My Mother-in-law, Evelyn, Had A Magic Mid-Century Coffee Table
My mother-in-law, Evelyn, had a magic mid-century coffee table! — June 30, 2022
My mother-in-law, Evelyn, had a magic mid-century coffee table! Don’t believe me? Let me tell you why I thought so.
Every time I visited her, the plants on her coffee table mesmerized me. She was not a tidy woman by any means. The table was covered with newspapers, coupons, mail, and even her favorite opera scores, but the plants stood out amid the chaos.
The mid-century coffee table had a wooden base and a marble top. There was something fascinating about that table… I fell in love with that piece of furniture the minute I laid eyes on it. It was partly because of the circles on the inside of the base, the beautiful veins on the marble, and the family history, but most of all it was because all her plants kept thriving, even though she took minimal care of them.
How did those plants continue to grow tall and beautiful? She rarely watered them, and when she did, it was often too much, causing the water to run down onto the marble coffee table and the carpet. By the way, she just used poor quality dirt to pot them—very thin, clay-like dirt. One would think that would be enough to suffocate the roots!
Despite it all, she loved her plants. I think she loved them more than the coffee table… Those plants filled her home with life and joy.
I was lucky enough to inherit Evelyn’s coffee table. The beautiful piece of furniture with all its history was now mine—what an honor!
Fast forward to now. The coffee table is in my living room. It is so beautiful! Sometimes I just stop and stare at it. So many good memories, so much of Evelyn and her plants in it.
So, why do I think my mother-in-law’s coffee table is magical? Simply because any plant placed on it thrives and blooms with very little care.
I have always loved plants and flowers. I am very good at taking care of my plants and do so weekly. I have a special love for orchids, but in the past, I could never keep them for long—they just did not survive in my care. I tried many methods I learned through the years, including moving them around the house, hoping to find the perfect place where my orchids would be happy. No such luck—eventually, they all died…
There was one place I had not yet tried—Evelyn’s coffee table. I was reluctant to use it for plants because I liked the minimalist decor I had on it, and I just did not want to make it look cluttered.
One day, I gave in and placed my orchids on the coffee table. I took care of the plants week after week, adding a few ice cubes here and there. Sometimes I would forget to water them, or I would just water them too much, just like my mother-in-law did.
To my surprise, my orchids stopped dying and bloomed! I was so excited to see that I finally had orchids thriving in my home. And there it was. The magic coffee table saved my plants!
My orchids are now in full bloom, and every time I look at my mother-in-law’s coffee table, I smile, and I remember her with such love and affection. She was like a second mother to me, and I loved her very much. By placing my plants on her coffee table, I have honored and memorialized Evelyn.
Evelyn’s coffee table magic continues to make my plants bloom, and I am so happy. My sweet mother-in-law left me a special and magical gift that I will cherish for years to come.
Thank you, Evelyn, you will always bloom with my plants and in my heart!
Note: My sister-in-law just told me that Evelyn designed the coffee table herself! I had no idea about this until today. She truly designed a beautiful piece of furniture!
Evelyn
❤️
My Orchids and Evelyn’s Magic Coffee Table
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