Collecting? Who me?

 

If someone would ask me if I collect teapots or teacups,
I would say "who me".
In the past I have said they just come to me, but collect, "no I don't collect".
Well slowly I am having to admit, like an addiction, I am drawn to teapots
and teacups when I visit antique shops.
Antique shops is where I go for alone time and to sort out things in my mind;
so yes I do see a teapot or teacup occasionally that I just can't say no to.
I am admitting here for the first time, I am a collector.
Now where will I put them in this house that is already full?

On the road trip I found this blue teapot, the color just caught my eye.
It is a Liptons Tea teapot found in a mall in Iowa.
I love blue and yellow together and of course all tea lovers need
one teapot from Liptons, don't we?

Peace Blooms

 
“Until there is peace between religions, there can be no peace in the world.” 

"In the garden of my heart the flowers

of peace bloom beautifully."

Thich Nhat Hanh

Peonies from a Michigan garden

Mrs. Haney's Home

The front entrance:

The back of the house:

The storm cellar entrance:

 

Oh I wish I could have stepped inside and remembered visits I had here
so many years ago.
The house has stood empty for a long time, but as part of the
Mitchell County Museum in Kansas now it soon will have a new purpose.
It stands near the county hospital and will be turned into a Ronald McDonald home.
I think Mrs. Haney would have liked that.

We lived in this town about 40 years ago and Mrs. Haney taught me
about the love of old homes, old time crafts, antiques, and herb gardens.
In fact, she told me about women at that time that were making a difference
in the world of herbs in America, such as Bertha Reppert and Adelma at Capriland Farms.
She also introduced me to the children's book illustrator, Tasha Tudor.

In an earlier life of this house, Mrs. Haney told me there were great parties
where carriages dropped dignitaries off at the front door.  There was a circle drive there then.
Generals in their uniforms and ladies in their full ballgowns would step up the steps
and into this lovely home.  This beautiful home had a past that shined and
soon very soon there will be new life shining there.

One Word

 

WOW!

Tips from the Kitchen Door

This door once opened to Mrs. Haney's kitchen.
I loved visiting here once upon a time and learning all kinds of tips.
Today I wanted to share tips from kitchens we visited throughout our road trip.
Maybe you know some of these tips, but I had fun keeping track and learning.

1.  Beth made a lovely salad dressing with olive oil, vinegar, a little mustard, and bacon bits,
then she popped it in the microwave to warm.  Nice touch!

2.  Karen tenderizes her steaks by squeezing half a fresh lime over them and letting them sit for awhile.  Yummm!

3.  Donna makes the BEST, tender Bisquick biscuits by not doing what the recipe says.
There is no kneading here and the mixing is done very gently.

4.  Marilyn marinades veggies overnight in Italian dressing, drains, then puts in a grill pan
on the barbecue.  Delicious!

5.  Eve, the nurse, recommended eating lots of watermelon for our health.  I can do that!

6.  Suellen was the "microwave grandma" and even cooks her Thanksgiving turkey breast in the microwave.

7.  Holly was most creative by incorporating tea into almost everything we ate.  What a treat!

8.  Mary Jane recommends eating dessert first.  Now that's an idea I can go with.

Tuesday I will share more pictures and travel stories from Mrs. Haney's home.

Grape Jelly

Are you wondering what grape jelly has to do with birds?

Grackles (the black bird), Robins, Doves, and Orioles, they all went for the grape jelly set out for them.
I have never seen birds come flying in for grape jelly before.  They loved it.
What a treat each morning over breakfast to watch this display of nature.
We saw Cardinals in this yard too, but they didn't seem to be into grape jelly.
Did you know some birds like grape jelly?  I didn't.
Oh the things I learn when traveling.

A Kansas Garden

 

While visiting Kansas I had many moments in this garden.
What pure delight to see the passion of this gardener friend
and know what pleasure it brings to her and those that visit there.
There was so much to see, I am sure we will have to visit again
even if only through the pictures I took.  There were the largest
bumble bees, moths that looked like miniature hummingbirds, and
many varieties of bird.  Tomorrow I will share a few of the birds seen there.
This gardener friend loves iris's and they made quite a show here.
I highly recommend seeking out gardens when traveling.
The visit is sure to rest your soul and your weary traveling body.

On the Road with Wuwo Tea Ceremony

Having tea with tea friends in Ohio was so special.
On Sunday a group join together to learn about Wuwo Tea Ceremony
and share in the pleasures of tea.
The teaset in the middle left side belonged to Nancy, a gift from
a Japanese penpal.  How special is that.
Stephanie and I had fun sharing our experiences from Portland
of this special tea ceremony.  The weather was just perfect on the patio.
We started and ended with some readings and in between there was meditation and tea.

