I remember the first time I saw a wild thistle growing along the roadside in the mountains. I did a double-take -- surely I was mistaken. I thought they only grew in the Scottish Highlands. I was wrong; they do grow around here at the higher elevations, but we haven't been able to spot any the last year or two, so I wonder if the farmers or the state park rangers are trying to kill them off. I've heard they can be invasive, and I know from experience they sport some seriously wicked thorns. I meant to set up this table some time ago, but I was waiting to find the right dishes (at the right price) for it. A few years ago, my sweet husband gave me a beautiful table runner with embroidered thistles, along with some coordinating doilies. He ordered them from the Gretna Green website, where we both like to shop for gifts. I already had the napkins, thinking I would set a Mardi Gras table, and they were perfect with the other linens. Then a few months ago, I finally found the dishes on e-Bay. I would have loved to buy the teacups and saucers, too, but I didn't want to spend the extra money.
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