Tea Time-Day 1 of the Quilters Weekend

Well, after 8 months of planning, the Mountain Meadows Quilters Retreat/Workshop has come and gone...

We only had one RV camping on the property, but, in retrospect, one was enough!!
Discovered, that with unpredictable weather, trying to put RVs in any of our fields, would probably not work out!!! This one was parked in the gravel parking area, which worked out just fine!

The tea was Friday's event - and it went off without a hitch!! I had nothing to do with that! All the credit goes to Julie and Susan!!!

Susan and Julie, of Julieanna, outdid themselves- hanging vintage quilts around the room, quilt blocks and pin cushions as table decorations - Susan even came up with a lunch plate design of finger sandwiches that looked like a quilt block!!










Vicky was the official photographer!





Bobbi and Judy

Bobbi, Judy, Effie, Karen, and Kelley in backround






Cold melon soup with a sprig of mint - delicious!!! Blueberry spritzer tea, and teacup pins for all!


the quilt block finger sandwiches- how clever is this?


Winona and Kelley




The delicious scone - we thought THIS was dessert - we were wrong!


This goes with the scone 

We had a choice of several hot teas, the cold blueberry spritzer tea was in the goblet, and 4 courses!
Susan shared the 3 proper ways to eat a scone, and there was a lovely dessert to finish off the meal, AFTER the scone!!
Somehow, I did not get a pic of that - and can't for the life of me remember what the dessert was!! But, it was GOOD!!!
I'll get back to you on that one!!!

I got to put a face to at least half the names of the people signed up for Pat Sloan's workshop that day.
It was a wonderful start to the weekend!

Stay tuned for a detailed account of the Pat Sloan Workshop coming soon!!!

Tea on Tuesday



Boy, Tuesday rolls around fast, and sadly, it seems that is the only time I post lately.
Sad commentary on things, when I don't find time to write, when there is always sooo much to talk about!!!!

I don't even have a photo of my teacup or tea today..........it is a lovely bone china mug- my mom found a pair of them in the thrift store for $2- not old, floral, dated 1996. Even tho' I have a pantry full of teas, it seems I always fall back on Lady Grey in the a.m., drowned in local honey..........

This morning, I thought, since I have already bored everyone on FB with my pictures and videos of my new baby donkey- that why not spread the wealth and bore everyone in blogland with the same?????

This past Saturday morning was the day - the day that Finnegan, (formerly known as Li'l Stevie) came to live with us!

Finn was born in January- I met him a few hours after he arrived  into this world.

Just born 1-20-12


a little pinto donkey


He has been living with his parents for 8 months. Altho' his big brother Yoshi, was over a year old when he left his mom and moved here- River and Ocean's owner, Jean, decided it was time for (Li'l Stevie) Finnegan to move in with his brother!

Mom, Ocean, with Li'l Stevie in the backround- getting ready to load him up this Saturday


The first few days of his life, Finnegan was thought to be a Fiona.......then it became quite obvious that HE was not a SHE!

As soon as his tiny hooves hit the ground, Finnegan was feisty and fierce, or as Katie calls him - FEROCIOUS ! He was not afraid of anything and would nibble and bite, and drive his parents crazy! Yoshi, on the other hand, was very quiet, retiring, and so laid back. I was hoping for similar personalities!

Saturday morning, Mr. Green Jeans drove the trailer over to pick up Finn, who needed a little convincing and some pushing from the rear, to get him on the trailer. AS we all know, donkeys won't move, if they don't want to - no matter what their size!!!

He rode very nicely, with Jean in back with him.

Altho' not lead trained, he walked off the trailer like a little gentleman, and into the paddock. We kept him separate for a while, so the horses and Yoshi could get acquainted thru the fence.

first meeting thru' the fence


at 8 mos old, Finn still has his baby fuzz


By lunchtime, I let Yoshi in with his little brother. For a few minutes they played it cool, then Yoshi decided to show Finn who was boss around here and chased him around the paddock for a solid 3 minutes. They were both worn out- it was a bit hot out. They took turns following each other, with Finnegan nipping at Yoshi's neck and face, and Yoshi letting loose with a few well placed kicks, to put this little whippersnapper in his place!!

