Reach for the Sky

When I see the corn growing so tall I think of the line from
the old show tune, "as high as an elephants eye".
To me the corn seems to reach for the sky
and tell us the sky is the limit.
Grow today and reach for your dreams,
the sky is the limit and we should except
no less.

Monday Linen Days

Vintage tablecloths is the heart of my love of linens.
The top right tablecloth was one of my first and is beginning to show it wear, but I still love it. When they have a hole, I just layer it with other tablecloths. I love pairing several together.

I had no idea when I pulled them out to photograph them that there were so many in the cupboard. The tablecloth with yellow roses I use when I have a table at the Portland Rose Society Vendor Fair. It is a fun one to have with a big bouquet of yellow roses.

The second from right one is fun to use when we serve a Mexican dinner or the one second from left is used in the winter with pinecones. You see they are loved, but they are also used. I often have a pile in the ironing. I actually love seeing them there, as I enjoy the pattern as I iron them.

Also just for fun I thought you would like a sneak peek at the greenhouse my husband is building out of recycled windows, floor, bricks, and doors.
The tablecloths mostly come from the 1930's and 1940's.
My favorite era's for style include 1920's through the 1940's, so these fit
very well into our home. But I do believe anyone would enjoy one of these beauties, even if it is maybe for picnics. They really cheer up any picnic table, tea table, company table, or everyday fun table.
There will be more tablecloths to come next week.

Tea with Kitty and Thee

Picture is from a card given to me by my daughter.
Poem by Earlene Grey, Musings with a Cuppa - The Poetry of Tea

Someday

Soon I will be free.
Without tightness or propriety.
Sans care and sensibility.

And when I am free.
I will sit in the sun
And drink tea
With cuties and kitties,

Never minding what
Others might see,
Ever laughing at what
They might say.

***
Enjoy a cup of tea today with a cutie or a kittie and laugh your cares away.

Oolong Tea Jelly

Recipe from Tea In Taiwan
A new way to beat the heat of summer - oolong tea jelly.
This is a traditional Taiwan food and easy to make.
It offers a refreshing, cool snack.

Ingredients
10 g Oolong tea leaves (I used a flowery oolong)
water 600g (2.5 cups)
20g unflavored gelatin (1 1/2 tablespoons)
(I used a little more just to give firmness)
100g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
(I found it alittle too sweet)

Instructions
1. soak tea leaves in hot water until they open
2. combine gelatin and sugar
3. add tea to gelatin and sugar mixture and boil
till the sugar dissolves
4. pour the mixture into molds, let it cool,
then refrigerate until set

If desired, a whole tea leaf can be placed in the
bottom of individual molds. Experiment with
the sugar, this jelly is also nice unsweetened!
It would be pretty cut in different shapes
for a tea party.

What makes you smile?

No this isn't it.

Just love sunflowers

This isn't it either

Awww! Now this is it.

Have you ever seen a picture someone else took and wonder if you
could take something similar? Every once in the while I challenge
myself to try. Now the one I loved was better than this, but
I still like the effect of the water on sunflowers.
Sunflowers make me smile.
Bathing them in drops of water makes them smile.
It's sort of like "raindrops on roses".
What makes you smile?

Creative Dreaming

Funny, but when I thought of showing you my collage and explaining what came to mind in explanation was "work'n it out". Have you ever done a collage to "work it out", to help you figure out your next direction or what is in your heart? This was my collage I made at the beginning of the year. I hadn't looked at it for awhile; so it is fun for me to see where I am in my year and see if I am on track. I am a very visual person and seeing pictures helps me along life journeys. I am beginning to scan magazines now for next year and after Christmas I will work on my collage for next year. But for this year I think I am on track, at least I am working on it.

Monday Linen Days

Vintage napkins are so fun to find a garage/tag sale.

Someone cared enough to embroider and edge each napkin so beautifully.

The napkins are used and loved.

The more napkins the better. It is my way of enjoying someone's
lovely work, but also being a little more green by not using
paper. These napkins are saved for company and tea parties,
but we use simpler cloth napkins for everyday.