Tea on Tuesday

This is a post that is usually seen on my OTHER blog- but since Blogger is having issues with loading photos – and this blog has been ignored of late, I am posting it here!

We are back to regular T.o.T., without a set theme, just winging it- writing whatever comes to mind!!!I want to thank  Kimmie for organizing our themes last month!!!

I haven’t a thought in my head today, so I skimmed thru’ my little book, 365 Things Every Tea Lover Should Know.

I opened to page 40 to this quote from Sir Arthur Pinero:

“Where’s there’s tea there’s hope.”

That’s so true, when you need to relax, or are having a bad day, sit back, relax, with a favorite mug, filled with your favorite tea. Just clutching the hot mug, and inhaling the scented steam, can clear your head, and calm your mind.
My favorite of late, is lemongrass tea- the soothing lemon scent and flavor is a definite favorite!

In keeping with the tea theme- look what I found at the local thrift store yesterday!!
This precious little teapot clock just needs a new battery! The tiny dinerware style cup and saucer, with its faded painted flowers, will become a pin cushion or a candle. The cute little tin floral dish is so sweet- and perfect for spring!!! Total spent- about $2.50!!!

The little postcard is a work in progress- for Sunday Postcard -the theme this week is tea! On the blog, Pieces of D, I spotted another challenge, using the backround paper from Art Creations Friday. With lovely photos from The Graphics Fairy, this is a work in progress – I had hoped to have it done by today, but still have a few more things to add to it!!

I am really getting into this paper thing this week!!! This, along with the zentangles and  inchies I am working on, with my cute little inchie supplies from Inchie Arts LLC, and the Travel Postcard Swap- I’m keeping busy!!

 

Tea Party

At last, the long awaited day has arrived!!!! Three friends were coming for tea!

That resulted in a quick sprucing up of the house (at least the parts they would see!) Vacuuming up all the lady bug carcasses that seem to accumulate overnite, and corralling the dust ponies that gravitate to under the couches for a dust pony convention- having company reminds you of what should be done on a daily basis, but never is- at least, not around here!!!

I got to use my mom’s dinnerware, that I have drooled over and coveted my whole life!!! It was not my intent, but when I started looking for grandma’s eggshell Homer Laughlin dinnerware with the teapot – horrors!! it must still be packed away!!! Fortunately, the very vintage Organdie Vernonware was unpacked and ready to go!!!My mother bought it for her mother’s Rhinebeck country house, more than 50 years ago, and the design still looks current today!

I decided not to add stress to an already stressfull (in my mind) program, and got the daughter to pick up scones from the local coffee shop! Theirs are delicious, and ready to eat!!! I made mock Devonshire cream to go with them – yum!!

We had cucumber finger sandwiches, not quite as pretty as the tea room might serve – but good, nonetheless. Also chicken salad on crackers, and a concoction of cream cheese, sour cream,bacon bits and broccoli on crackers, that turned out to be quite tasty. Sweet tea, and and assortment of hot tea was on the ‘menu’. I taste tested everything the night before, and was hoping everyone would like it as much as I did!!!

There were little gifts to go around – this group never meets empty handed!!! We also had a book exchange- the unchosen books stayed with me, and will be donated to the local thrift store next week.

The torrential downpours (which we needed desperately) were kind enough to totally let up while everyone was here!

The ladies were happy to finally put a face to everything they have read about in this blog!!! And I was so happy to share it all with them!!

The river was flowing fast and furious, after almost 2 inches of rain yesterday and today. The daughter found heart shaped rocks for Patty and I. The horses grudgingly posed for pictures – the ‘old man’ almost bowling Patty over, as he nudged the stall door aside in his rush to get a snack!!!

Lennie’s wish was to sit in the church pew – and the wish was granted!!!

It is nice to see what we love thru others eyes. Things that we might begin to take for granted – altho I never take living here for granted- are revived when others see them for the first time!

I have to thank Lennie for my giant wooden star and fern- and Judy for the ‘tea’  spoon, and Patty for the grape hyacinths in a teacup and love in a mist fern.

And, for taking the time to drive all the way out here and share the day!!!!!

