Monday Musings
Happy Monday! Did you have a nice weekend? We had a very nice warm and sunny day yesterday and drove up the interstate about half way between our home and our son's to meet him for lunch. It is always good to see him and have a meal and good conversation. His job often takes him out of state and his investigative work and management of others in his field doesn't allow for him to tell too many details, but we always get to hear about the traveling end of the job. One of his latest trips for work took him to California for meetings where his group got to tour Alcatraz and the next week saw him in Orlando for yet more meetings where he got to visit Epcot Center. BG and I have never been to either place. We did visit Disney World when the kids were young, but Epcot wasn't finished at that time.
Yesterday, January 19, was the date of my mother's birth. I always think of her on this date, and to honor her memory, I made myself a cup of tea using a cup from a set of china she bought for me as a wedding gift over 40 years ago. It isn't Spode or Wedgewood, but a simple set of china that my mother collected a few pieces at a time from a grocery store promotion that offered a different piece each week. She collected enough for a service for 12 along with a platter, covered casserole, and serving bowls.
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| Christmas 1983 |
This china is as special to me as any fine china as it holds a lot of memories for me. Not only do I think of my mother painstakingly collecting each piece, but I think of those who used to sit around my table for special occasions and holidays. These days I don't often use the china, preferring to use my favorite Pfaltzgraff Winterberry for Christmas and Mikasa's French Countryside for other occasions. For everyday meals, I am more likely to just use my white Corelle and even the occasional paper plate.
I love looking at beautiful tables, but I also know it's not the quality or pattern of the dishes that make a table sparkle. It's the love and laughter in the faces gathered there to share a meal, such as the meal we shared yesterday with our son in a little ordinary cafe. My holiday tables are now minus many place settings with my parents, grandmother, and brothers now gone, but their faces and laughter have never been forgotten, especially my sweet mother who dearly loved holidays. Happy Birthday, Mom.
Until next time...
Sweet post! Your china is lovely, it is a wonderful memory of your Mom. Glad you had a nice visit with your son! I wish it was warmer here, we are expecting a cold week. Take care and enjoy your week ahead!
ReplyDeleteSweet post! Your china is lovely, it is a wonderful memory of your Mom. Glad you had a nice visit with your son! I wish it was warmer here, we are expecting a cold week. Take care and enjoy your week ahead!
ReplyDeletea beautiful tribute to your mom. my mother loved all holidays and had a table cloth for each one, she had solid table clothes and her grandmother lace cloth was laid over it to let the colors show. she would loved this tea cup.. and so true, it is who is around the table not what is on it..
ReplyDeleteCheryl,
ReplyDeleteSo many times we hear people say that plates and cups and vases and tablecloths are just 'stuff', which they are, but they are also lovely little emblems connected to people we love, some of whom we've lost, and using them, whenever the need arises, brings back memories of their presence in our lives and spirit in our hearts.
Have a lovely week.
Poppy
I thought this was such a lovely post today.
ReplyDeleteI always love the moments I have with our children. I don't see them as often as I would like. Having a lunch with them now and then is awesome.
I too always have moments of thoughts and memories when my parents birthdays come. I miss them so much.
My mother used to collect tea cups and I inherited them. I also got her lovely china which we added more too it. I use this as part of my Christmas decorations and also for special holiday meals during Christmas time.
Blessings for stimulating my memories today!
gorgeous bloom. the weekend went way to fast ... here & gone type of thing. ( :
ReplyDeletei love the china set - collected piece by piece.
ReplyDeleteOh, what wonderful memories! (Happy Birrhday to your Mom in Heaven!) my grandmother bought me a set of these dishes also! Mine were the pink rose ones! I love mine and like you always used them with family around! Don't use them any more...I'm sorry to say..I miss that but most are gone now also...
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Gert
Such a nice tribute to your mom. I love that you had tea in her tea-cup on her birthday. That makes this set even more special.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing those memories. My Mom's birthday would have been today,she would have ben 85,but has been in Heaven since 1982.The memories will never leave us.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful post and such a way to celebrate your mom's birthday. I am so thankful for God's gift of memories. I can so relate to your feelings in regards to the china. My mother's dishes were not expensive dishes, but she loved them and for that reason, I love them even more...
ReplyDeleteblessings..
This is a beautiful remembrance of your Mother, Cheryl. The china she gave you is very pretty, and the fact she put the set together little by little makes it even more special. The only time I set my table special is Thanksgiving and Christmas, otherwise it's every day dishes for me. I'm so clumsy and I break so many so I buy sets at Ikea or WalMart.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet post and loving tribute to your Mom. It is the love associated with the china, not the name on the back that makes it special.
ReplyDeleteI have a big lump in my throat reading this, Cheryl. My mother collected dishes from the grocery stores, too, and using S&H green stamps to trade in for kitchen ware.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you have it and have those dear memories attached to it. xo Diana
Awww, I love how much you love your Mother.
ReplyDeleteThat's how folks did it, back in the day!! We had beautiful weather this past weekend, with lots of sunshine as well, but it was cold. Snow tomorrow and I could not be more excited!!
ReplyDeleteYour first image, the pink flower, made me smile. So nice to see that brilliant color, this time of year!!
Precious post honoring your Mom....
ReplyDeleteThe china is beautiful and even more special because it was from your mother.
ReplyDeleteYour words have gone straight to the heart this evening, Cheryl. Our family has been sorting the earthly possessions of my aunt who recently passed away. It is a hard thing.
ReplyDeleteI love that you used your mother's china to honor her on her special day. And your reminiscences of her are so precious. May warm and loving memories fill your heart...
Heartwarming post Cheryl, love that you use the pretty tea cup, so sweet, Blessings Francine.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post Cheryl. Your mothers china pattern is so pretty.
ReplyDeleteThis brought a few tears. My sweet Mother's birthday is today. She also collected grocery store dishes and my sis has those now (I think...I need to check on that).
ReplyDeleteLike you I have some beautiful chine brought over from Japan after WWII by my grandmother and given to me. Also we rarely use them because I won't put them in the dishwasher! I like your having different sets....if I had the storage space I would have lots of different ones, just service for 4. I love dishes....just bought an everyday set.
Have a good week.
PS: Your table looks beautiful.
Sweet, sweet tribute to your Mom, Cheryl and I love your thoughts on table gatherings and what makes them sparkle.
ReplyDeleteI kind of miss not having those dish deals at the grocery store... I had two sets of those myself. ;) blessings ~ tanna
I can so understand why the set of dinnerware is so special to you....it's from your mom!!! And with love.
ReplyDeleteAnd if you want my opinion, it's beautiful!!
Beautiful post, Cheryl. I enjoyed reading it.
ReplyDeleteYes---our holiday tables are minus many loved ones also. I can only imagine how special that china is to you. It is SO pretty.
ReplyDeleteTwo inches of snow here --and SO pretty. BUT--going down to about 5 degrees tonight... Gads. Did you get this stuff --or miss this one?
Hugs,
Betsy
I hope my daughters and my sons remember me and their dad and sister like you do. What a blessing to just be remembered. :)
ReplyDeleteAww, very sweet post Cheryl. I have some glasses I love of my Mom's. Such a sweet remembrance post. I think of my Mom every single day and it has been since 1987. Glad you get to see your son so often.. :)
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