CELEBRATING JANE AUSTEN for "Tea In The Garden"

After purchasing a new book
in Hannibal on Sunday about
 cooking and Jane Austen,  I thought

it would be fun to enjoy a little

tea time today with that theme.

I already had a collection of Jane
 related books and now I have added
 this one published in 2013.

So rather late in the day yesterday,
I set up a little tea area outside.
The mosquitos were definitely
out and about!

I found a few pieces of purple
transferware Sunday too:

The only changes to my scones were:
I used 1 chopped peach instead of 
strawberries and I used 1/2 cup 
of sugar and I used buttermilk!
(see link to the recipe by clicking above)

I have an abundance of zinnias!

So this new book has wonderful recipes that
represent conversations in many of Jane's 
books!  There is a lot of interesting trivia
which is very fun! Recipes are for foods
seen in Pride and Prejudice, Emma,
Persuasion, etc.  I was reading it
out loud on the way home in the car
and my husband and I got a real
eye opener about how spoiled we are
with all our present day kitchen's
 modern conveniences.

I have to tell you that I read that Mrs. Bates 
(from the book and movie "Emma")
 was so poor she had to  "borrow"
 the use of a neighbor's stove
 during the night as the ambers
cooled in the kitchen and it was not 
in use by the neighbor.  That really 
showed me how awful her 
circumstance was, yet she never
complained.  I'd say I have a
new appreciation for my stove!

"Indeed,  I would rather have
nothing but tea."   Jane Austen

And lastly - a friend left a lovely
gift on my front porch - a box
of dried hydrangeas.  I put
them in a wire basket next to
the fireplace area.