Ah . . . Savannah

Daughter Sarah and I spent the weekend (a looong weekend) before Thanksgiving visiting Savannah and Charleston.

We loved both cities for different reasons. We arrived in Charleston, rented a car and drove to Savannah where we spent the first half of our trip.

Some highlights . . .
The Mercer home once the home of Jim Williams and where most of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil took place (still owned by the Williams family). It is open for tours but we opted not to -- our tour guide said you only got to see three rooms so instead . . .
We opted to tour this house -- The Isaiah Davenport house. The house that started Savannah's restoration. You have to tour a house that was saved in 1955 by seven women!!!

It was a great tour and Sarah and I were glad that we chose this as our tour home!

But Savannah is more than historical homes, it is. . .
gardens like this one at the Davenport House. The extra flowers were for a wedding shower that would take place later than afternoon. And . . .
Squares. There are 22 out of the original 24 and they are magnificent. Most shaded by live oaks dripping with Spanish moss. It is what one thinks of when one thinks of the old South!

Besides the gardens, the squares and the homes, any trip is made memorable by food!

Saturday lunch was in the Gryphon Tea Room -- a typical Southern ladies lunch place in an old building just off one of the squares. It used to be an apothecary but the Savannah College of Art and Design has kept the old but repurposed it for a tea room. For lunch . . .

A typical tearoom lunch -- chicken salad, frozen fruit salad and cheese straws. With a glass of iced tea, of course. However, this Kansan prefers to take hers unsweetened!

And for Saturday night dinner, Sarah made reservations at a restaurant that I've always yearned to go to . . .

Elizabeth's on 37th.

Eons ago, I got the cookbook and have always yearned to go. It was so sweet of Daughter Sarah to make reservations here.

So many choices on the menu!

And, of course, a great meal has to end with a great dessert -- which we shared!

It's Wednesday which means that it's time to share the great outdoors with Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. And this Wednesday I'm sharing my trip to Savannah!

A Charleston Tea

Daughter Sarah and I spent the weekend before Thanksgiving visiting first Savannah and then Charleston.

We had a grand time and thoroughly enjoyed each city although we did find them different.

In Charleston, we signed up for the Charleston Tea Party Walking Tour and with our guide, Marianne, headed to see "up close and personal" some of the historic buildings and gardens of "Old Charleston".
A garden courtyard with ivy growing up the brick walls and a millstone as a focal point in the garden. For us prairie girls, palm trees seemed out of place!
A lovely house -- the front door of which opens into the courtyard. I could live here and it's right across the street from the church!
A front courtyard and home. So many of them are only one room wide -- but they do go back and back!
A lovely Charleston garden -- one of the few big gardens left -- so many have been used to build additional houses upon!

After the tour we got to go to our guide's home in the Charleston Historic District for a cup of tea in her garden which, as she described it was "wild and weedy"!

And, indeed, it was and like so many gardens it was a "pocket" garden making Linderhof's small garden look like an estate!

Mariane was English and she provided both tea and a nosh after our tour. A much needed respite after two hours of hiking around historic Charleston.

The cups and tray were her grandmother's which she brought over from England. From the original 12, she has 6 left. And she provided both a sweet and a savory -- traditional Southern cheese straws and a "biscuit" with pecans and coconut. I did pry the recipe out of her -- but it is a sketchy one and I do hope I can reproduce them for they were, indeed, yummy!

And only in Charleston would you find the cheese straws in a sweet grass basket!
Our hostess and tour guide, Marianne pouring out of her grandmother's tea pot. Marianne was born in England and has maintained her British citizenship even though she's lived in Charleston almost 50 years.

It's Tuesday which means that it is time for tea, so please join these ladies for Tuesday teas.

Tea Time Tuesday with Terri at Artful Affirmations

Tea Cup Tuesday with Martha at Martha's Favorites

Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday with Pam at Breath of Fresh Air

Tea Time Tuesday with Katherine at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor

Tuesday Tea for Two with Wanda Lee at The Plumed Pen

Lighter and Brighter

There are not many changes at Linderhof -- not big ones anyway for we've lived here 22 years but my theory is that a house is never truly done and so little changes are made . . .