                    Video


                                             The first day, Finn stuck to Yoshi like glue.





Yoshi's expression reminded me of a well loved Robert Louis Stevenson poem, from A Child's Garden of Verses, circa 1913

 :
I HAVE a little shadow that goes in and out with me, 
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see. 
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head; 
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed. 
  
The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—        
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow; 
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball, 
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all. 
  
He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play, 
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way. 
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see; 
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me! 
  
One morning, very early, before the sun was up, 
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup; 
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head, 
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

By day 3, they act like they have been together forever, altho' Finn still sadly tries to nurse, and looks very depressed, and occasionally brays in response to the donkeys who live a few fields away. It seems like he is asking, are you my mother? I am probably anthropomorphising, but weaning has to be hard on these little guys.

Video




Finnegan being a bratty little brother!


Playtime


The horses were mildly interested in this new arrival. They are kind to him, and I hope he does not start chewing on their tails!! We got Yoshi over that bad habit, and the tails are starting to look good again!!! Time to get out the NoChew spray again!!!

Now, I have a goal to outlive these little donkeys, who can live for 35+ years, but most likely they will be left in the will to my daughter, so they are assured of a forever home together!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

Tea on Tuesday- Pretty in Pink.....

It's August, so that means it's time for the annual August birthday mug!!! It comes out of the closet several times in August every year, only to be pushed to the dark recesses of the shelf when August is over!





I discovered a new locally made honey - available at Julieanna in Broadway, or thru' the beekeepers themselves! Blends perfectly with Lady Grey!!





And, today.................don't forget to take time to smell the flowers (or at least, just admire them!)


my ever blooming cyclamen




from a first (and last!)date bouquet that Katie received last night



Katie's hair clips


English bone china Royal Albert "Poppy" teacup- one of my bird feeders, available at Turner Ham/Fulks Run Grocery



portulaca in the rock wall



hyacinth bean


one scrawny little nursery plant that is now blooming like crazy!


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

Tea on Tuesday- Constance Has Arrived.....







Wouldn't it be lovely, if we could all start our days with a cup of butterflies? 

To flit thru' our day with nary a care or worry, going from flower to flower, and floating below the clouds..........

                                                          ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`


I thought I would share with you a bonus box I received in the mail the other day, from my dear friend Teresa, who travels constantly, and collects teas for me from each of her stops! Baggies filled with teas and jams from Japan, France, England and Spain this time!




And, spices from Istanbul and other exotic realms - with a lovely little blue, hand made Turkish spice bowl!


                     My choice of tea this morning is a toss up- both from France.
                                                                       Hmmmmmmm......





                                                  And, may I introduce........................  


                                                                   CONSTANCE     


....who joins us for tea this morning! Constance was spotted in a charity shop in England, trying so desperately to get Teresa's attention. Her sharp chiseled features and old English or Marie Antoinette style attire was eye catching, to say the least.  Altho' she is not as old as that (ssshhh!)- Constance appears to have been born circa 1950's- dressed for a costume ball.

Obviously, she got her message thru' to Teresa- that she soooo wanted to leave England, and travel across the pond, to the colonies! Her first stop was Georgia, and she has arrived at her final destination - in Virginia, one of the first original colonies.

She joins me for tea this morning- (guess I should have served something very English!- instead of French, oh, dear!!!)

As we leave you this morning, Constance is surveying her new domain, from her aerie perch. I hope she likes it here........


Please leave a comment- it would please Constance so (and her new "landlady" would be happy too! LOL)


Please feel free to join us ever Tuesday for tea - drop by Patty and Kim, for a list of other tea fanciers!

Tea on Tuesday



                                New teas, new toys, new places to explore!!!!

