

Be Afraid!

Be afraid, be very afraid.



This is what I see every morning as I head into the living room. What is lurking behind the frosted glass?

I think you already know, one very hungry kitten who is ready to pounce on anyone who walks through that door!

Happy Halloween to all my readers!

New Slippers

These are my new slippers. They're not ruby and they don't do anything magical. At least, they haven't yet. But I think they are adorable.



Percy likes them too.



Another view of my way cool slippers.

Greetings from Boston and a giveaway

On Thursday, my friend Lori Lee came down from New Hampshire to spend the day. We decided to go into Boston and have tea at the Boston Public Library. While waiting for tea at 2:00, we thought we would look around the library. We found a wonderful vintage postcard exhibit entitled Greetings from Boston. They had postcards from all eras and we learned quite a bit about the subject.




Wow, things have really changed.



We were glad we had to wait to have tea, otherwise, we would have missed the postcard exhibit.



So we went to the restaurant and we were turned away because they were holding a private function.



Of course, before we left the library I had to check out the courtyard. Naturally, it started to rain and my photo shoot was cut short.



I was happy to see that the witches hats were back. I saw them last year at the BPL and I was hoping to see them again.



Each one was different and all of them were ornate.




I love how they were suspended and they appeared to be floating.



This one was my favorite. I love the lace trim.



One had feathers on it.



We still wanted tea so we walked to the Four Seasons Hotel. And they weren't serving tea for 45 minutes. We waited.



The service was fabulous and the food quality was excellent but in my opinion the portions were quite small for the price.



Maybe I am just spoiled by my tea group. We have some great cooks in the group and there is always plenty of food.

We did have a great day and I am glad we went to Boston.



Now, about the giveaway. I haven't had a giveaway in a while and I hit 100 followers recently so it seems like a good time to share the wealth. So here's what the winner will receive. Two Bird toile mugs with lids and saucers and a sample of one of my favorite teas for this time of year, Harney and Sons Cranberry Autumn Blend.




I think this is the cutest mug and it comes in a set so yes the winner will receive two mugs. Tea drinkers or coffee drinkers are welcome to enter the giveaway.





All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and I will enter your name. I will draw a winner on October 31st at midnight. There is an added bonus for those of you who commented on any of my October posts. I made note of the number of comments for each post and you will get an extra entry for each of your comments. So if you commented on all of my October posts you have five extra entries. I like to reward my frequent followers.

Good luck and have a great weekend.

Harvest Dinner

Saturday night I held my annual Harvest Dinner. There were only 4 of us this year but it was still fun. Actually my dad came too but he was early and left before all the goodies arrived.



I was pleased with the tablescape this year. I wanted an elegant look so I used a pashmina I bought at a craft fair as the table runner. Of course, the cranberry glass turkey added color and held center stage.




The sunflowers from a local market were actually orange. I used an old milk bottle as a vase and tied burgundy raffia around the neck for more color. The creamer and sugar were bought at an antique fair last year.




The crystal glasses are from Poland and were actually made especially for me by a Polish friend who apprenticed at the Julia Crystal Factory.




The gravy boat is an antique and bought from my friend Beth of Studio B in Concord.



Wait, did you want to know about the food? Well we had turkey and scalloped potatoes.



And gravy and butternut squash.




The cranberry and apple stuffing was delicious. Well everything was delicious! Mary made the turkey, gravy, stuffing and pie. Sheila made the butternut squash and I provided the scalloped potatoes, salad, rolls, cider, tea, and cake.



Dessert? Apple pie and chocolate mousse cake. We had hot spiced apple cider and orange cranberry tea.

It was a relaxing and enjoyable evening. Great food, great music and great friends. I alway enjoy hosting the Harvest Dinner. It's a tradition and the unofficial start to the holiday season.

A few small changes at the condo

I finally framed some of the artwork I bought over the past two years. I love this Steinlein print of the woman with the cats on her shoulder and dogs at her feet. I first saw this print at my vet's office and I knew it would be perfect in my home. I decided it would look best in the kitchen along with my other french inspired pieces.



I also added a little bling to the Paris wall.



My new black and white toile curtains were put up this Summer by my friend Don. I think they give the kitchen a French country look.



A watercolor of a boulangerie from Carol Gillott of Paris Breakfasts. Also in the kitchen.




And last but not least, a vintage label was drymounted, matted and framed. Don hung it over the kitchen sink for me. I love the burgundy mat and the beautiful colors on the label, which is circa 1910. That happens to be the year the house was built.

I am pleased with the changes and now the kitchen looks more like me and less like the previous condo owner.

Percy's Photo Shoot

I hoped to have some foliage shots to post but I think the color is supposed to peak next weekend so you might have to wait. So of course I decided to turn my camera on the kitties.

Percy is interested in the camera so he was good subject. Here he thinks he's King of the Hill. I removed the birdcage from the table since it was knocked down once and I figured it wouldn't be the last time.



He is such a handsome boy!



He's scanning the room to see what trouble he can get into.



Oops, that is a little dark!



This is his guilty look.



And here he is with his favorite toy, a mouse. Ew, every time I pick it up it's wet! Then the other day I saw him drop it in his water dish and swish it around. He washes it before he plays with it!



And here's his beauty shot. Yup, it's going in his portfolio.