Very Tired

I am going to bed now, but had to post today...house is cleaned, table is set, shopping is done (well, almost)...tomorrow is cooking day - hooray!  This afternoon I added a last minute item to the menu...why?  Because I love danger, that's why.

The table is on the simple side and that's the way I like it.  I mixed up our everyday dishes with the china and put a stripe of brown craft paper down the center of the table over the linen.  There are tiny white votives and the tray in the middle is fresh cranberries.  This is one of the place settings up close.

You will notice as I failed to do while taking this photograph that there is a spoon missing.  The ginormous spoon in the background is actually a sterling silver stuffing spoon and it belonged to my paternal grandmother.  It was given to me as a wedding gift by my older sister.  Cool. 

My grandmother's name was Stella.  She died when I was ten.  I don't remember or know much about her except that one of her signature moves was when shown to a table by a restaurant host she often would smile and say, "you can do better than that."  I might have a teensy bit o' Stella in me.  I will always ask for the booth.

Ah, it also occurs to me that Noelle was looking for Thanksgiving dessert.  My mom is making a pumpkin pie and a pear kuchen.  This is an old German family recipe.  I'll see if I can get the recipe and I'll post it with a pic.  I realize I am too late for this year for you...sigh.  There will be other Thanksgivings.  I am also making a pecan tart with chocolate in the filling.