Gleaming pictures and a poem about “place”, inspired by the exquisite place settings at Andrew Carnegie’s Skibo Castle in Scotland.

Joy comes from connecting with other people, especially when you get to participate in their special moments, like my recent opportunity to contribute a vegetable grazing board to the menu for a 95th birthday party. Check it out and learn from my experience.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it’s just about the food and the family, with no extra expectations or requirements. A meal that’s rife with memories and laughter and rich, satisfying food that you don’t normally eat.

A quiet story about coming out of a long, silent austerity into the startlingly lush experience of in-person conversation and a meal with another couple outside of our bubble.

Food is art! These beautifully arranged culinary exhibits at a workshop in Paris made me feel satisfied before I even took the first bite.

A Glover Gardens holiday recipe compendium, starting with breakfast and continuing through dessert, with stops at appetizers and savory sides along the way.

A well-worn family cookbook, Great Tastes from the Texas Coast, provides my late Mom’s guidance for antipasto success.

Perfect for fall parties, Tuscany-Texas Goat Cheese Spread is a burst of fresh flavors atop salty, creamy goat cheese.

Steak is on the menu at a tiny dinner party at Glover Gardens with international guests.

Gorgeous silver and white dining room decorated for Christmas – even the chandelier!

A rosemary wreath dresses up the standby party platter of cheese, salami and olives.

This blogging thing is fun, especially the connections with other bloggers and the ideas they share and inspire. One of the blogs I subscribe to is Last Night’s Feast, where blogger Sara occasionally makes a post called Pretty Things, a collection of unrelated links and…

Thanksgiving is about food and family and memories and connections.  Sometimes those connections are new, with folks who would be family, only if they were near and known. I made such a connection tonight, with a marvelous lady named Cathy,  from the land of Facebook…

A beautiful table signals to guests that they are special, and the event is significant.

Thanksgiving means food and family and fun, and I enjoy the process of getting ready for it. Check out some of the Glover Gardens standards.

Garnishes and condiments are a supporting cast that add color and texture and provide complementary or contrasting flavors that highlight the main dish and make it a star.

I used to live in a 1920s pier-and-beam wood cottage. It was really fun to dress the old girl up for the holidays. Some of the table-setting tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years are illustrated in the photos from a special holiday dinner when my folks met my inlaws-to-be for the first time.

I like starting from a blank slate and creating a sense of bountiful harvest and plenty in my dining room for Thanksgiving.

A co-created centerpiece brings the family together in a meaningful discussion of what we’re thankful for.

It’s amazing how setting a beautiful table creates a festive mood.