Final Monday's Tea Quote for 2018

Did you guess, I couldn't end with just one quote.

A salute to George Orwell~

All true tea lovers not only like their tea strong, but 

like it a little stronger with each year that passes.

I know very well that I am in a minority here.

But still, how can you call yourself a true tea lover if you destroy the flavor

of your tea by putting sugar in it?

It would be equally reasonable to put in pepper and salt.

Tea is meant to be bitter, just as beer is meant to be bitter.

If you sweeten it, you are no longer tasting the tea,

 you are merely tasting the sugar; you could make a very similar

drink by dissolving sugar in plain hot water. 

(note from me: tea does not need to be bitter if made right)

From ~The Wind in the Willow~ 

 
"Come along inside.... we'll see if tea and buns can make the World a better place".
As we all know, the World is definitely a better place because of tea!

Here we are at the end of 2018

with more tea quotes for you. 2019 will have a new Monday happening.

Looking forward to it next week.
Though I am sure tea quotes will pop up in future posts.

An Irish Blessing~

May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain,
tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you,
those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The End of the Year and a Greeting!

 No matter if the way is rocky or slippery with moss

life goes on.

 We must keep climbing, moving forward.

Some days are rough and then out of the rocky way

a flower blooms.

The blush of a new bloom leads the way.

It shares the beauty just in front of us.

I have been rather quiet this week, contemplating the end of the year

and the beginning of a new one.

By now some thought for the future year would have formulated in my mind.

For some reason this has been slow in coming.

I wrote not long ago about being open to the new year, 

but I just couldn't be open.

Just the word scared me.

But I have been paying attention

and finally it came.

My word for 2019 will be Trust.

Yikes!

Trust reminds me of a free fall.

I know it has something to teach me.

So I will be open to Trust and learn as the year goes along.

Happy New Year, dear friends! 

 Now there is one more Monday in 2018

and a tea quote will be here for one more time.

Christmas is on it's Way

 Christmas is on it's way.

It is full of JOY for you and me.

 Only one day to prepare,

we sing songs of Peace and Goodwill to All.

May your celebrating be surrounded with Love, JOY, and Good Will.

May there be Laughter too!

And possibly a sweet treat to savor!

But most of all may it be wrapped with LOVE.

Merry Christmas, dear friends!

Christmas Tea Time

 Usually about twice a year I get in the mood to do afternoon tea for friends.

 One of my "tea friends" recently moved close to me, so as a welcome to

Portland I decided to do a Christmas tea.

Two other friends that always are up to coming for tea were also there.

What a lovely tea time we had.

The savories are always my favorite part of tea time.

There was radish sandwiches with goat cheese, smoked salmon with cream

in endive, cucumber trees, egg salad with nastursiums from the garden,

and wreaths toasted a bit too long with cream cheese and green peppers.

 And yes, there were scones and spicy pecans too.

 There were two teas in the teapot, starting with Da Hong Pao from Yunnan Provence in China

and then Muzha Tie Gun Yin Oolong from Taiwan.

 

 Tablecloth and china was all vintage.

 The white plates were going to be tossed out by my church because they were old

and a bit brown, but I rescued them and love using them for tea times and picnics.

 By the time we got to dessert we were not very hungry, but there were French Florentines

and chocolate cupcakes.

There is something so special about afternoon tea.

It just says, slow down, take a breathe, and enjoy the moments with dear friends.

I do hope each of you are finding time to savor dear friends over a cup of tea

this holiday season. Celebrating with special friends and family are the 

best part of the season.

Happy Weekend, dear friends!

In the Village of Delight

 Day light

Evening light

There once was a village tucked away in the snow.

It sparkled with candle light too.
 Smiles on each one living there were a delight.

No one knew of their existence in that far away place.

The mice scampered there and the kittens

 were snug by the fire, each were accepted and loved.

In the forest there was plenty to eat

and gardens were grown in the sunlight.

When the nights became dark in mid winter

the quilts were tossed about for warmth

and the plum puddings were lite to celebrate the season.

Quietly I tiptoed to the edge of the village

and just out of sight I watched as the people of the

village danced and sang.

You might think their song was the wind, but listen closely.
Do you hear it as the stars twinkle above?
Do you dream of a little village to tuck in the quilts
or dance under the moonlight?
The celebration goes on whether you can hear it or not.
Let your imagination fly away,
close your eyes, listen and sing. 

My little village on the mantle delights me
and on cold winter nights I dream of the little people that
live there. Yes, I know they are there because I hear
their song in the wind.

In a hole under the big tree Mr. and Mrs. Seth Mouse 
are having tea.

They whispered in my ear and said to wish you 
all a very special Winter Solstice.

For now my whimsy is running away and 
it is time for my winter's nap.

Hope your week is most delightful.

Sending love to each of you.

We had a Plan!

 My one and only grand child and I made a plan to celebrate Christmas.

