We had a lovely time this past week, with family visiting. My Sweet Babboo’s brother and his wife were here for several days to do some sight-seeing, and visiting. We wanted to take them up on the Blue Ridge Parkway one day, and we stopped at Looking Glass Falls on the way up through Pisgah Forest. It was a nice day, not too hot or cold, but a bit overcast.
From there we drove up to the parkway, and went north to Mount Mitchell. Along the way we stopped at a few overlooks for photos.
Unfortunately, as is usually the case, Mount Mitchell was fogged in. So, we looked around the museum that is there, then got back on the parkway. The clouds cleared as we went down in elevation, so we stopped at more overlooks to see the views.
Gorgeous greens, with the smoky blue of the blue ridge.
You all know that I was in my element while they were visiting. I got to cook, and set pretty tables, and have them enjoy it. I still had this tablescape on the pub table when they arrived, so we had our first meal together with it. The blue and yellow theme has chickens on the table topper, napkin rings and in the center.
I made a wonderful lasagna recipe for the day they arrived. I cooked onions, ground beef and Italian pork sausage, and then added a jarred marinara sauce, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. The lasagna noodles were layered with ricotta cheese, meat sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, with a thick top layer of cheese. Baked until golden and bubbly, we ate it with a mixed green salad. It was huge, and I froze half of it to have later.
One morning, we brought our coffee out to the veranda and found the feeder had suffered an assault from the bear. It didn’t get the feeder, but it bent the metal pole to an angle.
My Sweet Babboo set up a winch and straps to try to straighten it out. We will leave the feeder down for a couple of weeks, so the bear will move on. The sad thing is without food nearby, the bluebirds may decide to build their second nest elsewhere.
While Brother and Sister-In-Law went to the Biltmore House, I set a table outside for a cookout meal that evening. I knew that after spending the whole day there, the one thing they would appreciate would be a casual meal at home. Grilled steaks, with my Parsley New Potatoes With Sour Cream Sauce, and a mixed greens salad was this night’s meal. On another night, we enjoyed her Tortilla Soup, and she has promised to send me that recipe. It was fabulous. I should have taken a picture of the thick and creamy soup full of chicken, black beans and corn, garnished with fresh avocado and sour cream with crispy tortilla strips. Yum!
I took my cue for the tablescape from the planter with the yellow and white flowers. This was the centerpiece on the veranda table.
I placed spring green placemats on the table, with spring green chargers topped with white dinner plates, and my lemon salad plates. The spring green napkins are held with yellow flower pot napkin rings. We ended up picking up the place settings and taking them inside for the meal, as the temperature dropped and the wind picked up, so it wasn’t comfortable outside at dinner time.
While they were at Biltmore House, I was able to get the longarm machine rethreaded and tension adjusted. I put in two rows of pantograph stitching, and it is doing OK.
I like the choice on the thread color, it looks nice on both the dark and the light. Hopefully, this week I can get back to it again and make more progress.
We watched A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks one evening on Netflix, and loved it. We’ve seen the Swedish version (A Man Called Ove on Prime Video), and it was really good, too. The American version was funny, and poignant, with some minor changes to the Frederick Bachman novel A Man Called Ove to make sense in an American setting. They taught us a new-to-us card game called Hand and Foot, and we played that into the late hours a couple of nights. Overall, we a great time. I can’t wait for them to come back, maybe in the fall to see our splendid color. Today is a car club event we are hosting, and it will take up most of the day. I’ll show you some of the fun I had with that soon.
What are you doing for fun this weekend?
From My Carolina Home 
Sounds like you really had a good week….hope your knee is behaving!
So much loveliness! And so green. We are finally getting some green here as the snow melts.
It sounds like a wonderful visit (and a delicious one, too!). I’m so glad you were feeling better and up to company. Your tables are beautiful (as always). That’s one strong bear. I hope the bluebirds will return.
It sounds like a wonderful visit. Your table settings look so inviting.
I love your tablescapes, they are always so lovely. And you have me hungry with those meals, even though it’s only 6:30 AM for me as I read this. Now I want lasagna for dinner and I hope that you’ll share the tortilla soup recipe when your Sister-in-law sends it to you.
Enjoy your car club event today. I’m working on a summer sweater in a knitalong, and I hope to get my grandson’s quilt sandwiched up today so that I can quilt it on my home machine in the next month. I have hip replacement surgery scheduled for August…two years believing that my increasing leg pain was due to a back issue and found out that my left hip is toast. That’s actually a wonderful thing because it can be fixed! So I’m doing (a modified) happy dance about it. I hope to mothball a few mobility aids I’ve had to use for the past year. I love modern medicine!
My weekend was filled with sewing (working on a raffle quilt for our quilt show) and making a Spiderman pillow for the 7-year-old grandson. Today is church and babysitting said grandson with his younger brother for the afternoon, then chatting on Skype with my sisters, cousin and uncle. Tomorrow we leave for your neck of the woods!! We’re making the extra trip this year because my mom is in a nursing home and not doing well at all. We always make the trip in July (Grandfather Mt. Highland Games!!!) to visit, but not sure she’ll make it that long, so I want to go sooner. Will be in the mountains of NC from Monday through Thursday, then heading home Friday.
I always love to read your Sunday chat, even if I don’t respond every time. Thanks for sharing your life!! 🙂
Carole, your guests enjoyed a fabulous stay and food while visiting. You have a gift of hospitality. Happy Sunday!