I found an old saying the other day that fits perfectly here:

1 cup of tea = a stranger

2nd cup of tea= a friend

3rd cup of tea means you are family

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Overkill- making sure I had enough hot water!!!!

The table- with my 'mugger hugger' gifts on the plates

BTW, ‘mugger huggers’ are wrapped around the coffee cups you get from Starbucks, etc. Made them out of pieced batik squares, vintage button, and wool  backing. Much more stylish that the cardboard sleeves that you get with the coffee!

The gals and my mom

On the pew, enjoyin' the view......l-r me, Lennie, Judy, Patty

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All is well, at Mountain Meadows today, thankful for rain, and good friends…

 

A Rainy Saturday

Well, I am late as usual this morning- it’s a rainy Saturday- and cold!

I was hoping to get up at the crack of early and get to the community yard sale. It started at 7am, and is indoors at the Community Center. The days of being an early bird at a yard sale are pretty much over for me!! Too lazy!!!

I plan to have one of my own in two weeks – after swearing last year that I would NEVER do it again!!! But I have got to seriously purge the garage!! After living here for two years, and still having boxes stacked high, it’s time to purge!!!!

So, that is part of my reluctance to get out to a yard sale early – I don’t NEED anything!!!

But part of yard saling is the thrill of the hunt – not actually searching for things you need!

I am always on the lookout for things to refurbish and put in the shop. But with the economy in the state that it’s in, sales in the shop, both land and online, are down considerably.

People are shopping for bargains and necessities, and keeping their cash close.

The other reason to go to town is to see if the small Farmers’ Market has started up yet. Last year, it consisted of 3 farmers (we live in a small town!)I need to find out how to get in on that. Last year was the first real year of my garden, and we canned and put up tons of veggies. I found we had more that we actually needed over the winter. So, I would like to grow more, can what we need and sell the rest. I thought about putting a little booth down at the end of the drive, but maybe I’ll test the waters in town first, and think about a booth next year!I would like the booth at the end of the drive to have a section that is “take what you need, pay what you can” for those who can’t afford much or anything.

Herbs, cut flowers, veggies as they come into season, blackberries, homemade scones and cakes, with a couple of handmade aprons and grocery tote bags thrown in the mix!! I think it might be fun, and the little money made could be invested into next year’s garden.

Well, while I am sitting here talkin’ about it – the days’ awastin’!!!

Here are some pix of my booth in the antique shop in town. This shop is by no means a fancy place, but alot of the nicest people work and go there. A fun place to display and hopefully sell some of those fabulous finds!!!

hand crocheted baby and child size hats

kitchenalia!

Cookie jars and Longaberger anyone?

Thanks for visiting!!! If you see something you just HAVE to have, let me know!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~All is well at Mountain Meadows this Saturday morning…………………

 

Thrift Store Treasures!

I volunteer at a local thrift store 2 days a week for a couple of hours. It’s great fun, for a good cause, and helps support my ‘junque-ing’ habit!!! Volunteers get a  25% discount- and I get to see all the goodies as I help sort and price.

The bad thing about it is, because of my backround in antiques and collectibles, sometimes when I find something I like- the store figures  it must be something good – if  I like it – and occasionally it ends up in the shop’s silent auction!!

I don’t mind – their silent auction brings in alot of money for their cause- and if it is really something I MUST have , I can always bid on it!!

There are more times that I find some real bargains and goodies, that are already priced and out on the floor. I have really built up my pottery collection from shopping at thrift shops!

My favorite finds, of course, are items I can clean up and resell in my shop, or on eBay or Etsy. But sometimes there are just cool little doodads for 35 cents (minus my 25% discount!) – someone else’s trash can be my treasure!!!

Today was a bonanza – because from time to time, things are deemed not worthy for sale in the store and are tossed in the trash. There are some days when we will look in the trash and wonder what were “they” thinking- and the treasure comes home!!

That’s part of the fun of junque-ing – you never know what you will find!!! And, working behind the scenes at a thrift store has its perks!!!

Here’s a pic of todays’ ‘haul’!  The little speckled plate was cute – price was right at 50 cents- it is enamelled copper – and I have few similar pieces. I love copper!  When I got it home and examined it more closely – with my glasses on- I found a signature. Looked it up on the internet- it turned out to be a piece made by artist Jade Snow Wong, a well known San Francisco artist and author, who created a large body of work in enamel and copper. Her pieces were shown over the years in different museums. The highest price I found for a single similar plate was over $200!! Woohoo – pretty good for less than 50 cents!!

