after the storm

after the storm
Welcome autumn!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

have a little faith...


We spent some time in Santa Fe a few years ago. On the last day of our trip, we walked to into an antique store, finding many treasures that we would have gladly taken home. One that was actually affordable and would fit in the car was a lavadera (wash basin). I knew I would fill it with leaves in the autumn and pine cones in the winter. We brought it up to the cash register to pay for it. The owner told us that she didn’t take credit cards. We asked if she would hold it so we could go find an ATM and pay cash. She said not to bother. She would give us the lavadera and we could send her a check when we got home. We were a bit flustered by her offer and again said that we would be glad to hunt down an ATM. She insisted we just take it. I thanked her profusely and asked if this was an offer that she made routinely. She said that in all of her years of business, only one person hadn’t sent her a check. We left her store feeling so happy to know that someone had such faith in people and it had been rewarded. Of course, we immediately sent a check when we got home.






I always am happy when it is time to set an autumn table around the lavadera. You can see this one went through quite a few changes. It may change again before we actually sit down to dinner.


So the lavadera does sit on our dining room table most of the year. M and K have given me many of the treasures that find their way into the lavadera – an autumn leaf from Paris, a pinecone from Oregon, a cone of some sort from Washington D.C. There are some sticks from my beloved aspen trees. Yesterday, I picked seed pods from the ground in front of the library.



Hmmmm, I am starting to see why my kids tell me that I like to bring the outdoors in and the indoors out.


In addition to the beauty of the piece and the vacation memories it evokes, it reminds us that even when it starts to seem impossible, it is really a good thing to have faith in people.

45 comments:

Johanna Gehrlein said...

Dear Barbara,
I am the one who gives may be the fist comment to your tablescape. I love the story of your lavadera and how you use this item for your tablescape. That's pure art. I love the colors and texture of your napkins and placemats combined with the offwhite relief patterned plates. And I love the colors and shapes of all the natural material, you decorated in the lavadera. This is really a gorgeous and natural tablescape.
Greetings, Johanna

The Charm of Home said...

I love the use of real leaves. One of my favorite accessories. I love the colors in this and the natural texture of the lavadera. Very neat story about that too. Your pumpkins look amazing on your buffet too. The colors just pop.
Sherry

Kate Dickerson said...

This is a terrific setting! The beautiful napkins first caught my eye, then your wonderful plates, and then the leaves! Just wonderful - thanks so much for sharing.

a quiet life said...

what a great story, i love happy endings! your table is wonderful, i love how you collect and remember them all~

Miss Char said...

I love the monochromatic look of your tablescape with the white with all the textures thrown in. Top it off with the subtle colors filling your lavadera and the leaves and you have a perfect table.

Celly B said...

What a great story of faith in others! Your centerpiece is beautiful and even more so for the memories that fill it. Those white leaf plates are gorgeous!

Slice of Pie said...

Love white autumn tables ... have one of my own coming soon! Thanks for sharing.

Tricia said...

Beautiful, meaningful post! I love all the organic elements you've collected in your lavadera. They look wonderful with the rustic white plates! Your sideboard looks very elegant, too!

Mary said...

Love all your collected treasures in your lavadera! What a wonderful story...it does restore your faith in people~ beautiful setting & textures :-)

Sweetladyelaine said...

Love your lavadera with all the treasures you have collected! Your whites dishes are beautiful. You set a beautiful table, my dear!

Sue said...

Barbara, I love your wooden lavadera! I'm from New Mexico, so I immediately knew what you were talking about. It's a great piece to use all year 'round; and what an amazing story about its purchase. I absolutely love your white dishes and the white leaf plates. Just gorgeous- you have me wanting to find some now! Thanks for coming by for a visit- appreciate the comment. :-)
~ Sue

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

What a beautiful lavadera to collect and display your treasures. This is gorgeous!

Marigene said...

Barbara, beautiful table. Love all the organics you have in the lavadera. I have a lavadera, but have unknowingly been calling it a very large dough bowl even though it doesn't look like my old American dough bowl! Thanks for setting me straight.

Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...

Thanks for enticing me to your table! I can't tell you the emotional response these colors give me! SO pleasing! I just want to lay down in them like they were on the forest floor! Beautiful combination of white dishes. The different details just entertain the eye. I always think I don't like placemats, but I love yours. And what a great story out of Santa Fe! I bet that lady's take on YOU had very much to do with it. Makes a wonderful centerpiece!

Donna@Conghaile Cottage said...

"Love the story of your lavadera" It is such a sentimental story! I LOVE your tablescape, it is perfect and different with those wonderful whites. I'm in New England and it's the Heart of fall here and your table makes me think of fall when the trees are bare and there is a BRIGHT WHITENESS then to the end of the season. Your table is PERFECTION! LOVE IT!
Hugs, Donna

Anonymous said...

Beautiful. I enjoyed the story of your lavadera.

http://backporchmusings.typepad.com

Anonymous said...

The table is beautiful, and so is the story of the lavadera. That's a term this New Yorker has never heard. I love all the textures and warm colors you've added to it, and your leaf plates are just wonderful.

Unknown said...

Your white autumn plates are amazing! Never heard of a lavadera...new here, off to see what else I can learn!

Kat Sloma said...