The living room with blinds that we've had for a few years -- these windows face the street and thus, Husband Jim felt that we needed something that provided more privacy than drapes. Thus we installed 2 inch white blinds in these windows behind the drapes.

The windows flanking the fireplace just had the drapes, however, for privacy wasn't really an issue!

And in the downstairs hall, up two steps from the living room, in the stairway leading up to the second floor, we had both drapes and valances covering the windows. A different fabric than the ones in the living room. Those same drapes are also in the windows in the hall upstairs.

On the trip to Charleston and Savannah the week before Thanksgiving, I noticed the lovely plantation shutters or 2 inch blinds in the windows. They let in light but could be closed for privacy and I liked the brightness that the white blinds/shutters made in a room. And the light that they let in so . . .

We decided to make some changes in the living room and downstairs hall!

Off with the drapes on the front windows -- just the blinds! The light is dazzling! The view so much more so!

The windows flanking the fireplace . . . . I love the light that falls on the desk -- they're south windows and most of the day light is pouring in!

And the hall feels more spacious! No drapes puddling on the floor! To be dust catchers!

Both the hall area and the living room seem bigger and more spacious and certainly brighter!

Those South Carolinians certainly know how to add light and airiness to a room!

I walk into the room now and go "wow -- is that really my living room?"

It was a small change and an inexpensive change for the blinds are faux wood (as were the original three). Next on the agenda -- replacing those upstairs drapes with blinds as well.

Since it isn't a "public" area I decided with getting out Christmas and putting up the tree (Husband Jim's job but I am the "go-fer") that three blinds were more than enough to do this weekend.

It's Monday and time to join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch to see what other changes there are this Met Monday!

Reprise -- The Christmas Tree

It's the weekend after Thanksgiving -- time to deck the halls for the holidays and Husband Jim has been working on the tree today -- that's his labor of love for Christmas -- the tree! It's big and it does take time but the results, we think, are stunning!

We played yesterday and so today the tree is in place and he's been working on it -- we do it one box at a time -- first the lights, then the roping and tree skirt, then the ornaments and finally the tinsel.

Thus the "mess" is at a minimum as there is just one box upstairs (except for the ornament boxes -- there are more than just one of those!)

I've spent the day working on my Met Monday post, being the "go fer", and baking the first batch of Christmas cookies.

And yesterday, I switched out all of my CD's for some Christmas ones. Christmas is definitely in the air at Linderhof!

But it's Sunday which means that it's time for Sunday Favorites with Chari at Happy to Design.

I'm sharing my earliest Christmas post -- about the tree from December 7, 2008 -- the 2010 tree will be similar -- with colored lights and tinsel -- the ornaments are not necessarily in the same place although they are the same ornaments.

The Christmas Tree is the centerpiece of our Christmas decorating. A tall tree, 9 feet tall even though our ceilings are only 8 foot 3 (because the last foot of any artificial tree is a branch that sticks straight up to put the star on). Because it does touch the ceiling we've never put a star on top of our tree.
After the lights and beading go on, three big bins of ornaments are brought up. An almost 40 year collection of ornaments go on the tree.
And after the ornaments, the final touch is the tinsel. A see through tinsel rather than the silver kind gives the tree what we consider a nice shimmer.
The lights are not the tiny white ones but rather the big old fashioned colored ones and bubble lights as well.

It is a huge tree and does take up a good bit of living room real estate but we wouldn't have it any other way.

This year we put our tree up the weekend before Thanksgiving and I think it will be a new tradition. Especially this year since December came hot on the heels of Thanksgiving weekend.
In December, at night with the fire roaring in the fireplace and the Christmas tree alit and carols in the air, it's great to sit with husband Jim on the living room sofa while we sip cocoa and reflect on the season.

