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This may go down in history as the very worst post I’ve ever written.
Which actually makes it kind of exciting. Historic in a way really.
But nonetheless … a terrible post in terms of writing. Mainly because there isn’t going to be any. This is going to be a pretty picture post. You see, it’s Sunday night and I’ve just spent the past 3 days cooking, preparing, serving and cleaning. I said my last entertaining word around 1 hour ago when our last guests left.
Then I fell into a heap on the floor.
Oh … you know what … I think I actually got the timeline wrong. The heaping happened around 3 hours before the guests left. It was an unfortunate incident which you will see more of in a moment.
O.K. Onto the Thanksgiving dinner inspiration photos ’cause I know you like those.
No more writing.
At all.
None.
Start looking at the pictures now.
The meal began early in the day gathering tomatoes from the garden for the Caprese salad.
It already sounds idyllic doesn’t it? I mean come on. Gathering tomatoes from the garden for God’s sake?
I D Y L L I C
The front porch was swept …
… and the planters planted.
The table.
This is what last years table and outdoor festivities looked like, with mismatched antique plates.
This year I went all white rectangular. Snazzy.
I gathered all of the moss around the table at the cottage last year and this year.
Again with the idyllic.
You know this whole idyllic thing is going to end soon, right?
Because nobody lives their lives this way.
My Thanksgiving is no different than yours.
It’s a shit show.
The kids table.
Maple Sugar suckers to make ‘em happy,
and personalized chalkboards to keep ‘em busy.
Shockingly … this little plan actually worked.
The kids stayed and ate at their own table without wandering into the grown up room where the stripper was performing.
The meal ended with SEVERAL pies including apple, cherry cheese pie and the star of the show,
Pumpkin Pie made with real pumpkin
Then it was just a matter of the Great Gobble Off and shoving everyone out the door.
(video to follow in the next week or so) (of the gobble off, not shoving everyone out the door)
Everyone left out the back door as well.
Luckily I anticipated this and did planters by the back door as well.
Seems nice doesn’t it?
A lovely Thanksgiving.
And it was.
For everyone who managed to squeeze into the dining room.
Seems I underestimated how big 15 people are.
Me, one of my sisters and my niece quietly ate in the kitchen.
We had no cutlery.
Or chairs.
The cutlery was on the dining room table at our place settings which were taken over by my apparently enormous family and we felt stupid going to get it.
I found 3 teaspoons which we all ate our Thanksgiving dinner with.
See? Even if someone’s life looks idyllic, it probably isn’t. Which is not to say it isn’t fun. Or enjoyable. Or hilarious. My non idyllic evening was all of those things.
Or so I thought as I sat, in a heap on the floor.
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Diane
Best post ever!
Aimee
Happy Thanksgiving, and everything looks lovely. But what great memories for those lucky enough to eat in the kitchen, with the tablespoons!
Kat
OMG!!! That is too funny! Did anyone from the dining room even miss you? I recognize those Salt and Pepper shakers with the bigger holes drilled into them! Stunning table but I really love the mismatched plates. Reminds me of the first time I ever seen something like that was about 30 years ago in Toronto at a Brit pub called Pimbletts. Changed my whole attitude on home decor for the rest of my life. But that being said Happy Thanksgiving Karen!
Claudine
I love all of it! Missed planters, new menu, eating with spoons sitting on the floor. Memories.
rktrixy
Oh, you made my day. I’m planning a dinner party for two couples, haven’t cooked in ages, have both a front and back door that people never know where to head to which…. so now after reading about your Thanksgiving, I’m looking forward to it even more. Mayhem and chaos – it’s great!
Gotta say, I loved the table, and the kids table, and I GOTTA know what white trash salad is!
Karen
rktrixy – Here you go …. http://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/white-trash-salad/! ~ karen
Elle
I love your Thanksgiving decor – the tomatoes, the framed chalkboard menu (must have!), the planters, the broom and those amazing white pumpkins!
I’m sure you, your sister and your niece had a really fun meal in the kitchen – talking and laughing.
Tricia Rose
The meal looks absolutely fabulous, I have just Pinned the planters and I feel sad that I don’t have MY sister and niece with me to eat and giggle on the floor. You went to a lot of trouble, but just rewrote Memorable!
