Mother's Day Dinner

My sister went to Italy two autumn's ago with my mom and dad. They spent a little bit of time toodling around Rome. Then, they spent a week in Florence and wound up by accident in the very hotel where A Room With a View was filmed.  .... I know! They didn't have a view, alas, but did visit the river Arno and Santa Croce and everything, basically that E.M. Forster's heroine explored whilst there on her Romantic journey.

My sister, however, does not play Beethoven. She cooks! After Florence, my mom, dad and sister went down to Tuscany and spent some heavenly days touring vineyards and attending a cooking school at the "new" 17th century farmhouse where they were staying.

We, poor souls who were left behind, have reaped the benefits several times, now!!!!

On Sunday, she made a lovely dinner for us.

On the menu was

Cream of Asparagus soup with a dill garnish

Three cheese tortellini tossed with sauteed cherry tomato and basil

lemon ice

Frenched rack of lamb on a bed of mashed garlic red potatoes

with a side of grilled corn and red pepper infused with rosemary

and a port reduction sauce.

Panna cotta

(a vanilla cooked cream - yum!)

It was a lovely and meandering time. The Italian way is to linger over meals!

 

Present, were, my mom and dad, Mr. Tom, my 3 boys, my mother in law and her mother (great grandma), my sister and a very good friend of ours, Jillian. There were four mothers in all.

 

I used the Gien faience ware (the pattern is Lorraine Vert) that were given to us for our wedding. The lace table cloth (also, a wedding gift) that my Grandma gave us, is like the one that she used, time out of mind, for special occasions on her tables.

 

 

 

It was a light infused day. Passing clouds and and a few showers - the kind that splash raindrops on the window. My favorite!

It was hard to take a clear picture of this light soaked room. The hedge of blousy lilacs were glowing through the windows and bouncing in the puffing breeze. The cotton ball clouds and the blue, blue sky that were reflecting in the diamondlike pond, the glistening new green of the grass on the hill and those lilacs were all reflecting in the glass on the table and the china cabinet and the glass door to the kitchen - everywhere, it seemed.

Look at how the table is awash in gentle light. Sigh!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Being able to set a lovely table was like a gift in itself. I am so glad to know that I'm not alone in this world and that there are others who are addicted to dishes and are happy, happy, happy when setting a table.

Therefore,

I am linking to Tablescape Thursday at

Between Naps on the Porch

She has a lovely beach themed table set on her cozy porch; so, if you're dreaming of summer......ahhhhhhh!

It's a bit like a rummage sale. Look, here are my favorite finds:

Sonoma heaven! 

Polka Dots! 

Absolute freshness in Italy

You can hop on over and take a look - if you like rummage sales too! It's a vaaaary elegant rummage sale!

and

Show and Tell Friday at

My Romantic Home

Absolutely, goodness graciousness! You ought to see her lovely lace pillows! (and she has the most wonderful "lantern" with a nest and eggs in it - I think that was my favorite part but, it was kind of hard to pick what was prettiest in her lovely rooms.) Her show and tell is so fresh!

Wishing you the same lightness and brightness and loveliness in your life in whatever form is precious to you.

Love, Katy Noelle xo

P.S. For those of you who are regular friends who visit me in the sunny spot, please don't miss my last post. It wasn't even up for 24 hours. I think that everyone should know about Victoria Magazine and should have a chance to know about Nancy Lindemeyer's blog.  ~Thanks