Tablescape Thursday: Picnic on the Greens

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.  Psalms 23:1-3 (NIV)

Since this coming Sunday is "Golfer's Day" & the Masters golf tournament is beginning (& because our weather this last weekend was absolutley beautiful!), I decided to treat the golfer in my life to a special
"Picnic on the Greens."

My hubby is an avid golfer, golfing almost every week with his dad.  While most people wait 'til the weather's beautiful to golf, they have a slightly different rule......the 40 / 40 rule.......it must be at least 40* & less than 40 MPH winds.  That's still way too cold for me!  And I think they've actually broken this rule a few times!  Like I said, they're avid golfers!!  I think it's great that they spend that time together, bonding & creating many memories......and boy do they have some stories!  They could probably write a book, or at least start a blog :). 

Me, on the other hand?  I'm just glad when I actually hit the ball!  Let's just say I make a much better cart driver than golfer!  I do go with my husband occasionally, mainly to enjoy the scenery.  (And I must warn you, I've learned a lot of golf terminology & slang....some of which you'll get to see below!)  On most of our vacations, we make it a point to visit a golf course.......so my hubby has gotten to play at some beautiful places......TPC at Saw Grass,  TPC at Scottsdale, Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach.......just to name a few.  He still has a bucket list of courses he eventually wants to play.

But on to the picnic......

While my hubby was out golfing this past Saturday, I decided to set up a special picnic dinner in our backyard.  I chose the greenest place I could find.......the shade grass under two of our trees...... just in front of the woods, and there I arranged the table & chairs. 
(The rest of the yard hasn't quite greened up yet).
{You'll have to forgive the landscape project going on in the background.  We have big plans to have a fountain that flows into a "creek" that will wind it's way around the outer edge of our yard.  But seeing as how this takes time & money, it's a very slow-moving project.  So for now, just imagine that all the dirt is really a small creek gently bubbling in the background.  And when it is complete, you can bet I'll show you the real thing!} 

So back to the tablescape:  At first I considered using darker colors, such as hunter green & burgandy, and using some of my hubby's golf collections (such as golf towels for napkins, golf flags for placemats, golf balls for place cards, etc.), but the beautiful weather just called fore for a much brighter setting.
 So I scrambled around the house, rounding up my dishes & supplies......and after "playing-a-round" a little, this is what I came up with:

I began by covering the small iron table with this red, semi-sheer overlay. 
(The red circle pattern reminded me a little of golf balls).


{Maybe I should have taken all of the pictures from this angle....a much nicer background!}



While I don't have any golf plates (I know, it's hard to believe), I do have a couple of matching golf chip & dip sets, so of course, I had to use them somehow......that's a gimme.

I used the chip platters as chargers........

{If you look closely, you can see the reflection of the clouds & trees on the platter.}

.....then added my everyday red Emeril dinner & salad plates (as I stated in yesterday's post, I love red dishes because they can be used for so many occasions & holidays),
followed by the golf dip bowl & a lime green cup goblet.



{Oops, I left a couple of spreaders & wine glass charms that I was considering using on the plate.}



To add a little more color, I chose royal blue napkins. 
(Although when I was cleaning up after dinner, it hit me that perhaps I should have used yellow napkins instead, since they resemble golf flags.....oh well.)


In keeping with the casual 'scape & to save on space, I simply putt put the colorful flatware inside the goblets.


(I have to admit, running up & down our sloped yard from the house to the table with my dishes was a little rough.  Maybe I should invest in some kind of cart or at least a caddie caddy!)

After drive-ing to the grocery store to pick up a few food items, I came across these fun, bright yellow Pom Pon flowers, and thought they'd be perfect for the table.  Rather than using a vase, I chose to display them in this golf ball bowl.





A couple of candles add to the ambiance.  (Although, they wouldn't stay lit due to the wind.)


I also grabbed this red golf-like bucket out of the garage, in which I had a little gift waiting:
some new golf balls & tees.

As evening approached & my hubby returned home, the table was ready & waiting.....now all we needed was the food.

In order to follow-through with my golf theme, I came up with this "Golfer's Menu" for the evening:
 ~ choice of Sweet Tee or Water Hazard
~ Greens
~ Club Sand-Wedge
~ Chips & Chili (cheese) Dip (yes, "chili dip" is actually a golf term!)
~ Slice of coconut cream pie

I decided the only fair-way to serve this 3-course picnic, was one course at a time.  Using my turf tray, I first served the tee tea & water.......

.....followed by the greens (a salad which consisted of leafy romaine lettuce, tomotoes, carrots, walnuts, and mandarin oranges)........

......next was the club sand-wedge (aka, club sandwich) & choice of chips........

......and finally a slice of coconut cream pie to finish it off!

