Reviving a neighborhood tradition - Getting ready for a gathering at our cozy home in the country 

the mirror reconstruction was unbelievable! You are so talented! That was a true gift from the heart ❤

Linda, You must know that you provide, not just me, but all your kindred spirits with ideas, humor, knowledge, and inspiration. You know what that is!? PRICELESS 😊

Linda, I’m not sure you fully realize how many of your viewers appreciate and use some of your creative ideas. I look forward to your videos and actually keep a notebook of ideas inspired by you. Congratulations on your successful gathering! 🌻

Absolutely love how authentic and friendly your neighborhood is. Lovely to be part of such a community - it's both a pleasure and a reassurance to know your neighbors. The house looks magnificent - a credit to the hard work you and Ben have put into it. I'm sure Sugarwood loves you both.

Great job restoring the mirror. Someone in heaven is smiling.

What a lovely thing to do for your neighborhood. The eagle mirror above the desk is perrrfect ❤️

You are amazing, Linda! So organized, so thoughtful and entertaining! A great teacher too!! Loved this video! So many helpful tips! Thank you for sharing!

The mirror is beautiful and the value is sometimes not possible to appraise! I can see why it made them cry that you took the time to restore something that meant so much..and what a beautiful gesture to Ben that you are now displaying his family heirlooms so prominently. Linda, the party setting was amazing..loved the cucumber leaf cutout idea..so simply elegant. I also prefer to clean things up after a party and wake up to a tidy space, at the same time there is a part of me that is sad if I don't wake up to some remnants of the evening - I guess I don't want it to look like nothing happened! Wishing you many happy events in your lovely home.

Your get-together turned out amazingly. I'm sure your neighbors appreciated you and Ben so much.

Wow, what a beautiful story about the mirror! So glad you can be its caregiver from here on, it belongs with you and your home! Great job! Thanks so much for sharing, it was fun!

Congratulations on a successful hosting of your event. Everything looked beautiful. Your restoration of the mirror is amazing! You should take it in to the people who said it wasn’t worth it. Crow a little bit. ❤️😉

I’m so glad you took the time and effort to reconstruct the antique mirror! What a treasure.

Absolutely loved and enjoyed watching this video. It was warm and inviting and I’m sure we all felt like we got to be a part of your meet and greet party while having the opportunity to see a sneak peak of behind the scenes. Also absolutely loving the longer videos. Great job Linda and can’t wait for more of your fall content and for the garden to start displaying fall colors 😊

What a wonderful party Linda! The house and food setup was so lovely. So nice of you to let us experience all the prep work with you leading up to the event..You handled the pressure so well..cool and collected..A real gift you are. Soon..all in Christ Jesus..will be taken up to the party of parties..a grand celebration indeed..,"The Wedding Supper of the Marriage of The Lamb,"..where the "Bride of Christ," His beloved church..who will be raptured to this grand event that takes place in Heaven. I look so forward to meet King Jesus in the clouds with all my loved ones who have sprung up from their graves at His shout at the last trumpet blast! What a glorious day that will be!

"Have you ever watched a video and felt exhausted at the end"?...45 minutes what a treat...so many wonderful ideas...Thank you for sharing your beautiful home.

OH Linda!! Beautiful. You did a fantastic job on the mirror. As for taking us along while you got ready for the party WOW THANK YOU. I hope you know I would bet a lot of us were saying " where can I help?" but you did it CALM and it got done. Loved the ideas for the cucumbers. Thank you for sharing and taking us along. Successful gathering, now relax, enjoy your sunny day.

My heart was racing by the time you got your spread set up. I always think I have ample time and run straight into the deadline like a Dead End street. I guess it's better than waiting for hours for guests to arrive. I had a long distance gentleman friend who would call me to chat while he waited for his guests. Sharing his pre-party excitement was fun. Everything you shared was beautiful. The food looked lovely and easy to handle.

Linda, you did a beautiful job restoring your in-laws mirror it looks just beautiful over the secretary and how wonderful for Ben to have family heirlooms.And both look perfect in the kitchen.What a beautiful spread and I'm glad your gathering was a success! Yeah to new friends and great neighbors.🕊️💚

I agree about the 3m hooks from experience. Because when it falls in the middle of the night it will certainly get your heart beating.😅

Yay, you’re on early! It seems we have the same furniture moving technique! I usually decide to rearrange things at night after my husband is asleep. It gets the job done. Thanks for letting us hang out with you. Your food presentation was amazing. You stayed so calm working under pressure, I’m jealous. So glad for you that the get together was a success and your neighbors got to enjoy the beautiful Sugarwood.

I’d love if you did a video on different fireplace mantle decoration ideas the New England style! ❤️

Thank you Linda for bringing us along for your gathering. Everything looked lovely!

