I love wildflowers!
One of my favorite things to do is to walk the roadside and pick bouquets for decorating the table(s) for the Fourth of July.
Earlier this week it rained quite heavily for a few days, so the wildflowers were pretty beat up.
But, Wednesday, I went for a very long walk and discovered just what I wanted. Happy Day!
The next morning I went for another walk scissors in hand.
To my dismay, the massive scissors of the local road crew had come through and leveled my wildflower garden.
You should have seen my face.
I think it fell to my knees.
Why, at the peak of summer wildflowers blooming, does the road crew have to chop them down?
The first week of August, maybe.
I get that later in the season the plants will dry out and are risk for fire.
But, the first week of July? [sigh]
After walking out some of my anger…I kept my eyes peeled for some Queen Anne’s Lace.
Queen Anne’s Lace has been a perennial favorite of mine for every Independence Day celebration.
Nearly two miles into my walk I discovered some.
They were in a very narrow swath between the farmer’s rows and the stubble of the road crew.
And just enough to make a sweet little centerpiece.
As I continued to walk, I spied in the tall grass that missed the road crews’ choppers, a thin branch of black raspberries.
Perfect to make my centerpiece red, white, and blue.
Okay…the blue might be a stretch…but it works for me.
By the time I retraced my two-mile trek back home, my bunch of Queen Anne’s Lace had loppy heads.
[sigh]
I had doubts, but I re-cut their stems and placed them in a tall vase of water and waited. And waited. And waited.
After a busy afternoon, they still weren’t looking promising.
But, when I returned after some errands their beautiful white heads were standing straight. For the most part.
Feeling re-energized, I decided to put together a quick patriotic tablescape for you.
It’s casual simplicity at its best.
Aside from the dollar store placemats which had been purchased for the picnic, everything was pulled from the cupboards.
Don’t you love the whimsy of the “bobber” salt and pepper shakers?
Often, I will over think things. This time, I grabbed things quickly and it flew together.
Making it perfectly imperfect.
This centerpiece was so easy to create. I used the tape grids that I shared here.
I inserted the short stems of the raspberries around the outer edge of the blue and white container and filled the inside with the Queen Anne’s Lace all cut to the same length.
Then I grabbed a couple of American flags to complete the look. Yay!
I don’t think it took fifteen minutes to create it….and it still looks beautiful today.
You might notice that I have candle holders with stars and stripes candles in some photos but not others.
They were sitting on the kitchen island behind me and I never even gave it a thought until somewhat later.
I’m not sure if they make it too busy or not. Regardless they are fun.
And sometimes, it pays to not over think a tablescape. Yes?
Did you set a patriotic tablescape for the Fourth?
Thank you for stopping by today.
I appreciate you and your sweet comments make my day.
Wishing you An Extraordinary Day!
Diane
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Simply beautiful, Diane! I pinned one of your pictures. :O)
Awww….thank you so much, LuAnn!!
Hope you had a fabulous Independence Day celebration! [hugs]
Your table is beautiful my friend. I’ve missed you. Have a blessed weekend.
Awww…thanks Barbie. 🙂
Thanks for noticing….it means a lot. [hugs]
Sometime, let’s face it, simple is best! I haven’t used Queen Ann’s Lace in a long time; it ilooks so pretty on your table.
Isn’t it funny how we sometimes knock ourselves out to have everything “just perfect” and really, is it worth the stress?
Thanks for popping by with your warm thoughts Linda.
Hope you’re enjoying a long weekend! [hugs]
I love the simpleness! Hope you had a wonderful 4th!~~Angela
Awww…thanks Angela!!
I did have a wonderful day. It’s always good to spend time with good friends. Hope you’re enjoying this long weekend.
Blessings!
