Tea on Tuesday

Still haven't figured out what tea I will have today, but thought I would post about our ladies' artsy group that meets the 2nd week of each month, combining creativity and tea.

This was Bobbi and Judy's idea, and we had our 2nd meeting last Thursday at Judy's. 1st meeting was at Bobbi's, where we explored the wonders of needle felting!!! More on that in another post.

When we meet, we have tea, of course! The next meeting is at my house, and I have alot to live up to- after experiencing the wonderful teas at Bobbi's and Judy's houses!!!

Last week, our group played at making greeting cards. Both Judy and Bobbi are experts at it - Bobbi has the Cricut (she just told me there is a sale on them at Michael's, drool, drool,- but I can't justify spending that $ right now.....sigh)
Julie and I did the best we could- in the unfamiliar waters of cardmaking!

I had an uncle and a cousin with birthdays coming up, so I made cards for them. It forced me to dig out and use up some of the endless amounts of ephemera  I have amassed, from online swaps, and my own collecting.  Judy and Bobbi were good enough to share from their enticing caches!!!

First, check out Judy's studio!!! To die for - and soooo organized!!!! Far different from my very disorganized basement studio.......

                 Judy added 3 extra tables to her roomy studio, so we would each have a place to work.

 

A stamper's paradise- and endless drawers, organized and neatly labelled!

 

Bobbi, sorting her teapots and cups for the adorable cards she is making for Julie's shop- Julieanna

 

Judy at her desk

We break for lunch and tea

Judy and Julie

A sumptuous spread

Scones, clotted cream and spreads, sandwiches cut in teapot shapes

 Out to the screened in porch to a lovely table, with scrumptious broccoli soup waiting for us

Judy made everyone a lovely floral bookmark, placed by our plates.

How cute is this little sandwich? - good too!!!

"MY" teacup, that I SOOO wanted to stick in my purse!!!

Desserts- scones, and chocolate cookies, and clotted cream and lemon spread....yummmmmmmm

                                  A lovely centerpiece- I have this very same tea angel at home!!!

                                                Back to finishing our cards.....................................

Julie made hers with fabric - blogger has turned them sideways again......they are really cute!!!!

With blank card stock from Bobbi, I took some of the stuff I brought from home (that little heart came from an online paper swap -anyone recognize sending it?), and made a card for my cousin.

                                     Somehow, I missed getting a photo of the other cards.

A fun time - next month's meeting, at my house (however will I meet the established level of                  teaworthiness????)
we will be making upcycled china pedestals(which takes no time at all!) and crazy quilting.

Drop by Patty and Kim for a list of other tea lovers. Drop back again next Tuesday!!!!


***join me at Mountain Meadows Quilters Retreat 2012****

Tea on Tuesday

I discovered this "new" tea, that I would like to try-Nilgiri Tea- 

I will have to check with my tea source, Susan at Julieanna, and see if she can get some of this!

Upcoming is the World Tea Expo- one of the subjects will be about tea becoming as popular as coffee- will it ever?

It seems to be catching up - altho, sadly,  local tea rooms in our areas have been closing down. I don't know if that is a reflection on there being more coffee drinkers out there, or just the economy.

 

It is Tea on Tuesday, but, I cheated today, and made my coffee- decaf mocha- I must say, despite the fact that I had no whipped cream available - mine tasted as good as the ones I buy! I guess, if I make it with grounds from a local business, I will still be supporting local business- even if I make my coffee at home!!!

I have to share my new FAVORITE teapot!! It combines 2 favs of mine - elephants and teapots!! I saw this on Pinterest, and just had to have one!!

What could be better than one of these? 

                                                   Well, TWO of these!!
My husband ordered the first one - and it had a chip hidden inside under the lid. So, he ordered another, waiting 'til that one arrived, before returning the first. When the second one came, in perfect condition, he could not be bothered to return the first - so I have 2 elephants!!!

Please join us every Tuesday for tea - visit Patty and Kim for a list of other tea lovers!

Tea on Tuesday

A drizzly day, a cup of Elephant  fruits rouges tea from France, and a cup with a message to cheer me out of the dreary day doldrums....!

                                         For lack of a theme, or subject to write about, enjoy selected scenes from the previous week.........................

 

 

                                                    Santa's reindeer being delivered....

                                         

                                                                   Chimney Rock

                                 Yesterday, the moon was still awake at 9am...

Please join us for tea every Tuesday - drop by Kim and Patty for a list of other tea lovers!!


****And, don't forget to read all about next year's Quilters Retreat- also on FB***

Tea on Tuesday

Sorry to be late to tea!!!

The farrier came today, and today was the day little Yoshi had his first real shoe trimming.

Now, donkeys can be stubborn, and surprisingly, it went far better than I would have expected!

There were a few episodes of nervous diarrhea (the donkey, not me!!), but with a box of mini nilla wafers being fed to him constantly - we got thru' it rather smoothly!!

