I hope you're all enjoying the holiday photos I've posted from followers!
This year, I decided to expand my annual tradition of displaying beautiful Thanksgiving images. Not only did I request photos from employees, business partners, and friends, but I also reached out to my @MarthaStewart48 Instagram followers. So many of you responded with gorgeous table settings, holiday decorations, and delicious foods. I've enjoyed seeing every one of your submissions.
Here are more photos, enjoy.
These first photos came Liz Thomas, who shared images of the holiday spent in her 1800s farmhouse that she shares with her husband and 17-pets just outside Baltimore, Maryland. Look at all these gorgeous pumpkins. She says, “our local farmers market was running a special, $25 for an entire watermelon bin full of pumpkins; so with that I built a cascade of gorgeous pumpkins around our wood burning fireplace.”
Liz adds, “this is my third year hosting our annual Friendsgiving celebration, and it truly will be hard to top this table scape next year. Martha is my inspiration and that statement remained true when planning this year’s Friendsgiving décor. My great grandparents gifted me Noritake flatware that has been in our family for more than 100 years, so I wanted that to be a main focal point of the table. I pulled the pale pink color from the roses on the plates, onto the table with the napkins, as well as the tapered candles.
“And the centerpiece was an edible and elegant display of cheeses, fresh figs, overflowing pomegranates, and much more.”
This beautiful table is at the home of Tess and Laurent Ceron. It includes lovely fall woodland themed decorations and classic turkey plates.
Here is another photo of the entire table, set for 10.
This table setting came from Margaret Alfonso Castro.
Victor Hugo Garcia celebrated Thanksgiving in Mexico! “My friends in San Miguel de Allende and I enjoyed a “Friendsgiving.” It is for anyone who is either single or an expat away from family. Each one of us either bakes or cooks a dish.”
Victor made all of the floral decorations.
Here is one of the table’s centerpieces also made by Victor.
And look at this beautiful golden turkey sent from Jessica Frank. I am sure it was delicious.
Alex Austin, who works as a wedding vendor, sent vibrant photos of her table. “Each year, I curate a festive Thanksgiving tablescape with colleagues. This year, we did a celebration of women empowerment with a dash of Barbie-inspired flair, embracing the year of all things PINK! It was a joyous gathering, uniting our creativity and energy.”
Planning & Design: Alex Austin Events & Design @aaustindesign
Private Chef: Leigh Orleans @_chefleigh
Venue: Height House Hotel @heightshousenc
Photographer: Radian Photography @radianphotography
Videographer: Palm & Oak Media @palmandoakmedia
Florist: Mood Fleuriste @moodfleuriste
Rentals: Cottage Luxe @cottageluxe
Hair and Makeup: Brittani Baca @bellaraebeaute
Here is a closer look at one of the place settings and a floral centerpiece.
Joey D’Auria “used a variety of squashes and pumpkins to form the centerpiece on this table. Included are acorns, delicatas, and pie pumpkins. I also interspersed butternut squashes and foraged clippings such as bittersweet, astilbe, hydrangea leaves, and dogwood leaves.”
Joey says, “I decided to forgo a tablecloth as the wood table adds to the rustic look and mixing the china with the more casual elements like the woven chargers adds an interesting touch. I finished with special name cards tied around pears with twine.”
Catie Oster writes. “what I love the most about arranging a table scape during the holidays is that it is a rare occasion where everyday objects in our homes have the opportunity to tell stories of the loved ones in our lives, as well as those dear to us who have passed. All of the odds and ends we collect over the years have different histories, but they all become intertwined.”
Catie adds, “these glasses were my grandmother’s. Memories of holiday dinners at her home when I was a child no doubt fueled my love for unique glassware. Our dining table was my father-in-law’s, and it is weathered with years of dings, scratches, water marks, and remnants of art projects. It’s easy to see that it has been well loved over the years. Our plates, a gift from my mother to celebrate our new home together.”
And here is Catie’s beautifully dressed Thanksgiving turkey. Catie also says, “in a season that is so focused on more, more, more, it’s nice to be able to take a moment to pause and appreciate the blessings that we already have.”
This intimate candle lit setting is from Francisco Leon.
Francisco made a bacon wrapped 25-pound turkey , ham, salmon, mashed potatoes and asparagus.
Also part of Francisco’s feast – Oreo cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake, and brownie cookie dough ice cream whip cream cake.
These next two photos are of the Friendsgiving table of Lauren Palmar. Her caption is simply “Happy Thanksgiving from Johnstown, Pennsylvania!”
Here is a closer look before all the delicious foods are served.
Here’s an image from another wonderful Friendsgiving in Westhampton, New York – sent in by Michele Leo. She credits Chef Nectarios Papadopoulos of Telia Catering for all these dishes.
And here is a coastal Maine table setting for 16 from Ali Desjardin. “I used Eastport sea glass, eucalyptus, tips of spruce, and foraged for pine cones for my table.” I am sure all her guests loved it. Thanks to everyone who has sent photos from their Thanksgiving celebrations. There are more to come in my next blog. Stay tuned.
