Sunday, April 8, 2012

Monarch Spring Tea Table




I love waking up to a sunny spring morning and having fresh 
flowers on the table! 




 I put together a butterfly table to celebrate the monarch's spring migration. 



This week the monarchs started migrating through Oklahoma.  Wildflowers are blooming along the roadways and providing a steady food source for their journey. 




Monarchs are so amazing and I am always happy to see them return to my garden.
Giving them a place to land, eat and reproduce is one of my goals every summer.  I not only want to attract them but to help them along their way.




Planting a butterfly bush in the garden guarantees lots of visits and lots of nectar.  I also plant many other species of flowers they love to visit like Pentas.   
Pentas come in shades of pinks, white purple and red.


Pentas


Several years ago we had hundreds of monarchs clustered in our pecan trees as they stopped for the night and took a break from their long journey down south.  They can't fly if it's too cold so we were thrilled they decided to spend a chilly night in our trees. 




The next morning when the sun came out and warmed the air we watched as hundreds started to flutter about and 
then fly away!


  We have recently visited two Monarch sanctuaries in California where thousands migrate for the winter.  What an amazing journey they make!


Pacific Grove and Pismo Beach are  along California's
 central coast and have abundant eucalyptus groves and pines where the Monarchs love spending their winters.


The monarch is Pacific Grove's city mascot and you see them depicted throughout the city.



I love this garden bench that was in the butterfly sanctuary...wouldn't it look great in a corner of any garden!?




Pismo Beach has the largest colony of monarchs in the western United States!








Monarchs hang in clusters with their wings closed...they look like brown leaves on the trees and are somewhat hard to see.  




For a nature lover like me seeing this many butterflies in one place 
was a real treat and a reminder of how wonderful God's creation is!  


So my table this week is a celebration of their arrival to Oklahoma.
Monarch napkin rings set the 
tone for the table.


I purchased the napkin rings while in Pacific Grove several years ago at the cutest garden and gift store Trellis . Such a beautiful place to shop, click the link for more pictures.      



The tablecloth and napkins were purchased  at Stein-Mart this year.  I love the bold  floral pattern and that the fabric is indoor/outdoor.          



My sunflower plates seemed perfect with the butterflies.





I added this candleholder with the monarch motif.




This grocery store flower bouquet is a combination of  favorite flowers and spring colors.  Fuchsia pink gerbera daisies are so pretty!



The cake stand is one my favorites and is used for a teapot/coffee pot pedestal on many occasions. 



The ironstone tea/coffee pot was purchased from Goodwill for $5
and I was so excited to find it!







The cups are Johnson Brothers from England and were also found at a thrift store four for $3.  Hard to resist that price! 








Place settings












Tiny bud vase with flowers
 from my garden. 




When planting your garden this spring remember to add a few butterfly flowers to your border.
Milkweed is one plant that is really needed to help with their life cycle and migration. 



source


Have a Blessed and Happy Easter!


Linking with:


Show off your Cottage Monday
Marty's Tabletop Tuesdays
Kathleen's Let Dish 
 Tea Time Tuesday  and
Tablescape Thursdays















27 comments:

  1. Pentax to be planted next week...probably too late for my garden to be a stopping place. So exciting...I want to know more! Thanks for inviting us for a peak. Cherry Kay

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  2. Beautiful table and lovely post. Monarchs and other butterflies frequent our garden. ;-)
    Happy Easter ~ Sarah

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  3. Beautiful post and great buys. I love your pedestal stand also. Happy Easter.

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  4. Beautiful spring table. I am so happy to awaken to sunny days, too! Have you seen any hummingbirds yet, Sonia? Still waiting to see the first of the season, then I know it is really springtime on the prairie.

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  5. Wow. Your tablescape inspired by monarch butterflies is so cute and cheerful. I think it would be neat to visit a monarch sanctuary.

    You have founds some great deals! Whenever I go to thrift stores everything is always picked over. I can never find a thing

    xo,
    Ricki Jill

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  6. Oh Wow! I don't know what I liked more. I loved seeing your butterfly inspired tablescape. I would love to visit the monarch sanctuary. I'm a nature and butterfly lover.

    Dee

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  7. Oh I love your tablescape. The colors are definitely my favorite. I love the stand with the coffee/teapot. How beautiful. The butterfly theme is so perfect. Thanks so much for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

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  8. that was great fun, i am ready to hop in the car and drive to pg this minute for some butterfly fun! we saw some this weekend on the coast, after the winds we had all last week i can't beleive anything with wings wasn't blown inland 50 miles... fun table, loved the nature lesson combo, happy spring to you, its still winter here, 30s at the beach and another big storm due the next 4 days...

