Happy Sunday evening, friends! We had a nice weekend working outside just tidying up some of the garden, pulling weeds out on the south side, cutting back the iris leaves (which were getting really untidy!) in the bed around the backyard oak, and tidying up the front flower bed…
Afterwards, I prepped the roast…
I stopped by the grocery on Friday afternoon and the butcher was just putting out several racks of roasts, so I said to him, “I’ll be happy to alleviate you of one of those!” We talked a bit more and I mentioned that this would be a perfect dinner for the weekend.
So glad I cooked this in the oven here this afternoon! It turned out perfectly…
Aunt Nellie’s Pot Roast
Take a rump or watermelon roast, poke it all over and rub in meat tenderizer (I don’t do this anymore, I just poke it with our meat fork and shake on salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash seasoning).
Cook in a cast iron skillet in the oven at 275 deg. F., fat side up, for 1 hour.
After an hour, add 2 1/2 cups (or more) water to the skillet (spoon over roast several times), add potatoes and onion cut up. Turn up heat to 350 degrees, and cook for about 1 1/2 hours more ~ for a 3 lb. roast. Check at 1 hour and cook to your liking.
(***Add uncooked cut up potatoes when you first turn up the heat, then add the green beans ~ or a partial bag of carrots and peas ~ during the last 45 minutes.)
Make a delicious brown gravy with the cracklings in the pan, if so desired.
Enjoy!!!
What to do with the leftovers…
I cut two slices of the roast off and cut them into pieces for soup this week. I froze the rest of the roast along with some of the potatoes and green beans with a little of the juices for a future dinner.
Yum!!! First two good days of early fall with much lower humidity ~ perfect weather for indoor cooking in the oven!
Setting the table with fall in mind
I went looking for placemats for a casual dinner for Mr. Ethereal and myself, since it’s just us two anymore. I found these cute round pumpkin mats in my stack in the laundry room closet. They are reversible and I think I found them at HomeGoods back several years ago.
Paired with my favorite white plates, antique lace and linen napkins, and the newish white-handled flatware I picked up at Judithof Botanic Bleu‘s sale last December, I love this fun dinnerware combination for our tablescape!
The soft hues of faux bittersweet pair well with the pale greens of dried panicle hydrangeas, golden wheat stems and dried roses…
The hurricane lamps were still sitting out from this spring mantel post, so I pulled them into our tablescape. I really like the soft glow they give off and the tarnished brass look of the candleholders!
I liked using them so much that I have been using them on and off the mantel all summer. Really, they have Christmas trees on them but from far away you really can’t tell. 😉
Another photograph of the little mini bouquet of dried pretties!
And as promised…
A sneak peek at the new chandy! Hubby hung it for me late this morning and suggested I run out and pick up tacos for lunch (Taco Bell is about a mile or so down the main road). So while I went by our Walmart grocery and rounded up a bag of Idaho spuds for tonight’s dinner, then went through the drive-thru for tacos…
Mr. Ethereal worked his magic taking down the more modern drum chandelier and installed this pretty more-antique-style chandy which I love so much better!
And this was our delicious pot roast dinner… Served with roasted russet potatoes and green beans cooked in the same water as the roast.
You’ll just have to come back Tuesday to see the rest of the chandelier! 😉
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Happy Tuesday, friends! It’s time for another Pinterest Challenge hosted by my friend Cindy of County Road 407, thank you Cindy!! If you are just coming over from Laura at Everyday Edits and/or are new to French Ethereal, welcome! I am so glad you all came today as this month our theme is Summer Tablescapes, something dear to my heart…
I love Karen’s table set out on her back patio for a summertime meal! It is so pretty with all the whitewashed wood of her table and chairs, and the pretty soft cream and soft pink peonies.
The flowers look like they are floating above the table set in their clear glass bottles ~ really ethereal!
Her table looks like it is set for a light meal featuring soup and sourdough bread ~ perfect when it it hot outside and we often don’t feel much like eating a big meal.
Blue mophead hydrangeas from my garden
My table
I began my table with spreading out this small summertime quilt given to me by my mother a long time ago, if I remember correctly. She found it at a local church bazaar in Connecticut.
I love all the yellows, greens and pops of red and pink and roses and it is a perfect complement to all of the rose-covered china.
All of the tableware with the exception of the Crown Dorset teapot (right, covered in dark and lighter pink roses, green leaves and smaller yellow roses), was a new gift from my mother-in-law Gini, who is out here visiting with my sister-in-law Jodi and nephew Corey from California.
My husband and mother-in-law at our wedding in 1987.
I have a patio outback but we’ve been cooking outdoors and there is no beautiful grass out there, just dirt, so I chose to stay indoors with my tablescape this time. 🙂
I set the table then realized I hadn’t brought out any clear glassware so I reshot some photos and they will be intermixed.