Silly road crew! Don’t they know tablescaping America will take up arms against them??? 🙂 I was actually out tablescaping the other day in the common area where the HOA hires a company to mow. The guy was going to come through with that big mower and get grass cuttings all over everything I had just put together. My neighbor who lives adjacent to that common area ran out and told the guy not to cut there, that he’d get it. That was SO sweet!!!!!!!! Such great neighbors who really “get” me!!! (Which kinda makes me wonder about their sanity!) 🙂
Not overthinking it turned out to be a good thing. The simplicity is reminiscent of an early American table with the candlesticks, the wild Queen Anne’s lace…it’s perfect. But wait a minute….blackberries??? Really??!?!?! I would just about faint if I saw blackberries growing wild! What luck you had!!! Maybe it was a good thing in disguise that your wildflowers were “murdered.” The change of direction yielded a masterpiece! The clean lines of the flatware is perfect, too.
I hope you have a great week ahead!
Alycia….you just made my day! I can’t tell you how warm and encouraging your remarks are to my spirit. Thank you! What a bright spot you are in the blogisphere. 🙂
Oh my goodness! I hope you’ll bring cookies or something special to your neighbor…what a great save from imminent disaster! 🙂 You are certainly blessed. 🙂
Thanks again sweet friend for stopping by and blessing me with your gift. [hugs]
So pretty and perfectly patriotic! Thanks for sharing at Fridays Unfolded!
Alison
Nancherrow
Your tablescape is so pretty. The Queen Ann’s Lace reminds me of fireworks.
Your centerpiece and table are charming.
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Your table looks lovely and so festive! I love the choices you’ve made to create this look…thanks for sharing!
I just had to pin your beautiful vase of Queen Ann’s Lace. A beautiful flower arrangement is the perfect touch in a tablescape. The vase and the blue transferware plates make a great Fourth of July tablescape. Lovely, simply lovely.
Perfect timing on the part of the road crew…. I’m sure they were concerned about critters popping out and the holiday traffic and it was about safety. :-/ Didn’t you tell them you were on a tablescape mission?! Silly fella’s…..to the naughty corner with them!
It’s right up there with my INTENTION of taking a photo of the daisy’s in the ditch north of town and……..go figure……mowed! The boogers……obviously it’s some sort of malady the road maintenance folks have!
And not that I was going to stop on the highway–but JUST as the medians on the highway are going full bloom……you got it! The BOOGERS!!!!! *sigh*
Oh, but you saved the Queen Anne’s Lace and it turned out wonderful! I have to admit that the bobbers made me smile–I want some….they’re too darn cute! Whoda thunk to use the blackberries (I’da ate ’em before they ever got to the table…….LOL) And the spread you pulled together…….perfect!!
Geeze, I’ve missed the specialness you pull together in your posts, in your decorating, in your relationships with all of G-d’s kiddos….. Yup–I’ve missed you!
I’ll try to not miss you again.
Thanks for sharing this, I thought I was the only one who shopped for flowers by the side of the road….I actually make hubby stop the car sometimes on the highway too….lol
Love your tablescape!
I just had a vision of you standing in the ditch with orange cones surrounding the wildflowers – ha! I just spied some pink flowers in the ditch on the way home. They reminded me of thistles, but I don’t think they were. I didn’t stop to see as it was raining. We got about 3 inches in the last day or two!
Your 4th arrangement turned out darling. Love the use of the raspberries. I’ve been so busy lately I am sorry I haven’t been keeping up with my blog reading. I miss it too…trying to catch up a little tonight. Hope all is well with you.
Blessings,
Deborah
That is a hilarious vision, Deborah! I think I’ll have to get some orange cones. 😉
The pink flowers you saw…I think they may be pink bee balm. I’ve been seeing them around here this past week.
Thanks for your kind words about the arrangement. 🙂
I too am way behind…hopefully we’ll be able to catch up soon. [hugs]
That;s a very nice tablescape, Di! And I love your pictures of it! Thanks for sharing!
SO, So pretty, I just love the flowers and pitcher. I also love your sign in the window. Thank you for sharing at Treasure Box Tuesday. Pinned!
xoxo
Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile
It’s absolutely gorgeous! I love it!! 🙂
Gorgeous tablescape – in its simplicity! 🙂 I appreciate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
Kathy
Queen Anne’s Lace, perfect for a festive 4th of July table! I love wildflowers also. Hubby and I have been in Napa Valley this week and one of the vineyards was lined with wildflowers, breathtaking! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann