Tea at the Pond

 Once in the while I get a crazy idea to have tea somewhere out of the ordinary.

Whitaker Pond is 5 minutes from my house by car.

I wanted to do a tea photo shoot, but decided since I was going to do the work

why not invite a couple friends along for the adventure.

Fortunately my "live-in gardener" will play along.

Wednesday morning I had him take the table and chairs to the pond 

and set them up for tea, then I drove my friends there for this surprise.

It was a morning English teatime on the pond.

Do you see the duck in the first picture watching us?

If the sun hadn't been so bright and hot we would have stayed longer;

but it was a lovely time of visiting, sipping tea, and nibbling.

A time to celebrate the outdoors at the end of summer.

We had fruit, pistachios, rice crackers, goat cheese, salami, smoked salmon,

and nori crackers.

Both teas came from Lochan Tea in India.

First we sipped Doke Black Fusion Tippy, Second Flush 2019, Bihar, Hand Made Organic Black Tea;

then Niroulla Summer Smoked, Second Flush 2019, Darjeeling, Naturally Grown Small Grower.

Both were delicious, but we all were surprised at how delicious the Niroulla Summer Smoked

Darjeeling was. We all thoroughly enjoyed this tea and agreed we would love more.

 What fun to sit with dear friends and enjoy a good cup of tea.

Being in nature is pure delight for me made more special by sharing with friends.

Create moments of delight,

time to share with dear friends!

HAPPY WEEKEND, dear friends!

Gypsy Woman

 Pictures taken in the past, but fun to remember.

There is something seductive to me in listening to Gypsy Woman
and thinking of the sway of her hips
and the flick of her head as she dances.
There is a bit of soul in those thoughts
wondering how would that feel to just let loose and dance.

Listen to gypsy woman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiozPXDHnYc
Let your imagination flow.

I started this post quite awhile ago and it just smoldered in the back of my mind.

There is something so earthy in my inner self when I see that word "gypsy".

Gypsy reminds me of a free spirit, someone that lives outside the box

who walks with a sway and has no qualms about wearing her heart in the way

she flows with mismatched clothes and dances  when the spring time tiptoes

into the light. She walks barefoot through the forest floor that softly gives

the fragrance of pine needles and moss.

Sometimes she breaks the rules and sometimes she flirts with the old gentlemen

sitting on the bench. Her hair is laced with flowers and ferns. She fancies the

playfulness of a child dancing and singing whether there is anyone to listen or not.

What would you wear as your alter gypsy self?
Would there be a sway to your hips
and toe tapping out the music played?

I think she would be a strong woman, a woman that knows herself,
and listens to her own drummer.
Have fun today just imagining!
I know I did just thinking on this post.

Garden Quote 2019

“It always seemed to me that the herbaceous peony is the very epitome of June. Larger than any rose, it has something of the cabbage rose’s voluminous quality; and when it finally drops from the vase, it sheds its petticoats with a bump on the table, all in an intact heap, much as a rose will suddenly fall, making us look up from our book or conversation, to notice for one moment the death of what had still appeared to be a living beauty.”

~Vita Sackville-West

 Peonies are such a beautiful part of Spring,

I just had to look back.

Teatime from the Garden

 Last evening I decided to have a teatime in the garden

with food from the garden.

There is an over abundance right now

and I am barely keeping up with it all.

You should see my kitchen, but no not really.

There are plums, apples, and tomatoes everywhere.

 I decided to try a new recipe for plum-rhubarb crisp.

Yes, the rhubarb even came from the garden.

 It was delicious.

 When I went picking I picked a few nasturtiums too.

They are so pretty decorating my plates, but also just shining in the garden.

 Then there were tomato and basil sandwiches too.

 I guess I could have made tea from the garden too, 

but I chose Doke Black Fusion, a second flush 2019 handmade organic black tea from India.

Thanks, Lochan Tea for this delightful tea.

It was perfect with my garden teatime.

And just because I wanted you to see my violets.

I gathered them together without the food.

The bare plate is standing in for the 9 plates I just found at 

an antique sale. I couldn't believe I found 9 of these beauties for $7. total.