It's always so much fun to see how others celebrate Thanksgiving.
Every year I send out an email to all our employees, business partners, and friends extending my very best wishes for a safe and lovely holiday. In my note, I share my own plans and talk about the dishes I am making for the gatherings I attend or those I host myself. I also urge everyone to take photos of their table settings, their feasts, their families and their friends, so I could post them on a blog to share with readers. This year, I opened it up to my Instagram followers - asking all to send in their holiday table photos. I am so thrilled with all the responses and excited to see the pictures and the stories that accompany them.
Here is the first gallery, enjoy.
This beautiful photo was the first to come in from Tyler Caleb Harper in New York. He writes, “I saw your Instagram post and wanted to submit a photo I took of the Thanksgiving spread I made for my parents back home in Mississippi.”
This submission is from James and Heather Lura. They celebrated Thanksgiving in their Wayzata, Minnesota home with all the traditional Thanksgiving foods and desserts.
Cassie Welsh from Winchester, Tennessee says, “Hi Martha! I’m hosting Thanksgiving for the second year and I’m so excited. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I love decorating the table in a bountiful harvest way.”
Cassie also says, “I use pumpkins from local nurseries, turkey candy dishes found while thrifting, and postcards from an antique store in Salem, Massachusetts.”
Here is a closer image of Cassie’s fun turkey plates. Do you know the history behind turkey patterns? When President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving official in 1863, English potters began making holiday themed dinner plates and platters to take advantage of the growing market for these pieces. Manufacturers have been producing them ever since.
Here is one of the antique post cards Cassie used for her decorative centerpiece.
And some of Cassie’s locally bought pumpkins.
Katie Alvarez sent me this photo. She says, “hoping this table inspires others to enjoy the simple beauty of beeswax candles at their holiday gatherings this season. On this table is an antique Wilton Armetale pewter and folk art runner with beeswax tapers by Appalachian Wax Works handcrafted in Maryland.”
Happy Thanksgiving from Ashley Andrews in Sacramento, California. This is a photo of her beautiful table. The China is Tiffany & Co., barware is William Sonoma, and the silver is a sterling set from her great grandmother. The florals are from a local florist, Twiggs, and I served prime rib, macaroni and cheese, and spinach salad. Dessert was carrot cake!
Another Instagram follower, Linda Farrington, sent in this photo of her table. Linda writes, “I have always loved Martha’s recipes and entertaining style… she inspires me. I prefer a formal setting with soup tureens, heirloom silverware, china, and crystal. I host holidays in my 1927 revival Normandy Tudor house in Westchester County.
I used Martha’s recipe for creamed onions.”
Linda also prints out a menu for all her guests.
This pie was baked by Instagram follower, Anthony Pena. He says, “your book, Pies & Tarts, helped me along the way.” My original Pies & Tarts book continues to be a source for me also. This year, I made brown sugar pumpkin pies and cranberry tarts using my recipes in that book.
Anthony also made this pecan pie – the decorative turkey cookie is so pretty.
Cindy Syracuse and her family “celebrate Thanksgiving the night before so we can sleep in on Thanksgiving Day, watch football and enjoy the leftovers!”
Cindy writes, “I use my wedding Lenox China, Williams-Sonoma napkins and pumpkin glasses, flatware from Target, and a table runner from Amazon.”
Tracie Stoll sent me the following three photos. She says, “I was so happy to see the Instagram post and wanted to share my pictures. My husband passed away in February after a very brief battle with bile duct cancer. He was just 49 years old. This is my first Thanksgiving without him. We were married 27 years, together since 1992. Thanksgiving was his most favorite holiday. We have hosted our whole married life.”
Tracie adds, “I always give a favor for people to take home and this year I had some coasters made with some of his old shirts, some of his favorite button downs from years past. Here are a few pictures. Happy Thanksgiving.”
I am sure all Tracie’s guests loved these special favors.
Jackie Johnson McBride shares four images. She says, “I decided we needed some colorful cheer with all going on in the world, so my food and tables reflected that with pops of citrus and color.”
Here’s a view of one of her place settings. Jackie adds, “I did a citrus thyme butter turkey with cheesecloth as well. My Mom passed earlier this year; we were always the biggest fans of Martha.”
Everyone at Jackie’s table filled their plates. I bet they also went back for seconds and even thirds.
Jackie also shared a toast to all.
This table was set by Catherine Sharkey Steinberg from Riverwoods, Illionois. She writes, it includes “transferware plates I collected 25-years ago. I used some blankets set on the diagonal instead of tablecloths.”
Here is a look at Catherine’s lovely centerpiece.
And these photos are from Danielle Dickson. It’s a “Thanksgiving table scape I spent weeks planning and thrifting to bring to fruition two years ago. It’s still one of my favorites! Our daughter came home from New York City and complained that I always do elaborate table scapes for company and not for our intimate family meals. I had to go all out! I think I successfully channeled my inner Martha.”
Here’s one of the place settings at Danielle’s table. Everyone’s tables look so gorgeous. Thanks for sending in these photos. And tune in again tomorrow for more of your Thanksgiving memories.
