And the winner is

The winner of my Vintage Give Away is: Britt-Arnhild of Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods.

If you haven't visited her blog, I thoroughly enjoy learning about Norway through Britt-Arnhild's blog.

Tea Remembered

Tea on a bench overlooking the Pacific Ocean is one of my treasured memories. What a special day feeling the sun shining on my friend and I, watching the waves of the ocean hit the shore, eating lovely cookies and cupcakes, and sipping tea. Tea can be as informal as having tea on a bench. The surrounding were spectacular. Enjoy tea with a friend today, even if it is on a bench in the park.

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Don't forget to sign up for the give away mentioned on Monday's entry.

Friendship

FRIENDSHIP

It is the awaited hour

over the table falls

interminably

the lamp's spread hair

Night turns the window to immensity

There is no one here

presence without name surrounds me

~Octavio Paz

translation Charles Tomlinson

Note: Don't forget to comment on Monday's blog for the give-away.

Vintage Final Day

Little pink felt baby shoes, probably from the 1940's or 1950's.
I love this little cotton dress, see the details of the print below.

I would guess the dress is from the 1940's or 1950's after looking at the print.

I remember when I was little how popular rick-rack was on little dresses.

For the final Vintage series day I have a give away.

It is a dear pattern of baby clothes I once made for my babies and a pair of sweet knitted booties. Now if you don't sew or don't want to use the pattern to make baby clothes Dawn at The Feathered Nest had a great idea for old patterns. She suggested using the patterns in place of tissue paper in gifts. What a great idea and wouldn't be so fun to receive a gift wrapped in an old pattern.

Just leave a comment on this Vintage Final Day entry before Saturday, January 31st, to enter for the give away. Please leave your email address; so I can contact you for your address.

Chinese New Year

January 26th - Happy Chinese New Year!

Celebrate by having a cup of tea and sharing with a friend or two.

Red is one of my favorite colors and I think it is

so appropriate for celebrating the New Year.

What tea will be in your teacup today?

Mine will be a lovely, floral Honorable Mention Baozhong from

www.floatingleaves.com

Be Still

Be still, enjoy the silence.

***

Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn,

whatever state I may be in, therein to be content.

~Helen Keller

Daughter in Ramallah

When my daughter was in college, she and a group of college students joined together to travel to Palestine to help repair a Friends (Quaker) School and Church in Ramallah.
They worked hard.

The young women also took time to stand with the Women in Black in Jerusalem.
Do you know about the Women in Black? I had not heard of them until my daughter told me about them. They wear black (of course that is where they got the name), and stand silently to protest the occupation.

They also took some time to explore. Here they are having tea at a small shop.

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I think of my daughter's trip to Israel and Palestine so often when I hear of the violence taking place there. I am thankful there is a cease fire for the moment. I think often of those there that were kind to my daughter and took her into their home and served her tea. Are their homes still standing? Is the Friends School and Church still there? Please pray for peace in the hearts of the people of Israel and Palestine. They must find a way to coexist in peace. I am so proud of my daughter and the time she took to get to know the people of Palestine and then to open my eyes to a different way of seeing the people of the world.