I don't often buy plates anymore, as I have so many;

but who could resist. Limoges Haviland is also a weakness of mine,

especially when there are violets.

The cup and saucer are from my grandfathers set of violets and daisies.

So there you have it and a beginning to the weekend.

Now I must go make some jam with plums of course.

Plus there are more apples to peel and make apple pie filling for the freezer.

Winter will have some special treats.

Happy weekend, dear friends!

A Meander in the Country

 Today I needed apples, at least I think I do;

so I headed to the farm store outside of Portland for my Gravenstein apples.

Yes, each year I go there for 20 pounds or so just so we have pie filling in the freezer.

Winter just isn't winter without having a fresh baked apple pie occasionally.

 But first I had to stop and stroll this historic apple orchard.

Wow! the branches were loaded.

I was tempted to pick, but the apples are for the farm.

It is a historic apple orchard, part of the local park district.

Often children are brought here in the fall to pick and picnic.

I brought my children here when they were young.

 The old tree branches are often crooked and mossy.

 I love just walking here.

 My heart is at peace.

 The queen anne's lace was everywhere.

 At the farm where I bought my apples there were flowers too.

  Walking through the flowers put a smile on my face.

 I thought even the flowers past their prime most beautiful.

 Isn't that a busy big bumble bee?

 I spotted my first pumpkin, some cut fields, and tips of leaves beginning to show signs of Fall.

 And to top the day there was a cup for tea.

Don't you just love a lazy, meandering sort of day in the country?

A time to see what you can see and savor the day.

Garden Quote 2019

 “A good start in life is as important to plants

 as it is to children:

 they must develop strong roots in a congenial soil, 
otherwise they will never make the growth that will serve them
 richly according to their needs in their adult life.”
~Vita Sackville-West 

Not a real tree, but thought of this quote
when I saw my grandson sitting in the roots. 

Things that made me Smile!

 Things that made me smile this past week.

A peek in this vintage caravan.

 Yarrow in  a herb garden in Aurora, Oregon

 Paper flower, oh so colorful!

 A corgi with sunglasses on his head.

Later he was actually wearing them on his eyes.

 Girl on stilts!

 One girl making bubbles.

 One mermaid taking a rest after swimming awhile in the tank.

And of course if you knew my neighborhood

you would say, this bus makes sense selling vintage clothes.

There are still things in this world that are undiluted joy.
 Let us remember and remind one another - one by one by one. 
~Carrie Newcomer, musician

What has made you smile this week?

Happy weekend, dear friends!

Go out and find things that make you smile.

Notice what you Notice!

Tea

 1st and 2nd flush Marilyn made tea.
From my garden came an early spring tea on the table,
quite smokey and good.
In the dish was picked later spring and I haven't tasted it yet.
So fun to play around with producing a little tea from my garden.

Heritage Tea Company

www.assamheritagetea.com

Handmade tea - November harvest

hand delivered for me.
What a surprise to have Elyse from Tealet.com
hand me this tea at the TeaFestPDX.
It had been sent by Rajen Barauh of Heritage Tea
and it was sent just for me.
A very nice breakfast tea, which I definitely will enjoy.

Lochan Tea sent me samples of some Assam, Doke, and Darjeeling teas.
I am totally enjoying them and will write a review after tasting them all.
Loving having all these different teas to taste and comment on.
I haven't found even one I don't like.
Now that is unusual!
 

And finally!

Wonderful teas from Thunderbolt Tea arrived just yesterday.

I usually order Darjeeling teas each spring from Thunderbolt,

but it seemed this year was later than normal for getting spring teas.

Oh the fragrances and delights in my tea basket right now. 

If you knock on my door we can definitely enjoy a cup or maybe even three

while we savor and share.

I think I am set for tea for awhile.

Garden Quote 2019

 Today I thought it would be fun to find just some white flowers in my pictures.

What a variety I found.

  From the blooming rhubarb

“The more one gardens, the more one learns; 

And the more one learns, 

the more one realizes how little one knows.”

~Vita Sackville-West 

 To the blossoms on the lemon tree.

 The rhododendron has a glint of pink.

A profusion of snow drops in spring time.

White blossoms remind me of moonlight.

m.miller

Have a great new week~