Because I was short on time, & because I am, unfortunately, quite the amateur when it comes to home-made pies, I let Marie Callendar's make the pie for me!  I must say, it really hit the sweet spot!

Here's a few more pics as the sun was setting:

{I like how the sun is peeking through the tops of the trees}.

 You might be wondering what those big Christmas light spheres are hanging from the trees.  Well, this past Christmas, my hubby made these to add some festivity to our backyard.  I thought all the bright colors were perfect for tonight's picnic and would add some romantic lighting as the sun went down.  So we hooked them back up,
and this is how they looked a little later in the evening:

{The pictures just don't do them justice!}

{I tried taking a pic without the flash to show you the true glow of the lights, & the wonderful cast it made on the table, but it didn't turn out so well!}

 

As the sun set, the evening was beautiful, with a cool breeze and the chirps of a few birdies.  It was right on par with what I had envisioned.  You could say it was an ace, a perfect hole-in-one......no mulligan needed here.  We had a ball.  I think I even scored a few points with my hubby.  (Okay, I know what you're thinking....get a grip with all these golf terms already!)

Well, thanks for swinging by my blog.  Take a few minutes to check out BNOTP's Tablescape Thursday & Lady Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday for a hole whole lot of inspiration by other tablescape pros.

red overlay - The Market at Quail Springs
golf chip & dip sets - Steinmart
red Emeril dinnerware - Dillard's
lime green goblets - Kohl's
colorful flatware - Kohl's
blue napkins - Pier 1
turf tray - Pottery Barn

Wildcard Wednesday: Signs of Spring.......In My Cupboard

I originally had another post all put together & ready to share with you today, but when I was browsing through some of your blogs a little earlier, I began to see a trend......everyone was showing their amazing cupboards!  

That's when I realized, there must be a blog party going on!  

Not wanting to miss out, I quickly changed my plans.  Better late than never!
So today I'm going to share a little peek into some of my kitchen cupboards......the ones containing a few of my Spring dishes, of course!

I must admit, however, after looking at all of your beautiful cupboards, I'm inspired to do a little more work on mine.  But, being short on time, for now I'll just leave them as they are.

So here is the small section of my kitchen you'll get to see today.
(You'll have to wait 'til another time to see the rest......mean of me, I know).

This section of my kitchen is one of my favorites because of the glass doors & the stem holder.



 Here's a closer look at those goblets.
 
These are just a few of my vast collection, but I chose to display them because the colors go great with my kitchen decor. 
{With the exception of Christmas, when I swap out the purple & blue goblets for more red or green, these hang here year around.}


Now, what's behind those glass doors?

Well, it's my Sahara dinnerware by Capriware, of course.

The top row has a couple platters & serving bowls, along with some mugs.


The second row has another serving bowl, along with a few of the plates & salad bowls.



And want to know a secret?

The big serving bowl is hiding a few of my Spring napkin rings!
Here's a little peek inside:




And the bottom row displays a few more plates & bowls, along with a pitcher (from my Valero Ambiance collection).



Here's a closer look at those bowls:

I just love how the inside has a coordinating pattern!


As I said earlier, all of your cupboards have given me some great inspiration......I now have a vision of the glass cabinets filled with my cream, khaki, & sage dinnerware, along with some nests & eggs tucked here & there.....and maybe even a bird or two. 
But for now, this will do.

Okay, so now you've seen one set of my spring dishes (trust me, there are many more!)

But it would be kinda mean of me to show you the outside of the adjoining cabinets & not show you what's hidden inside.  So here's a little look:

They contain the majority of my everyday red dishes, most of which are my "Kick It Up A Notch" collection by Emeril.  I love red dishes because they can be mixed & matched with others for so many occasions.....Christmas, Valentine's, July 4th, summer BBQ's, Mexican.....you name it.



And here's a little closer look at the decor on top of the cabinets:






Okay, since I mentioned wanting to trade the Sahara dishes out for some of my cream, khaki, & sage dishes, maybe I'll give you just a little peek at those as well.

They're tucked into this corner cupboard.



The top row contains a few of my cream Gracious Goods collection, my very favorite dishes!


The second has my "Isabella" collection from JC Penney.  I often use these during the Spring as well.


And the bottom row holds an assortment of Nina Campbell dishes & Valero Ambiance dishes, which I often like to use together.


And here's a close up of the decor:

Okay, so that's really it for now!  Thanks for taking a look into my cupboards & a few of my spring dishes.

Look for some of these dishes to appear in tablescapes in the near future.

And of course, I'm joining with the "Heart of the Home Party."  Check it out for more fabulous cupboards! 

Tutorial Tuesday: Chicken Cordon Bleu....uh, I mean, Swiss

Last Thursday I shared my "All About the Eiffel" tablescape, which included a menu of Chicken Cordon Bleu, French Style Green Beans, & Croissants.  Ironically, yesterday was National Cordon Blue Day, so I figured what better time to share my easy, low-carb Chicken Cordon Bleu Swiss Recipe. 
(I hope you don't get tired of me referring to all these crazy national days & weeks......lately they've given me much inspiration!)

