Party Prep with My Pal

My dad's 80th birthday party is in two days at my house.  Shhh!  Don't tell.  My pal and I are getting ready...

Always in the car on my day off -- Kipper!!

After a drive through the donut  shop for Kip's car-ride treat (a regular expectation!), we head off to get the flowers I need for the buffet table, and to rejuvenate the urns outside.  Gotta have some nice fall color by the front door to welcome guests.

I love using coleus in my summer pots because they keep getting more gorgeous into the fall, and I can pull out the sad summer petunias and add in some mums at half the expense of  doing them all over.

Out with the petunias...

In go the mums and Kip in front of my camera...

My helpful pal waited patiently while I went shopping for a tall glass vase for some height in the party decor.  I found one on clearance for $8, and gathered it with some autumnal-looking toile fabric for the table, and a bit of cabbage for the tablescape, too.

Now for more fun, the start of the cooking.  I love throwing a party! :)  First on the menu is my Butternut Squash and Crab soup. 

See the gorgeous sage from my garden?  You know that's my favorite herb...I only use it as a garnish in this delicately flavored soup.

Stay tuned for the recipe to what has become my favorite (and way too easy to make) soup in my next post.  Gotta run, "there's a party goin' on 'round here..."

Talk to you soon,
Carol