The mascot for our local high school is a blue pony. No one for sure knows the source of the name, but the most plausible explanation is they were named after the Blue Pony coal mine, referred to as such because of the color of the mine ponies as they came out of the mine. All that coal dust turned their coats a bluish color. The school colors, not surprisingly, are royal blue and white.
I never thought in a million years I would ever find plates with a blue pony on them without going custom, but I did! I found some blue pony plates on Hobby Lobby’s website, and I purchased six salad plates. I wish I would have purchased eight, but such is life! I paired the blue pony plates with Royal Sapphire dinnerware. Royal Sapphire was made for Avon by a company in France, but I don’t know what company. It isn’t on the boxes or on any of the pieces. I purchased the vast majority of my Royal Sapphire collection from Mary Pat Crites, who was an Avon Representative I knew. Other pieces that were not available at the time I purchased my set I have found at Replacements, Ltd. or eBay. On the table are the Royal Sapphire dinner plates and water tumblers. The blue stemmed wine goblets are ones I purchased at Woolworth’s back in 1991, when I first set up housekeeping in my first apartment. I don’t know the manufacturer, but I wish I did. I would like to add more, and get the champagne flutes that went with them. The flatware is Floral Lace, made for Temp-tations by, I believe, Reed and Barton (QVC). The tablecloth is an antiques mall find (Bull Market Antiques, Great Falls, MT, sadly out of business), and the white napkins are by Living Quarters (Herberger’s). The shakers are a gift from my beloved Auntie Patricia and are made by International Silver. There are three salt shakers and one pepper, so one has to pay attention when the two salts show up on their side, LOL! Also on the table is a cruet made for Avon, which had either perfume or bubble bath in it (thrift store). A Mosser butter top in a grape pattern is on top a plain cobalt blue salad plate by, I believe, Anchor Hocking (both thrift store finds). This served as the butter dish, and is joined by the matching master butter knife in the Floral Lace set. The centerpiece is a White Medium Vase in Fiesta (Betty Crocker catalog) filled with some pretty pom-pom flowers I cut from a neighbor’s bush. Some more blooms are in Central Park juice glasses made by Anchor Hocking (Walmart). Finishing the centerpiece are white candles in milk white Ring and Petal candle holders by Westmoreland Glass (thrift store).
The Pepin Sideboard holds both the beverage servers and dessert plates. Fiesta White Teapot, Carafe and Coffee Server, along with the figure-8 tray, are at the ready (various sources). On the tray are the matching sugar and creamer set for Royal Sapphire, along with the matching sugar shell for the Floral Lace flatware. Royal Sapphire mugs are in place for tea or coffee, and the white porcelain flatware holder (thrift store) carries extra teaspoons for the mugs. Royal Sapphire salad/dessert plates are also on the sideboard, ready for dessert to be served. On the fern table is a crystal pedestal stand by Shannon by Godinger (Herberger’s), which served Hello Dolly bars as part of the dessert offerings, with help from the matching tongs to the flatware set. Hello Dolly bars are delicious but sticky, so the tongs are a welcome tool to have!
The menu was retro Havre Public School foods!
Green salad with fresh vegetables and shredded Cheddar cheese with Balsamic vinaigrette
Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and buttered corn
White rolls
Apple Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream
Hello Dolly bars