Stuck at home, after mom and I came home from Philadelphia with mild cases of COVID, we set a summer lemon table for a nice outdoor brunch before she flew back to Charleston.

lemon-decorated-plate-copper-twig-fork

Instead of being out and about, visiting with friends and family during mom’s visit to Pittsburgh, we spent the ten days isolating at home. Since breaking my right-hand, ring finger, I’m also contending with the awkwardness and restrictions of wearing a splint for six long weeks.

After all being fully vaccinated and double boosted, this was not how we planned spending our summer visit. COVID continues to mutate and spread. Life = lemons, sometimes.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that the vaccines and five-day course of therapeutic pills protected us from severe illness or worse. I experienced feeling like I had a severe cold. But, I was nervous about my elderly mom, and felt badly that she caught the virus while on “my watch.”

My finger, well that is indeed frustrating! Accidently broken by Mr. Buzz during a new card game with friends, I have another month wearing a splint And, of course it had to be my right hand — geez! Usually when I need a mood lifter I craft, but that’s not an option presently. Instead, mom helped me to set a sunny yellow lemon table, with tableware and linens already in the house. I even managed a new napkin fold!

I use affiliate links and am an Amazon Associate. If you make a purchase I may earn a small commission that helps to offset website operating costs with no additional cost to you. Your support is appreciated! Disclosure Policy.

Making Lemonade

kaizen-nguy-Unsplash-jars-lemonade

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade is a proverbial phrase used to encourage optimism and a positive can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune. Lemons suggest sourness or difficulty in life; making lemonade is turning them into something positive or desirable.

Wikipedia

To celebrate mom reaching ten-days post COVID, we set the round glass table on the covered porch.

I served a light Sunday brunch that included a refreshing sparkling lemonade, with a rosemary-infused simple syrup. For the recipe, see Bee Theme Party Food Features Honey, Lemon.

outdoor-summer-lemon-table

It was overcast and humid, with an occasional sprinkle. But, we didn’t let that dampen our sunny mood. And we stayed dry and comfortable with help from the paddle fan overhead.

Styling a Lemon Table Setting

Underlying the lemon table setting is a sunny yellow and white check cloth that I’ve had a long time.

outdoor-lemon-table-setting

In May, I picked up lemon motif plates, coffee mugs and tall glasses from Dollar Tree. Still inexpensive at $1.25 a piece, I think an overall 25% price increase is excessive. How about you? I also would have preferred if the plates were melamine for outdoor use, but I loved the lemon pattern too much to pass them up.

Did you see the lemon tableware at Dollar Tree this season? Buy any? I haven’t been to the store in a couple of months so I’m not sure if they are still stocking them? The Dollar Tree website still is showing lots of lemon motif items; including a luncheon size plate my store didn’t have.

summer-lemon-table-place-setting

Lacking the need or storage space, I passed on purchasing the matching lemon motif bowls. Not wanting to cover the beautiful design, I also decided to keep things simple — without layering multiple plates to form a dish stack.

lemon-motif-decorated-coffee-mug

I did pick up the matching, nice-sized coffee mugs. That allowed me to “retire” a few odd and end pattern cups from the cupboard that were stained, chipped or oversized.

lemon-decorated-drinking-glass-highball

Particularly useful and attractive are the tall, lemon motif decorated glasses. I’ve been using them almost daily for serving either lemonade or iced tea.

lemon-decorated-plate-copper-twig-fork

Flanking the lemon table dinner plates are copper-color, twig handled flatware (Pier 1 numerous years ago).

Flower Folded Napkins

With extra tabletop space, I decided to fold napkins in the shape of flowers.

summer-lemon-table-flower-shape-napkin

Originally, I had thought to use the napkins that matched the yellow check tablecloth. But, they just “disappeared” or looked like a lump of fabric.

Instead, I chose these yellow floral print napkins. That also allowed me to tie in the lemon table with the blue plumbago flowers in the centerpiece and planters.

lemon-table-flower-shape-napkin-fold

However, getting the soft rayon fabric to hold the shape of 12 flower petals was a bit challenging — especially with a brace on my right-hand ring finger lol!

teal-flower-napkin-fold-bird-place-card

Requiring no ribbon or ring to hold its shape, the napkin is a version of the lotus flower fold. It’s also a derivative of the Pretty Flower Napkin Fold Tutorial that is tucked into stemmed glasses on the Tweet Turquoise Early Spring Table.

For other flower or summer season shapes, check out Napkin Folds for All Seasons, Holidays & Occasions.

Refreshed Floral Centerpiece

After mom and I came down with COVID, my son and his girl sent us this beautiful floral arrangement.

summer-floral-arrangement

It was already over a week old, when I decided to refresh it for use as a centerpiece on the summer lemon table. My mom, you see, is very talented arranging flowers. First she removed dead or wilted blooms. Other florals and materials had naturally air-dried and remained in place.

Since we couldn’t go to the store for fresh flowers, mom clipped and filled-in empty spaces with blue plumbago (Monrovia Royal Cape) from the pair of urn planters on the back deck.

summer-planter-Monrovia-royal-cape-plumbago

Also planted in each urn is Proven Winners Lemon Coral, Syngenta Darla Rose diascia, and Foertmeyer Blue Star TriTrunia.

summer-floral-centerpiece

I especially like the square, blue tile design of the pot the arrangement came in. A keeper for sure!

Plaza-de-Espana-canal-Seville-Spain
Spain Square (in English) is a plaza in Maria Luisa Park, built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929.

It reminds me of the incredible tilework we saw while visiting Seductive Seville with Arabic Palace, Flamenco Dance. Can you see what I mean?

Sunnier Summer Days Ahead

So I set a simple summer table, using what I had to make lemonade out of a lemon situation. What do you think?

outdoor-summer-lemon-table-setting

Later that evening, mom flew to Charleston, where Sistah B was waiting for her. Originally scheduled to fly back home on Thursday, we pushed her flight out to allow for ten days of isolating. Not the visit we planned. But, I’m thankful for the wonderful July 4th holiday we had in Philadelphia, and just spending time together.

Next week ‘ll share my son’s Bountiful NYC Urban Garden: Up on the Roof. And, hubby and I are still looking forward to our now three-time-scheduled Ireland vacation in August. Fingers crossed — left-hand anyway lol!

Hope you are all healthy and enjoying the summer. With these highly contagious variants out there, please get boosted if you’re due.

Debbee-signature-very-sm

Related Post Picks

Pin Me!

summer-lemon-table-flower-napkin-fold

Featured Post

Thursday-Favorite-Things-logo-small-1-1
happiness-is-homemade-button

Link Parties

I regularly participate in: Metamorphous Monday, Share Your Style, Tablescape Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Crafty Creators, Saturday Sparks, Happiness is Homemade, and Love Your Creativity.

Debbeesbuzz-bee-icon

Subscribe Today!

Join the hive and receive periodic email messages when Debbee publishes new posts.

Thanks for following The Buzz

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This