Collecting vintage china
This vintage china is called Dolly Madison by Castleton and there are enough placesettings for 9 guests. I love the simple centered dark pink rose set into each plate and on each side of the teacups. Next to their IOOF lodge in Sacramento, California, they open a thriftshop on the weekends once a month, I think, and she found these pretty pieces there.
The chocolate pot my mother-in-law also found at the same thriftshop and it is stunning! I have always wanted one and this oneis unmarked except for KW 5634. It appears to be an antique French piece and is bone china with gilding around the teapots upper and lower scalloped edges.
Love all of these pieces!!!
Here is our table all set and with several of the remaining hydrangea blooms in small glass containers surrounding the main teapot vase…
We had a loaf of French bread so it is in here, too, helping recreate the look of our inspiration piece.
A sweet table set for sweet thoughtful family!…
I’ve used my older and almost vintage Simply Shabby Chic handkerchief napkins underneath my silverware. These are no longer available but you might find them online or at your local estate sales and thrift stores. 🙂
New plants are settling in nicely outdoors. I’ll share a summer update on the garden soon.
And that’s my recreation of today’s lovely tablescape!
Thank you so much for visiting today! Continuing the tour, we head back up top to visit Cindy at County Road 407. And, here is the list with everyone participating today if you like to jump around, too… 😉
It’s Christmas Eve and we are finally here! Kids are snuggling down in their beds, presents are wrapped and under the tree. Family friendly holiday movies have been playing on repeat for weeks along with the predictable but still-fun Hallmark movies, too…
A Christmas wish…
As we arrive on the night before Christmas, we light this fifth candle along with the others ~ the Christ Candle ~ which is also part of Week #4, the week of Love…
God loved us so very much that he sent his only begotten Son to save us ~ a grand gesture of ultimate Love. A tiny newborn babe lying in a manger, the Savior of the world…
The Holy Family…
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, so the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’ 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told them.”
Luke 2:15-20, NKJV
Throughout this Advent series, I have pulled quotes from Christianity.com and other articles. I like what this section says about the fifth candle, the candle of love, the Christ Candle: (and really, I can’t say it any better!)
Heavenly Father, the whole meaning of Christmas can be explained in one little four-letter word…LOVE. You sent your gift of pure love to us that first Christmas. Love descended from heaven to be born of a virgin. Love lay in the scratchy hay of a manger in a meager barn in Bethlehem. All of your love, God, was robed in the delicate skin of a baby and wrapped in swaddling clothes. This final week of Advent helps us to reflect on the magnitude of love that was made manifest in Jesus.”
Hope Bolinger
Jesus was a sweet precious baby come down to earth to save us all from sin. This thought makes me realize that each time a new baby is born on this earth, it is a reflection and a reminder of Christ Jesus and his birth.
We are given a gift to celebrate when each new life is born and to love that child as He has loved us!
Love the amazed look on Milo’s face! Milo is looking at me in my son’s camera/FaceTime call.
Milo’s first Christmas!
One of my favorite photographs of our grandson! Love how happy he is!!
Our fifth candle reminds us to “love one another as Christ has loved us.” (My paraphrase of part of John 13:34.) Traditionally the center candle is all white signifying Jesus’ holiness and purity. I have white candles but this one with holly and a few pine needles melted inside and surrounding the candle reminds me of the manger wrapped around and cradling Baby Jesus…
A wintery scene in a transferware bowl found several years ago on Galveston Island at an antique shop there.
Our table is set with my best china pieces today, the Old Country Roses by Royal Albert pottery in England. My husband bought eight place settings for me from the Royal Albert outlet we had in Lake Elsinore, California about twenty years ago now. It became the china pattern I used for many teas I hosted and for many family Christmas dinners. We will use it again this Christmas and when our daughter drives up from Austin for New Year’s.
Again the little turned “Noel” signs are used in this tablescape ~ I like this table’s welcoming plaid and simplicity. Many Christmases and teas I would set one extra place setting for Jesus, honoring Him as a welcome guest.
I love it that in the Bible there were so many meal times with the apostles but also with Mary and Martha, the two sisters, and with many other people! Meals are such special times to reconnect with family and share intimate thoughts and secrets and hopes… Wouldn’t you like Jesus to come over and eat dinner at your home? 🙂
This tablecloth would have made a lovely swaddling cloth, don’t you think?
Our holiday table and dining room with the only two crystal pieces I found to decorate the chandelier this year! Two stars above!! I never shared the dining room hutch but you can see it pretty well here. I hung a small wreath I found in my Christmas ornaments and created a small doll house on the left for the family living in the hutch’s dining room. I found the fireplace my parents bought me for a Swiss doll house I had in high school and brought it out to warm the family’s Christmas…
Our Holiday Home Tour
From the dining room we get a little view into the living room. Since Thanksgiving, I have been pulling off the slipcovers and giving everything a fresh wash, vacuuming and polishing.
