For the past few months I’ve had a welcome sign on our front door with bluebirds and leaves and a small cow bell that rings every time we open the door. Husband Jim said he was tired of the bell clanging so I put up our holiday wreath of red sparkly balls that does not clang.
That was not enough. I decided it was time to change our ecru duvet cover. For the first time in a year, I put on Mom’s red paisley duvet cover she gave us a few years ago. It brought back some warm, and some sad, thoughts.
It made me think of Scotland and the town of Paisley, which I never went to but the Glasgow airport was on the outskirts. It made me think of flowers.
Flowers and food. I haven’t been without flowers since Mom passed about six weeks ago. First it was funeral arrangements, then small table arrangements, birthday, etc. Yesterday I bought bright yellow spider mums and arranged them with orange and yellow alstroemeria (sp). Mom did impart to me a love of flowers and since I can’t grow them, I buy them.
As to flowers and food, I have the following advice. If it’s a table arrangement, make sure your guests can see each other around the table. Avoid flowers with an intense aroma (cinnamon fragrance from star lilies, that will also stain great-grandma’s linen tablecloth). As with scented candles, they can overwhelm the food. Your guests are there for the food and company, not the flowers or candles.
Sometimes I buy long-stemmed unopened roses, cut about an inch off, and display them for a few days. Then before guests arrive, I cut them way down and put them in a small vase on the table when they are perfectly open. I’m no Martha Stewart, but do have a few tricks up my sleeve.
Thanksgiving is nearly upon us and though I’m a guest, I need to prepare spicy almonds and cashews and a few other items. We’re staying with Jim’s parents, about a five-hour drive each way. Thanksgiving is at Nanny’s, with probably 60 in attendance this year!
I have to Zoe-proof the new car (Jim doesn’t want me to get the dog barrier and thinks she’ll stay in the back on her own – his mother has already submitted an opposite opinion) and get her groomed and nails clipped so she doesn’t tear the seats when she inevitably jumps the seats to get to the front passenger seat to be petted by Jim and sleep at his feet.
We had a quiet weekend, with errands and home-improvement chores and driving about town, cleaning the car et al. Now it’s time to get back to business. Hope you have a great week and have your Thanksgiving menu planned. Order your turkeys now! Dee
Cooking with Dee 