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU (OR SWISS):

Here's What You'll Need:
~ 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (the thinner, the better!)
~ 8 slices of ham (cut thin)
~ 4 oz. Bleu or Swiss cheese (I prefer Swiss)
~ 1 tablespoon butter (melted)
~ 1 large egg
~ 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese


Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350*.

2) Pound chicken to about 1/3" thick.

 3) Place 2 thin slices of ham on chicken.

4) Add 1/2 oz. cheese to each piece of chicken (sliced or grated).

5) Roll up, securing with a toothpick.

6) Beat egg & melt butter.



7) Mix the egg & butter together.

8) Dip chicken into the butter/egg mixture, rolling if needed to thoroughly cover.

9) Roll in Parmesan cheese & place in buttered baking dish.

10) Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top of chicken as needed/desired.

11) Bake at 350* for 35-45 minutes or until browned & tender.


And here's a bonus recipe for
ITALIAN GREEN BEANS:

What you'll need:
~ 1 large can green beans (I prefer French style)
~ 1 teaspoon Grill Mates steak seasoning
~ Approx. 1/3 to 1/2 cup Kraft sundried tomatoes salad dressing (to taste)
~ bacon bits or 1 slice raw bacon

Directions:
Add all ingredients.  Cook on low-medium heat for 15 -20 minutes.

It's that easy!

Be sure to remove the toothpicks from the chicken before serving.

{I added the little Eiffel Tower cocktail picks for fun.}

 

 Bon Appetit!

{Check out Mosaic Monday at Little Red House!}

Sunday Scripture: Trusting in God's Timing

Now Sarai was barren; she had no children. Genesis 11:30 (NIV)

The Lord had said to Abram, "......I will make you into a great nation...."

.....Abram was seventy-five years old. Genesis 12: 1-2, 4 (NIV)

The Lord said to Abram....., ".....I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted."  Genesis 13: 14-17 (NIV)

But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless....? You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."  Then the word of the Lord came to him, "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir."  He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them." Then He said to him, " So shall your offspring be."  Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.  Genesis 15: 2-6 (NIV)

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children.....so she said to Abram, "The Lord has kept me from having children.  Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."  Abram agreed to what Sarai said......He slept with [his maidservant], and she conceived.  Genesis 16: 1-4 (NIV)

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ".....I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.......I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you." Genesis 17: 1-2, 6 (NIV)

God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife.....I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her...."  Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?  Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"  Genesis 17: 15-17 (NIV)

Then the Lord said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son."  Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.  Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.  So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?"  Then the Lord said to Abraham, " Why did Sarah laugh and say, "Will I really have a child, now that I am old?"  Is anything too hard for the Lord?  Genesis 18: 10-14 (NIV)

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised.  Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.  Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him.  Genesis 21: 1-3 (NIV)

As I was reading through these passages a few weeks ago, these verses really hit home with me.  You see, I, like Sarah, have struggled with fertility issues.  While I plan to save my story for another time (just that fact that I shared this much is HUGE for me!), I couldn't help but share this passage now.....if for no other reason but to remind myself that God is in control and His timing is perfect. 

If you noticed in the above scriptures, these events take place over several chapters, but more than that, over a span of 25 years!  Abram, whose name was later changed to Abraham, was 75 years old when God first promised to bless him with a child.....and numerous descendants.  But it wasn't until he was 100 that Sarai, now Sarah, gave birth to Isaac!  Talk about having to trust God's promises and His timing.  (That makes my 4 years seem small in comparison.) 

What is also interesting to me is that God promised descendants greater than the stars in the sky (one of those descendents of whom would be Jesus Christ!) through Abraham's line, yet his wife Sarah and later Isaac's wife Rebekah were both barren!  (Genesis 25:21)  But in God's perfect time, he allowed both to have children.  Could it be that this was the only way to show that it was only by God's supernatural power that His promised was fulfilled, and not by anything man could do?

And speaking of man trying to take things into his own hands, Abram & Sarai tried to "fulfill" God's promise in their own way by having a child through the maidservant, which if you read on, only caused problems for them.

But God had a plan.....a perfect plan, and although Abraham's faith waivered at times (whose wouldn't after waiting for 25 years?), he still believed God (Genesis 15:6).  And in God's perfect timing, He fulfilled His promise and blessed Abraham beyond measure.

While you may not be struggling with infertility or longing for a child, there may be something else.....some other promise, some other longing....for which you continually hope & pray. 

What is it that God has promised you? 

Don't give up yet!  Know that if, like Abraham, you continue to trust & obey God, in His perfect timing, He will give birth to that promise!