Welcome to the 503rd Tablescape Thursday! I've just returned from spending three weeks with my son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons. I had never planned to stay quite that long but due to various reasons involving a delayed refrigerator delivery, my return date kept getting pushed out. When the day came that I had planned to leave, my son and dil pointed out Mother's Day was only 3 days away. I hadn't … [Read more...]
The Great Dish Storage Experiment, Plus Some New Chargers & Napkin Rings
May 17, 2018 by 51 Comments
The Elephants Who Came To Dinner
May 14, 2018 by 32 Comments
Welcome to the 485th Metamorphosis Monday! I've been visiting with family the last few weeks so don't have a typical Before and After to share, but I do have an amazing event to share that is a stunning Before and After. It only happens during the spring each year and draws visitors from everywhere. It makes me want to travel to Zambia so I can see it in person. Thanks goes to Winnie for sharing this … [Read more...]
Pagoda Umbrellas & Beautiful Cars
May 12, 2018 by 39 Comments
This morning my son, grandsons and I attended a local car show. I love vintage and antique cars so I awoke early, super excited to go. We didn't see a lot of vintage cars at the show, but I still enjoyed it tremendously. Some of the cars we saw are those you normally only see in car enthusiasts magazines. My son recognized and named many of them all as we walked around, including the McLaren that goes for … [Read more...]
Dining Outdoors for Summer: A Mostly Child-Friendly Table Setting
May 10, 2018 by 57 Comments
Welcome to the 502nd Tablescape Thursday! I've been visiting with family the last couple of weeks and we've been having so much fun! We've been doing a lot of grilling, or I should say my son's been doing a lot of grilling. I'm obsessed with corn-on-the-cob cooked on the grill now, don't think I'll ever be able to eat it any other way. Yum! With all this dining outdoors, I decided to … [Read more...]
My 5 Essentials for Traveling Internationally
May 8, 2018 by 30 Comments
It's that time of year when a lot of us are thinking more about vacation and travel. Recently, a friend and I scheduled a trip for fall. (Read more about that here: Pyramids, Mummies and Cruising the Nile.) When I travel, sometimes there's very little time to prepare if I've jumped on one of the "last-minute-travel-deals" that some travel companies offer, but in the case of the fall trip, there's plenty … [Read more...]
A Scam for Free Advertising
May 7, 2018 by 63 Comments
Welcome to the 484th Metamorphosis Monday! I've had to remove today's post. Sadly it appears to have been a scam to get free advertising. If you're a blogger, here's how this scam worked: I received an email a few weeks back that purported to be from a reader of BNOTP. The email was signed, Brenda and Bruce. In the email, Brenda and Bruce shared the makeover of their screened porch to a three season … [Read more...]
Pyramids, Mummies and Cruising the Nile River
May 6, 2018 by 76 Comments
Happy Weekend! It is absolutely gorgeous here, the kind of day that pulls you outdoors. I'll be heading outside for a hike this afternoon with my son, dil and grandsons. They have so many natural areas and parks here to enjoy, all perfect for hiking. I hope you are enjoying beautiful weather, be it spring or fall depending on where you live. Back in 2015 when I thought I was a year away from turning 60 … [Read more...]
3 Fabulous Themed Table Settings & A Brilliant Napkin Ring Storage Idea
May 3, 2018 by 35 Comments
Welcome to the 501st Tablescape Thursday! Between Naps On The Porch readers have some of the best ideas! Two lovely BNOTP readers came up with a clever idea for storing napkin rings: they both use pants hangers! Cynthia shared two photos showing how she stores her napkin rings. She uses pants hangers, the type that open out on one end. You can store a lot of napkin rings this way and … [Read more...]
Summer Shopping & A Big Sale
May 2, 2018 by 29 Comments
Whenever I visit with family here in Ohio, I stop by the local Talbots. I always pass right by it en route to my favorite grocery store, Dorothy Lane Market. If I ever move here, I would love to have a house within biking distance of DLM. I have this fantasy of hopping on my future pink or aqua colored cruiser bike, you know, the one with a wicker basket in front and two baskets in back :) and cruising … [Read more...]
Banana Bread: Delicious with Some Surprise Ingredients
April 30, 2018 by 38 Comments
Welcome to 483rd Metamorphosis Monday! Thank you so, so much for all the kinds words left in the comments of Thursday's post! I was traveling all day on Thursday and was out of town over the weekend, so I haven't had a chance to personally reply to everyone, but I'll be working on that throughout the week. I am so blessed by all the lovely dearhearts who stop in each day and want you to know I never … [Read more...]
