BLESSINGS IN A CUP

As soon as the leaves start to change to fall hues (which could happen as early as August here in the U.P. of Michigan), a great deal of excitement starts.  Its not that we want summer to end, but all that the autumn season brings is so enjoyable.

We are so blessed to live in an area where the changing of the leaves from green to golden yellow, orange and red is a welcome sight, especially because we know the season to follow can be so long and dreary.  Every year is different, and it seems that there are other sights that make the colored leaves really stand out even more:   the blue sky above, the white birch within the trees of color, the bright sunshine, and the dark pine that proudly stand along side the maples.  The oak tree leaves are not as colorful, and hang on till there is often a lot of snow on the ground, but their brown leathery shades are part of the fall colors, too.

Fall also is the beginning of hosting tea parties for me.  The weather has changed, the days are cooler and shorter, and though we're all trying to enjoy every day outdoors, we're also spending more time indoors.   My list of expected guests is ever growing, so here is the first tea of the fifth season of having tea parties.    When asked why I continue to invite friends and strangers for tea, here are the answers.

• I like to share my creativity with others - handmade invitations, themed tablescapes, creative take home favors   
  
• I enjoy trying new recipes especially from Tea Time Magazine and other places around the web such as my Pinterest boards   
  
• I love to serve others

• #1 reason: I love to create a time when every one can leave the cares of the world behind, meet new people, participate in delightful conversation, and enjoy a respite afternoon while drinking tea and eating delectable foods.

Today's tea was all these reasons, and one more.  Having guests in for tea brings me such a blessing as well - that the people I meet out and about are asking to come to tea, which tells me that I have succeeded in offering an event that ladies want and need.

Once I set the date, I review the notes of people who weren't able to attend last month's tea, the one's that have spoken to and asked to come to tea, others I've met along the way, and always, one or two that have come to tea before. 

Here's the menu I chose:

The recipes for the salad (South by Southwest, with my own variations)

pumpkin scones, 

chocolate oranges

and pumpkin pound cake can be found in my Pinterest Boards: Tea Party and Healthy, and the cloth pumpkins are in the Fall board.  

The Apple Brie scones recipe is in the September issue of Tea Time Magazine.

The tea I served, Peach Rhubarb, and the take home teas are from Tea Forte, one of my favorite tea sources.  

From the moment the first guest arrived, excitement and conversation filled the house.

The "tea time attire" requested was evident with each of the guests - so much beauty.  They found their places around the table, and in no time a buzz of conversation, networking, sharing, laughing and enjoying one another began.

Looking back, I can smile with contentment, knowing I've been able to meet my goals, and again have found blessings in a cup.

Thank you ladies for a delightful afternoon - you have been a blessing to me: Janice, JoAnn, Bonnie, Rosie and Kathy.   

If you or someone you know, would like to come to tea, just leave a comment.  I'd love to meet you and welcome you to my home.  If you are joining me from far away, keep coming back and sharing in my afternoon teas.

Thanks for stopping by, and until we meet again, may you find a small blessing in every day! SB

Fancy That Vintage Hats with Flair

Fancy That Vintage by Cindy Hallam, Designer

From a stressful time in her life to a creator and designer of fancy vintage hats, Cynthia Hallam, Cindy, has brought many wonderful memories forward.  Whether she is displaying her creations at a craft show, demonstrating how to remake a drab attic hat into a brand new creation, or encouraging women to wear a hat for tea, Cindy has stirred up our excitement of once again feeling elegant and fancy.

Though not a fashion item in today's society, Cindy's eye for color and beauty invites us to remember a time when a woman's hat was a necessary part of her wardrobe.  Perhaps a woman bought a hat to compliment her dress like a woman of today's society buys a purse and shoes.

On the afternoon of my Blues of Winter Tea, I invited Cindy to bring some of her hats and share her story with us.  She invited us all to try them on and choose one that we felt comfortable in, or one we could have fun with, or most complimented our outfit.  Looking around the tea table, I noticed that nearly all of us had chosen a hat with a blusher veil, and even though some may have protested that (a hat) "will mess my hair,"  we all wore one.  I must admit that taking the hat off, after wearing it all afternoon, made me feel like I was missing something.  

We all want women's hats to be more stylish again.  I guess instead of waiting for the fashion world to grasp it, we'll just have to start a new trend ourselves!

If you want to know more about Cindy's hats and the stories people have shared while trying them on, you can contact her by leaving a comment on this blog post.

Thank you Cindy!   It was a delightful afternoon!

NEW YOU - NEW YEAR

This time of year we hear more about people wanting to get in shape than any other time.  We hear about new year's resolutions, and how soon people will break them.  It's sort of similar to how we want to keep the joy and happiness of the Christmas season in our hearts for the whole year through.  Afterall, isn't that what our Christmas cards say?

What could be so difficult - trying to keep a promise to yourself - to live better, to take care of yourself better, to share joy with one another?  

Here's what I'm going to do about this.  I've shared my journey to better health with you through this blog.  That's where I began.  No new year's resolution for me.  I resolved to want to get in shape, keep a promise to myself, live better, and take care of myself better on June 20, 2014.   I began then. When it came time to turn over the calendar to a new year's goal, I had a head start on mine.