The Pink House

The week before Thanksgiving Daughter Sarah and I spent it in Savannah and Charleston -- a mother/daughter trip, a long ago birthday gift, and a reward for finally going through knee surgery.

It was a glorious week as we walked the sidewalks of Savannah and Charleston, ate seafood galore (a rarity on the prairie -- but let me tell you about our steaks!!) and had a grand time.

Neither of us had been to either city so it was an adventure for both of us. We both loved the architecture of both cities.

A favorite house that's now a restaurant -- that, alas, we did not go to was this beauty! Facing one of Savannah's many squares and actually within walking distance of our historic district hotel.

It's certainly pink and it called the Pink House. It's Pink Saturday so please join Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Cranberries Are For Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving this year was not at Linderhof but rather at Daughter Sarah's in-laws in a town about an hour away. My contribution to this family feast -- pies!

Pumpkin, of course, because it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. My recipe -- the one on the back of the Libby pumpkin can. It's the one my mother used and it is the best!

Two of them because there were many of us and because I wanted to try something new . . .
A cranberry crumb tart from one of my favorites, Anna Pump, found in her Country Weekend Entertaining cookbook. If you like cranberries, it's very good -- tart yet sweet with just a hint of orange.

It especially good with whipped cream to which a little Grand Marnier is added as well as a bit of sugar to sweeten the cream.

Of course, no Punch Thanksgiving would be complete without Aunt Jo's Pilgrim Pie. Andy's mother, Linda, also contributed a peach pie made from her own homegrown peaches which she froze this summer.

Most everyone, like me, had a small piece of each!!! Thanksgiving, after all, is a feast!

CRANBERRY CRUMB TART

The Tart:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. baking powder

6 T. butter, cut into very small pieces

2 small egg yolks

1/4 cup water

The Filling:

4 1/2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 c. sugar

grated rind of 1/2 orange

The Topping:

3/4 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

6 T. cold butter, cut into small pieces

To make the crust, place the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 5 times. Add the egg yolks and water. Process until the dough forms a ball. Remove the dough, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400. Butter a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Transfer the chilled dough to a lightly floured surface and roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Fit it into the tart pan, pressing the dough against the bottom of the pan and up the sides.

For the filling, in a bowl, combine the cranberries, sugar and orange rind. Transfer to the uncooked crust, making sure the sugar is evenly distributed among the berries.

For the topping, place all the ingredients in bowl and rub the mixture with your fingertips until it starts to cling together. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the cranberry filling.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the crumbs turn golden brown. Cool for 2 hours before serving.

It's Friday -- Thanksgiving is but a memory but the tart would make a wonderful dessert for any holiday affair. And since it's Friday, it's time to share recipes with Michael at Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Alas, there will be no aroma of roasted turkey wafting upstairs this Thanksgiving morning as we're spending Thanksgiving with Daughter Sarah's Andy's parents.

Soon, however, after breakfast, the aroma of freshly baked pumpkin pie and freshly baked cranberry crumb tart will fill the air -- my contribution to Thanksgiving Dinner!

I love Thanksgiving for it's all about family as we gather at the table and give Thanks.

My wish for each and every one of you

is that you and your family

have a very

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Not To Be Used For Turkey

I went to a wonderful Estate Sale the first weekend in November -- in a great house built in 1852 in Independence, Missouri. It was the perfect fall day and I went alone -- the main purpose of the trip was not the sale per se but rather to see the house that I had passed by for so many years. A chance to look inside.

It was the last day and everything was half price and so a line quickly formed before the doors opened. I truly was going just to see the inside of the house!

But the things offered for sale, the prices which were now half, and I soon had my arm full of treasures.

The first thing I saw as I entered the dining room (which I normally do because that is where the dishes are)

Was this platter!

I love blue and white platters and it is big-- big enough for a turkey actually! But alas, it won't be used for such at Linderhof (for I'm still coveting the Spode Festival Blue turkey platter and we'll be away Thanksgiving)

The price -- only $22.50 which is amazing!

