Linderhof


Gardening, Cooking and Decorating on the Prairie of Kansas


Welcome to Linderhof, our 1920's home on the prairie, where there's usually something in the oven, flowers in the garden for tabletops and herbs in the garden for cooking. Where, when company comes, the teapot is always on and there are cookies and cakes to share in the larder.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Thanksgiving Accroutrements


I don't "theme" a lot
Really, I don't
But in November, it seems to be
"Turkey Time" 
at Linderhof

Perhaps it is my way of ignoring
all of the Christmas
in the stores in November

But they are a slowly collected lot of turkeys


That sometimes end up on the table during the whole month of November
Not just that 4th Thursday!

It all started in 1970


When I bought this guy
At the dime store
He's made in Japan
And quite handsome I thought
He holds flowers sometimes

Ten or so years later, I found another
just like him
At a garage sale
for probably 50 cents

I like things in pairs
And so I bought it!

My love of blue and white dishes
And my love of my Christmas China
And my love of antiques
found me lusting after "Turkey" china

Oh, the "real" turkey plates from before the turn of the century
Especially the blue and white ones
Had me salvatating!

And searching on eBay --
Where I found


Eight Spode Festival plates
Reasonably priced
And I felt that I could fill in with my other blue and white
(And if hard pressed and with a lot of company, I could use them with my other blue and white plates in say, July!)

Never go to T. J. Maxx
for the next year


I found these plates by Myott.    They're English made
They're blue and white
They have a turkey in the middle
And they were only $15 for 4 plates

I bought 2 boxes!

Now, I had 16 turkey plates

And with more than 16 guests, I can still fill in with my other Spode!

I decided I needed a "turkey" platter
I have a couple of turkey platters
But not a turkey platter


Spode Festival
From Ebay
And like the other turkey dishes, it can fill in if needed anytime of the year
when I use my blue and white!

My last purchase


Which is not very turkey-ish
For the turkey is inside and would be covered by gravy
But there is always gravy at Thanksgiving
I didn't have a blue and white gravy boat
And like the other turkey dishes . . . 
I can use it all year long
(and often do!)

It's a pretty Thanksgiving table
With the blue and white
And I like the fact that I can use my regular blue and white serving dishes
for a cohesive table!

Years ago
At a garage sale I'm sure,
before the turkey china, and
before Martha Stewart featured them
And before Williams-Sonoma sold them


I bought two of the heavy clear glass turkeys
They make a great container for cranberry sauce
And look festive
And make the table (with plain ordinary china) more Thanksgiving-ish!

Alas, when I bought that first turkey in 1970
I also bought


The matching salt and pepper shakers
Turkey "centerpiece"
Salt and pepper shakers on each side

I'm not a salt and pepper shaker collector
But mother always had a couple of "holiday" salt and peppers
that made our table more festive
(for she had one set of good china which was used not only for holidays
but for Sunday dinner as well)

I cannot find them.
I do remember seeing them several years ago
(putting them away because I felt they were too "kitch=y" and not "sophisticated" enough)
But where, I do not know!

So now I'm on a hunt
To find either my originals
or a replacement pair.

I feel that they need to be on the Thanksgiving table again!

From a Thanksgiving for two
To a Thanksgiving with 30 guests,
It's down to two again!


But I fix a "real meal"
turkey 
dressing
mashed potatoes
gravy
homemade cranberry sauce
green beans
(although this year I think I'll do Brussels sprouts)
rolls
And pumpkin pie
(with real whipped cream)

The turkeys will be on the table
And in our tummy
On Thanksgiving Day!

Wish me luck on finding the salt and peppers
And any salt and pepper won't do
They have to match the turkey centerpiece!


4 comments:

Bernideen said...

Love the dishes and decorative table!

Sarah said...

I find that turkeys have settled here over the years as well, though I never started out to do so. I recently read on a blog that they use their turkey containers like the pair you have to hold flatware on their Thanksgiving Day buffet. Thought that was a clever idea.

Pondside said...

Good luck in your turkey hunt, Martha!
Your Thanksgiving table will be lovely, I can see!

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

Great collection of turkeys.