What I want to know is what are you waiting for?  I watched as a lady who could hardly move, make her way across the floor with her trainer.  I watched her make a great effort to walk step by step on the treadmill.  She is starting somewhere - so can you.  The idea is to keep moving, whatever you do.  Just keep moving.

And when I signed my Christmas card, hoping the Christmas spirit would be with us all year long, I knew the joy within me was ready to soar.  As I keep moving, each day through the winter months, I hope the joy I feel within will be visible to others.  I don't have to sign a card to hope for joyful days, for I know my joy comes from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Did you wish that Christmas would last a long time?  What are you doing to make that happen?

There are two new additions to my daily walk that you might like to check out.  One is a daily devotion by Sarah Young, "Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace in His Presence."  How enjoyable it is to read as though it was Jesus talking to me (and you if you decide to use this devotional!)  There is a blog I am following, too, by Dr. Kathy Koch, "Hope for the future, equipping the present."  I would recommend this also.

I have been drinking a lot of tea lately.  It has been colder than cold here, and along with my afghan, a hot cup of tea is the only thing that can warm me till the temperature rises to a more comfortable level.  Some of my favorites are Republic of Tea's Downton Abbey teas, and Tea Forte.

Thanks for reading my post.  Have a happy new you in the new year.  May you be filled with joy all year through!

NORTH COUNTRY BLUES - revised

It's that time of year for the blues - no, not cabin fever blues, like the middle of winter.  It's the blueberry season in Northern Michigan.

I'm not a picker myself, but I've been blessed with friends and family who are, and who share a little of the North Country Blues with me.

A few of my favorite things to do with blueberries are blueberry pancakes, blueberry scones, and blueberry muffins.  When you add fresh lemon zest and lemon juice, any of these three baked favorites become even more delightful.

Perhaps you've only had the blueberries you can buy in a store.  I'm telling you, they are not as good and sweet as wild berries, and for some reason are bigger than the fresh ones.

I love the colors blue and yellow together, so blueberry and lemon - that's what I baked this week.  Thank you to Jan, and Nancy and Vi for bringing me some fresh berries.

This recipe for Cranberry-orange scones is from Tea Time Magazine, that I've used over and over, with my own variations, this time, Blueberry-lemon scones.

Sift into large bowl: 2 cups all purpose unbleached flour; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Cut in 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter, not oleo or spread. Mix with pastry blender, two knives or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 cup fresh blueberries. Set aside. (See alternative method below)
Beat together with mixer or blender, 6 tablespoons of milk (could be cream or half & half), 1 beaten egg, and zest from 1 lemon (or 1 tablespoon dry lemon zest). Add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface (I use floured parchment paper), and knead gently a few times.  Roll dough into a circle, 3/4 inch thick, and slice into wedges, leaving circle in place.  Or cut with a 2 - 2 1/2 inch juice glass. Place on parchment paper or Sil-Pat mat on cookie sheet.  Brush with 1 beaten egg white and sprinkle with turbinado or white decorating sugar.  Bake 10 - 12 minutes at 425 degrees F.

If you want a sweet wholesome blueberry flavor, I would suggest folding the blueberries into the dough by the following method just before baking. The dough will also not be as dark blue as the scones pictured below.
Follow above recipe, mixing all ingredients (except blueberries) together, and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, kneading gently 3 - 4 times. Using rolling pin, roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Scatter 1/2 of blueberries on half of dough.  Fold other half of dough over to enclose them.  Lightly roll dough again to 1/2-inch thickness. Repeat scattering, folding, and rolling with remaining 1/2 of blueberries.  
Roll the dough into a circle, slicing into wedges but leaving circle in place before baking. Or cut with juice glass into individual scones.  Brush with beaten egg white and top with sugar before baking as noted above.  

Whatever you're doing this week, make sure to take some time out for yourself.  Enjoy a cup of tea (Blackberry sage is delicious) and a blueberry scone!

MOMENTS of MEMORIES

My mother has a special collection of teacups.  The cups are displayed in a mirrored glass cabinet in her dining area.  She has a particular quality of high standards for keeping her home clean and organized.  The cabinet is placed so that the afternoon sun directly shines on the shelves, and with the mirrored back, the light catches the cups just right.

I carefully removed each cup and saucer and positioned them just right so I could capture their beauty for this blog.  Though I expected we would visit while I was taking pictures, I wasn't expecting to learn so much about the occasion of how she came to own the cups; of the people who gave them to her; of their origin; or of the generations that had used the cups before her.

After taking many photos of her tea cups, we sat together over a cup of tea and some biscotti I had made.   Though my intention was to photograph her teacup collection, and spend some time with her, I realized that it was such a blessing to visit with my mother. The visit I had planned to do for her, was indeed a special moment of memories for me!

Is there someone you should visit with?  Perhaps you don't know what you'd talk about or how to get the conversation started.  Find something you like about that person or a belonging of theirs you admire.  It doesn't take much to get a conversation going, share a cup of tea or coffee.  You don't have to stay all afternoon. Thank them for the time spent.

Tea Parties

January 2012
Pearl Tea


We celebrated the white of winter with pearls.