This holiday season I went for a family Christmas with red plaid and a reindeer themed ribbons twining down the Christmas tree. Red continues in the few Santas sprinkled throughout the room and the main one on the coffee table.
a view from the dining rooma view from the entryway
Winters in the living room are filled with clear and bright light! This home is so light-filled this time of year making it really cheery. The pillows I found this fall are reversible so I’ve flipped them around to the checked sides for wintertime…
Mr. Ethereal and I are working on two projects these two weeks: putting down some new insulation in the attic and hanging the French iron fencing outside in the new garden area.
I picked up a 9′ x 6′ drop cloth at Home Depot this morning to make a new slipcover for the wing chair this week. I should be able to get it done before Amy comes up this next week. Eventually the chair will go to her new home when she finds one she loves. She really loves this chair to sit in and read in it. I have to say, you do get nice and warm snuggling in it and the wings are perfect for keeping your head from flopping when you fall asleep… We bought it and its ottoman from a neighbor at his garage sale when we lived in our first home.
With all the uncertainty of this year and being ill twice with the COVID virus, I went for a simple look this year in our decor. Just some plaid on the tree and here on the coffee table.
Simple seemed the way to go this year… I’ve heard sooo many friends saying they craved simplicity this year instead of over-the-top Christmas looks! Here are all the Advent posts if you missed any of them…
The greatest gift of all came that first Christmas. It wasn’t wrapped in a beautiful package and set under a decorated tree. The greatest gift came wrapped in the flesh of baby Jesus and laid in the rough wood of a manger. Our perfect gift would later be rewrapped in the scars of our sin and nailed to the rugged wood of a cross on Calvary, all because of love.
Hope Bolinger
Our presents are few and unwrapped. A box from our son and his family (maybe a family portrait?? We shall see tomorror. 😉 )… Presents and Christmas ornaments which were our daughters growing up to go home with her for her future trees… A new spice rack for the kitchen in need of real organizing! A new tea kettle from Mr. Coffee to replace the one which died over Thanksgiving…
It’s all good! I made two Gothic arched windows from the leftover styrofoam from the winterizing Hubby did on the garage doors this late summer/early fall. They are really rough but it was to save $70… The ones at Hobby Lobby are on sale and I may still grab them after Christmas. ;)’
Saw some homemade Gothic arches on Laura and Aaron’s Garden Answer YouTube channel this fall and thought of creating these similar to the ones she made for their church a year or so ago.
And here is the storage box I made which should have been part of a Pinterest Challenge this fall but didn’t happen in time as I was just over being ill, so I made it after the fact. This was the beginning of the plaid theme…
My favorite photo… Grace and Peace
Silent night! holy night! All is calm all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child Holy infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace!
Silent night! holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia Christ the Saviour is born!
Silent night! holy night! Son of God love’s pure light Radiant beams from thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
Silent Night was written and composed by Franz Xaver Gruber (music) and Joseph Mohr (words), a Christmas song of Austrian origin (as per Wikipedia.org). It is a perfect song for a perfect night, a perfect time of year.
The most perfect day in all the year…
‘Silent Night’ is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. It was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011. The song has been recorded by many singers across many music genres. The version sung by Bing Crosby in 1935 is the fourth best-selling single of all-time.”
Happy fall, y’all!Welcome to this week’s Share Your Style #277! This link party is for home decor, DIY, crafts, recipes and the like, but you are more than welcome to share your family-friendly posts with us all. Please feel free to share this post too and join my small but loyal band of friends.
I appreciate you!As always, I am glad that you are here… 💜 This fall post is a bit of a mish-mash as there are soooo many interesting posts!!! I’ve picked some autumn post for you, some DIY, and more. Hope you enjoy visiting all of this week’s featured friends!
I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you! 💜
Here’s what I shared this past week at
French Ethereal…
A Fall Roses and Pumpkin Tablescape Redux… You know how for our monthly Pinterest Challenge we take inspiration from a photograph and recreate a scene in our own style? Well, this time I am taking insp. from one of my own…
And here are this week’s
featured posts…
Rita from Panopoly shares a really fun colorful fall tablescape with a view out at their cityline… October Skyline Table for Two. There is a part of me that wants to live in a city for a bit! How about you? Sooo beautiful…
Newcomer LG Bernhard of Der Amateur Photograph (The Amateur Photographer; his byline says his blog is all about optics and photography ~ Water Lily Pond in Wilhelma. My kinda place and I’m sure yours, too! Since we all need good photography tips! LG shares his amazing garden photos from Stuttgart, Germany… Eine hertzlich Willkommen auf Herr Bernhard!!!
Looking for a cute fall craft idea and a great recipe? Look now further than Lisa of Fresh Vintage by Lisa’s post Easy Pumpkin Apple Butter andPumpkin Spoon. Adorable and totally worth making!!!