Maggie
Absolutely the best post ever – perfectly posed piccies (as always), witty wondrous writing (as always), a hard to beat delicious dining denouement at the end (totally worth the anticipation).
Happy Thanksgiving wishes from the Rhineland Pfalz, Germany – we are just in the process of giving thanks for all the new wine that is now available – which can put you on the floor in the kitchen as well, but you certainly get all of the style and composition ‘heaping’ points
Sue T.
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Day Karen ! You look so happy just to be finally sitting down , even if it is on the floor !!
This was a wonderful (wordless) post, and I sure hope your family knows how lucky they are to have you knocking yourself out for them.
Jen
Oh Karen…your dining room table looks so lovely….too bad you didn’t get to sit at it! Seriously it’s probably one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen, and has me contemplating going out in a rainstorm to try and dig up some moss for today.
I hope you enjoy today….maybe hanging out in your PJ’s and fuzzy socks with a plate of leftovers. Happy Thanksgiving to you and the Fella!
mimiindublin
Kitchen is always the best place, and the kitchen floor must be even better! Apart from the kids’ table, that is!
Happy Thanksgiving Karen!
Susan Whelan
Funny how memories are made and the things that make something memorable. Of all the wonderful family meals we had over the years, the one that is unforgettable is the one that my mother ended up eating in the kitchen because there was no room for her at the table. Sound familiar?
Your table is lovely and I like the kid’s table best. Inquiring minds want to know…how many people said afterwards, “it was absolutely wonderful but it would have been just perfect with the white trash salad.”?
Rebecca
Wonderful! My parents had seven daughters, and with seven daughters came seven son-in-laws and with these couplings, 30 grandchildren. Our Thanksgiving was as well “idyllic”, but we surrendered to our large gatherings a long time ago. We focus on fab food, big laughs and lots of full bellies leaving my parent (back) door…That’s when you know you’re family! Happy Thanksgiving!
Barbara
Best post ever! the first one that I have ever forwarded…thanks for being so “real”….I mean the decorating and plans are perfect but rarely is life “perfect”! Thanks Karen—Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Barbara
Karen
Thank you Barbara! ~ karen
Alicia Herron
Usually (I believe) we are already a little overwhelmed by our family (when they arrive) by the time dinner rolls around… hence eating in another room is sometimes better! Plus… usually that’s where you can eat out of the pans that were used to cook in <— a weird love of mine.
Your pictures are gorgeous and I hope your family helped clean up!!!
Alicia Herron
oh… also.. are the plants in your arrangements edible?(they look it) and if so… will you eat them <– said like Harry Caray of Saturday night live.
Karol
Wonderful! Makes me excited about my Thanksgiving plans. But is it just me, or at first glance do those white dining chairs look like a toilet from behind. What a concept!
Amie Mason
Did you paint those pumpkins white? I’ve never seen a white pumpkin…. until now!
Karen
Amie – Half of the pumpkins are fake and half are real. (the big ones fake … the little ones are real) But I often buy real large white pumpkins. They started selling them around these parts a few years ago. Love the white pumpkins. ~ karen!
Cindy Marlow
It was beautiful (at least what you chose to share in photos) and I hope you know it was time well spent in giving your family the kind of Thanksgiving they deserve. Can’t wait for the gobble off. Watching last year’s video cracked up my entire family. This year WE have a new tradition!
dmarie
It’s good to know that idyllic doesn’t mean “unrealistic”….I prefer the sitting on the floor eating with spoons– Looked like a lot of laughs….On a completely off note, I want your shoes in the picture of you on the floor…Could you possibly clue me in on the them???
Karen
dmarie – Oh! Thank you. They’re deerskin moccasins. You can get them on the native reserves around here or at touristy sort of spots around cottage country in Ontario. Softest, most comfortable footwear ever made. ~ karen!
Kristina
Looks and sounds like an idyllic time was had! Having five silverware stealing dogs, I compleately understand the improper use of a teaspoon. This morning’s oatmeal will be eaten with a fork, unless I decide to wander around the yard looking for a spoon. Oh, hey! Is that my spatula behind that bush?!
Bonnie
I’m still guffawing (is it too early in the day to “guffaw”?) that everyone came in through other door.