Yes Linda everything was great..And how you reconstructed the mirror was wonderful..I really enjoyed this video as always from beginning to end. Seems that you and Ben and Willow have good neighbors..Everything turned out wonderful. .Thank you as always..

Wow, I admire your energy and social skills in hosting an event like this for a large group!! SO much planning, expense and work!! Entertaining has never been a forte of mine, other than immediate family of course. You deserve to have a rest day! Everything looked so beautiful and festive. What a lovely way to meet and greet all your new neighbours and friends! 😊 ~~M~~ (ps: and I love the mirror you so lovingly restored! Perfection over the secretary desk. They were meant to stay together! Amazing sentimental family heirlooms to have.)

I love the eagle mirror with the imperfection and the age it looks perfect over the desk

What a nice evening! There is nothing like a clean kitchen 1st thing in the morning, especially after an evening of hosting.

Fabulous work that you did on the mirror! An irreplaceable family heirloom that will be enjoyed for many generations. ❤

Gorgeous spread Linda! Matched with your beautifully decorated home. You are class A, lady! You are an inspiration to me and many I'm sure! Thank you!!❤ have a geat Sunday today!

Great job. Everyone was wonderful! Thanks for including us.

I could never sit still either, in fact I’m still that way. I’ve discovered that I have ocd, and probably always have. My daughters always said they never be as fussy as me. Ha! Guess what! I love that their houses are clean and organized, intruders bed off. I bet your party was fun for all. Food and friends, gracious hosts and Willow to entertain all. What more could you ask for. Have a couple of quiet days to recover.🍁🍂🍁🍁🍂

Absolutely loved this video. Love the cucumber leaves. Your home is beautiful. Thank you for sharing the whole experience.

Bravo Linda!! Thank You so much for sharing this friendly video with us! Watching it was like a secret film of me 25+years ago... getting the house perfect,making sure all the food and treats were in lovely platters and containers, mixing fun and strong(!!) coctails,over thinking everything I could possibly do to make the party sooo FUN!! Even staying afterwards to clean and straighten the house so in the a.m. I could enjoy my colonial home and spend time reminising about the night before!!

The desk and mirror were perfect together. Good move!

Hi Linda … l am not to sure if you have ever watched “ Entertaining with Beth “ channel on youtube ? … l have learnt so much from her, just as l have learnt from you !! … one thing Beth has taught me is she gets out her serving dishes and also her serving spoons a couple of days before an event … she works out what she is serving in what and how she will place them on her tables … this one thing has helped me tremendously !! 😊 … l loved watching this !! 🐨🇦🇺

The Brandenburg Concerti were my dad's favorite pieces of music. My fondest memory is sitting on his lap listening to #3, 4 and 5.

Thanks so, so much for taking us along on the prep and gathering of your neighborhood party. Loved every minute of it!!!

I felt like I was there at the gathering and enjoyed it. Well Done !! Thank You.

I think you are precious! Wish you were my neighbor. Your Esthetic is beautifully executed. Thank you for being real! :) charming.

Good Morning Linda - your mirror story was beautiful. It made me cry. What a precious family heirloom & story. Makes it even more sentimental. Experts couldn’t fix it because their heart wasn’t in it. I’m an artist. I painted my in laws paintings for Christmas. All sentimental subjects to them. I painted a picture of my FIL’s childhood home. I improvised & painted a fence with yellow flowers to fill in space & eye flow. I didn’t didn’t care for the way the flowers & fence turned out & intended to fix it after I gave the painting for Christmas. My FIL was a man of few words. Never showed emotion. He hung the picture where it could be seen & enjoyed. 4 years later & no changes to the painting, we sat talking. He started to wipe tears from his eyes. I asked if he was okay? He told me how much he loved my painting. He said that fence - that fence & those yellow flowers was how he knew that was his house when he walked home from school as a small child!! I couldn’t believe it. It made me cry too. My FIL passed a few years ago. That painting we now have hanging up. What looked like an eyesore to me before holds the most beautiful sentiment, memory & moment in my heart. I totally know how your heart felt with the restoration of the mirror! Have a great day. 💕

What a lovely time had by all thanks to you and Ben and Willow!!!!! What beautiful fellowship. Patti

You are an awesome hostess! Like my mom did when she was living, I host family and friends 6 or 7 times per year. I light candles and try to make it special. I agree, I always have too much food. They love taking home "care packages" for the next day.

I love how completely relateable this video was! We host frequently as well, and yes, we are ALWAYS running behind! Oh, and that mirror? Spectacular job!

