A Provençal Table

If you could drop everything and travel anywhere you wanted right now, where would you go?  Call me crazy, but I've been thinking I'd love to go to the Swiss Alps.  That's right, not a Caribbean cruise or an island getaway.  I'd like to go someplace where the air is fresh and clean (and cool); where all the houses have beautiful flower boxes and you can hear the cowbells ringing across the meadows.  In other words, what I like to call "Heidi Country."

But I'm not going to Switzerland tonight.  I thought I'd go to France instead -- Provence to be exact.  It will probably be every bit as hot and dry as it is in North Carolina right now, but I bet it would be colorful and exciting, never the less.  Cuisine Kathleen, who hosts Let's Dish every Wednesday evening, has given us a challenge to create a travel destination table.  I'm making my table a Provencal table because I have "stuff" from Provence, and I don't have anything from Switzerland or the French Alps. :)

My mother-in-law brought me this tablecloth from one of their trips to France several years ago, and this is the first time I've ever used it.  Our kitchen colors were all too busy before, and the tablecloth wouldn't have looked right.  I'm so glad I can use it now.  She also brought me the blue napkins from France.  I've used them in a few of my previous tablescapes.

I found the yellow salad plates and the serving bowl at Home Goods.  They're "Primagera," made in Portugal.  Flatware is Argent "Sophia" from Le Targét.   ;)

The sunflowers came from our local Whole Foods Market, and the pottery pitcher is actually made by Williamsburg Potteries.  The tumblers are "Picardie," and they're made in France.  They came from Williams-Sonoma many years ago.  The wine stems are part of our wedding crystal -- Gorham "French Cathedral."

I've had the baker's rack that you see in the background for many years, and I do love it. The doors in the bottom have chicken wire, and I think the whole piece has a bit of a French Country look.

Have you read "A Year in Provence," by Peter Mayle?  If you haven't, I highly recommend it.  It's a quick read, and it's laugh-out-loud funny.  

I love these cheerful sunflowers!  Now for the birds-eye view...

And the candlelight shots...

I can't wait to show you our new kitchen, but I don't want to do a full reveal until I choose curtains, and get some things back on the walls.  But here's a tease -- our new chandelier.  I'm loving it! 

My French Country Engagement Calendar stays on the baker's rack.  Ironically, the picture for this week is a former dovecote, which is now part of a hotel in the village of Le Paradou -- in Provence.

For dinner, we're having, what else...quiche.  We love Quiche Lorraine with salad and French bread.  I'll share the recipe for that on Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm.

I also chose France as my getaway destination because Mr. Forest Manor and I are watching the Tour De France on television, like we do every summer.

 I've learned enough about cycling to mostly understand what's going on -- yes folks, amidst all the doping charges, there's actually some cycling going on there too.  But the real reason I watch is for the scenery...and the flags.  You can just call me the flag geek.  :)  I love seeing all the colorful national and regional flags that are flown, carried, and waved every year in the tour.

Thanks for reading my blog; your visits and comments always make my day.  I'm so glad to be joining all the tablescaping folks at Let's Dish, hosted by Cuisine Kathleen and Tablescape Thursday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

Also linking to Seasonal Sundays, hosted by the Tablescaper.  Thanks to these lovely ladies for hosting each week!

Au Revoir,

Denise