Sounds like lovely time with your visitors – delicious meals and beautiful sights! I would like to see “A Man Called Otto.” I loved the book, and love just about everything that Tom Hanks is in!
Hello Carole,
Thank you for your description of the visit of your family. Happy days for everybody.
It’s nice for me to read your stories . I love my family a lot but unfortunaly we don’t see each other not often.
The family of my husband we see regularly; he comes of a family of 7 ; 5 boys and 2 girls. We had 3 boys and 3 girls.
I always wanted a big family and I got one son. But I worked at school and in that way I had 1000 ! And now we have 2 nice grandchildren . What an happiness they bring in our lives.
I read about your adventures with the longarm. Here in Holland I know nowbody with a longarm. Machinequilting is a new thing here. I try to learn it and I make progres. But making quilts is not so common here as in the U.S so I make not so much big quilts and cannot excercise a lot.
Thank you again for the beatiful foto’s of the country and the birds. I can send you photo’s of flat Holland ! but I don’t know or my mail did reach you.
Have a happy Sunday.
Hartelijke groet van Marjolein
What a lovely family visit, and all the food sounds scrumptious! I used to play Hand and Foot regularly with a group of friends – it’s a fun game. My dad worked for the CCC camps building fire breaks in the Blue Ridge mountains during the depression. In 1981, we took a family trip and drove part of the parkway and my dad told stories of his time in the camp. You live in such a beautiful part of the country, I appreciate seeing your pictures and the memories they bring up for me 🙂
Love the flower pot napkin rings! So cute
My family was at the Biltmore last week and was so impressed with the area and mountains too. We did this drive when I was a kid and I remember the grandeur of it all, from an Illinois “flatlander” it’s so amazing. You’re amazing with all you get done! I did a hike with “some” dogs and friends. Thanks
How funny! I have lasagna in the oven right now, having green salad, garlic bread and fruit pizza also. Friends and sister in law are the guests.
I finished another wall hanging last night, so will have net out for stash busters.
I love the chick table topper and napkin rings and I do love the very large coffee mug planter containing the yellow flowers. So beautiful.
Hi Carole! In your picture of Looking Glass Falls, it looks like a bride & groom is down below. Did you crash a wedding?! 😉 In 2009 we drove through the Great Smoky Mountains and stopped at the national park site while the 75th anniversary of the park was being celebrated. While in the area we also toured the Biltmore. It was a wonderful road trip! Glad you had such a nice visit with relatives.
I forgot to ask – what pantograph are you using on the QOV? Thanks!
Some fun outings with family! I especially enjoyed seeing the waterfalls!
Hurray, you finally got to entertain! Love the photos, I never get tired of seeing waterfalls & green mountains. I just finished 2 quilts, club projects, a free FQS pattern & bonus quilt from the leftover hsts. Almost all the fabric came from the donation table plus a bit of mine & some relics from Mom. The club hoped everyone would donate them to the comfort quilt program. But ……… my husband likes one & he never comments on my quilts. Does he get to keep it?
I vote yes, let him keep it. I know that I would do it for my husband.
Today we had our 75th Anniversary Celebration at our church. I was on the planning committee and today was the result of weeks and weeks of work, given gladly to our congregation and to the glory of God. All went on without a hitch. We had a great service, a wonderful fellowship hour and a great catered meal. Tomorrow I become reacquainted with my poor neglected sewing machine…I’m hoping to have something to report on our next stashbusters check-in!
So fun for you to be entertaining again, and we all get to enjoy your beautiful tables and menu ideas. I would love that recipe for the chicken tortilla soup! Your mountains are so incredibly green, just beautiful. Good luck fixing the feeder and getting that naughty bear to move on. 🐻
Your lasagna looks scrumptious! Brings back memories of my dad’s lasagna! It is a special meal! Sounds like a wonderful family visit!
We love playing hands and feet. Great game
So enjoyed this chat! I am amazed @ all your dinner setups, they are so pretty not to mention the food you prepare your guests, outstanding! Loved the Looking Glass Falls, have not seen that one but have been to the Biltmore house, very interesting & boy was I pooped after a full tour of that house! Have been back to planting this last week. I planted Lemongrass, Dahlias, Cosmos, Blue My Mind, Vinca flowers & green beans. Then helped Kurt move furniture out of his deceased brother’s house & bringing it to our house. Picking up fresh eggs from a farmer this morning before I do a little shopping & then I’m off to go visit a friend. After that if it’s not too late will probably work in the basement arranging furniture around so I can find & get to my stuff! This is going to be quite challenging! Have a great week Carole!
Sounds kike a fantastic visit. You are the consumate host!
Beautiful views on your drive and the waterfall looks wonderful!
Interesting the way the bear was bending the support pole. Hope it goes back properly.
It sounds like you had a wonderful family visit. I always enjoy seeing your tablescapes. I can’t even hope to come close to setting such a pretty table. Your lasagna looks delicious.
The quilting looks like it is finally coming along.
Catching up…sounds like you had a wonderful time with your visitors. That bear sounds like it could do some damage . I enjoyed time outside on Saturday watching while my daughter and granddaughter ran a 5K together. Going to spend the next couple of days editing the footage into one continuous video. Wish me luck! Thank goodness the sun is back out for a bit.
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