The last of our spring-flowering bulbs are now planted. This latest batch - 1200 gorgeous and colorful tulips!
If you like spring flowers in your garden, autumn is the time to plant the bulbs because they require a sustained dormant period of cold temperatures in order to stimulate root development. Here at my Bedford, New York farm, we plant thousands of bulbs every year - daffodils, Puschkinia, Chionodoxa, Dutch Iris, Camassia, alliums, etc. It’s so exciting to see the swaths of color in the garden beds after a cold, dreary winter. Our tulips are from The Flower Hat - a floral design studio and farm in Bozeman, Montana dedicated to floral services and floral industry education. Last week, just before the holiday, we planted all of our tulip bulbs in a handful of raised beds in the vegetable garden. They will look marvelous come spring.
Enjoy these photos. And be sure to check in all this week for Thanksgiving images!
We were so excited to receive all these bulbs from The Flower Hat. We received a great variety of different tulip bulbs, all in excellent condition. All tulips are planted in the fall and bloom in the spring. They grow best in zones 3 to 8 where they can get eight to 12 weeks of cold temperatures while under the soil.
Among the tulip bulbs we received, this is ‘Spryng Break.’ It has huge flowers that open in white with intense fuchsia-red flames. (Photo courtesy of theflowerhat.com)
‘Foxy Foxtrot’ is a double tulip with shades of apricot and yellow and hints of rose orange.(Photo courtesy of theflowerhat.com)
‘Queensland’ is a double fringed tulip with rose-red petals accented with light pink ruffles and serrated edges. This tulip opens with five-inch large blooms and grows up to 12 to 14 inches tall. (Photo courtesy of theflowerhat.com)
This big red and white peony-like tulip is called ‘Drumline.’ (Photo courtesy of theflowerhat.com)
And this one is ‘Double Sugar’ – with pink petals and a round, white center. (Photo courtesy of theflowerhat.com)
‘Estella Rijnveld’ is a bicolor heirloom with red and white flames that vary in width. When it opens, it has a yellow cast that fades to white as the flowers mature.
(Photo courtesy of theflowerhat.com)
‘Flaming Parrot’ has bright buttercup-yellow blooms with red flames. It is among the most popular for cut-flower arrangements. (Photo courtesy of theflowerhat.com)
This gorgeous double tulip is ‘Sugar Crystal.’ It has huge, feathery blooms with many layers of frilly petals in shades of silvery baby pink. (Photo courtesy of theflowerhat.com)
And ‘Sanne’ has large, tapered flowers that open in deep rose-pink with creamy-pink edges and mature to lilac-pink with pink-ivory edges. (Photo courtesy of theflowerhat.com)
Brian starts by making the rows using the bed preparation rake from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. This tool allows him to easily create shallow furrows in the soil. Hard plastic red tubes slide onto selected teeth of the rake to mark the rows. All the beds were already well-fertilized.
Then he goes over the same furrows with the Row Pro™ from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. It’s great for making deeper trenches in the soil.
Meanwhile, Ryan sorts out the bulbs and decides what will be planted in which bed. They will look so pretty when in bloom. And they will be done blooming before it is time to plant our vegetables.
Ryan places the bulbs next to the bed in which they will be planted – all like varieties together.
To plant these tulip bulbs, Brian and Phurba use these dibbers. A dibber or dibble or dibbler is a pointed wooden stick for making holes in the ground so seeds, seedlings or bulbs can be planted. Dibbers come in a variety of designs including the straight dibber, T-handled dibber, trowel dibber, and an L-shaped dibber. These are T-handled dibbers.
One by one, Brian places each bulb into the trench. Tulip bulbs are medium sized, so they should be buried at least six to eight-inches deep. As a rule of thumb, bulbs should be planted about three times the height of the actual bulb.
These tulip bulbs look so healthy. Any kind of bulb should be firm and free of soft spots or visible rot. Check for signs of disease, cracking or other damage, which may cause the bulb to rot in the ground. The brown tunic, or outer skin protects each bulb’s bottom or basil plate. One can peel it off, or plant as is.
Once all the bulbs are in their designated rows, Phurba follows behind and pushes the dibber into the soil making a hole where the bulb will be planted.
Phurba is careful to place each bulb with the pointed end faced up. This is important for all bulbs. If the pointed end is not obvious, look for the flat side of the bulb, which is the bottom.
Here is the bulb in the soil. Phurba plants all the bulbs before backfilling, so he can keep track of the planted holes and rows.
Bulbs are alive, but dormant, so they prefer to be in the soil. If they cannot be planted promptly, store them in a dark, dry location with good air circulation and temperatures averaging about 50 to 65-degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the bulbs are in their designated trenches, it’s time to rake the bed. Phurba carefully uses the back of a soft rake so he doesn’t disturb the bulb placements.
Most bulbs prefer full sun and average moisture. This day was quite cloudy, with showers in the forecast – perfect for our newly planted bulbs. We’ll have a beautiful cutting garden of colorful tulips come spring – I’ll be sure to share the photos.
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