Cape Cod was blessed with sunny skies and warm weather  at the end of September. Friends were visiting, so we took advantage of this interlude and had a mussels &  lobster supper on the patio.

Earlier that day, my former neighbour and good friend of 23 years, Yvonne and I had peeked into a new shop in Yarmouthport called Just Picked and spotted these maple leaf plates – astonishingly priced at $2 each – perfect for a fall palette. The deep ceramic glaze over glass came in five different colours, and the bottom of each leaf was nicely finished in with matt gold . A walk with the dogs that morning had yielded the yellow berry branches from a roadside vine.

We set the table with amber water glasses from Williams Sonoma. The gold-toned chargers, hurricanes with candles and leaf fillers, votives, plain white wine glasses and Diana Palampore embroidered napkins are from Pottery Barn. As the sun set, we sipped our wine and raised a glass to good friends and good food.