This is the mark on the back and after I did some research it seems that my newest platter was from 1880 to 1890. Don't you just love marks!!! They're like reading history or doing genealogy!

This platter will get lots of use for it's big enough to serve both the entree and vegetables on it if we're doing a more casual pass around dinner or a nice poached salmon on top of greens at an appetizer party.

It is big and I must admit that I had to do a little "tweaking" in the cabinet to make it fit -- but fit it does!

It has a happy home at Linderhof.

It's Monday which means that it's Blue Monday so please join Smiling Sally for other blues this perfect November Monday!

Reprise -- Bulbs An October Tradition

This post is originally from October 2008. And I'm still planting bulbs every fall!!! I must say that "my eyes are bigger than my endurance" for I bring home way too many bags of bulbs each year.

But tirelessly I work to get them in the ground so that each spring Linderhof is abloom with tulips, daffodils and hyacinths.

This year, my bulb bags were fewer but still far too many for my endurance (after my surgery) but finally -- not in October but in November, I did get them in the ground -- 100 tulip bulbs and 25 hyacinths.

All in the back garden where we can see them from the breakfast room table.

It should be a stunning display!

It's Sunday and I can't think of a better favorite than fall bulb planting . . . please join Chari at Happy to Design for Sunday Favorites!

A big basket of bulbs is an October tradition. Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths. I've been planting bulbs for most of the 20 Octobers that we've lived at Linderhof and spring makes quite a show.
The daffodils have multiplied and some years I've bought more expensive and fewer bulbs so we have some unusual flowers come spring. Other years I've bought a big sack of more common daffodils like Mount Hood.

The tulips, too, range in all colors but unfortunately, they, unlike the daffs, don't multiply. But I still like the tulips anyway and plant a good supply of them each fall.

I love hyacinths for their smell is incomparable! Blue and white and purply ones mostly -- I don't really care for the pink ones. Often I'll get a few bulbs to chill and force in January in my bulb vases. They make the whole house smell good.

This year, however, instead of the regular hyacinths, I got a bag of the little grape hyacinths -- muscari. I've never planted them at Linderhof and I can't wait for them to bloom. I planted most of them around the center fountain in the herb garden but there were a few "strays" that I found when my bulb basket was empty -- these I planted in the spot where I found them in the basket -- so there should be two surprise showings of the muscari.
With my jar of bone meal -- a must for planting bulbs, it's fun to take the basket of bulbs on a nice October day with the sun on your back -- and plant spring flowers! The only hard part is trying to remember where there are already bulbs -- you don't want to dig up already planted bulbs!

Reprise - Rose Geranium Cake

There is nothing like a three tiered rose geranium cake for a special party -- it's elegant but it tastes good too!

This is a post from earlier this year -- I don't make these cakes often but when I do, they are always a "wow"!

Rose geraniums are easy to grow on winter windowsills so you have a ready supply of leaves -- to make into cakes, to add to the butter dish when you have company, to decorate other desserts in the winter when there is no mint.

I'm joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday!

I love to cook with herbs. Not just in savory dishes but in sweet ones as well. There is nothing like a good herbal cake or cookie!


This rose geranium cake has no other flavoring. Just a few rose geranium leaves in the bottom of each cake pan before the batter is poured in. In between, is whipped cream and raspberry jam. The original recipe called for fluffy pink frosting but I think that is gilding the lily too much and we prefer it with just a sprinkle of powdered sugar on the top and a rose geranium leaf or two for decoration.


For special company, we'll do all three layers. It makes a handsome cake. For just us, we'll do two with the cream in the middle. The third layer gets frozen and is eaten slice by slice for afternoon tea. Plain with perhaps a shower of powdered sugar.


It's Pink Saturday so please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound to see the other pink posts.

Afternoon Tea for Cass and Me

In September, Cass from That Old House had me as a guest for tea. What a treat to be in That Old House, seated at her tea table sipping tea from "our" china -- Johnson Brothers Indies.

