Although fall doesn't end until December twenty-first, this Sunday marked the first week of advent, and the weather forecasters are threatening snow and freezing temperatures. Sure feels like winter has arrived. I suppose it's time to take the pumpkins out to the compost heap or let them decorate the flower beds as they turn to mush. Maybe a few batches of pumpkin soup for the freezer are in order. Little too much raffia between the Indian corn. - less next year. Easy to get excited with a new package of raffia, right? BTW the half cut off guy on the right who should have been cropped out of the picture is St. Fiacre, patron of gardeners and cab drivers. And from Wikipedia - "Saint Fiacre is commonly invoked to help heal people suffering from various ills, based on his reputed skill with medicinal plants. His reputed aversion to women is believed to be the reason he is known as the patron saint of venereal disease sufferers. He was known for healing hemorrhoids, which were called "Saint Fiacre's illness" in the Middle Ages." So he's got you covered coming and going.
But first it's time to put away the last of the dishes from three tables. Next year I'll take pictures of the tables like blog pal Linda did. Now where did all of this stuff come from?
Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend! So how long does it take you to put away fall and bring out Christmas? I am assuming you do go all out for Christmas too?
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't take long at all to put fall away - maybe an hour. Some years I really do a lot for Christmas, other years nearly nothing at all. Thanksgiving got done up this year because it was such a special one with so many relatives coming over. Since we seldom have people visit during the holidays, it seems silly to decorate for just us. Although the Tom is making noises about putting up a tree this year.
DeleteOf course you need to put up a tree! Silly man.
DeleteOh, Peter! I would love to see your wonderful house in person and meet your partner.
ReplyDeleteAlice, you're always more than welcome but do call in advance so that I can pick up the dirty socks, roll up the heavy layer of dog hair covering every surface and sweep the piles of dirt under the carpet.
DeleteI wonder what is was that made St. Fiacre the patron saint of cab drivers?
ReplyDeleteFrom http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-fiacre/ - Fiacre’s connection to cab drivers is because the Hotel de Saint Fiacre in Paris, France rented carriages. People who had no idea who Fiacre was referred to the cabs as Fiacre cabs, and eventually just as fiacres. Those who drove them assumed Fiacre as their patron.
DeleteThis just in. Fiacre is also the patron of the following:
ReplyDelete•against barrenness
•against fistula
•against haemorrhoids
•against piles
•against sterility
•against syphilis
•against venereal disease
•box makers
•cab drivers
•costermongers
•florists
•gardeners
•hosiers
•pewterers
•taxi drivers
•tile makers
Thank goodness they thought of the box makers! Imagine the cocktail party with St. Fiacre's followers, what a motley crew.
DeleteOh, my! Your interior is as gorgeous as your EXterior!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rebecca. We are very lucky to have found our house in such bad shape as it's the only way we could have afforded it..
DeleteJust talked to a friend who hosted a measly 14 people and spent 4 hours doing dishes. You must have had a regular marathon. So glad we get to see some of those special table settings and your holiday-perfect house. It reminds me of the Ingmar Bergman movie 'Frannie and Alexander'. It stands in for 'It's a Wonderful Life' in this household.
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't get any pictures of the actual table settings instead of a bunch of dishes piled up ready to be put away. It's great that there was so much help but Tom was up until midnight washing dishes. I fell asleep long before that. There were still things to be cleaned the next day. Lots of fun though. 'Frannie and Alexander' is new to me but I'll certainly find it!
DeleteYour autumn decoration looks wonderful Peter, and your post heartwarming :) can imagine that you'll go all out for Christmas too.
ReplyDeleteSometimes Christmas decoration gets left to my sister who hosts that holiday at her house and I enjoy not having to take down and put away the decorations.
DeleteI'm thankful for blogging friends who share their considerable delight in the Thanksgiving festivities and food. How wonderful that you had so many relatives and friends to share the meal with - it's an ambitious undertaking!
ReplyDeleteAs for St. Fiacre, his modest size certainly belies his comprehensive coverage of ills and skills. What a guy! And what exactly IS a costermonger, anyway?
What a sweet thing to say.
DeleteA costermonger is clearly a monger of coster. I didn't know either but Wikipedia says, "Costermonger, Coster or Costard is a street seller of fruit (such as apples) and vegetables, in London and other British towns. They were ubiquitous in mid-Victorian England, and some are still found in markets. As usual with street-sellers, they would use a loud sing-song cry or chant to attract attention. Their cart might be stationary at a market stall, or mobile (horse-drawn or wheelbarrow). The term is derived from the words costard (a now-extinct medieval variety of large, ribbed apple[1]) and monger; i.e., seller."
Lordy, you are a more incurable collector than I am. I would love to be a guest in that dining room! Overdoing the raffia? Nah. The abundance looks just right.
ReplyDeleteLots of it came from various relatives since we have the space. Maybe we could do a Washington Garden Bloggers' Get together at my place sometime. It's a lot less impressive when you see the cracked and falling plaster in person.
DeleteThe table looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteIt's been cold here too.
Thanks, that's just the dining room table that is piled up with the tableware waiting to be put away from all the tables.
Delete28 guests?? Your house is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWe have a big family. There are parts of the house that are nice - it's all in how you hold the camera.
DeleteBeautiful house. Thanksgivings--go big or not at all, I always think. Glad yours was a good one.
ReplyDeleteThanks, the house needs lots of work still! Hope you also had a good Thanksgiving!
DeleteOlder houses have so many elegant touches and woodwork, I can see that there would also be a lot of problems. But the stained glass, etc. would make up for a lot of it. I like the blue glass, blue is a favorite of mine too. So funny, coming and going. But naughty.
ReplyDeleteI think that the positive aspects of living in an old house outweigh the negative ones most of the time. Hope you had a great turkey day!
DeleteI can just imagine how beautiful your table was…just as wonderful as your decorations. You must do a little something for Christmas as your home and its lovely woodwork would be the perfect background.
ReplyDeleteSome years I go all out for Christmas; other years I do very little or nothing. This is looking like a lesser year as Christmas is so close and I've not done anything yet.
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