A Fine Concept: "Camping Silver"

If you are of a certain age, you will remember when silver-plated serving items and tableware--trays, bowls, champagne buckets, candlesticks, coffee sets, even candelabra--were the coin of the realm in show awards. Competitors of consequence amassed lots of the stuff, much of which now resides in the basements, attics, and garages of America.

Cuz who uses such things every day? Or even once a year?

Enter Margaret N., a cowgirl camper from the Pendleton, Oregon, area, who follows a favored ethos of women who pull trailers for fun: If you're going to haul, don't haul empty. She brought enough of her family's old trophy silver to our get-together to dress every table in the dining area, and then some. Along with adding an unexpected touch of glamour to the woods, Margaret's tote-along items generated lots of remember-when conversation.

Margaret brushed off compliments (of which there were lots) by saying, "Oh, gosh, that's just my camping silver."

"Camping silver. " Now there's a whole new meaning to that "affordable luxury" phrase from my previous post.

Tip o' the black hat and a badge for style to Margaret!

At right: Here's Margaret (I'm in the hat), who hauled enough old trophy silver to dress up a large group dining area.

At right: Just a partial glimpse of Margaret's "camping silver," with a birthday celebrant basking in its glow.