THE ALLURE OF THE QUAINT SHOPS FROM YESTERYEAR for "Tea In The Garden"

 This really is more like "Tea 

Above The Garden" since we are

up above the garden on the deck

outside our kitchen. 

 

I was going through some old Victoria

Magazines.  Well, actually,  I have been

going through the old 

ones month by month

in an organized fashion.

The featured shops have really brought

back memories and also made me a 

little sad because hardly any of these

shops are in business anymore.  I am

sad because I still love vintage and antiques, linens,

 tea time and crafting. 

 I am happy to say that I do know some young women who do embrace these interests.  Today for example, a young woman I know expressed her interest in Tasha Tudor which thrilled my heart.

I am always prying to find out if

any younger women love vintage

or antique things.  I ask questions.

Actually this is a great time to buy

 something from the "Victorian"

 era because very few people want

to make that purchase so prices

are really down on those items

compared to back in the 90's.

This issue is an example of what

I mean by a darling shop from

many years ago in Carmel,

California.  When I was younger

I would always look forward to

visiting some special shop I had

seen featured in a magazine.  Most

 are gone by the way now.

And what about fashion.  I was so

hoping hairstyles and clothing styles

would come back like the Edwardian

era.  I love those smart jackets with

skirts like they wore in the filming

of Road to Avonlea.  We just finished watching the series these

last few months and I do love the

clothing of that era.

I guess I sound very

ridiculous.  One benefit of

Etsy and Ebay...you can sit with

your coffee or tea and your

pajamas and shop!

Looking down below

at the pond and garden:

So we were having very hot

weather but not anymore.

The hurricane coming up

the east coast has caused

our temperatures to drop

 substantially.

SUMMER DINING ROOM TRANSFERWARE

 

I love using the green transferware 

in the springtime and summer and

just leaving the table set.

The garden offers free flowers at this

time of year and by cutting the top stem

 off of the zinnias it causes them to 

spread out as they grow.

Do you keep your table set?

Of course, someone can misunderstand

and think you are having people

for dinner.  I have had that experience.

I am still collecting green

 and purple

transferware.

I am loving my new French

roses runner:

Who else collects transferware

and what colors do you

collect?

ESCAPE TO THE GARDEN for "Tea In The Garden"

 Today I decided to slip in a little 

"Tea In The Garden" and especially

since I have some lovely hydrangeas

in bloom around the yard.

It is very relaxing here by the pond

 and the sound of the water feature

 is very calming.

I baked some Blueberry Cream

Scones and will include the recipe

here at the bottom as you might

enjoy making some too.

Please pour yourself a nice

cup of tea:

Flowers around the yard are 

really in summer mode now so

there is always a transition.

This is meadow phlox which is

a Missouri native wildflower.  I have

 to pull it out as it really spreads.

We have lots of strawberry

 hydrangeas

right now.

We have had more rain this summer

which has been really helpful.

 

Blueberry Cream Scones:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

I made 19 little 1 3/4" scone cutter sized

scones with this recipe

2 1/4 cups sifted flour, 1 Tb baking powder, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 6 Tb cold, chopped unsalted butter,

2/3 cup washed blueberries, 1 cup heavy whipping cream (not whipped)

For a topping we used English Lemon

Curd

1.  Sift all the dry ingredients together

2 Cut in the cold butter (I actually shredded mine using a cheese shredder)

3. Stir in the whip cream and form dough

Add blueberries and mix into a nice dough

4 Roll out on a floured surface to about 1 inch thick.  Cut with scone cutter and place on parchment paper to bake.

SUNDAY CELEBRATION

RAINY DAYS TABLE SETTING TIME

 We have been having some rainy

days and also flooding.  The Missouri

River is up really high.  It seemed

like this might be a perfect opportunity

to reset the dining room table with

my Old Country Roses dishes.

My husband and I went to a few

antique malls recently and I was

fortunate to be able to find another

etched water glass at a great sale

 price to replace one that I had

 knocked over.  I do break things

and I try to always take this in stride.

After all, it isn't life threatening and

I would rather use and enjoy my 

pretties than hide them away.

I was so happy that our lawn mowing

was timed in between rains.  You know

that situation I am sure!

This was the replacement etched

water glass I was pleased

to find.  It is called "Meadow

Lark".

I love linens and fabric napkins.

When we lived in Colorado I found

this old compote here joined with

 some

extra napkins in it:

 

I hope your summer is going well.