Our second newcomer to SYS, Mary of Pots and Planes: A Collection of Recipes and Adventures brings us this delicious recipe for Apples Pie Scones…Welcome Mary and serious YUM!!!
Rachelle of My Hubbard Home brings us a little bit of spooky in this fun Who Dun It? post ~ Miss Habersham Regrets…Do stop by to see what happens next!!!
A big Thank You to everyone who linked up this past week. A special thank you to y’all for always promoting Share Your Style on your blog and on your social media channels! I do see it when I stop by and I appreciate the love. 💜
If you have been featured here at Share Your Style…
Here is a button to copy to your siteand to share.
If you’d like to follow myShare Your Style boardon Pinterest I’d appreciate it, thank you! I do post all of the featured posts from each week’s SYS there.
***Please excuse where my name ended up… Has something to do where I entered the party and I don’t want to mess that up. 😉 Will work on fixing next time! Thx!!!
Friendship, Love and Truth are special words with sentimental meaning for members of the International Order of Odd Fellows Rebekahs, traditionally the women’s side of the IOOF. This year I am in the head position and my mother-in-law wanted to congratulate me for running our local Rebekah lodge. She found a set of Rebekah china online, or at the local Rebekah thrift shop, and presented it to me while I was out visiting in June. Since I’ve just returned from a second visit there, this seems an appropriate time to share this special tableware…
The Rebekahs and its big brother fraternal organization, the Odd Fellows, are philanthropic organizations but also are a place for gathering and visiting with fellow members. In past years, more potlucks and special events were held than there are today, so a special china was created for Rebekah members to use at these local and state meetings.
This set of dishes probably was made in the 1940s or 1950s and includes a 10″ dinner plate, 7″ salad plate, a cup and saucer. My mother-in-love has other serving pieces including this coffee set, below.
Often a piece or sometimes a complete set would be given to an outgoing president at the end of her state term. Moreoften, this china was kept in the local lodge and state assembly kitchen cupboards and pulled out when needed for serving at big events.
Trivets, small trinket boxes and other novelty china pieces are fairly easy to find while out “thrifting.”
I love how the teacups sit a bit wonky!
Naturally, I had to set up a little table setting with this lovely simply decorated tableware! Here is a close-up of the Rebekah place setting my mother-in-law gave me. It is simply decorated with two thin gold bands around the outer edge then an inch or so inside that. A logo of the IOOF three linked rings and a “R” sit inside the top of each plate in its own small gilded circle.
Here I paired a napkin with similar tan banding and a French flourish in its center. Both are perfect together for celebrating upcoming fall events!
And now you know a little about Rebekah china pieces! Please let me know if you have ever seen any pieces in your estate sale or thrift shop wanderings. I am enjoying having a little piece of Rebekah history to add to my tableware collection. 💝
Your favorite posts each yearis always a surprise to me and as we begin 2019’s recap for the year, we begin this journey in totally random order…
1. Our quick look back starts with A Cozy Hot Chocolate Bar in the first spot this year. One of 10 Pinterest Challenge posts I was able to join in 2019, a year where foodie posts were really big!! You guys and gals thought so, too.
2. Claiming the second spot is this post about a Downton AbbeyStyle Table.Always fun to decorate a table outdoors for friends this was one of my personal favorite table settings this year.
3. An English Breakfast Tea was your third favorite post and it is a surprise to me that so many table posts took the top spots! But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since we all love home decor and decorating tables is right in there!
🙂
4. A 4th of July Coffee Tableis next with a love of lavender and a pretty angel gracing this tablescape. This was a real challenge for me as I have never really sat and thought about decorating the coffee table. Nice to really decorate it!
5. 10 Minute Tussy Mussy Gift Bags for Mother’s Daywas another favorite crafting idea this past year. I love these as they make gifting small things for Mom, Gramma and friends who are new mothers even prettier! Perfect again with another Mother’s Day coming soon…
7. 5 Minute Spring Basket Door Hanger was another big favorite y’all liked. I think this was just the second Pinterest Challenge I joined, too. Aren’t you looking forward to spring and all its lovely blooming flowers?! I know I am.
😉
8. An Easter Tablescape – 10 on the 10th was a nice favorite of yours… and mine! Makes me excited for springtime coming around this year and all the wonderful posts coming around.
9. A 5 Minute Canvas Picture Quick Fix is another huge post and this easy trick works like a charm! Come check out this surprisingly simple way to fix warped canvas prints.
10. Rounding out the Top Ten is a perfect way to begin upcoming Valentine’s posts ~ A Quiet Valentine’s Table for Two.One of our last posts from our Prairie Home and a lovely way to finish up this little post tour.
I hope you have enjoyed this look back at your favorites from 2019. I’ll have more tablescapes and crafting ideas beginning soon for you!
