Thanksgiving

I realized yesterday that one of my very favorite things is getting ready to have people over. I remember this as a child, as well, when my parents would have family or friends coming by, especially for a holiday. The house felt hushed and clean, the afternoon expectant. I start early so I am never rushing this part. I like it after they all get here, too, but there is something about that time, maybe two hours before, that feels like the moment that repeats, and brings me back to old holidays, past gatherings. It's the moment before the official moment.

I spy a small dog, waiting for the official moment.

We indulged, culinarily speaking, with all the usual suspects. This mushroom melange was the basis for the new stuffing I made this year, from the Williams-Sonoma catalog.

You bake cream biscuits in the morning and then toast chunks of them to use as the bread cubes. It was good stuff.

I was so happy with my runner! I finished it early in the week, along with eight napkins (without appliques, alas — but I did fringe them all, which was strangely satisfying) and my new linens matched up with my new dishes quite nicely, and I was entirely pleased.

Naturally I did not allow anyone to put a single dish on it, like a big platter of turkey or a ginormous pot of bubbling au gratin potatoes. Are you kidding me? Did you see how long it took me to make this thing???

Joking. By the end of the night it was covered in all manner of dinner components. It's in the wash now, but I really think it will be just fine. It is one heavy-duty runner.

Around 2, I lit the candles. I love this room on winter afternoons. It's pale blue, and for special dinners I turn on my grandma's pink glass lamps, so there's a sort of alpinglow effect happening. I like it. The cuckoo clock was hers, too. The pinecone heart I found at Goodwill last week, but it's handmade — there's cereal-box cardboard on the back of it. It was one of those weird "I wanted one of those and then suddenly I found one of those" things.

My mom makes the absolute best sugar cookies. I'm not sure what the confection is — I think marshmallow/chocolate/peanut butter. I'm all about those cookies. They're gone now. [Sad.]

After dinner, pie eating and much Yahtzee drama ensued.

Looks like somebody didn't get a Yahtzee. Thank goodness for CoolWhip consolation. Sorry about the blurry pix — it was actually quite dark in there.

Comments

[Susan, Tsawwassen, BC]

Okay, now I'm feeling guilty about our cuckoo clock. We have the exact same one as you (by the looks of it) ... it belonged to my husband's grandmother. We've always had it up on the wall. We've always liked it. Nice memories for my husband, too. I saw a reproduction recently in a nice decor store and it was painted a glossy, shiny white. I LOVE white. You know what I'm thinking ... do you think it would be sacrilege? My husband is willing to paint it, he just likes it to be up somewhere in the house, he doesn't care if it's white or brown. I'm wondering, though, now. Hhhmmm. But come on ... glossy white ... can't you picture it?
P.S. Your runner looks great!!

[Frogdancer]

To the commenter above: Don't paint the clock! You'll ruin it and people wjho come after you will be appalled. Just go and buy a new clock if that's the look you want.

Ahem.... What I wanted to say was that you made Thanksgiving look so very warm and attractive to this Aussie. I can see why you wild and crazy Americans love it so much.

[Lorilee]

I agree, don't paint the clock!!!Looks like ya'll had fun!Hmm, I don't think I've ever experience calm before guests. I try to be prepared, but I always have something to hustle and bustle about!
Blessings,
Lorilee

[Carolyn A.]

The runner turned out beautiful! You are so crafty and a great seamstress. I love that you all have so much fun together and I like playing Yahtzee too. I even have a handheld game. :) Your table spread was like looking at a magazine article in Good Housekeeping. Adored the picture where you could just make out Clover in her little bed. Was she a good girl during dinner? xxoo

[laura frantz]

Elvis sighting!
Just kidding. He must get that all the time. Right? Maybe?
I love the runner, it's very inspiring. And those cookies? What a cozy evening.

[suzanne b.]

What a lovely table you set! And then all those nice folks around it. Perfect. :) Happy Thanksgiving, Alicia.

[Julie]

Looks like a great Thanksgiving was had by all. We introduced your Sour Cream Apple Pie to the mix this year, and it was a great hit. Thanks so much for that, and all the other wonderful things you share on posie. It is a daily treat. :)

[HeidiAnn]

Great pictures, Alicia!
Those cookies look SO fabulous! Wish I could make some that looked like that!

[April B]

The runner looks beautiful, I wouldn't let a platter touch it either. Sounds like you have a wonderful holiday!

[Barb (aka Craft Junkie)]

Your runner and table are gorgeous...and it looks like a wonderful time was had by all. YAY for sugar cookies!
Peace & Love,
~Barb~

[SooDarwin]

I knew that table runner would play a starring role very soon - well done. Looks like a lovely time was had. x

[Martha]

Everything looks beautiful...Yahtzee is one of our favorites, too! :o)

[Sarah]

Your mum's baking looks like Rocky Road: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Road

[Homemadeoriginals]

Your table runner looks great, as does everything else.

[amy a.]

It looks like a really nice day, but I was a little surprised to see cool whip on your table. I took you for a 'heavy cream whipped up just before pie' kind of gal. :)

Thanks for sharing your day with us.

[Desiree Fawn]

Awe -- this looks like SUCH a nice family dinner!

[sassypriscilla]

Your runner is AWESOME. I really like it. Glad your day was nice!

[caren]

This made me chuckle about getting ready for company to come at holidays - when my daughter was young, she would get so excited about company coming that she literally would be sick by the time they would arrive! Thankfully, she has outgrown this!

[Trixie]

Another reason why you're on my list of things to be thankful for this year. One of my resolutions for 2009 is to try to get back to being a calm place in the sea of the world's chaos -- to be the kind of home where hearts can gather and find joy and peace. In other words, I wanna be more like you again! Thanks for your inspiration in so many areas of life.

[Cathy Santarsiero]

Dear Alicia, Your runner turned out so pretty and your mom's cookies look toooooo yummy. Happy Thanksgiving weekend to you and yours! Warmly, Cathy in NY ^..^

[she-ra]

Oh! You are a force to be reckoned with, finishing projects left and right. I am impressed. Looks like a great celebration. Happy Thanksgiving!

[trashalou]

Looks like Rocky Road is on the plate with the sugar cookies.

[Lisa A]

What a score on that pine cone wreath at the thrift store. I never find good stuff like that.
And, commenter #1, paint that clock if it makes you happy. Life is too short not to enjoy the things you live with. If those who come after you want a brown clock, I'm sure there will be plenty to be found somewhere - maybe at Goodwill.

[collette ~ all over the map]

Happy Thanksgiving. Everything looked so lovely. Living in Australia now it's hard to not miss Thanksgiving and 4th of July. And Halloween. I always felt like Tday was the precursor to sort of get the ball rolling for Christmas. The big lead up. It's also summer here which is weird coming from the northern hemisphere. It's a big adjustment especially when Christmas is traditionally associated with wintery ideas, if you know what I mean?
That runner is simply lovely and my family are also big fans of yahtzee. woohoo! I miss it but enjoy reading about those celebrating it.
Hope you had a wonderful time and ate entirely too much. I mean after all, that is par for the curse,eh.

[Cary]

Your table is beautiful! I LOVE the table runner (may I borrow the idea?), I LOVE the small touches of blue (turquoise?), the vase, the COOKIES, PERFECT!