Donkeys are smarter than we give them credit for - and I swear Yoshi does comprehend English- he knew exactly when it was his turn!!!

Anyway, we are done, tea is on- see my Finnish tea bag - delicious- but I have no idea what it is!

                                                                Can anyone translate?

 

I am using my lidded St. George English bone china mug, on top of my little stack of quilted mug rugs .

Since Halloween was last night, I thought I would share one of the photos my daughter took during "dead time" at a friend's spirit filled house.

The stories from this house are too numerous to tell here - but look at the orb by the door - they were out in force last night. These were not spots on the camera lens- Katie saw them with her own eyes.This one photo had the clearest shot.The photo is a bit blurry because I enlarged it.

  

  Katie used my camera last night, and this morning, the battery was dead, and the lens cover is not working right - coincidence?

I think not!!!!!!!!!!

Have a cup of tea with our other tea lovers - visit Kim for a list of other participating blogs - feel free to drop by every Tuesday!

Hmmmmm........

I added Google Adsense to my blog - surprisingly, and eerily, the first ad to pop up next to my Tea on Tuesday post was a link for Adagio Tea.   Big cyber brother is watching....?????

Let's see what ad pops up next to this post!!!

Tea on Tuesday

                                              "French haul"

That is what I kiddingly call the box I received in the mail, just after last Tuesday's tea posting.

My friend, Teresa, just recently returned from yet another overseas jaunt. This time, it was France.
Since I live vicariously thru the travels of my friends (ha!), she was kind enough to send me some goodies from her trip.

 

There is  

TEA

                                                                             There is
                                                            CHOCOLATE


                                                    There are tiny jars of jam and honey!!!!


There is a yummy looking chestnut spread is an artsy little can. And no, that is not a baggie of an illegal substance- it is some wonderful cooking herbs.

Also included were some wonder-full little tourist cards- touting all that is fun to do and see in the surrounding areas of France.  Not too difficult to figure out, even if one doesn't speak French (which I don't!)

Mixed in with the exotic teas, are some  Lipton(!), and I love these cute elephants on other packages.

                                                                  Honey in a tiny jar-

                                             
                                                     Love the label on this tiny can - 

                                   Very classy teabags.....................I am drinking this today......

........with some apricot marmalade and a chunk of French bread!

             Teresa also included a bar of soap she made: not bad for a first try - I love the feel of it!

                                                 Merci Teresa............viva la france!!!!

                                              

                                               Please feel free to join us every Tuesday for tea!!

                              Drop in to visit Kimmie and Patty for a link to the other tea fanciers!!

Tea on Tuesday

As I sip my honey lemon ginseng green tea, I am remembering this little "recipe":

A Loving Recipe for a Perfect Cup of Tea

   1- willing friend who loves to sit and share

    1- grateful heart to have a friend that cares

     1- beautiful garden to show us God is near.........


I am thankful for all of those and the friends who drop in for Tea on Tuesdays!

Here are some photos from my garden and thru the woods, as the lush green-ness of summer has left us. There is beauty in nature, warts and all!!

 The root of this flower was used to make coffee and tea during the Civil War- I think it is called blue cornflower.

Faery umbrellas abound- even in a drought! They spring up with the littlest rain shower!

This one reminds me a bit of the old game Pacman!!!


Here are the "warts" :

The different galls are interesting in shapes and colors.



Then, we have winter berries...........................................

The bane of a hay farmer- but pretty!

Before...............                                                                                                          ..and after.

As the greenery is laid to rest in preparation for winter, these are a few hangers on, who will brighten the landscape til the last possible hour.




Please feel free to join us every Tuesday for tea- please visit Kimmie and Patty for links to other participants!

Tea Bag Swap

Well, we are getting ready to do a new swap - a tea bag swap!!!

It's very simple. Each person will be paired with a swap partner.

You will pick a favorite tea(or teas)-it can be in a tea bag, or loose tea leaves that you put in a zip lock bag - enough for a cup or two of tea.

I will send you your swap partner's name and email address. You contact the partner for their snail mail address, and swap away!!

It's fun, it's easy, and who knows- you might discover a tea you've never tasted before!!
When you receive your teabag,at your convenience, just write a little post about it (if you have a blog- you don't have to have a blog to participate.)

Here's the list so far:

Pat (that's me)
Judy
Patty
Kimmie
Lori

Mary Helen

You still have time - leave me a comment and your email address, if you are interested- we will close it out at 10 participants.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**By the way, the fabulous pottery teapot and other pieces shown, are salt-fired Japanese pottery. They were created by Richard Busch of Glenfiddich Farm Pottery, in Leesburg, Va. If you ever get a chance to go to one of his open houses- you should!! He and his wife are lovely people(she runs a cooking school there), he will give you a tour of his kiln room. I miss riding my horse thru the woods and fields to go to his pottery sales!!