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  9. Very pretty, Sonia! Nice and cheerful! Always loved teaching about the Monarch migration, so interesting. How neat they stopped for an overnight at your place!
    Hope to see you Wed night at 7 for Let's Dish!

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  10. What a sunny and fun tablescape, Sonia! I remember my kids studying Monarchs in elementary school. They even had a program there in the school (several weeks long) where the kids were able to watch the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly. The Monarchs were then released. It was fascinating! To me as well as the kids! :)

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  11. This is just the happiest table that I have ever seen. I love all of the bright colors. Reading about the wonderful butterflies actually makes me sad. We do not see lots of butterflies any more like we did, when I was young. So many of the wildflowers that used to grow along the roads have been cut down. Sad, but I am glad to know that the butterflies are still thriving in Oklahoma!!

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  12. HI Sonia, We must be on each others blogs at the same time because I just saw that a comment came in from you! I just love the Monarchs too and am glad to see them returning to Oklahoma. I planted some flowers (now I can't remember what they are called) that are supposed to attract butterflies. They are just annuals but I remember planting them at another house I lived in and they drew the butterflies.
    Your table is so pretty and perfect for Spring. That candle holder is gorgeous! You've inspired me to get out some antique Spode pieces I have that have Monarch's on them. I'll try to post something with them soon.
    Don't you love Steinmart? I could spend thousands in that store... in every department from clothing (the boutique area is my favorite) to the housewares. I love it!

    I hope you had a wonderful Easter!

    Nancy

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  13. What a beautiful setting! I love all the colors and I'm envying that gorgeous cake stand!! :)

    I love Stein-Mart, I have not been there for awhile....maybe it's time for a visit!

    Have a wonderful night!
    Aledia

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  14. Back to visit the butterfly garden again. ;-)
    Have a good week.......Sarah

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  15. What a wonderful post! I love reading about the monarchs. We have them too especially when the lantanas start blooming. Your tablescape is beautiful, pretty napkin rings and votive candle holder....Christine

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  16. You are a lady after my own heart :o) When I saw this Monarch post, I grabbed my cup of coffee and plunked myself down! Your butterfly table and those napkin rings are lovely. Each year in August, I go with a nature group and we spend a few hours with the Monarch's in an open field in the woods. Lot's of milkweed plants in the field. I'm visiting from Let's Dish (a little late because we were on vacation). Thanks for this beautiful post!

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  17. What a wonderful post! I am also a nature lover and have been to the butterfly sanctuary at Pismo Beach several times. I also have many plants and flowers in the garden just for the butterflies. Your table is so cheerful and fun and the perfect theme for spring. Thank you for this wonderful post!

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  18. Lovely post...Love the fluttering of butterflies at teatime... Your table display is fabulous and so very cheery....Makes me smile...Hugs

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  19. A lovely tribute post to monarchs. We have a lot of milkweed growing along our roadsides but I have planted several cultivars too to encourage the monarchs to visit my gardens. Like you, I find butterfly bush the best source of nectar for any butterfly.
    We had a huge number of red admirals in our area last week - possibly migrating through but this was the first time and their numbers were amazing.
    Your table is lovely.

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  20. Fun table to celebrate the monarch! The ironstone is a great find. Fun post! Happy Tea Day!

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  21. Hi Sonia,
    you are sharing a wonderful post. I have visited a butterfly sanctuary in Greece. It is amazing when thousents of butterflies sit close together. Your napkin rings are wonderful and you made a beautiful tablescape. Thank you for sharing this wonder of nature.
    Best greetings, Johanna

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  22. Hi Sonia,
    what a gorgeous tea setting. I love your butterfly motif and your flowers are so pretty. The butterfly sanctuary sounds lovely.
    Blessings,
    Lisa

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  23. Hi Sonia,
    What a lovely post and a nice tribute to the Monarch. Your flowers are gorgeous and really pull everything together to make a lovely table. The butterfly napkin rings are a delightful touch and it would be fun to have tea at your table. Thank you for joining me and enjoy your week.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  24. Your tablescape is beautiful...so colorful! I would love to see the butterfly migration. Thanks for taking me there.

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  25. Oh, I love the tribute to the monarch! I live in AZ and the butterflies love spending time here and I love photographing them. I enjoyed reading your post and seeing your lovely table.

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  26. Hi sweet lady...

    I just had to leave you a note on this beautiful post, my friend! Your spring "Butterfly" table is sooo pretty! I love the color combinations of pink, yellow, and green...they just "sing of spring"! Your new floral table linens are beautiful...and soooo very perfect for a spring table! Love your place settings too! Adding the sweet little butterfly to the setting...so cute! It's all gorgeous, my friend! Thank you for sharing your pretty spring table with us!

    Love ya,
    Chari

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