A belated, but heartfelt Happy Birthday to you, Anna! That Jewel is stunning! I understand they're fragrant, too! I'm not a huge fan of doubles, but there are a few that really send me... Jewel is one! My next milestone Birthday isn't for a couple of years, and I can surely wait! LOL! Chaz, I can't decide which I like more... the flower arrangement, or the vase candelabra or chandelier the arrangement is displayed in! It's a gorgeous combination that says Happy Autumn! Arif... what a colorful view! I'm with Chaz... I'd love to have your climate, or at least your gardens! They're always so lovely and inviting! I can't wait to see new photos of your Hippi patch! I just adore the ones you've posted in the past! 'Tis the Season once again! Soon, everyone will be showing off their wonderful blooms, and the rest of us will be drooling on our keyboards while viewing! I do hope the Birthday girls had fabulous days! And a Happy Birthday to anyone else who was born in Autumn!

Please use new list. Thank You. Ron S

Jane, Your Italian decendant tale made me smile. I love it when I hear people say they went back to the "old neighborhood." It would do my heart good to learn that the Italian Bakery you wrote about is still operated by the family of the original owners. One of 18! Do you have a snap shot of them all together??? I bet it is something to see. I'd love for you to share it here, right on this post. Or maybe you can find one of them sitting at a long table for one their feasts - like they show in the movies. Although, some people say it's not a good thing to show photographs of people, what with all the stalkers and weirdos and such. Was St. Joseph's Day big in your family? Of course, I'm glad you like my dishes. I imagine I'll be using them more as fillers for other colored sets, rather than stand-alone place settings, just as you mentioned. But the all white seemed to remind me of those little Italian restaurants tucked away on side streets in San Francisco, so I went with that for their debut here on the forum. Gail, Yes, the chianti bottles are about as trite as you can get, but they are fun, aren't they. I know they used to make candles that dripped different colors all over the place, so you could make an instant I-use-this-candle-holder-all-the-time look, just by burning one candle. (They were big in my hippie days.) Trouble was, they were as expensive as buying a set of 6 individual candles. You're so sweet to mention my table again. I'm glad to hear someone appreciates the pullout almost as much as I. The basketball play-offs mean that dinner is spent at the bar watching grown men run around the court. (I'm not much of a basketball fan.) But I insist that we sit down at a table (not a bar), in regular chairs (not bar height) at least once a week to eat dinner. To his credit, he agrees that it's a good idea and he does appreciate my little decorations. I'd like to say that I press this point because it is the proper, civilized thing to do. But in actuality, I do it because it's easier to use all my dishes that way!

Maria, somehow I missed this thread! I'm so happy for you & I think Mr. Pickey Eater is pretty lucky too! I hope you have a fantastic Valentine's Day! Nothing wrong with being a pickey eater...instead, refer to him as a discrimminating eater. LOL /tricia