And now it was time for Cass to come from New Jersey to the prairie of Kansas to share a cup of tea at Linderhof!

We both like having Afternoon Tea seated in wing chairs in front of the fire with a table between.

We both appreciate fine linen and fine china . . . . and food!!!!
Four exquisite Christopher Elbow chocolates. Two each -- they are so good but they are so pricey!!!! Cass did understand that there were two apiece! I didn't really catch her trying to take three!

And there was slices of pumpkin marmalade bread as well which go so well with tea! (For two pieces of chocolate -- no matter how exquisite do not make proper tea food!)

Tea poured not from my Indies pot (which is way two small -- it would only be a cup each and we had way too much visiting to do to only have one cup!!) and so, since That Old House is way older than My Old House -- Linderhof -- I used my newest tea set -- (blue and white, of course) -- Abbeville which dates between 1830 and 1850.

The pot filled with Cass's favorite -- a good strong Ceylon.
And the cups we drank it out of -- Johnson Brothers Indies, of course!

What fun it would be for Cass to visit Linderhof -- but we live miles and miles and miles away -- and although we do visit by email (as do our dogs -- Oliver and Dion), it would be so good to pull up a chair and really visit in person! Perhaps some day!!!!

It's Tablescape Thursday so please join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch to see the other fabulous tablescapes.

Outside Looking In

There is something magical when you're in the garden at dusk and look into the sunroom -- alight with the lights from the chandelier. It's a magical world --

You can see into the sunroom, see the table and chairs and the plants . . .It's almost like peeking into someone's life -- only it is our life that we're peeking into!
I find this one of the prettiest ways to view the sunroom -- on the outside looking in!

It's Wednesday which means that it's time for Outdoor Wednesday -- so please join Susan at A Southern Daydreamer to see other outdoor activities this Wednesday!

Tea for Two with Cranberry and Pumpkin

Those of us who live on National call ourselves "Nationalites" for most of the homes on National are old -- far older than Linderhof. It was originally the highway and was paved in brick as most streets were in our little town. The brick is still there, on National, under the asphalt.

A neighbor, Sally, who lives on the corner two blocks down has a great Victorian - a real painted lady (which I've featured in a post).

We've visited but I've never had her over for tea so one Friday, I invited her for a cup of tea and a nosh. She's wanted to see the garden -- and because of my summer surgeries it had to be at it's worst!!!

But Sally is a visionary and can see past weeds and chores that need to be done to see the garden as it should be.

Tea in the breakfast room, of course. And with my blue and white, of course! The very very last of the marigolds brought in just before the frost in a blue and white pitcher. The Spode blue room teapot, cups and saucers and tea plates.

One of my favorite tea cloths on the table, freshly ironed tea napkins and my mother of pearl forks. And the nosh -- a favorite for this time of the year -- pumpkin cranberry coffeecake -- even though it was afternoon and not morning and we were having tea and not coffee!!!

Sally and I visited and ate and drank cups and cups of freshly brewed tea. A French orange tea which went very well with the pumpkin cranberry coffeecake.

The afternoon ended all too shortly and soon Sally was saying goodbye. She did gift me with a sweet tea bag holder so I'll always have a memory of this afternoon.

Even though named "coffee" cake it goes well with afternoon tea and it is two of my favorite fall flavors -- pumpkin and cranberry.

I've made hundreds of these and I always bake them in the tube pan. I suppose one could bake them in little loaves but I never have. I like the look of the coffeecake on one of my glass cake stands. I think it's impressive.

The recipe from a long ago Victoria magazine. Cut and saved and baked over and over and over again. It goes well with breakfast Thanksgiving weekend when the house is full of company.

PUMPKIN CRANBERRY COFFEECAKE

2 1/4 cups flour

1 T. pumpkin pie spice

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin puree

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped

Granulated sugar for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter an 8 cup ring mold or other decorative mold. Dust the pan with flour, shaking out the excess.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, pumpkin-pie spice, baking soda and salt.

