The Secret of the Sea Tablescape

The Secret of the Sea 
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~

Ah!  what pleasant visions haunt me
As I gaze upon the sea!

All the old romantic legends,
All my dreams, come back to me.

Sails of silk and ropes of sandal,
Such as gleam in ancient lore;

And the singing of the sailors,
And the answer from the shore!

Most of all, the Spanish ballad
Haunts me oft, and tarries long,

Of the noble Count Arnaldos
And the sailor's mystic song.

Like the long waves on a sea-beach,
Where the sand as silver shines,

With a soft, monotonous cadence,
Flow its unrhymed lyric lines;-

Telling how the Count Arnaldos,
With his hawk upon his hand,

Saw a fair and stately galley,
Steering onward to the land;-

How he heard the ancient helmsman
Chant a song so wild and clear,

That the sailing sea-bird slowly
Poised upon the mast to hear,

Till his sould was full of longing,
And he cried, with impulse strong,-

"Helmsman! for the love of heaven,
Teach me, too, that wondrous song!"

"Wouldst thou,"- so the helmsman answered,
"Learn the secret of the sea?

Only those who brave its dangers
Comprehend its mystery!"

In each sail that skims the horizon,
In each landward-blowing breeze,

I behold that stately galley,
Hear those mournful melodies;

Till my soul is full of longing
For the secret of the sea,

And the heart of the great ocean
Sends a thrilling pulse through me.

My table is an old spool for cable wire.  I just flipped it on its side and now we've got an outdoor table! ;-)  It's got a hole in the center so I can add an umbrella! 

Last night we celebrated two of my kiddos birthdays.  Ethan and Trevor, though 5 years apart, share the same birthday.  Ethan turned 23 and Trevor turned 18.  I wanted to show you all a picture of them together because I don't get to take pictures with them all in one spot very often.  I love them all so much and feel so blessed that God chose me to be their Mom!

From left to right is Jonah, Ethan, Kalyn, Ashton, Trevor and Michael…oh and random guy =). 

Brown transferware ship plates available in my shop, HERE

Napkin rings:  Fashioned from shower curtain hooks.  I tied a knot around each of the hooks.

Wine bucket:  is a waste bucket

Side plates:  are soap dishes

Shell Candle holders:  I fashioned these from wine bottle stoppers adorned with sea shell napkin rings and small votives.

Centerpiece:  Shell Pillar Holder lined with a blue Mercury glass votive holder.  I placed this in a vintage glass compote and around the shell base scattered tonal blue, aqua and clear glass beads.

Aqua goblets:  Park Design

Pineapple Cake...yummy and came from a local bakery! 



Linking to

Savvy Southern Style
Centerpiece Wednesdays
Tablescape   Thursdays
Show and Tell Friday 
French Country Cottage
A Delightsome Life