That’s how I move furniture. ❤

Your home is just looking beautiful! Fun to watch your party preparation. Seems like it was a wonderful gathering!! 💕

It’s fantastic to see your exquisite home filled with friends and so much joy. Your vision, planning and effort has brought beautiful new life into your home, gardens and neighborhood! 💕

Oh, I can tell you and your friends had fun at your party. I heard the guests talking and laughing. It is great to meet all of your neighbors. That cocktail mixture sounds delicious! I love all that food and, sometimes, during College football season, I will make appetizers for dinner. Linda, have a great week. xoxo Cathy

What a wonderful story about the mirror. It's beautiful I'm glad you got it! I'm glad it was never thrown away by them! Love the story Linda wonderful. Have a great day!

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS! You have a beautiful speaking voice. I hope you take us thru your lovely home for a fall tour. You are so talented and gracious Linda. Have a blessed day! ❤

What a great get together! I’m sure everyone enjoyed your efforts and loved, loved, loved your beautiful home! Well done you….

Had to laugh because I can never rest in my own house if I see something like the topiary out of place . Guess that’s why I love vacation away!!

Ohmygoodness! SO like me…..the minute I sit down to “relax for just a moment” I see something that needs to be moved, turned, or straightened! 😆 We are kindred spirits for sure!! 🥰

I use anchors with frames that are precious to me. Wash you veggies with water and vinaiger to prevent fruit flies.

You deserve to enjoy the day,it took me a long time to learn I didn’t have to cook everything,I have my favorite places to buy precooked food,my secret is to do Everything I can before guests arrive,then I have no stress about anything when guests arrive…….I always have too food,that’s something I haven’t learned,but that’s ok …Have awesome Fall week 🍁🍂🍃

I love it too when guests leave hours after they should have -definitely sign of a good party!

Loved this video! You have such rapport with your viewers. Loved seeing the party setup and ideas we can use for ourselves. You have so many talents/gifts but especially hospitality!

So impressed with the mirror restoration! What an accomplishment. My family never entertained anyone, so I was always intimidated to do so as an adult. But gradually I learned from magazines and Martha's book. I gave a big pre-Christmas party every year for neighbors and friends. A little party favor always helped. So good for you and Ben to have the grace and desire to be good hosts. Look forward to your Halloween decor!

Your home is absolutely beautiful. When I was younger (84 now) I enjoyed cooking, gardening, sewing, decorating, volunteering and entertaining. Watching your videos bring back many happy memories. I love all the ways you do things, I just know we would be friends. You are so warm and real. Thanks so much for making these videos. Carole Evans❤❤

Sounds like you are thinking of doing a Swedish Death Cleanse. That's what they call the process of getting rid of those things we hold on to that have no real value so that your loved ones won't have to go through all that stuff. I love watching your videos. It's like visiting a friend!

I love your ironstone! All your pieces do look like antiques. They are beautiful! I have a small collection not as great as yours and white hobnail that I display all year-round in so many places in my home. Your neighborhood get-together was a hit seems like that beautiful feast of quality nibbles always has all gathered to the main area to converse. You did a FANtastic job! Your hostess skills are Right-On!👍❤️

Mrs. Davis, what a great video! The party looked like a fabulous time. My condolences regarding your father-in-law’s passing. May his memory be a blessing. Regards, JR

Linda, I'm so happy that you were able to enjoy the prep work and then your neighbors, it will be talked about for years to come. What a lovely gift to Ben and your family in restoring the beautiful mirror, I could just feel all the love you gave it. You have encouraged me to get out and use my treasured heirlooms. And yes, I too don't like leaving anything messy, especially before bed. Blessings to you and your family.

What lucky neighbors! That get together you and Ben hosted looked amazing! I so enjoyed this video Linda! And I absolutely love the eagle mirror above the desk. Looks perfect there.

Looked like a great party! I admire how you pull it all together in the end before everyone shows up, I'd be a nervous wreck!

What a terrific experience. You Ben and, of course, Dear Willow are such gracious hosts! I'm exhausted watching - can only imagine how you are feeling! Relax and enjoy and once again, thanks for sharing.

The restoration on the mirror, incredible! And selfishly, really loved seeing another "manic" hostess, lol. I felt that energy, to the core. We are kindred spirits 😊

Wonderful video! I loved seeing the party come together. So much fun to watch! ❤

Good morning! Lovely to see you this morning!

That reconstructed mirror that you worked on, is breathtaking! You are so talented! Not only are you talented, but you make me laugh hysterical! You moving that secretary desk on the carpet and your husband rolling his eyes is literally my life! Thank you for giving me such a laugh today❤❤❤😂😂😂

I love that you used paper plates!

I love almost everything about your entertaining. Thursday from 5 to 7, really???? I guess if your neighbors are all retired, or possibly work from home that might work. I’m surprised anyone else could’ve made it to your house prior to 630. I’m sure it was great fun and you are wonderful at everything you do. Love ❤your videos.