Karen, it did look “Idyllic”. The table setting, especially blew me away.
Do you let others bring any of the menu items or other items on their own?
My family (ok, the Hubby’s) specializes in the the white trash salad. Have had 2 SIL’s bring it along for the same dinner one time. Nice having that take over as the main dish and having the turkey, etc,. end up as the sides…. Yeah….
Cassie
Those benches will do that to you. We have one and unless you have little kids sitting on it, you aren’t gonna fit as many as you think
Better kick a few off your list for next year or just SET UP a table in the kitchen. Thanks for pictures of your “shit show”. stunning.. er. I mean idyllic.
ev
Your table was lovely, as were the seen and unseen outdoor arrangements. Waiting with bated breath to hear how your guests (seated and not), liked the new menu. Through the years I have heard guests gripe that this dish or that dish was missing. Tragedy! Like the white trash salad! Well, I hope you had a great time anyway!
Janie Farmer
Are those flowering cabbages in the planters? Are they easy to grow? I can only grown hardy hibiscus in the yard. Even my tulip & daffodil bulbs are afraid of me, they refuse to come out of the ground.
Happy Thanksgiving! Get your happy any way you can.
Mary Werner
for all this and 3 teaspoons, we give thanks, honestly give thanks for you and your wonderful post – helps me put into perspective my own idyllic event that we attempt every year – no one else wants to go thru the **** show trouble but loves to come and watch us do it and we are thankful for that also since we usually laugh and remember all the non idyllic moments the most – go figure
marilyn
hahah karen so great! the table looks awesome but where do you put the food. do you serve it or have it buffet style?and there have been many dinners like that at our house..its still always fun. happy thanksgiving.and your pie looks amazing!
Karen
Marilyn – We put the food on the kitchen table and everyone served themselves then went and sat down in the dining room. Or the kitchen floor. ~ karen
sera
I was going to ask just that. Last year we set all the food out on the table, and things were too big and hot to pass, so we all had to get up and roam around or pass plates. It was actually pretty funny, but I’m definitely doing buffet style this year. Also, you’re right. Thanksgiving should be in October. There isn’t enough time between Thanksgiving and Christmas either.
Langela
I would have preferred the kitchen floor over the dining table any day. It’s always more fun when you don’t have to ‘act’ all grown up and such.
Deb
Everything looked absolutely gorgeous. Happy Thanksgiving.
Great post! (As always)
Ruth
LOL! The floor situation actually looked more FUN than the dining table.
Lovely planters… what is the name of the plant/vegetable that has the lavender in the centre?
Karen
Ruth – That’s an ornamental cabbage. ~ k!
Tigersmom
Awesome! I bet you three in the kitchen had a better time than everyone else.
Now, on to business:
1.Even your broom is cool!
2.Please tell me where you found those fabulously sexy curvaceous salt and pepper shakers.
And 3. I think Margaret approved of your beautiful table setting.
Congrats on pulling off another entertaining coup.
Karen
Tigersmom – Broom’s from a thrift store, S&P from an antique store or flea market (can’t remember). Margaret burped. ~ karen
Tigersmom
Thanks and I now love Margaret even more.
Melissa
Congrats on a job well done. Love your decorating, inside and out. My daughter is getting married next Fall and has choosen white pumpkins, mercury glass and succulents as the base of her decorating. It was nice to see your silver with white pumpkins!
Thank you. Happy Canadian Thankgiving.
Kath Fryia
I made your pumpkin pie with my own homegrown pumpkin. Everyone loved it. Idyllic.
Karen
Wow! Made with your own pumpkin! Now that’s impressive. ~ karen!
Laura Ingalls Gunn
Totally idyllic and adorable. I kept waiting for the gnomes to show up or the other shoe to fall.
Next year, invite me, my hinny is pretty small.
Karen
Hah! I’ve decided to just blow out a wall to accommodate a longer table. So feel free to let your hinny grow. ~ karen
Pat
Gobble, gobble! Yep, the hostess with the mostess. Sometimes I feel like throwing the meal on the table and going upstairs with a good book and let them all fight over the last piece of pie!
