Summer Blessings

Happy June! Our weather has been glorious, with beautiful spring-like weather. As Southerners, we know the humidity is coming soon, but we will enjoy it for as long as possible.

Today, I am joining blogging friends and fellow table stylists for a summer tablescape blog hop sponsored by Rita @Panoply.  Twenty total bloggers are participating. Thank you, Rita, for organizing these hops.

I've set the table on the patio today using my favorite colors, which are blue and white. I've added a little green color and texture using Bordello Pinheiro chargers.

I chose an Asian planter with a footed saucer for the centerpiece container. 

Hydrangeas are my favorite flower, and cutting them from my garden brings me much joy.

Johnson Brothers Blue willow plates coordinate with the blue and white floral tablecloth and say welcome summer. Officially summer begins June 21, but everyone will agree that summer activities begin when the kids are out of school.

You can see a little of my garden in this photo. I have a few white and pink hydrangeas but mostly blue. The last time I counted, I had over 80 hydrangeas of various kinds.  With the extreme cold at Christmas, I was afraid it would affect the hydrangeas, and grateful I did not lose any.

I do have a story to share about the Blue Willow plates. In the late '80s, we lived in Fairbanks, Alaska. There was no Amazon, or eBay, then. Southern Living magazine offered a mail-order sale on these dishes, and what a great blessing that was for a young army wife who loved dishes and did not have a source. I am still enjoying them. According to Google, The Blue Willow pattern's exact origin is unknown; however, it's believed it was first made in England during the late 1700s. There are conflicting stories about who created the pattern, too-some claim that Josiah Spode invented it. While others say, John Turner did.

There are key motifs in the Blue Willow pattern. These include willow trees, pine trees, the bridge with three men on it, a fence, a boat, a teahouse or pagoda, and two birds in flight.

Bamboo cutlery adds more texture and contrast. Blue goblets from an estate sale complete the tablescape.

This is my favorite napkin fold. It is Carolyn Roehm's signature napkin fold. 

"All which we behold is full of blessings." William Wordsmith

I wish all my followers and table stylist friends a restful and happy summer. I named this post "Summer Blessings" because I am thankful to enjoy a slower pace. What summer activities do you have planned?

Click on the links below to view all the summer tablescapes. Each blogger would love to hear from you.

Panoply - Up, Up and Away With Summer Dining

Home is Where the Boat Is - Hydrangeas and Butterflies

Everyday Living - Welcoming Summer With A Garden Tablescape

Life and Linda - A Boho Alfresco Tablescape

Corner of Plaid and Paisley - Summer Plaid and Polka Dot Picnic

Living With Thanksgiving - Summer Blessings

Debbee's Buzz - Alfresco Bee Theme Table and Florals

The Painted Apron - Boats, Floats and Fish!

The Little Yellow Corner Store - Pucker Up Lemony Tablescape - It is Time to Have a Bee-utiful Day!

The Cat's Whiskerz - A summer picnic tablescape for Canada Day

Pandora's Box - Summer Blues

Me and My Captain - Florida Blue Crab Summer Tablescape

From My Carolina Home - Welcome Summer Tablescapes

The Bookish Dilettante - Summer Tablescape:  Old Glory
My Thrift Store Addiction - Summer Picnic Brunch under the Texas Mountain Laurel

Red Cottage Chronicles - Lemon Tablescape for Summer

Hyacinths for the Soul - Long May She Wave

Celebrating Everyday Life - Create a Chic Seashell Table Setting This Summer

Dinner at Eight - A Summer of Colors

Bluesky at Home - Pretty Table for a Ladies Dinner Party

Wishing you many summer blessings! By the way, the as I close this post, the humidity has arrived!

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Monday Morning Blooms

I am honored to be invited to be a 'guest bloomer' for Monday Morning Blooms.  Pam, Mary, and Lidy are very talented floral designers that showcase their talent on the first Monday of every month. Click on the links below to view their beautiful posts.  The theme today is watering cans.I am so happy to join them for this edition of Monday Morning Blooms.

My original plans for this post changed as the wonderful cool morning progressed. My shady garden works well for gardenias, hydrangeas, and other shade-loving plants. I had a delightful time cutting flowers and greenery and deciding where my table would be. The birds were singing, there was a pleasant breeze, and I was happy and thankful to see the fruit of my labor in my garden rewarded with lots of blooms. I wait all year for this time to arrange my own flowers instead of store-bought ones. I'm showing you a little of my garden to set the stage for some of my choices of flowers.

Agapanthus are scattered throughout my woodland setting.

Gardenias have a lovely fragrance and make a great scrub year-round in my garden. It has been very rewarding to root three bushes that are huge now. It is an older variety, and the blossoms are fairly large.

In keeping with the watering can theme, I wanted to use a tole watering can I was gifted some years ago as a vase. Thank you, Johanna. I feel especially grateful because it was her mother's. It has a small opening on one side. A gardenia, pink hydrangea, blue hydrangea, and some dusty miller would all fit.

My mother's smaller tole metal watering can hold agapanthus, solid leaf dusty miler, and hydrangea. If you haven't seen the solid-leaf dusty miller, it is awesome. It adds a pop of white in the garden that catches your eye and is a great filler in arrangements.

It took over twenty stems to make this large arrangement. I love my vintage can that I have had for many years. Gathering flowers and arranging them was so much fun. Greenery, especially variegated greenery, adds so much to the garden and to the arrangements. The texture and color contrast is pleasing. Acuba and Pittosporum are my 'go to's'. 

You can see the Acuba at the back of the hydrangeas. It also roots easily in water.

I can't tell you how satisfying it was to enjoy the gorgeous day as I styled these flowers. God has blessed me with each one. Every day is indeed a blessing. I like to talk to Him as I stroll through the garden. It is a wonderful fellowship time.

After making these arrangements, I decided to make myself a refreshing compote of berries.

The embossed tablecloth was my mother-in-law's. Her brother brought it to her from the Phillippines in the late 50s. I noticed the label says "Made in Spain." I enjoy learning the history of vintage items. While I was smoothing the tablecloth out, it reminded me of a long bridal veil.

The napkin is equally beautiful.

I look forward to viewing Mary, Lidy, and Pam's watering can arrangements. Thank you, ladies, for inviting me to join you today! Click below to view their lovely posts.

Lidy at French Garden House

Pam at Everyday Living

Mary at Home Is Where the Boat Is
Living Thankfully, 🌿🌸🌿🌸