(Lucky) Tea on Tuesday

On this rainy, thundering Tuesday, I am looking over my cache of teas, trying to decide which to have.

My daughter just came back from spending her birthday with our cousin, and brought me several boxes of Twinings and Celestial Seasons teas! Woohoo!! Our cousin lives near a tea outlet - wouldn't I love that!!!

I was trying to think of an interesting theme for today's tea, so I thought LUCK might be it, since we just passed thru Friday the 13th, traditionally considered an unlucky day and number!

Altho I am not a particularly superstitious person, I don't consider my self lucky as far as getting a winning lottery ticket goes!!! Altho my husband always plays the same numbers - just in case!!LOL

I am lucky in my family, lucky to have the husband and kids that I do, and lucky to be relatively healthy.

       Since it was Friday the 13th when Katie was in NJ, I now consider that a lucky day!!!

              I won an apron that day, from Arrow Sewing Cabinets! I can't wait to receive that!!!

     Katie got me a new supply of tea (if the world ends anytime soon, I will NOT run out of tea!)                                                 


                                              AND, she saw a BEAR!!!

Actually, she saw a mama bear and her 3 cubs!! Altho we live in bear country in Va, the bears stay up in the forest. At my cousin's in NJ, they wander thru the back yard, on a regular basis!

 

She was viewing them from the screened in porch - and mama bear was taking her cubs safely in the opposite direction!

Keeping with the theme of luck, yesterday I was gathering my collection of vintage horseshoes together for a photo on my tumblr

I save most of the shoes from my own horses - great garden ornaments, barn wall decorations, etc. Some even end up in my Etsy shop! Horseshoes are supposed to bring luck .

When hung over a doorway, or on the wall, they should be hung open side up - to catch the luck! Whenever I find an old horseshoe in the thrift store, I buy it, and then save it til my farrier comes, so he can tell me the history.

You wouldn't think there could be a history behind a simple metal horseshoe - but there always is!

While in NJ, my daughter got some body art - some lucky horseshoes on her foot..............

                         It's very pretty, but I prefer the actual horseshoe, not inked on my body!!!

 

In case you're interested (if you're not, just skip over to the end!LOL) I'll tell you a little of what I know about these vintage shoes.

*Left row top to bottom are mule shoes. The very old rusty one in the middle left, is a working mule shoe- he was probably pulling heavy loads or a plow. Notice they are more elongated than a traditional horse shoe.

*Center row, starting from the top - vintage metal stirrups, one a child's.

Oxen shoe - a great find-in two pieces for their split hoof- saw one in a museum shortly after I found this in the thrift store!Until then, I wasn't sure what I had!

2nd from the bottom, center row, is a handmade Finnish shoe, sold as a good luck charm, and souvenir - never worn.

Center row, thin shoe on bottom, is a lightweight racehorse shoe.

*Row on right -very vintage  heavy top shoe, is hand hewn for a working horse, the silver one below it is from one of my horses, the two circular ones below that are corrective bar shoes, made to help support the heel. I found both of those in a field at different times, neither are old.

 I had a previous farrier bend the pieces on the back of the bottom bar shoe, so I can have a photo or a mirror put in it.

That ends today's "lesson" on luck and horseshoes!!!

Enjoy your tea, and be sure to drop in on Patty and Kimmie for a list of other tea lovers! Feel free to join us any time!!!

Thrift Store Treasures

Hearing an interview on GMA this morning about hoarders, did not stop me from coming home with another box of treasures, after volunteering at the thrift shop this morning!!! When the hoards start creeping up the stairs, and escaping the basement, then I will start therapy!!!LOL

Just thought I would give you a peek at some of the goodies.

There is a cute teeny, tiny briefcase, which will make a wonderful business card holder, a vintage horse head bookend, an Italian terracotta flowerpot, vintage silverware for altering, a tiny accordion altered booklet, a vintage wooden box, some Chinese postcards, some raspberry starts, a stack of "new" reading material, yet another pottery bowl, dangling lamp crystals for my upcycled china creations, etc, etc..........it was a good day!!!

If truly fascinated, you can click on the photos for a closer look!!!

Tea on Tuesday

Here I am again, having a late afternoon tea.......

Today's tea is Celestial Seasonings Green and White tea,  in a long coveted, vintage, green and white Japanese teacup, that I finally bought for myself!!!

 

In keeping with the green and white theme, enjoy these flowers I captured on a walk around the property.....



                                                              A Study in White

 

 

 

 

Please feel free to join us every Tuesday for tea!  Drop by Patty and Kimmie for a list of other tea fanciers.

Late Afternoon Tea on Tuesday

As the day escapes me, with gardening, horse care, errands, etc, taking away my free time, I am finally here for tea  !!!

As the wind is roaring past my windows, carrying with it the promise of yet another thunderstorm, I will post quickly, in case the power flickers, and I lose it all!!

I did get a pic of my tea this morning- and what I had after lunch!!!

Below is my favorite Lady Grey tea, with local honey, in a thrift store pottery mug, with strawberries and homemade whipped cream, over my special "feather weight" pound cake, in a thrift store pottery bowl.

 

Had to use up all those strawberries - so here is my afternoon snack!!

The purple lilacs are winding down, the whites are still bursting forth, so I picked a quick bouquet.

Among my things to do today (and every day) is to exercise the dogs.  Here is Sunny, relaxing after his day out, on his (er, MY) bed!!! Gotta love the Sun-man!!! This is why you will NEVER see one of my handmade quilts on my bed...........................

 

Please drop by every Tuesday for tea, and visit Patty and Kimmie for a list of other Tuesday tea lovers!

Happy May Day!!!!

Every year, at this time, I think.............NEXT year, I will be prepared for May Day!!

This has been going on for years, and I think I may have only been prepared once!!!!

I did leave a surprise basket on someone's doorstep years ago, but never got a Maypole ready for the kids!!!

At least, this year, I posted about it on FB, and wrote this blog post!!!

Here is a link to learn more about the history of May Day.

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful first Sunday in May and dance around the Maypole in your mind, if not in reality!