My Teacup Collection

This beautiful Bavarian cup and saucer set is one of my favorites. The china feels like silk. I can't read what the stamped mark says...eyes not that young anymore! The cookbook is from the The Russian Tea Room in New York City where we ate just a couple months before the restaurant closed. Now that it's reopened, I definitely will go back should I get to New York City again. The two eggs are part of my Faberge' egg collection - all reproductions.





The Chintz set is Royale Garden from Staffordshire in England. The old creamer to the left side is something my mother gave me. The book is The Great Tea Rooms of America and features a tea room where I ate in Dallas...Lady Primrose's Thatched Cottage Tea Room. It's now closed - don't know why because it was one of the most charming places I've ever eaten.





English Bone China set ~



My daughter brought this from London - a little teapot for one.



Hopefully,you aren't getting tired of seeing my collection.

My Teacup Collection

My cousin Katherine in Texas sent this teacup to me. It's decorated with ivy and roses and the words "Hope", "Love" and "Faith". She is a genealogy buff and has brought together family members who may have never met. I wrote this little poem for her.




"A true friend is my cup o’ tea
To my heart she has the key
She holds HOPE for my well being
All things good to me she brings

Her work table is filled with LOVE
giving life to the past we are part of
Like roses and ivy intertwined
she brings together yours and mine

Unlike fine china cups that break
nothing can weaken her strong FAITH
Her thoughts with kindness are brewed
sweetened with caring through and through

She gathers us like tea leaves
Collects flavors of our families
With stories she infuses our lives
She’s my cousin, friend, the tie that binds…

She’s my cup o’ tea"

~Deborah~

The books in the photo are "Taking Tea", "The Art of Taking Tea", "Tea Time at the Inn", "English Tea", "Scottish Teatime Recipes", "English Teatime Recipes".

MORE COMING!

My Teacup Collection

These are some of the cup/saucer sets I've collected over the years.


MORE TO COME!

My Teacup Collection

This little blue and white set is Old Staffordshire and
the book is Monet's Table.


Just a whimsical little teapot.
The books are Time For Tea and
Come To My Tea Party.
That beautiful little girl having tea is
my granddaughter Kathryn - a year ago.



MORE TOMORROW!

HUH?!

From Yahoo......"Helmsley's Dog Gets $12 Million in Will
Wednesday August 29, 6:12 am ET
Helmsley Dog Gets $12 Million, but Real Estate Billionaire Leaves Nothing to 2 Grandchildren


NEW YORK (AP) -- Leona Helmsley's dog will continue to live an opulent life, and then be buried alongside her in a mausoleum. But two of Helmsley's grandchildren got nothing from the late luxury hotelier and real estate billionaire's estate."

Fill your week with Tea Parties !!!

Shine up your teapots and get out your finest fancy hats...there's going to be a WEEK of tea parties!





Starting Monday September 10, have a fun filled week with the

Make Mine Pink Bloggers as they host a virtual Tea Party.

Visit Make Mine Pink for all the information and a list of participating

Make Mine Pink Blogs.


Why Tea Party? Well what can be more fun, tea for two, tea for one, a princess tea, a mother/daughter tea, best friends tea, long lost friends tea, or to just take a moment to slow down and enjoy the tea.


Join in on the fun and host a virtual tea party too. We will be visiting all the Make Mine Pink blogs and yours too if you decide to host your own party.


You will see beautiful and unique tables set for tea; many will have a special theme. Will you join us and post a photo of your Tea Party on your very own blog?


Post a comment at Make Mine Pink and they will include you on the list.


So expect many visitors ~ please have cookies ready.

************************************************



As much as I would love to be part of this week of tea parties, I don't think it will fit into my schedule at this time. We'll be leaving for Toronto the first week of September. I can't wait to get back to see all your ideas!

AMERICAN PRINCESS

I am NOT into reality shows, but decided to watch tonight's installment of American Princess. American Princess is on "We" Sunday evenings at 10:00. A group of chosen young ladies from the States are groomed to be part of high society in England and vie for a royal title...I found it most amusing. Since I love anything 'across the pond' I enjoyed this reality show. I'll most likely watch it again next Sunday.

Thank you Amy!

My deepest 'thank you!' to AMY at PETTICOAT LANE for her kind offer to help with my computer software problem and for easing my mind about my fear of losing my blog. You see how computer savvy I am NOT! Thank you my New Zealand friend!

I hope you all will go introduce yourselves to Amy...and tell her I sent you!

I'm here for the moment...

...we'll see if this posts. Still having a computer problem. Seems it gives out after just a few minutes of browsing and it takes forever to see what I want to see.
In spite of my computer, I had a good weekend. Saturday was a special day - spent a few hours with my granddaughter. I don't get much time with her lately since she started public kindergarten. Just the two of us made a trip to Goodberry's. She ordered a sprinkle cone filled with chocolate ice cream with sprinkles on top of that. Now the temperature was in the three digits and right away that ice cream began to melt. She had chocolate ice cream on her nose, sprinkles in her hair and on her elbows - her little hands covered with melted chocolate...but boy, was she enjoying it! After a good cleaning up with a cup of water and several napkins, we headed for Books-a-Million to look around. It's where I used to take her for Storytime a couple years ago. She remembers Miss Dorothy, the storyteller, and we asked about her. Seems she is only there on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Perhaps we'll go back one day after school to visit Miss Dorothy. After buying a recorder (flute) we headed to see Granny - my mother and Kathryn's great grandmother. She lives in Supportive Living at a senior citizens complex. Kathryn had not seen her granny for awhile since starting school and she flew into her arms with hugs and kisses much to the delight of my mother. We 'beautified' Mother and wheeled her downstairs to the lobby where we listened to Holly - an entertainer who sang the most wonderful old songs that my mother loves. We enjoyed her singing and sang along with her. Mother remembers the words to all the great old songs and she sings right out. One gentleman resident there calls her his "Songbird". Mother has sung in public since she was fifteen...seventy three years ago. My daddy first laid eyes on her as she was participating in a singing contest when she was fifteen. He was there with his buddy and told him, "That's the girl I'm going to marry". Well, I'm getting into another story here. Maybe something for later. Saturday was a special day for Kathryn and myself - I think she enjoyed it as much as I did. Hopefully, we'll have a standing date for Saturdays.