Gorgeous able, photos, everything. Those leaf plates are amazing. I love the white and the contrast in the natural iteams. I wish I had collected some of those spiky seed pods I found to send to you now! I'm afraid they will be all turned to mush by the time I get back home from this trip.

Alycia Nichols said...

What a wonderful, faith-restoring story! The lavadera is beautiful, and you set a very pretty table around it! I really, really like those napkins and placemats. The placemat has kind of a rough hewn look to it that is perfect for fall. Pretty!

Marlis said...

Every element of your table draws on nearer in. It's captivating. I love the placemats!! Wow, the weave on those is so interesting. Your dishes are great. And the lavadera is wonderful. I miss Santa Fe again!!

Kathleen said...

Barbara, what a beautiful table! Love all those natural things.
Yes, there are some very good people in the world.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely fantastic...love your white leaf plates!..the lavadera was an awesome find,we sometimes call these bread baskets,could it have been used as such also?
-Jo
-LazyonLoblolly

Sarah Howe said...

LOVE what you did with your table! Thank you for sharing!

Carrie said...

How wonderful to meet with someone who not only has faith in people but who has received an honorable response! Your use of the lavandera evokes warm memories. Your table setting is appealing in its color scheme and textures used. I enjoyed seeing the different pattern flatware.

xinex said...

What a beautiful find, Barbara. That lavadera can really hold a lot of goodies and so nice to know that there are still trusting people and honest people too. I love your tablescape, pretty plates and the napkins and the placemats have really good textures...Christine

Angie@Echoes of Laughter said...

Hi Barbara! Thank you so much for visiting me and leave your wonderful comment! Your table is absolutely gorgeous....the lavedera is so lovely and authentic!!! I adore your natural decorations on the table with the dishes!! Angie xo

erin rogers pickering said...

Fantastic centerpiece. and I really like your style!

Anonymous said...

I LOVE this post! Yes, having faith in our fellow man would eliminate most of the problems we face around the world. A beautiful message & a wonderful piece you brought home with you. You have made this an ever-changing element for your dining table. I'm following.

Susan Nowell @ My Place to Yours said...

Barbara, you've set another fabulous table. (Where did you get those gorgeous napkins?!!!) Your lavadera is a treasure, and the story of its purchase is a beautiful one to tell... Thank you for sharing it!

Entertaining Women said...

The soft tones of weathered wood are, as usual, hard to beat. The textures, the natural found items...all of it...creates a wonderful equation for a lovely tablescape. Thank you for sharing your charming design and for stopping by my post. Come visit any time. Cherry Kay

Table Escapes said...

What a heartwarming story. People are essentially good & can be trusted. Beautiful table & blogsite...I'm proud to be your newest follower! Sharon

my home sanctuary said...

Very pretty I love all the texture and the white dishes.
Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the sweet comment on my blog! Your tablescape is beautiful.

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

Very elegant! I love the dishes. Bringing in nature is always a good way to celebrate. Looking forward to seeing more I'm your newest follower... Stop on by and say hello. Linda

Anonymous said...

Oh my, this is gorgeous. I love it. It is so rustic and elegant too. I love how you fill the lavadera with things from different places around the world and the white tableware is gorgeous. Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner on this my first Tablescape Thursday.

Much love!

Sandi (Meme) said...

What a find - and they are SO in style. Nell Hill's is just full of them! I don't know if it shows very well, but I recently got my "wooden bowl" and that's why my squash was in! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, loved seeing you again! Have a gorgeous weekend. Sandi

Unknown said...

I wish I would live in a community such as that filled with generous, trustworthy people. How Kind. Your photos look like they're right out of a Pottery Barn Catalog. Thanks for the visit! Stop by again soon!

PCovi said...

Mmmm, nice! I want an autumn leaf from Paris. Sweet gift :) I have an old dough bowl like your lavadera.

Debbie said...

I just love this story! What a wonderful woman to have such faith in others, and it's equally wonderful that you did your part to sustain that faith.

I love your monochromatic table too! I have never seen white leaf plates. They are the prettiest leaf plates I've ever seen. I really just love the simplicity.

I'm late getting around to folks since I was out of the house all day. Your post was CERTAINLY worth the wait!

Maria said...

I want a lavadera! Yours is just wonderful! I love your table, especially your placemats!

Unknown said...

What a beautiful story and a beautiful person she must be! Wouldn't the world be a much better place if there were a few more kind people? Now I'm going to whine... I want one. LOVE it, and the way you have it decorated is breathtaking! Gotta love those white plates! Great job, thanks for visiting and your kind comments!
Sandy

Jan said...

Love your blog! I had a similar experience at a pottery festival a few years ago. After admiring a lovely piece, I realized I had no checks and the artist didn't take cards. He said, "No problem! Pay me next year!" I hesitated, but decided to take him up on it! You better believe I was there the next year with a list of orders from friends--and with his check from the year before. Little kindnesses mean so much. The older I get, the more I know to appreciate them. I really appreciated your comment at Picture Fall. Coming from you, it means a lot! Jan in NC

Amanda - Small Home Big Start said...

Absolutely gorgeous! And what an incredibly sweet woman.

Sketchy said...

My mother's maiden name is Oak. So as much as I love the lavendera I'm drooling over the china!