If anyone visiting me today would like to participate in the Wuwo Tea Ceremony
here in Portland, please email me and we can add you to the list to be notified of
future events.

One Word

 

Road

Views from the Road

 Driving down I-80 through Iowa a sign along the road announced

Amana Colonies.  Yes, I had been there before 38 years ago.

How fun to have the opportunity to visit the villages again.

 There have been opportunities to visit dear old friends

along the way.  This view is from the deck of a friend's

home.  Again it had been a very long time and was a dear visit in Iowa.

 Then checking the GPS we noticed a Danish community

up ahead.  Yes, we had time to stop for a visit to their museum,

windmill, and lunch in Elk Horn, Iowa.

 Then with a stop in Omaha, Nebraska there was time

to walk across this bridge between Iowa and Nebraska

over the Missouri River.  A lovely visit with my cousin

was very special here.

Several days have been spent in Kansas visiting dear friends,

my husbands 95 year old aunt, and walking through several

gorgeous gardens.

More about our stay in Kansas will come in future posts.

Now we have stopped in Colorado and are looking forward

to special visits and sights.

An Iowa Farm Visit

 A visit to my friend, Donna's, Longview Farm

was most delightful.  How fun to meet Donna and

her family face to face.

 I had dreamed of one day visiting Spencer's Tea Room here.

 Our Garden Room at the B&B was beyond beautiful.

 For a tea lover, being greeted with this beautiful pot of tea

and delicious tea goodies was one of the highlights of our visit here.

And of course a visit with these sweet noses and

curious faces was pure delight.  I would have loved

giving them a hug, but they weren't so sure they wanted to get close.

Thanks Donna and your family for a visit we will always cherish.

We are in Kansas now (the land of Oz) and will share more of our visit

along the way in the next week.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there.

May you have a blessed day.

A Very Special Weekend

The Amherst Rose Tea Room

Masillon, Ohio 

  

Have you ever had an extra special weekend,

one you will always remember.

One that was full of friends both old and new.

A weekend of sharing of food together

and delightful moments of just feeling the love.

Well this past weekend was a weekend such as that.

Several months ago I talked to Mary Jane at the Amherst Rose Tea Room

in Masillon, Ohio about having a tea gathering.  We set that date and

Mary Jane graciously opened her tearoom, her heart, and her wonderful

skill at sharing elegance and organization.

Thank you so much Mary Jane.

It was a total success all because of you.

As we came together we all shared stories and food.

The menu on Saturday was a delightful array of  food shared by everyone

attending to incorporate the theme:  A Plantation Tea - Spice of India.

We started with a Mango Lassi,  then followed with Saffron Red Pepper & Tomato Soup.

There were:  Taj Mahal Scones, Lemon Curd, Devonshire Cream, Buddha's Hand Marmalade,

Rose Petal Preserves.  Then Curried Chicken Salad on Naan, Cheddar and Chutney Sandwiches,

Fruit Salad with Lychee, Maharaja's Deviled Eggs, Meyer Lemon Granita,

Gulab Jamuns,  Chai Tea Bread, Indian Lime Cookies, Indian Rice Pudding.

The teas were:  Monsoon Darjeeling, Clonal Tips, and Masala Chai.

We sat at the table at 2PM and I don't think we got up for at least 4 hours.

Then we moved outdoors for the beautiful evening where we share yet another

tea with the Traveling Teapot.

Time for Tea and Exploring

Today was a day of rest and relaxation.

Staying in Grand Rapids, Michigan we took time

to explore their Historic homes.

As we walked by this home the lovely lady living

here invited us into her garden.  What a special treat.

Then we ventured to my friend, Holly's home for afternoon tea.

Holly shared her wonderful home and time over a lovely

full tea with tea incorporated into just about everything served.

Two special treats today, we felt fully blessed and rested.

Tomorrow the teapot, Jim, and I travel to Ohio and more adventures.

If you would like the full tea menu check out The Traveling Teapot blog.

From the Road

 Having tea with my sister and her family was a treat in

Wisconsin, especially since she lives in California.

Our schedules just meshed for a meet up and

to meet her little, cute grand-daughter.

What a fun few hours we had.

 Visiting Holland, Michigan today, it was tulip time.

The windmill is the only original windmill shipped here

and reconstructed from the Netherlands.

The tulips were about past their prime, but still

had a beauty about them.

Now we are looking forward to less time on the road

with two nights in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

What a fun adventure, but the riding and driving does

become tiring.  We will be ready to go again on Friday.

Hugs to everyone!