So now, I'll try to post this and see what happens...keeping my fingers crossed!

ARRRRGHHHHH!

FRUSTRATIONS TO NO END!!!! I am very unhappy that I have not been able to access the internet or my blog since my last post several days ago. I just want to let you all know - while I am able to be online for this short time - that I have a major software problem. I was told that I have to copy everything I can and want to save from my computer, wipe the computer clean and reinstall Internet Explorer. This terrifies me!

Have any of you had a problem like this? If you have, please email me and let me know how you handled it. I'll check my email from my daughter's computer. I am so afraid that I am going to lose this blog! Is it possible that that could happen? Even though I am still rather new to blogging and I am still learning the in's and out's of it, I am happy with my blog and I don't want to lose it! I don't want to lose contact with any of you have visited me!

I am not a computer savvy person, so I have someone helping me with this problem.
Until I have a solution to this problem I may not be here for a few days. My best to all of you and keep on bloggin'!

We're back from Smith Mountain Lake (Moneta)Virginia. Our grandson turned one year old last Thursday and the party was Saturday. There was swimming in the lake and a cookout with some great foods. On Friday our daughter took me shopping. I love shopping up that way! I always bring home something I love.

This is a statue of a boy with a goose. I have it sitting on our front porch now.









This is a wine rack - I love it! The labels are reproductions of old wine labels.



I bought another vintage looking item...I'll try to get of picture of that and post it tomorrow.








One guest brought this appetizer - it was sooo good! She served it with crackers and sliced apples.

BAKED BRIE IN PHYLLO

1/4 c. apricot preserves; optional
1/2 lb. wheel Brie or Camembert cheese
1/2 lb frozen phyllo dough, 10-12 sheets, thawed
1/2 c. butter, melted

Spread preserves on top of the Brie.
Wrap the Brie in thawed phyllo dough one sheet at a time, brushing each sheet with melted butter. (Keep unused phyllo covered with damp cloth while wrapping Brie.)

Turn cheese over after applying each sheet of phyllo for even distribution.

Brush phyllo-wrapped Brie with butter.

Cover; refrigerate.

Before serving, place the phyllo-wrapped cheese in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 425 degree oven 8-12 minutes or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes.

Women In Art

I'll be away until Monday. I'll leave you with something that I found to be fascinating and I love the music too. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. See you Monday!

Just A Touch Of Vintage

Home Sweet Home




The beautiful umbrella belonged to Great Aunt Sarah. The black silk gloves with little rosebuds were given to me by my mother. The nosegay set on a silver knife handle was put together by a friend.






A couple pieces of green Avon
and a pink cameo box.
I found the lampshade at a
consignment shop.

I AM A FALL WOMAN

AUTUMN that is! What season woman are you?

I am Fall!

Thoughtful Expressive Creative Poetic Smart

What Season Woman Are You?

Pennsylvania Dutch Country

We visited Lancaster County, PA, one cold, rainy November. We actually went into an Amish couple's home - Barbara & Elam's - for lunch. It was so inviting and warm - very cozy. November is when the Amish marry. The harvest is done and the hard cold winter has not yet begun - it seems to be the best time for marriages for them. The Amish bride wears a newly handmade bright blue dress in an everyday style that all the women wear. After the marriage the dress is packed away never to be worn again until her burial.

Barbara & Elam were not attending a wedding that day, but prepared a traditional wedding meal for us. Homemade bread (just baked!), a chopped salad of celery, onion, cabbage - all chopped so finely I couldn't tell what all was in it - it wasn't mixed up though - just lined up on a large platter and looked so beautiful & with Amish farmer's cheese grated on top that just melted in your mouth & a homemade salad dressing that I can't figure out what was in it-YUM!...pickled beets, applesauce, pear preserves, the absolute BEST mashed potatoes I have ever had with brown butter & gravy, garden peas, roast (Not what you might think). What they call roast is merely chopped cooked chicken baked with dressing and gravy in a casserole. It was very good. We also had baked ham. For dessert - shoofly pie, pumpkin pie and homemade vanilla ice cream that was far superior to any I've ever had - so rich - tasted like pure sweetened cream.

TOMATO PIE TONIGHT!

Tomato Pie Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.

Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

To serve, cut into slices and serve warm.

NOTE: I thought I should add some of my own tips to make this successful.
First, slice (peel if you like)the tomatoes early in the day. Push most of the seeds and juice out of the slices with your fingertips. Place in a colander and sprinkle with salt to draw out the juice. Let sit for a couple hours or until you are ready to put this together. You can kind of shake the colander once in awhile to get rid of the juice.

Be sure to bake the pie shell first. I like Marie Callender brand pie shells.

You can adjust the amount of basil and if you don't have fresh, just use the dry basil...just not too much!

This pie is so good and even better the next day....and it's very easy to make.