Lol, you move furniture like I do! The mirror turned out so well and looks great on the wall. Looks like the party was a rousing success!

Your mirror repair was fabulous. You are talented… and patient!

Yesss the colonial mirror is perfect right above the secretary desk- you did such a great job restoring it. The neighborhood 'block party' prep work was so much fun hearing your comments - they sound like how I function, and the bounty of the table looked so hospitable and delicious. I love entertaining and hosting friends and family as well. The end of summer full bloom of the garden and music you chose was so beautiful Linda. I really enjoyed this vlog-- well I enjoy every vlog you do.! We are still having record breaking temps here on the GA Coast, and are looking forward to a bit of a relief of the summer heat and humidity, as I know you all are as well. It's hard thinking of sweaters and jackets when it's still 908 outside. But we are hopefully seeing clear blue skies and 70* temps soon!

Perfect timing for me to hear your purging and merging message. I have the same…congratulations on your baby girl…from people I don’t even know 😂

That white pumpkin on the black pedestal is EVERYTHING ! 🤩💯 I’m so copying that.

You did a beautiful job on the mirror! What a wonderful thing. It’s always worth restoring those beautiful old pieces. My almost-95-year-old mother and I are watching this. We always watch your videos. When you came out dragging the desk on a rug, she just started laughing. “That’s what I used to do!,” she said. Lolol!

Your house looked beautiful! The food looked awesome! I'm sure your guest had a wonderful time. Thanks for sharing!

Absolutely lovely. Thank you for sharing. You are a very inspiring woman. God's blessings to you and your family. Your mirror was lovely. Thank you for sharing that story.

Linda, I have a recurring dream that I go to work ( retired RN) and the entire day goes by and I haven’t done one blessed thing….then I wake up and I say “whew.. I’m retired!!” I had a little gathering myself last night ….only nine people ….and I wanted to have drinks and appetizers outside in the gazebo, but it was way too hot and muggy! I’m sure you had a great time and I’m also sure that all of your neighbors thought your house was just amazing …. you did a beautiful spread of food! Thanks again for another great video!🌻

Absolutely fabulous job on the mirror. Looks like a fun time for all at the gathering.

Loved your canapé with the leaf shaped cuts! You do so many things so thoughtfully

The eagle mirror is perfect in that spot. The small round mirror would be beautiful as a tray, add antique handles to each side and place beautiful glass pumpkins on it to reflect in the mirror on a table. You are a natural at prepping your home for a party in record timing.

Wonderful video. Enjoyed it all. Girl, you really need to put some coffee mugs on the mug tree next to the coffee machine so you don’t have to back track into your kitchen! 😊. Hope you were able to enjoy your peaceful day. ❤

“I can’t relax. I have to move a topiary.” 😂 You and I are so similar in that way. That is exactly something I would be thinking. I really enjoyed this video. I love all of your videos, but this one was so fun to watch. When you said it was 4:00 and the party started at 5:00, I immediately felt rushed for you, even through all the prepping. 😅 Glad you got it all done though, and that the party was a success! ❤

Oh that mirror!! You say you’re not an expert……but you are very talented! It’s beautiful!!

I so appreciate how real you are Linda! I am sure your neighbors had a wonderful time. ❤

Enjoy watching you move furniture, paint, pull weeds, decorate your home, plan parties, catch fruit flies, cook ... ♥️ your channel.

What a lovely gathering you organised with your neighbours. And how lucky are you to have such lovely people close by? Sadly all my lovely neighbours have moved from my area and the newer ones are not the same.

I get a chuckle out of watching you. You are so elegant and feminine, but what you won't tackle! Love the spot you put the gorgeous mirror and desk.

OMG Linda, I read some of the comments and yes there are two small balls of light emanating from the corner cabinet! Spooky! Take care!

All of the projects you do around your house and elsewhere, l believe, are done with love. But....putting that mirror together that belonged to Ben's family was a big and true act of love for husband and his family. You did a good job and l admire you for your patience and talent.❤

Love the long ones! Hi from Down Under Australia!

I love what you did for that eagle mirror!

I always clean before bed. I hate to get up to a mess!

How fun! So happy you hosted a neighbor get together. It’s all about the fellowship. 🥰

Oh my gosh that is how I move furniture also

You hosted such a wonderful soiree! I thoroughly enjoyed watching your video. The house looked so beautiful; the dining table looked so lovely with all the food delights. However, the best part is when you and your friends know it was a successful event and you are willing to make it an annual tradition.

I so enjoyed the "getting ready" part. You are an inspiration!

I love that you repaired the mirror! I love the secretary for writing cards. I would use it for writing my grocery list with style.

Those maple leaf cucumbers confirmed that you are my Martha Stewart think alike! It looks like you had a wonderful party! Also, I love your desk and mirror combo! I hope your day was relaxing!