Joyful Abundance

Pink Peonies ~ Orange Tulips ~ Sunflowers

Welcome one and all!

Admittedly there isn't much pink to be found here at the moment, but orange, the color of fall, is definitely peeking out here and there. I so wanted to participate in this week's Pink Saturday so I'm taking a feng shui approach. Pink the yin is gentle and friendly, while orange, the yang, is energetic and passionate ~ a perfect balance.

The above photo is for all my sweet friends here for Pink Saturday and Shadow Shot Sunday. My friend, Jacqueline @ Purple Chocolate Home has a Pinkalicious Puerto Vallarta post to share this week. Be sure to stop by and give her a visit.

There's a little acorn fun to follow,

so please keep scrolling.

The squirrels are happy around here because there is a "joyful abundance" of acorns this year.

The critters are 

scampering in from the right . . .

And from the left.

And for me, there has been a "joyful abundance" of Courtly Check that has come my way this fall. My sweet friend, Linda @ My Shabby Rose Cottage has been busy with the paint brush again, and I've been on the receiving end of her generosity. Just look at these cute little CC pumpkins she sent as a little Fall surprise.

But wait! That's not all. 

 Courtly Check acorns 

have now arrived in abundance!

Acorns are one of my 

favorites of the autumn season. 

 Add a few in Courtly Check, and 

my heart really begins to sing.

That's not to say I don't still adore 

these big ceramic acorns that I found 

last year at Tuesday morning. 

 They have enhanced a bowl of horse apples 

that you can see here as well as 

last year's Thanksgiving table here.

This season I've mixed them in 

with some real pumpkins in the wonderful 

muted colors available this year.

I'm glad you dropped by today 

because I've baked us some little spice cakelets 

in the acorn pan I picked up last year at William Sonoma.

They are filled with a cream cheese 

icing and dipped in brown sugar crystals.

These beautiful acorn napkins were 

a little "thank you" gift from our favorite house guest. 

 You can meet Mabel here.

They are the perfect accent for

our tray of acorn cakelets.

Acorn leaves on 

the silver pastry server,

A few little fallen 

acorns from the trees,

Along with a few little 

glittered acorns scattered about.

All set the stage for this vintage teapot 

in Furnivals Brown Quail pattern. 

 My friend Donna @ Conghaile Cottage 

introduced me to this charming pattern. 

 A visit to Donna's cottage is always a treat.

See that little acorn finial. 

 That and those sweet puffy quail 

are what enticed me to find one of these.

Our hot steeping tea fills the teapot, marked 1913. 

It's waiting for us on a vintage hand carved butter dish 

inset with a transfer ware plate in the 

Blue Willow pattern, a little souvenir from my

first visit to London's Portobello Road.

So pull up a chair by the fire 

and join me for a cup of hot tea and 

one of the little acorn cakelets.

Celebrating With Thankful Hearts

Each year we celebrate Thanksgiving with thankful hearts for the bountiful blessings in our lives.

We will dine with friends at their home for Thanksgiving this year, so for this week's Tablescape Thursday and the "Give Thanks Party" @ The Vintage Nest, I decided to share our table and meal from Thanksgiving 2009.

Four friends joined us for dinner last year.

Salad Plates in Olde Avesbury by Royal Crown Derby

Dinner Plates in Palermo Brown by Richard Ginori

Italian Pewter Chargers by Cosi Tabellini and Talisman Enameled Silver Flatware by Christophe

Crystal Stems in Rich Amber by Denby

Antique Sterling French Napkin Rings Collected Through the Years

Some are monogramed in beautiful scripts.

The heirloom napkins were a gift from my mother-in-law. Each have been monogramed by hand and were stitched by my husband's grandmother.

The table cloth is by Yves Delorme in shades of green and subdued teal blue.

My Tuesday Morning acorns were pulled into service as place card holders. Fallen leaves from a Red Oak were inscribed with each guest's name using a silver paint pen.

Small initialed treat boxes were favors for each guest to take home.

Inside were honey glazed Texas pecans.

The center piece was a single pillar within a crystal hurricane lantern flanked on either side by small white pumpkins, and placed on a pewter tray.

Dinner was served from the nearby sideboard in white French porcelain dishes.

A simple glazed container held a bouquet of tulips, gerber daisies, hypericum berries, and golden thryallis.

Red ware pottery, acorns,

squirrels, horn votives,

candles, an amber glass turkey container,

vintage candy containers,

pumpkins, gourds, and more turkeys set the mood for Thanksgiving.

After dinner. . .

dessert was served in the adjoining sun room.

A lemon cyprus topiary and pumpkin shaped gourds were the centerpiece.

Coffee and dessert was served on Richard Ginori china.

~Le Menu ~

A French Thanksgiving?

Yes, I know the French don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but one of our dinner guests was French, and this was in her honor.

We started our evening by popping a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and nibbling on appetizers.

Liver Paté with Herbed Crostini

More Paté. . . Paté with Truffles and Paté de Campagne

Artichoke Spread with Cayenne

Served on Heart Shaped Lahvosh

We started dinner with a salad of baby spinach garnished with fresh grapefruit and blue cheese crumbles.

The main meal was served from the sideboard.

My husband is the chef in our home, and he likes to march to his own drum. Though he has roasted a turkey for Thanksgiving at times, he often likes to cook a different bird for our Thanksgiving meal. We've had pheasant, quail, cornish game hens, and last year he selected to serve duck. He actually bought it smoked, and it was delicious!

Smoked Duck

Garnished with Cherry Tomatoes

Wild Rice with Dried Sour Cherries and Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Haricots Verts with Bacon and Onions

Country Bread

Sweet Cream Butter

A nice Chardonnay from Chateau St. Michelle

A Cru Du Beaujolais. . . Perfect Pairing for the Duck!

After dinner we moved into the living room around the cozy fire to enjoy coffee and dessert.

Expresso with a Touch of Irish Whisky and a Topping of Whipped Cream

A Bite of Chocolate

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Just so you don't think I'm totally worthless in the kitchen, this little birdie wanted me to tell you that I get the credit for baking the pies.

Pumpkin Pie Topped with Fresh Whipped Cream and Honey Glazed Pecans

Friends, Food, and Fun

That pretty well sums up our Thanksgiving evening last year. We definitely enjoyed a delicious meal and delightful evening with friends. I'm very thankful for my family and the friends who fill my life with joy each day.

Thanksgiving Blessings to All!

Joining

Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

for Tablescape Thursday

Lynn @ The Vintage Nest

for "Give Thanks" Party

Feathered Nest Friday @

The French Country Cottage

Show & Tell Friday @

Cindy's My Romantic Home