WHEN IT'S 95 DEGREES OUTSIDE

It has been plenty hot in Missouri - 

so what do I do when it gets 

too hot to be in the garden?

I was never one to sit on my thumbs, or

watch television in the daytime or

sit around.  So this summer I have

kept busy doing several things

and one of them is something from

the "good ole days" of the 1970's 

and before that - decoupage:

I won't drive you crazy with too many

but here is one I think Beatrix

Potter would approve of:

CELEBRATING BEATRIX POTTER for "Tea In The Garden"

I apologize for being late today!  I had

some ladies over for lunch yesterday and

lost track of time!  Time flies.....

So here I am this morning setting up

a little tribute to Beatrix Potter because

this Friday would be her 151st birthday!

I have brought out some of my collection of
 books regarding Beatrix to share with you.
Please pour yourself some tea and let me
show you some of them!

We are out on the patio next to the pond
and even the little fish want to join us.
It has been very hot lately and August in 
Missouri is always hot - so let's get ready!

As I have shared before, this summer I
have been revisiting the craft of decoupaging
and this clipboard is just one of many I have done:

Beatrix of course was quite a special lady with a
huge imagination, talent and creative ability.

  She loved drawing, gardening and nature.
  I also love to learn about her from the
 many sites online. 
 These should get you started:
One lovely site
Wikipedia - Beatrix Potter
Susan Branch's recent post on Beatrix

I am sure many of you have seen the Movie "Miss Potter" which was ever so charming!  Back in 2009
I did a post about that!  I watch that movie
at least once a year.

Beatrix strikes me as a

 "Brown Betty"

 kind of gal
so I chose this teapot in honor of her!

The little squirrel was begging.  I have
 not fed the birds this summer so the 
squirrels are not happy as
they come to rob the seeds but
the feeder is empty.

It is time to get back in where it is nice and
cool - we can admire the view from in here!

SUNDAY CELEBRATION

WATCHING "ROAD TO AVONLEA" for "Tea In The Garden"

This summer we have had a delightful time watching the film series "Road to Avonlea". 

Today I am telling those of you who are

interested - that this is a wonderful series.

I especially enjoyed the character of Hetty

King played by Jackie Burroughs who 

passed away  at age 71 in 2010. Also, another

 favorite is the character of Gus Pike played by Michael Mahonen who now is

 53 years old.

For my quiet - reflective tea time today I am

reminiscing about all the wonderful characters and also sharing with you

 some lovely Summertime Scones.

Here are photos of just a few of my
favorite characters from Road to Avonlea - 
can you name them?

I am trying to think what I liked best about
 this former television series largely filmed
 in Ontario with glimpses of Prince
 Edward Island interjected.  It reflects 
the time of 1903 to 1912.  I think it is the 

feeling of "community" that I love the best. 

 The idea of a small town of people

 - more like a village really - working

 together on their journey through life.  

They certainly faced many difficulties

 and had many joyful celebrations.

So who wrote all of these wonderful

 stories?  Lucy Maude Montgomery was born on Prince Edward Island and raised by

 her grandparents.  Many of the stories are fictional knock offs if you will, to real experiences Lucy had after her 

Mother's death when she  was growing up and going to school in Cavendish. (born in New London, PEI)   I see so many similarities

 between Lucy and Anne!

I think you would love these DVD's!

Please  let me know if you have already

 watched this series or perhaps the earlier Anne of Green

Gables series? 

Recipe for my Summertime Scones

See this recipe except I added 1 med-large chopped peach and 4 chopped med-large strawberries!
 Of course you probably know

 two wonderful bloggers who live on PEI:

Rose Chintz Cottage

Aiken House and Gardens

SUNDAY CELEBRATION

STRAWBERRY PUFFS for "Tea In The Garden"

Welcome to my backyard garden....

Now that you've come this far - let's go back and 

start at the gate.  Please mind your steps as this

yard goes downhill to the back and from one

side to the other!

First we have the koi pond on the 

left and then the arbor ahead of us:

Someone might remember we pruned this 

peach tree last fall and it didn't have anything

left but bulky branches, 

but look at it now - 

just no peaches this year!

Let's go through (we say that all the time now

after watching Downton Abbey). 

 I have set up a table for us

 and I hope you like tea!

I baked us some Strawberry Puffs:

We have the presence of Japanese Beetles now

like nothing I've ever seen.  Thousands - no - must

be millions.  They are eating so much!  Not

hydrangeas though - that's good!

I can't begin to tell you how thrilling

it is to have flowers for bouquets but

next year will be so much better!

Click here for the recipe for Cream Puffs

 which I made into Strawberry Puffs.

 For the filling I whipped 1 1/2 cup heavy

 whipping cream with 1/2 cup of confectioners

 sugar.  After it was thick I threw into

the mixing bow 1 1/2 cup chopped strawberries

and let them chop up and turn the filling pink.

This is what I put inside each puff after scooping

out the moist dough center.  My recipe made 17 medium size puffs.

SUNDAY CELEBRATION

BUTTERFLY TIME

I chased this butterfly around the garden

 today.  Of course he wouldn't land

 on the pretty flowers but always went

 back to the butterfly bush.

FLORAL COLLAGES

A LOVELY BOOK for "Tea In The Garden"

We enjoyed a beautiful June here in 

Missouri and it was much cooler

 than last year.  I was so pleased but

now that is over as July arrives
and the heat is definitely here.

I participated in a Give Away on Janet Collazo's
blog called Rosemary & Thyme and won this
lovely book which I am enjoying so much.

This book is full of table setting ideas,
 recipes and
ideas for entertaining in all four seasons.

Last year I got a Monarda plant at the
 Farmers Market and as soon as I planted it
 the next day a bunny ate off all the branches
pruning it down to the ground. It must of 
been a good thing in the end because
 this spring it was one of the first plants
 to come up again and spread like crazy.
Now I have planted over 20 plants
 all around from that one plant!

The bees sure love Monarda!

Thank you Janet!

I hope you can join my tea
 related blog party
by linking at the bottom:

An InLinkz Link-up