With the start of the first clue hunt of the season bearing down on me, I think everything is ready to go....I hope. I hope that I have not forgotten to do something important like set the clues! Today, the main focus was on the tea party for the guests. I baked lots of pretty party foods that would be suitable for the theme and had fun setting the table with dishes that I do not normally use. Since I am a bit more "country clunky" (to use one of Mom's terms), fine china and crystal rarely (if ever) get used here in the Little Bayou House. BUT! This is a tea party! So everything has to be fit for the Queen, even if that queen reigns only over the Bayou.
Speaking of tables, there are two other tabletops filled with the most odd assortment of trinkets. These tablescapes are to be examined by the team members. Perhaps, hidden amongst the oddities, there are a few clues that will lead them to other places. Can you spot the clues? Nope, there are no written clues in my hunts. The players have to be astute and find clues where none seem to be hidden. An item simply "out of place" could be the answer to finding the next clue. A series of locked boxes, mind puzzles and tools will come into play during their search for answers. In previous hunts, the teams have done well and solved the mysteries that abound on the Bayou. They have solved murders, escaped locked rooms and debunked legends. This year, things are a bit different. This is the first time that they will actually be hunting a treasure!
So, the table is set, the food is prepared and the clues are all in place. The stage is set and I am just waiting for the role-players to arrive. This should be fun for all...me, especially!
Today being Thanksgiving, I did all the expected things that a mom has to do. I got up roasted the turkey, finished preparing the side dishes and set the table. Things were going smoothly as I had plenty of help. Both Mark and Son were on hand for any chores that called for assistance. This made the day easy for me. One of the things that was strictly my task was setting the table. If it was up to the guys, the this part of a meal would consist of "setting" their plateful of food on the table before eating it. I prefer to have the table look nice at least for a few minutes before plates are piled with goodies and folks commence their munching. It was this time that got me thinking.
The tablescape was simple this time as we are simple folks. There is no need for flashy decorations or fine linens. A plaid throw, a couple of vases of dried marsh plants and three small Thanksgiving candles was all it took to portray the mood. Mom's turkey plates, Aunt Betty's green glasses, my grandmother's pine needle vase (and my copy!) and my grandmother's candles made the place look festive without being overbearing. Simple...like me...like life on the Bayou.
Simple blessings can sometimes far outweigh the most elaborate of gifts. An early morning walk with Mark, (the best husband in the world), the time spent with Son as we baked yesterday, the few minutes that I had to chat with my oldest son who is overseas, sharing a bit of conversation and a few ideas for herbal tea blends with my sweet daughter-in-law, giggles, stories and more giggles between Darling Daughter and myself as we unpacked Christmas decorations, hugs from my son-in-law...all count as simple, yet wonderful blessings. Food to eat, a cozy, little house, fresh air to breathe, firewood for the old wood-stove, a winter garden and comfy clothes to wear...all taken for granted, yet true blessings. We are granted so many blessings that we overlook in our hectic lives. Simple....yet abundant. Simple....yet perfect. Simple blessings.
The Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou is something that I look forward to all year long. It takes just about that long to plan, create props, decide on a menu and pull the entire thing together. The thing starts with an idea, progresses into a storyline and then proceeds to become a reality. I scrounge around in flea markets, raid family members' sheds and use a good bit of creativity to make things perfect. Each year, I worry and fret that I have overlooked something or that perhaps I have "bitten of more than I can chew" but with Mark's and Son's input and help, we manage to transform the place into what I imagine. It is great!
The menu usually is something that ties in with the hunt. I serve a full "sit-down" meal and have the tablescape to fit the hunt. Last year's theme was "Steampunk Poe" with apologies to Edgar Allan Poe for our twist on his stories. The dining table was set in Victorian style with crystal and a black lace tablecloth with red underlay. Of course, beads, candelabras, a skull and ravens had to make an appearance. This was fun! The heavily ornate table settings were in stark contrast to what normally happens at the Little Bayou House.
This year's theme is "Legends of the Bayou". It is more fitting to the setting of the place and the house in general. I had first automatically pulled the black lace tablecloth and candelabras for the meal. It just did not feel right. Then, in the middle of the night, it struck me...duh! Bayou! How simple! I would go with "Bayou Elegance"! Some crystal, some everyday. I had to get up out of bed at 3 am because I was so excited! Things were whirling around in the head so sleep was impossible. A canvas dropcloth replaced the black lace tablecloth. This was topped with a piece of trawl netting that I had been saving for some unknown reason. (See! My "hoarding" does come in handy!) Everyday offwhite dishes were paired with crystal plates and ramekins. I was so blessed to be the recipient of my sweet aunt's "shrimp" glasses and they were going to be perfect for this tablescape! I have the same aunt's large silver plate tray so that became the base of my centerpiece. A tarnished silver candle holder/vase was set atop the platter then a smaller platter on top of that. A lantern found its way on the tip top of this mountain! The whole thing was draped with Spanish moss and dotted with seashells. Yep...the "Bayou" had come to life on my table! Seafood would abound on the menu and for dessert my sweet aunt's crystal wine glasses would be filled with pumpkin trifle! With the combination of everyday and fine crystal, the setting was perfect....a bit of "Bayou Elegance" at its best! (Thank you, Michelle, for honoring me with your mother's gorgeous dishes!)
This clue hunt has me thinking nonstop. As matter of fact, even though we have just started this year's, my brain is already thinking of a year from now. I only hope that my guests have as much fun as I do! It will be a full month of teams coming to try their hand at solving the mystery and tasting a bit of Bayou cuisine! Fun!