Oh what fun we had.

The Portland Speedway has a light show so Saturday night we headed there.

We didn't know we would have to wait 2 hours to get in.

What a line!

 Finally we arrived!

What fun we had singing in the car.

A partridge and a pear tree were sung with gusto!

 A little know fact about me is that I never can remember

the words to songs; so I like to make them up.

Well by the end of singing this crazy song we were in full laughter.

 As we exited the light show we were definitely in the Christmas spirit.

 We hurried home and headed for bedtime with a story to read along the way to sleepy time.

Sunday morning and it was time to make the gingerbread house.

I cheated a bit this year and bought a kit at Costco.

It was definitely worth it.

I will say the icing was a bit drippy, but what counted was that

we had fun!

Here is the final product.

I know it was messy, but again it was all about

having fun and creating with laughter.

 The best things about the holiday spirit are JOY and LAUGHTER.

I am so thrilled to have this one little guy in my life.

He brings JOY to my heart all year long,

but with Christmas my heart just expands more and more.

I hope you are finding time to play this holiday season!

Make a plan to play!

Monday's Tea Quote

The Prayer in a Teacup

I stand at my window and watch
One by one the stars all leave me
I am having tea with the dawn
The first ray of sun descending
     Into my teacup
     Into my heart
The steam of my tea ascending
     To the heavens
     Into God’s heart
The yearning in my heart streaming
     To the heavens
     Into God’s heart
And God, standing in the heavens
     Watching the sun rise in my heart
     Leans down to breathe in
     The first rays of my yearning
     And names it morning prayer.

                          ~Macrina Wiederkehr OSB,
                            Seasons of Your Heart (c).

Often when I sip my morning tea, I pray!

It is my time of quietness before the day has started.

Do you find time to be quiet during these busy times of December?

Savor the early morning hour with tea and a prayer.

Whiskers on Noses

 Whiskers on nose is one of my favorite things.

Christmas too brings joy to my heart.

All the twinkling lights and glitter just make me smile.

So one more peak in my living room at the imperfectly perfect tree all lite up.

We await the bewitching hour.

The hour when magic happens.

Where music bursts forth with Joy to the World

and then quiets in the late night darkness with Silent Night.

Are you preparing?

Are you delighting in those whiskers and twinkles?

Enjoy the weekend, dear friends!

And I must say Joey isn't thrilled when the camera comes out.

Now why don't those whiskers just pose for me for the moment of the click!!

Around the House

 After receiving the perfectly imperfect live tree I decided to pop over to IKEA

and see what they had in faux trees.

I love the little tree I found there;

so it was set up in the dining room.

There were a few candles, tea themed ornaments and golden baubles

placed on this little tree.

 Then my white themed cast of characters joined two festive teapots

on the cabinet.

Since taking this picture I have added a few votive candles.

Don't you just love candles at Christmas?

The more light the better sprinkled all around the house.

 Here is the tree all lite up and ready to sparkle.

 A view of the china cupboard from the opposite side of the room.

I love the reflection in the glass of the tree.

And then just outside the window I can sit at the table sipping my tea and watch the

hummingbirds come to the feeder wrapped in old Christmas lights.

The new lights don't get warm enough to keep their water from freezing;

so every winter we leave these lights on the feeder until Spring.

No freezing and I love seeing our delightful little ones flutter around.

They are my best winter decoration.

Are you enjoying the lights of the holiday season?

Delighting in the day?

Traditions

Each December my half-sister and I meet for tea or lunch,

just a small Christmas celebration for the two of us.

This year we met in Salem and enjoyed a walk on the grounds of

Deepwood Estates.

There was a holiday bazaar which we browsed,

but what we really enjoyed were just enjoying the sights around the grounds.

Looking back at my pictures I realized how much of the grounds is set for a party.

Each area had it's center focus.

And we found flowers still in bloom too.

It doesn't really show on this winter camellia,

but there was a lovely soft blush of pink on it.

Stepping into the greenhouse always feels like steeping into

a quiet, safe, warm womb. 

And again there were flowers in bloom.

I was delighted to find some whimsy in the greenhouse pond too.

Do  you see it?

Poinsettias always say Christmas.

And again two different places in the garden,

perfect for a quiet cup of tea or a special event like a wedding.

Next time I think I will take my cup of tea and sit awhile

in the gazebo and sip.

I love holiday traditions, especially when it includes special, dear ones.

Hoping you find time to include a dear friend or family member

in a time just to be together, walk, talk, sip some tea, and just enjoy the day.

Monday's Tea Quote

"Another novelty is the tea-party,

an extraordinary meal in that,

being offered to persons that have

already dined well, it supposes

neither appetite nor thirst, and

has no object but distraction,

no basis but delicate enjoyment."

~ Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. The Physiology of Taste.

May you have moments of "delicate enjoyment" with

a cup of tea and a sweet this holiday season. 

What would be in your cup?

And on your plate?