Mary
My favorite part was the phrase “shit show”. Nice to know I am not the only one. My ungrateful brother-in-laws show up every year empty handed and then proceed to get drunk. None of them are married (wonder why?) so I get to host every year as my Mother-in-law is elderly. I HATE this holiday! So much work for a meal that they eat in 15 minutes and then they start the annual Thanksgiving poker game. We don’t have a white trash salad, we have a full blown white trash Thanksgiving. So wish I could at least have one “Martha Stewart” thanksgiving….
Auntiepatch
Next year take your MIL to Cabo and have a GOOD time!
Karen
Karen!
You made me laugh out loud. This post is awesome.
Karen
Happy Thanksgiving Karen!!! ~ karen!
Janet
Simply put, I absolutely love your post.
Reg
Lovely, lovely pictures. Everything looks perfect. Even you sitting on the floor, because you must have been exhausted. That’s a lot work for a lot of people. Thanks for sharing.
Barbaea
I would love to have celebrated in such a festive place. Even (especially) on the kitchen floor. Looks like it turn out perfect! Happy memories for all! Thanks for sharing.
Barbara
Not Barbaea BARBARA!
Auntiepatch
This was the best post EVER! Well, maybe not EVER but it was great!
Susan
Where did you get your plates?
Karen
The Dollar Store!! (Dollarama in Canada) ~ karen
Susan
I’m going to get me some;).
Kim Kline
Brilliant. I think every single second of this experience sounds like perfection.
Sherry
wow… this was a great post to return to, and I laughed out loud… been gone, too busy for too long but arrived home to make a dinner for my beautiful family blend, sadly pissed off my sister cause i chose to stay home _ wouldn’t go to her house and loved every minute of the sentiments and food I lovingly prepared… nothing surprising or particularly delightful, except that we gave extraordinary thanks for being together. Thank you for the laugh this morning – Your posts always make me want to be better, but I for one would not have enjoyed the floor. I would have noted your beautiful decorating and been so grateful for your attention to detail. Have a restful day!
Spokangela
See? IDYLLIC. That cracked me up. I love the menu. What a celebration of the harvest! I am off to the store to get me some of those pepper plant dealies you have in your planter. I saw them the other day and I love how you paired them with the cabbages. Beautiful ideas and awesome post Karen!
FLP
Beautiful day in our little town. Walk on the Rail Trail and now leftover turkey. Today it is sandwiches but tomorrow I am considering The Best Chicken Curry Salad recipe. Have you made it with leftover turkey?
Karen
FLP – I haven’t, but I’m sure it would be great. Didn’t even think of it! I may just put that recipe to use myself. ~ karen!
cc
you are my inspiration Karen… loved the white and table settings, and I am so envious of your tomatoes, why is it that those dam worms find mine before they even get a friggin chance… lol
I would have loved enjoying your company and feast.
Great job and a really nice post.
Evalyn
Yet another difference between you and Martha Stewart – who I adore, don’t get me wrong. But while Martha would have totally eaten her dinner on the kitchen floor with a spoon rather than disturb her guests, she would never have shared the experience with her public. Thank you for being a regular person like me.
Kim
Happy Thanksgiving Karen and thanks for keeping it real.
That last shit show photo is priceless! Seems like a great time was had by all especially those in the kitchen.
Brenda J. M
I got a rock! Oops, wrong October holiday. I’ve been all lonesome after a week in bed (at times) with a nasty gastro-bug.
Your table looks splendid and I’m glad your family was around to fill the spaces for you. The floor looks nice too. Very cute story.
Shauna
Pushing the ‘like’ button now;)
sera
Also, your table is freaking gorgeous! And an inspiration to my table this year. The kitchen is always tons of fun!
Chau
Happy Thanksgiving Karen. Yours is exactly like mine: 18-20 people or more, all squeezed into two mix-match tables and chairs. Talking about chaos, chatter, food, desserts and fun time with family and friends. I totally love Thanksgiving, it’s my most favorite holiday!
estee
Idyllic indeed..
I’m glad you didn’t make the White Trash Salad.
Have I told you about the nightmare that White Trash Salad post caused me??
I shall tell you sometime. It isn’t idyllic at all..