The needlepoint purse was tossed out – it’s beautiful! That will end up in my shop or online. The Wallace silverplate coffee/chocolate pot  was also a discard. Polished, it will look great in the spring with cut flowers! 3 sets of embroidered pillowcases (one of my weaknesses) were tossed in the rag pile, since they had some minor stains (they are now stain free!). The pail was a toss out – and will be useful in the barn. The bag of yarn was $1- and will be put to good use!

The most expensive item was the brand new glass Primula teapot  for $1.75 (minus my 25%!)- one can never have too many teapots, I say!!!

This little pile was mostly discards – and the items I paid for came to $3.00 total!

A pretty good day at the thrift store!!!!

Woohoo!!

All is well at Mountain Meadows tonite, dreamin’ of the next treasure hunt…….!!

 

Christmas Memories Random Giveaway Followup

The winner of the Christmas Memories Giveaway, did respond and has just received her ‘goodie box’!

So, now I can show you all what she won!!!! I loved this little basket- it is from my favorite (and ONLY!) little store in our tiny town of Fulks Run!! Well, there is also a gas station/quick stop market, a lunch place, and the town’s hub- the Post Office!!! But, Turner Ham/Fulks Run Grocery has been around since the 50’s at least. Family run, it has the best take out sandwiches, local eggs, cider, and hunks of  Amish made butter I can’t live without!!! Their hams are world renowned.

You can get books on local history, lore, and geneology, and a wide array of gifts- from gardening to aprons, to Burt’s Bees products, to teas, to Polish pottery. It is literally one stop shopping in a tiny town. And, if I can’t identify a plant or a seed pod, I can bring it in and ask Mary Anne – she always knows!!!

I had alot of fun picking stuff for the basket – it was so hard to choose!!! Can’t wait til the next giveaway!!!

Anyway, congratulations Lisa, thanks for the memories all, and happy holidays!!!!!

Only 21 more days til Christmas!

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All is well, and waiting for rain (wish it was snow!), at Mountain Meadows this morning………

 

Tea Party

It’s a tea party for me – Sunday morning tea for one!!!!

I collect tea related items and pottery. Delicate Belleek and vintage English bone china cups and saucers, usually never leave the display cabinet!! With a rambunctious canine crew of 4, fancy tea cups would have a very short life span once they move into this house!!!

So, most of my tea at home is served in sturdy, handmade pottery.

I just wanted to tell you all about a new tea source I discovered in  blogland –

http://www.chappedchick.com

Peggy Krantz, the proprietress, is so sweet – and your order is mailed out right away from her farm in Dexter, New Mexico.

I ordered the tea ball/infuser pictured – you can pick your colors and charms. I requested a bag of alfafa tea, which is absolutely delicious all by itself! Peggy threw in a sample of her lavender hand cream, which is  wonderful!! How did she know I am a lavender freak?? LOL

The tea ball pictured matches my daughter’s locally made Bay Pottery mug perfectly. I went searching for my linen napkins to complete this little Sunday vignette – and remembered they are all for sale in the shop!!! I did manage to save two of the vintage bed trays for myself – the rest are in the shop!!! There comes a point in time, that things have to be passed on to others to appreciate!!!! One can only have so many  things, before one is teetering on the edge of ‘hoarder-dom”!!

The little bent honey spoon partially seen in the pottery honey pot, can be ordered from Mrs. Hardesty’s Tea Room, in Harrisonburg, Va.

http://www.rockingham.va.golookon.com/listings/mrs_hardestys_tea_room

Tea ball from “Chapped Chick”-so cute!!

My goodies!!!!

Well, my alfalfa tea is getting cold…………………………the wood stove is whistlin’ and cracklin’!

Time to sit back and enjoy my tea while I can, before the husband calls on me to help with his basement project!!!!

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All is well, and peaceful this Sunday at Mountain Meadows………………………….

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…tea for two

And two for tea,

…me for you

And you for me…..

Nanette/Tony Bennett