ESCAPE TO THE GARDEN for "Tea In The Garden"

 Today I decided to slip in a little 

"Tea In The Garden" and especially

since I have some lovely hydrangeas

in bloom around the yard.

It is very relaxing here by the pond

 and the sound of the water feature

 is very calming.

I baked some Blueberry Cream

Scones and will include the recipe

here at the bottom as you might

enjoy making some too.

Please pour yourself a nice

cup of tea:

Flowers around the yard are 

really in summer mode now so

there is always a transition.

This is meadow phlox which is

a Missouri native wildflower.  I have

 to pull it out as it really spreads.

We have lots of strawberry

 hydrangeas

right now.

We have had more rain this summer

which has been really helpful.

 

Blueberry Cream Scones:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

I made 19 little 1 3/4" scone cutter sized

scones with this recipe

2 1/4 cups sifted flour, 1 Tb baking powder, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 6 Tb cold, chopped unsalted butter,

1 cup washed blueberries, 1 cup heavy whipping cream (not whipped)

For a topping we used English Lemon

Curd

1.  Sift all the dry ingredients together

2 Cut in the cold butter (I actually shredded mine using a cheese shredder)

3. Stir in the whip cream and form dough

Add blueberries and mix into a nice dough

4 Roll out on a floured surface to about 1 inch thick.  Cut with scone cutter and place on parchment paper to bake.

SUNDAY CELEBRATION

RAINY DAYS TABLE SETTING TIME

 We have been having some rainy

days and also flooding.  The Missouri

River is up really high.  It seemed

like this might be a perfect opportunity

to reset the dining room table with

my Old Country Roses dishes.

My husband and I went to a few

antique malls recently and I was

fortunate to be able to find another

etched water glass at a great sale

 price to replace one that I had

 knocked over.  I do break things

and I try to always take this in stride.

After all, it isn't life threatening and

I would rather use and enjoy my 

pretties than hide them away.

I was so happy that our lawn mowing

was timed in between rains.  You know

that situation I am sure!

This was the replacement etched

water glass I was pleased

to find.  It is called "Meadow

Lark".

I love linens and fabric napkins.

When we lived in Colorado I found

this old compote here joined with

 some

extra napkins in it:

 

I hope your summer is going well.

PATRIOTIC 4TH OF JULY TABLESETTING

 Today I thought it would be fun

to do a patriotic table setting

for the 4th of July which is

when we celebrate Independence 

Day in the USA:

This vintage English Ellgreave teapot

has very soft colors:

This teapot was a 1976 Sadler

Bi-Centennial commemorative.

We were able to attend those

activities in Yorktown, Virginia.

My transferware teapot, cream

 and sugar and

a few other pieces are USA Homer

and Laughlin historic George

Washington pieces.

I found the damask burgundy red fabric

a while back.  It was vintage, never

used and enough to easily make a

tablecloth.

It is very hot where we live and

might just be where you live too.

Happy Independence Day!

A Template for your

Afternoon Tea Menu:

WALNUT COCONUT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

 

Do you find it hard to turn the oven on

when it is very hot outside?  I sure do

understand but even so, I decided to

bake a cake yesterday.  I have made

this cake many times over the years.

The recipe was originally from an

old 1970's Southern Living Magazine.

After dinner last night

my husband

and I each

had a piece.

Click here for the recipe!

Happy first official day

of summer!