A LILAC TEA IN THE GARDEN

Welcome to my first "Tea in the Garden" for the springtime.....

Colorado gardens run behind the rest of the country.....we still had snow a few weeks ago.  Just the same, I still couldn't resist going outdoors this morning and setting up a little "Tea and Toast" time in the garden.  It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood (as Mr. Rogers used to say).

We had somewhat of a mild winter we are hoping that we won't have watering restrictions like a few years ago.  You could only water your yard on certain assigned days of the week.  My lilacs aren't so great this year.  I see many yards where they are huge - but not ours. 

I have a fondness for old embroidered linens and this lilac topper is a favorite to me!

A recent find (below) is this hand painted Limoges plate with berries.

The little silver plate toast rack was found on an antiquing venture many years ago.

I love perusing the older copies of Victoria Magazine and these May issues are delightful.  You will find a lot of inspiration and ideas here!

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

This morning I was in the garden and found some of my first spring flowers:  Tulips, Daffodils, Forget Me Nots and Lunaria blossoms.....  Before you get too excited - I pretty much got it all!  We still have along way to go in Colorado!

I had been looking at the Spring 1988 issue of Victoria which features Anne of Green Gables.  I love the story of Anne and I know many of you do as well! 

I have collected several related books over the years - some were past items in my store.

 

 The first flowers to appear in my garden were the Forget Me Nots and I so love their delicate little flowers.  Time to learn to grow them although we don't see them much in Colorado.  I have watered my garden this winter faithfully.  That is a "must do" in Colorado and especially since we didn't get as much snow as needed.

I love the older issues of Victoria...I

love that they went to Prince Edward

Island and did this special article:

The Anne of Green Gables 

dolls are so endearing...

I love Ina Garten's Lemon Bars

Recipe for sure!

CELEBRATING THE RESURRECTION ON SUNDAY

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.


He that believeth on him is not condemned:  but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

LILY OF THE VALLEY CAKE

A special Easter Tea has been set for

 you and a special cake has been baked!

This morning I made a "Lily of the Valley Cake" from THE CHARMS OF TEA book which is still published in paperback.  I have an old hard copy and have been wanting to make this cake for a long time. 

 I still love these older Victoria books and this one is from 1991.

 

  I used purchased lemon curd between the layers and it tastes wonderful!  My Lily of the Valley flowers are artificial but my daffodil is real! (put syran around the stem)

Ingredients for 3 separate things:

CAKE BODY

 350 degrees for 28-30 minutes and less

for convection oven

6 eggs at room temp, 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp grated

 lemon zest, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup butter melted

French Buttercream Icing:

1 2/3 cups sugar, 1/2 cup water, 6 egg whites at room

temp to beat into meringue, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, pinch of salt, 2 1/2 cups butter (5 sticks), 2 tsp grated lemon zest, 2 tsp Grand Marnier liqueur

Filling:  About 1/2 cup lemon curd

There are lengthy instructions in the book which I

am not giving here.  If you are a baker the ingredients

are given here. If you are just getting started at

baking you may need to refer to the book

ANTIQUE CHOCOLATE POT FINDS A HOME

Isn't it fun to find a treasure on an antiquing venture......

This Chocolate Set was made in Germany

and it seems I have seen quite a few from the 1940's era that are from Germany.

Recently we set out for some of our favorite antiquing spots in Denver, Colorado and were thrilled to find that the huge mall on Broadway was having a sale.....

As many of you already know, the spout is what attributes this piece as a Chocolate Pot and not a coffee or teapot.....by the way, the vendor called it a "coffee" which often is a common mistake.

There were 3 demi sized cups and saucers - probably the 4th was broken!

PALM SUNDAY CELEBRATION

Matthew 21:4-9

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying,

Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

and the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 

And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!