WE'VE GOT MAIL....AND HOLLYHOCKS

 There are still some delightful days to be appreciated and enjoyed before the July 

heat arrives.

We are loving our Hollyhocks.  You will

notice I carefully eliminated the white

Hollyhock seeds so as not to replant them.

I wanted brighter colors.

And boy have we ever had the rain. 

 May was the 10th highest rainfall 

May on record.

I hope your summer is very

lovely!

LAST PEONY CELEBRATION for "Tea In The Garden"

 

I have to admit that I am sad to see

 the irises and now the peonies 

going bye bye!  Some might remember this

area to the right as the former Koi pond.

Believe me, I don't miss the work.

I suddenly saw the weather report for

tomorrow which said temps were going

up so I thought I better get going on 

another "Tea In The Garden" post

for this blog.

This week has been so busy.  Our son came

over and took out the giant 25 year old

pussywillow in our front yard.  It was

dying and had to go but we will miss

the privacy it created.

Our spring has been lovely and I know what

comes next - getting ready for heat for sure.

I have loved all the columbines

this year.

I grabbed a little of this and that

for my big bouquet.

I am very fond of Crown Dorset Teapots:

I hope you

have a

lovely spring

and 

coming

summer!

"TEA IN THE GARDEN" Under the Lace Umbrella

 It is so wonderful to see the garden come

back and enjoy the month of May again.

It is a beautiful day, the lawn got mowed a

few days back and rain is on the way so now

is our chance for a little photo shoot.

Time to just sit, chat, have a cup of tea,

enjoy the flowers and talk about

 tea time recipes!

Right now the peonies are opening.  I didn't put

wire frames around them this year as when I

did last year, the stems just bent on the frame and

they hung down just the same.  I do love having

them for bouquets.  We still have lots of irises

too.

In March we had a freeze and it effected

the tulips and also the lilacs so we are

just skipping over those this year.

I have had an abundance of Columbines

this year and plan to make sure I spread

their seeds as that is something that seems to

work for me.  There is one type I don't like

as much as the little fairy bell types so I will

only spread those seeds in the back.

I finally have new glasses which is helpful.

  Lately in my pre-cataract surgery era I have had 

difficulty seeing to focus my camera.

This poor birdhouse has fallen backwards

twice this week and I have hoisted it back

up and forward.  The bittersweet vines are weighty and as soon as the little ones are gone I'd say

it needs repair.

Well, one more photo and if you have made

it this far you have endurance!

PANSY TABLE TIME

 

I am sure, just like you, I love the arrival

of pansies in the springtime.

I have collected pansy related china pieces

for years.  On the table are both English and

pieces from China.  

I so admire the old vintage embroidery and in

this case, the appliqued work.  I was never one

to do detail long term projects but I do  admire

them immensely.  This topper has little tea

napkins to match.

I have shared this cosy before that I made

from an old runner.

I clipped some pansy blooms from the garden.

We have enjoyed lovely weather this week.

I love the spring in Missouri.

I did not paint the metal holder but have

had it for many years.  Someone was sure

talented.

These dessert plates (above) were English

Crown Dorset from the 90's.

I am remembering all the snow we used to

get in Colorado in the month of April.  I feel

a little guilty sharing the flowers from our

garden but just remember if you are having

that snow now you will probably be enjoying 

cool evenings and afternoons this summer

and here in Missouri it will be high up in

the 90's with high humidity.  

"TEA IN THE GARDEN" With Irises for 2026

 It is time for a first bouquet from our garden. 

 This year won't be a bulb year as we had a nasty 

March freeze but that doesn't mean we can't

 find other flowers.  There are no lilacs and

 even the Red Bud blooms were non existent.

I am thrilled to see cardinals building a 

nest in the lilac bush just outside a front

bedroom window.  That will be fun to watch.

The female keeps getting on top of the pile of

twigs she's bringing and squashing them down.

Today I set up a little "Tea In The Garden"

photo shoot.  We have lots of irises blooming

right now so they are the main event.

I made some cookies that are so similar to

Oreo Cookies you buy.  I will put the recipe

here at the bottom of this post.

The fabric topper is made with Pierre

Deux toile fabric.

I need to stop and read the new Victoria

magazine!  I do love it!

 Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cookies

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift together 3 cups sifted flour, 1 ¼ tsp baking  soda, 1 tsp salt.

 Heat 1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed,  ¾ cup butter, 2 Tbs, water to melt butter.  Add 2 cups Choc chips and stir to melt.  Beat in 2 eggs. Stir in flour mix.  Drop by heaping tsps onto Greased Cookie sheet and flatten slightly.  Keep sizes similar and smaller!

 

Bake 350 degrees 5 minutes   Cool

You will be forming a sandwich with 2 cookies

 Filling: 1 tsp peppermint extract:  Blend 1 cup sifted conf. sugar, 1/3 cup soft butter, 1/8 tsp

Peppermint extract!  Now Beat in 2 cups sifted conf. sugar alternately with ¼ cup milk –spread this mix between the 2 cookies to make a “sandwich”.