Jackie
I started reading your blog a couple weeks ago after finding it through your garden light globes on Pinterest. I’ve been going back through the archives and I just want to say that I LOVE your blog. It’s a perfect mix of humor, food, and DIY projects. And chickens. Love the chickens.
Also, I had the day off from work today, so I’m trying your pumpkin pie recipe. The pumpkin is straining in the fridge at this very moment! See what you’ve started?
Anyhow, just wanted to say hi!
Karen
Hi Jackie! Hope you like the pie and I’m very glad you found my site AND you stuck around.
~ karen!
Jackie
Thanks! Just put the pie in the oven. Can’t wait to taste it!
http://instagram.com/p/QiUtafl9SF/?fb_source=og_snowlift_photo_user_message
Karen
Slacker. You could at least have put a *little* effort into it. ~ karen
Jackie
Hahaha! Well, that’s what happens when you give an art teacher kitchen tools.
Raymonde
Eating in the kitchen! That’s happened to me few times and nobody ever noticed I wasn’t sitting at the table…
I chose to take it as a huge compliment to my cooking!
Did your guests notice you weren’t there, or were they too busy stuffing their faces???
Well, at least you had company on the kitchen floor!
P.S: Your decorations are gorgeous!!!
Karen
Thanks Raymonde. I have no idea if anyone noticed we weren’t there. I did hear everyone at the table give the fella a Hip, Hip, Hurray, 3 cheers for the fella for preparing this delicious meal, LOL. As if. ~ karen!
Laura
A curious mind wants to know…did you pull off this impressive Thanksgiving feast without a full-size refrigerator?
Tigersmom
See!?!?!
I’m not the only one DYING to know what you opted for in the way of a fridge.
Paul
Karen, where did you find the broom. I want one!
Karen
Paul – I got it at a thrift store actually. $2.50! I love it too. One of my better thrift finds. Sorry I can’t head you to an actual store. ~ karen
Melissa
It’s so great to read each of your posts, but it’s just priceless when I think I’m reading about Thanksgiving and discover along the way, a subtext about self-acceptance when things don’t go as planned. You SO rolled with it.
Oh, and I did a search on your site but could not find out where you got that great dining room table. Did you make it?
Karen
Hi Melissa – Thanks very much. I try to throw in a life lesson every once in a while.
My dining room table was a bit of a splurge. I had it custom made out of antique barn board by Gregory Brand ~ karen!
Nancy Blue Moon
That was beautiful Karen..Please know that you are very lucky to have a “together” family like yours..Those of us who don’t are envious..especially at the holidays..Thank you for sharing them with us..I hope you and the Fella had a relaxing Thanksgiving today..Also the table is amazing..
Karen
Thanks Nancy. I do realize it. I really do. ~ karen!
Michelle Drummond
Karen I only just found your blog recently but have enjoyed your posts, they are so refreshing. Loved this post too and you had me LOL at “shit show”. I thought maybe this was my thanksgiving dinner, except that your presentation is soo much nicer than mine.
Karen
Thanks Michelle. I forgot to mention there were also balloon animals, several whipped cream explosions (long story) and an unfortunate incident with a very strong martini and a drunk mother. I made up *one* of those things. I’ll let you decide which one. ~ karen
Jan
I coud be wrong but are the plates Homer Laughlin Times Square? Modern and not vintage but they are incredibly durable. I have a bunch of them. Love em!
Sarah {20 State}
Love the term ‘shit show’, the Aussie version would be ‘rough as guts’…just in case you want to go intercontinental (pretty sure I mispelt this…)
Karen
Rough as guts. I like that. I shall use it. ~ karen!
Erin @ Dwell & Tell
Karen–It was BEAUTIFUL!
Bonnie J. Poirier
L♥VE this story! You are now dubbed my perfect little invisible friend. LOL
Barbie
My FAVORITE post thus far!
Emily
I am absolutely rolling at this as I had my own go ’round with the universe’s alternative plan a few years back. I adore your site. Thanks for the humor mixed in with your fabulous things!
Karen
Thank YOU for reading my blog Emily. ~ karen!
Antonia
Gorgeous! You do everything so beautifully! Loved your planters, your table, the kids’ chalkboards…EVERYTHING! Should be in a magazine!
Karen
Thanks Antonia. ~ karen