In the medium size bowl of an electric mixer, at medium speed, beat the eggs until they are foamy. Beat in the granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, and oil until well blended. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until a batter forms. (Do not overmix). Gently fold in the cranberries.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin metal spatula around the edge of the mold to loosen the cake and turn the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.

Sprnkle the cake with granulated sugar before serving.

It's Tuesday which means that I'm joining:

Tabletop Tuesday with Marty at A Stroll Thru Life

Tea Time Tuesday with Terri at Artful Affirmations

Tea Cup Tuesday with Martha at Martha's Favorites

Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday with Pam at Breath of Fresh Air

Tea Time Tuesday with Katherine at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor

Tuesday Tea for Two with Wanda Lee at The Plumed Pen

Reprise - Napkin Keepers

First posted this summer, my silver napkin rings are a special part of Linderhof. A collection started by Husband Jim.

And we use them -- daily!!! And I polish them -- when needed!!!!!

They're really fun to use whenever I have ladies for luncheon -- for I tell them that at the table at Linderhof they have a new identity -- they must use the name on their napkin ring -- and if it is just an initial -- they must think of a name beginning with that initial -- it's a great ice breaker!!

It's Sunday which means that it is:

Sunday Favorites with Chari at Happy to Design

Silver Sunday with Beth at Gypsy Fish Journal

Seasonal Sunday at The Tablescaper

Napkin keepers . . . or really napkin rings are a collection of mine. It started with a gift from Husband Jim of two silver napkin rings one Christmas. . . . .Florence Dalrymple and one with initials.

And that is a criteria for my collection -- it has to have a name (my first choice) or initials.

And it has grown . . . . for it covers the top of the Chinese chest in the dining room.
I think of it as a silver top -- the napkin rings all lined up in a row, but . . . .
Soon, I had more than would fit on the top of the Chinese chest and so . . . I moved them to the top of the single window in the dining room . . . .
But then when I had more than that window would accomodate, I moved them to the top of the double window in the dining room. I still have space for more!
The napkin rings "ring" the room -- from the top of the Chinese chest to the top of the windows.

I do, alas, have four more in the breakfast room (for I have and need only four out there) -- they're not exclusive to the breakfast room for they do rotate -- when I polish, I just make sure that there are four out there.

And the last time we visited Daughter Sarah in Minneapolis, what did I bring home . . .

From different antiques shops in Stillwater, Minnesota. One with a name, Rose, and the other two with just initials.

Most in the collection are Victorian but a few are Edwardian. In those days, a napkin (cloth) was used for the whole week -- not just for one meal and you wanted to make sure that you got your napkin back at the next meal . . . so you had your own special napkin ring to put it in.

They were often Christmas or wedding gifts and some that I have also have a date on them which makes them even more special. I have a few "pairs" -- three with husband/wife name on them (which I am sure were wedding gifts) and two with Christmas dates on them -- Mary and Eve -- sister's, I'm sure for the rings are alike. A special Christmas present that year, I'm sure.

We do use our cloth napkins for more than one meal but it is just the two of us and we do keep them in napkin rings between meals.

A table, I think, looks very attractive with freshly ironed real linen napkins in the silver napkin rings.

We always use them for company and sometimes, we'll play a game (especially when all of the rings have names on them) that you're that "name" for the meal! It's fun . . . and you sometimes really get into that persona!

I'm always on the look out for them. Estate Sales used to be good hunting ground but after several shelter magazines did articles on them, the price skyrocketed (my early rings were less than $10 each). And whenever, I've went somewhere, a ring was always my remembrance of choice -- easy to bring home and one didn't have to worry about breakage!

On my last trip, I was estatic with Rose, but the plainer SMS was only $10 -- it's English so home with me it came as well. The other, husband Jim found for me -- how sweet for it was his gift that started it all!

It's Tuesday and although I have far more than three, I'm joining Tam at The Gypsy's Corner for Three or More Tuesday. Please join her and see what everyone's Threesies are this week!