Amazing Tablescapes 2025

This week four members of the Take Joy Society, Carol, Cindy, Chris, and Cathy, went out to lunch at Brooke's House cafe before attending this year's Amazing Tablescapes at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts.  A new Curator came on board since last year's Tablescapes, changed the date, and gave it a theme.  Several people who had signed up to contribute to this year's table designs had already started their project.  Cindy was one of them (#8), but you will see it is as clever as always.  The Museum is featuring a collection of photos of Frida Kahlo in conjunction with Tablescapes.

Amazing Tablescapes 2024

The Take Joy Society (in attendance were Cathy, Chris, Carol, Marilyn, and Cindy) met at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts to view this year's Amazing Tablescapes 2024 Fundraiser.  There were 17 tablescapes this year.  Our Cindy contributed once again.  To better see the details of each exhibit click on each photo to enlarge it.

The tables are set up in the museum's atrium. . .

Picture-Book Illustrations Get-Together

The Take Joy Society got together today at a restaurant named District Provision & Supply Company.  We were all curious about the restaurant's name.  Cindy, a lifelong resident of the county remembers that the building was once used by a cobbler where you'd take your boots to have the heels repaired.  

In attendance were Cindy, Chris, and her friend, Marilyn, who is new to our group, and Edie who drove four hours from her home in Virginia.  Carol, unfortunately, was unable to join us.  

Christmas Tea at Surreybrooke Cabin

The Take Joy Society had their 2023 Christmas Tea at Surreybrooke's rental cabin.  I've written about Surreybrooke gardens several times.  Look for those posts under Surreybrooke in the Archives in the sidebar if you want to see more about this magical place in Middletown, Maryland. . .

If you enjoyed the music on the slide show, play it again while you read the rest of this post!

Pysanky Egg Dying Get-Together

An unforeseen circumstance prevented me (Cathy) from attending this month's Take Joy Society get-together.  Thank you to Cindy for writing and photographing the following....

We did Pysanky eggs also known as Ukrainian eggs. Raw eggs are used because they dye better and the insides will dry up after many years. I pre-drew some of them, or they could choose to come up with their own design. The eggs were room temperature....

Amazing Tablescapes 2023

Several members of the Take Joy Society met at the Washington County Fine Arts Museum for their annual fundraising event called Amazing Tablescapes.  

Click on the name of the table for more photos on the museum's website.  Carol is viewing Buzz Worthy. . . .

Christmas Tea at Cindy's

🎶O Come All Ye Faithful🎶

Cindy, Chris, Carol, and Cathy gathered at Cindy's house for this year's Christmas Tea.  Edie, unfortunately, was unable to join us because her husband was in the hospital recovering from surgery.  

Cindy's house was decorated for Christmas. . . .

Summer Get-Togethers

With COVID still wreaking havoc, even amongst our group, as well as conflicting schedules, we've only managed to get together twice since last December.  In June only Edie and I made it to Chris's for lunch on her bank barn's porch overlooking the swimming pond. . .

Lunch is served!

Christmas Tea at Carol's

🎶We Wish You a Merry Christmas🎶 

The Take Joy Society got together yesterday for a Christmas Tea at Carol's house.  Here is her lovely table set for our festivities.....

Getting Back Together - June 2021

Finally!  After more than a year some of the Take Joy Society members were able to get together twice this month!  The first get-together was at member Cindy's place in order to see her latest welded sculptures as well as her lovely gardens.  I was not able to attend that day but was able to visit with my husband a few days later....

Take Joy Society Fifth Anniversary

The anniversary of Tasha Tudor's 105th birthday is next week on the 28th.  It's gotten me to thinking about the beginning of the Take Joy Society which began as the Maryland Chapter of the Tasha Tudor Museum Society six years ago.  The Museum sent out emails to its followers about the various celebrations the Chapters were holding.  This is how I came to meet these lovely ladies, some of whom continued on with the Take Joy Society.....

You can read about our celebration HERE.  

Taking Joy in Difficult Times

With the Stay-at-Home and Social Distancing orders still in place where we live the Take Joy Society has not been able to get together since February.  This is indeed a difficult and strange time we are living in, and I know many difficulties have arisen for many people.  Each of us are managing the best we can according to our resources, whether financially, physically, emotionally, and mentally.  As for myself I have used this time to sort out some things that have been bothering me which has led to my rereading a book on my bookshelf.  It came into my hands in 2012 while on Martha's Vineyard, and I read it on the journey home.  But I must not have been "ready" for it yet because it did not impact me then the way it has now.  I am finally able to understand my difficulty in enjoying my life these past few years.  That is why I am sharing it here because it is a great resource for bringing joy into your life right now. 

Tea in Mechanicsburg

The Take Joy Society met at Carol's and rode up together to Mechanicsburg, PA to take joy in having a tea luncheon at Sweet Remembrances....

Amazing Tablescapes 2019

The ladies of the Take Joy Society got together this week to once again visit Washington County Fine Arts Museum's fundraiser "Amazing Tablescapes" in Hagerstown, Maryland.  Last year TJS member, Cindy Downs, entered her welded sculptures and was awarded this trophy for raising the most money through "votes" of $1 each placed in jars.  You can view last year's HERE. 

Cindy's Garden Tour

This photo was taken at Cindy's house in February 2016 for our Scherenschnitte Get-Together. . . .

Taking Joy in Tea

When friends get together it's always fun to visit a favorite tea room where we can take our time to catch up on what is happening in each others' lives and talk about things that are important to us.  At Christmas time it's an opportunity to exchange gifts, too!  So that is what we did today at Dollies Tea Room in Clear Spring, Maryland. . . .

Amazing Tablescapes

The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts was founded in 1931.  This plaque is on the original facade. . . .

Hygge

“To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty,
a picture which was never seen before and which shall never be seen again.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

🍁For those of you who follow Morning Musings you know that I spent a week in the English countryside last May.  Walking on the Lake District paths along moss-covered stone walls, through pastures of sheep and cows, over hill and dale had a profound affect on me.  I've always loved being outside.  Whether it's hanging clothes on the line, gardening, or hiking in the woods, I've always felt it to be a place I belonged.  The first thing I do in the morning is open the blinds and whenever I can I open the window to my bedroom bringing the outdoors in.

🍁Upon my return from England I began seeing articles, blogs, and books on the value of getting close to nature and realized I needed to be even more intentional about it.  I was introduced to Emma Mitchell's blog, Silverpebble, through Twitter and am excitedly awaiting her newest book, The Wild Remedy:  How Nature Mends Us - A Diary, due out in January.  About it she writes:

This is a diary of the curative effect of my walks in green places & is full of my illustrations. I hope it will encourage others to get outside.

Winchester Get-Together - August 2018

The Take Joy Society's August get-together was in Old Town Winchester, VA today.  First we did the requisite shopping.  Our first stop was Peacock Antiques. . . .

Williamsport Get-Together - June 2018

Today the Take Joy Society visited Williamsport, Maryland, a small town at the confluence of the Potomac River and Conococheague Creek.  Williamsport grew up along the Great Wagon Road, that ran from New York to the Carolinas, where a ferry was established in 1744 to carry settlers heading West across the Potomac.  By 1834 the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal passed through Williamsport to transport coal and other supplies between Cumberland, Maryland and Washington, D.C. and was why we visited the town today so we could take a ride on a replica launch boat which were used around 1900 for leisure and business on the canal.

Our first stop was the Canal View Candles & Barrel Company where you could find innovative handcrafted items made from barrels.

Then it was across the street for lunch at Desert Rose Cafe, named after the owner. . . .