Monday, May 26, 2014

LILACS FOR "TEA IN THE GARDEN"

My garden is mostly just green.  Green isn't bad though.  It is a whole lot prettier than brown which is what it was a few months ago.  So I will just be happy with green.


There are lots of comfortable
 pillows here for you a take a seat
under our Colorado
Blue Spruce.


 Some of the plants are still restoring themselves from the snow we had on Mother's Day.  The clematis are creating new blooms replacing the ones that were frozen off. 





I have made a bouquet of
 some lovely lilacs.


  Our lilacs have a lot of dead areas we will be pruning out.  I notice other people have this problem too.  I think a later blooming lilac would be wiser here.  I am just learning
about so many things!  Years ago I had a
vegetable garden but I don't think I have
realized there was so much diversity to
gardening.


There was a lot of hail and rain last week so Pikes Peak has a great deal of fresh snow on it.  Up at 14,000 feet
 the rain became snow.


Last year I found a lovely embroidered lilac rectangular tablecloth for $6.00 which I thought was an amazing price.  I have set up my table with that lilac tablecloth and another lilac topper and some old vintage lavender table cloths.


Please pour yourself a cup 
of Ginger Peach Tea. I hope
to enjoy lots of "Tea In
The Garden" times this summer.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

VIOLET PICKIN TIME

I know that in some places violets
can become a nuisance in the garden
but not here in my yard.  I treasure
 each one I
find!


I also treasure violet cups and saucers,
teapots and any other items I come across.
Even these little violet ashtrays.



Violets were a common theme for
cups and saucers in the 50's.
They could be purchased at what
was called the "dime store" as gifts
for loved ones who collected them.



Tuesday, May 20, 2014

TEA IN THE GARDEN: "Victoria Day Tea"

Welcome to my first 
"Tea In The
 Garden" for
the season.




  It is a lovely day for Tea In The Garden and we are celebrating the exit of our snowy days!
The garden is still looking very sparse but we
are grateful for what we do have.


  We are honoring Queen Victoria today with my tea time celebration.  I am very fond of the memories of her and her reign and influence on tea time.



Please choose a teacup that catches your
eye and pour yourself some tea.



I brought out my Victorian
tipping teapot to enjoy
for this special occasion:



  Let's celebrate a favorite Queen
for served over 60 years.  It seems
she and her husband Prince Albert
 definitely contributed many positive
changes to
their era.


  I am also fond of vintage linens and crochet pieces.  It is no secret that I adore Beatrix Potter and that is why I have a small Beatrix Potter Cottage Garden.  Of course our season is really behind everyone else's since we just had snow May 11th!




We have a Mother's Day frost date in Colorado and it snowed on Mother's Day all day long and into Monday.   I think it is never too late to learn things but I seem to be relearning that "don't plant too early thing" again!   Perhaps later blooming lilacs and tulips would do better here as the snow gets them every time.




Monday, May 5, 2014

THE NAMES ON TEACUPS ARE THRILLING

Welcome to Friends Sharing Tea and a lovely spring time day.  You know that spring is finally arriving when you see some bugs flying about and some birds chasing them.  That seems to be happening today.



  I hope that by next week I can begin my weekly "Tea In The Garden" for the rest of the spring through fall. I keep thinking it must
be time and then we still have some snow.





For today we must be still inside the house so
I am sharing a new English bone china, Salisbury hand painted cup and saucer.



Lately I have been attracted to these figurines as well.  There are many kinds "out there",  but I am drawn to the glazed, Japanese whimsical ones.  These are occupied Japan which means 1945 to 1952.  



Do pour yourself a cup of tea from my Sadler Teapot and let's chat about some of the recipes in these wonderful tea books.


The words Salisbury, Rosina, Shelley, Royal Albert, Foley, Tuscan, Victoria, Royal Standard,  Royal Minister, Royal Vale, Roslyn, Royal Grafton, Staffordshire, Clarence, Queen Anne, Hammersley, Regency, Queen's, Jason, Aynsley,  Taylor & Kent, Paragon, Royal Chelsea, Royal Stafford, Royal Victoria,  Ardalt, Colclough,  etc are music to my ears!