Having my favorite Inkivaari Tee- ginger tea from Finland, in one of my favorite mugs- handmade by Richard Busch of Glenfiddich Farm Pottery in Leesburg, Va. I have several of his pieces, and love his work!!!



Atop the mug, is one of my new "tea toys"!!!  It's a solid cherry tea strainer/infuser, hand made in America (!) by Moon Spoon.

The other little tea toy I have is a teabag tweezer, made by Stan and Sue Jennings of Alleghany Treenware.



I found these at a wonder-full shop in Elkton, Va called SoLace Studios.



SoLace is owned by Barb Polin, and it is her working studio as well as her shop. Barb is a fiber artist, who creates beautiful hand marbled silk and leather clothing and accessories. This eye candy store carries all sorts of tantalizing, must -have creations by many talented artisans.

I must have one of these mirrors - very soon!! 



The old tin ceiling is to die for....!!!



.........sensory overload.....


a serene shopping/browsing experience


Some of Barb's fabulous silks......



So, if you are in Elkton, look up Barb's shop- she is also on FB!


Now, back to my tea - I started inside, using my "new" upcycled indoor coaster!


Now, I am heading out to the garden, and here is my perfect sweetheart of an outdoor coaster!



Here's who joined me for tea - her first appearance of the season, looking like she might have had a nest of babies somewhere earlier..





Who's joining you for tea today??


Drop by Kim and Patty, for a  list of other tea lovers!!





Etsy Shoppe Open Again!!!



                                                          FYI- 

           FINALLY started restocking inventory in my Etsy shoppe!.

Check it out if you get a chance, add me to your circle, and I will add you to mine!!!
                                                          Please??







also


River rock hearts, limited supply- made to order




Quilters' UFO's



As if I don't have enough UFO's of my own, I was quite happy to inherit someone else's!

Yesterday, a friend gifted me with a bag full of quilt blocks. She had bought these at an estate sale or auction 10 years ago.
They were done by a woman in the next town, who was going into a nursing home.

The colors are, for the most part, a little drab- but, almost all the blocks are hand pieced!!!

I could never do this - nor would I have the patience!!!

I am most in love with the 45 star blocks! The muslin is stained in some places. On one here and there, the center point might be a bit off, but they look pretty perfect to me!! All that work - and never finished!!!

My question is- do I clean the blocks before I put them together? What would be the best way to do that, AND, would this fabric hold up to being a bed quilt? My thought is it would be best as a decorative bed cover in a guest room, or hung on a wall. Machine quilting would hold it together, but am not sure the fabric would withstand much washing.

The fabrics look like a combination of feed sacks and old shirting and dress materials. Exact date or origin unknown.

Any thoughts from you quilt experts out there?

These were hand pieced, and it looks like she started to put the blocks together in two rows. Of course, there is no more matching fabric to continue the rows. 40 blocks in all





                                                        These stars are my favorite!!!



45 hand pieced blocks- unbelievable!!!



Some of the squares are not perfectly square, with points very close to the edge, some staining/age spots - but, overall - impressive!!!



Hand stitched - every one!!!


These odd pieces look like she was practicing paper piecing (?) by machine. All stitched on to a fabric back.

I just put this on the floor in a random pattern


Dark blue is the backing fabric


reverse side


these all seem to go together- but what to turn them into is my question?


The stars are a little rough, but pressing them might make them look better - all this hand pieced too!!! Amazing!






back view

I guess I better get busy and start putting some of these together! I have some other old feed sack blocks that may even match these. I will have to pull them all out and see what I can create - maybe (?) even in time for my  Mountain Meadows Quilters Retreat      with Pat Sloan on August 25th!!! Wishful thinking.......LOL


And, here I am, "artfully" posing for an upcoming newspaper article on the quilters workshop. This was not the best shot, (a bit fuzzy) so probably won't make the cut - but we took a few!  The requested pose was of me quilting, and not looking at the camera! Pretending (sshhh!) to work on one of my vintage Dresden plate thrift store finds.....