LAST "Tea In The Garden" for May

Welcome to my last May "Tea In The Garden" which

I am squeezing in between rainy times.

 I am using the new blogger format and I can tell you I

don't like having to learn new things but that seems to

be the norm now - something new all the time that

we have to learn.

Please help yourself to one of these lovely scones

and a cup of  Yorkshire Gold Tea.  I baked the

scones using the small scone cutter and I think

I like this little size. I think they would be perfect for having

ladies for tea because of all the other goodies.  

 These are Lemon Cream Cheese

Scones I have often shared on my blog.  The 

recipe is at the bottom below.

We have basically been at home since March 25.  My

husband has eye doctor appointments once and month

and he has done the grocery shopping once a week

during the "senior" early hours.  I don't mind staying

home but I am praying our country can get people

back to work.  

As you can see, I am sharing some red transferware

pieces.  I love the Copeland Spode pattern and also the

Mason's Vista.

We are currently saying goodbye to our peonies.

The irises are now gone and of course earlier we

enjoyed the tulips, daffodils and alliums.  We still

have some alliums here and there and now we

have some roses blooming too.  Soon the Japanese

beetles arrive though and they are sure naughty.

Please help yourself to a lovely scone and some tea.

We have had quite a lot of rain which beat the poor

flowers down.  I have staked up some of them.

I may have shared this tea cozy before - she

is Queen Elizabeth - the daughter of King

Henry the 8th....

Last year I planted some Sweet William

seeds and so now I have more which I am

loving for bouquets.

My garden is so full that I dug up many things and

it looks better.  I think now I shall just maintain

a bit and of course I have planted some seeds.

Depending on how you count, my garden is 4

years old but really in a way it 3 because the first summer

was all about digging and digging all summer.

Some asked about the cozy - it is made in England from a company which (I think) is no longer in business:  Frances Worters - you can

find them on ebay, etc being resold

This is a time we are praying for our country,

leaders and a renewal of integrity in our country.

Lemon Cream Cheese Scones:

Mix these dry ingredients:  

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar

 and 3 tsp baking powder

add to this 1/3 cup chopped butter and

4 ounces of chopped cream cheese

I used my mixer to beat this together and then added

1 egg and 1/3 cup of milk, plus 1/4 cup

lemon extract and the grated rind of 2 lemons

I rolled mine out and cut them with my smallest

scone cutter.  I sprinkled lemon juice and sugar on

the tops of the scones and bake them at 400 degreees

for about 8 minutes - convention (probably 10 minutes in

a regular oven  This made 18 small scones.

GARDEN COLLAGES

Just a few collages of what

is happening out back today and

a bouquet on the front porch.

And today - thank you to our

military and especially those we

remember today who gave their

very lives!  Thank you men and

women for your service in our military.

SUNDAY CELEBRATION

THE FOXGLOVES GREET US for "Tea In The Garden"

Our May started out with warm weather

but quickly reverted back to cool and even

cold weather.  Well, it really wasn't that

cold but after a few days of warm - you 

adjust to that new norm and the cold
seems even colder.

Please come over and join me for tea -
we have a new little bridge
to cross and come into the garden:

I am so happy to share this time 
with you.  My garden is bursting with

some new foxglove blooms.  I was
always inspired by Tasha Tudor's foxgloves
and so this thrills my little heart.

Please choose whichever teacup you
would enjoy using for your tea.

I hope you don't mind Jeremy Fisher and
Miss Tabitha joining us for tea.  I had
to move them forward as they were getting
distressed about all the foxgloves being
right up in their sweet faces.

It was quite a project putting in this drainage
dry creek bed.  That's a fancy name for a 
ditch.  It has been working so when it rains it
is quite full of rushing rainwater from the
front of our yard which is up the hill.

I am so enjoying seeing the color green
instead of brown all around.  Winter
can start to get a little dull.

A friend shared her family iris
last year and they are lovely.
I have given away 14 boxes of lavender
 and purple irises, plus other things:
coneflowers, pink columbines and monarda.
When people see the FREE SIGNS they
take them quickly from the driveway.

I was so thrilled at the arrival of
 the new Victoria Magazine and also
 one of the new tea books that I love.

Victoria is always a joy to read.

I hope you continue in good health
and enjoy your time at home.  I am
praying for all the small business
people as I fear for there continued
existence during this time.  
Please say a prayer for them!

TURNING COLD TONIGHT IN THE GARDEN

I feel terrible about what could

happen tonight in New England

which is a possiblity of snow.

Even here in Missouri it may 

drop very

close to a freeze.

I don't know what that might mean for

these wonderful stems of foxglove buds....

or these columbines I love:

Today I spent 2 hours cutting

back my forget me nots that were

already going to seed and then I

took these photos.

With the tulips gone - our garden

has slipped into a "purple" garden!

I am excited to see all the

peonies coming along next too.

I hope spring will be visiting 

you soon too

if it hasn't already come!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

MAY IS HERE for "Tea In The Garden"

 I decided it was time for a tea

time in the garden.  It is a beautiful

day and lovely weather. 

I made an interesting Scone Recipe

I had heard about with sprite in

the recipe. Follow this link if
you would like to try them.

We have really enjoyed the

tulips and daffodils and

the forget me nots so far.  Now that
they are done it's time for

the irises to bloom

along with the lilacs,

columbines

and the alliums.

So, help yourself
 to some lovely
tea!  I have strawberry
jam and cream for your scone.

  I have too

many purple irises now so I

am giving some away.  I had

brought a few here in a cardboard box 
 from Colorado back in 2016

and they have really multiplied.

I think the peonies will be the next

blooming thing.

We recently spent quite a while working on
a dry creek drainage ditch because all the
rainwater comes down on the side of our
house and overwhelms the backyard.

It rained this week and it worked!  It was
full of water rushing down the hill.
Eventually it ends up in the drainage
creek in back of our fence.

This week our son came and helped us

do some heavy duty things in behind our

yard fence, clearing out the area by the creek.

He also cut down a large dead cedar which

was growing back in the middle of the

creek.  He hauled away many truck

loads of limbs and over growth.

And just so you can
see the scones that were
made with Sprite in them: