" TODAY'S MY BIRTHDAY "

TODAY'S MY BIRTHDAY ... and I've decided  that it's time to celebrate the beauty of being. 

It's time to remember, how very beautiful it is to be a woman.

It's time to commemorate, the beginning of something special and that  means, it's time to celebrate being me, myself and I.

 May I extend  sincere  love  and Happy Birthday wishes  to all the  beautiful soul sisters, worldwide,  who are also  celebrating the birth of  being ... maybe, a little bit over-the -hill,  during this lusty, month of March. ( Ha Ha)

Never mind the wrinkles .... Life is a luminous journey of transformations and you're only as old as you think you are.... Right !!!  Beauty never ages... It comes from within and shines without judgement.

Who would  have quessed, that these lovely ATC ladies are one hundred plus years old. Yes, I plucked them from a gallery of vintage images and added the bare necessities of the material world, to enhance their personas in my artwork. 

See how they glow with the  sepia of a blissful being. Each of you are a part of the universe, that illuminates, from the moment you are born, until the moment, you depart  from your earthly bonds.... a glowing ember of life's eternal flame.... "I AM WOMAN ".

 I feel beautiful today. Please do, allow me  to share the infinite pride of being a woman on this journey. Happy Birthday to you!!! ...  Happy Birthday to me !!!  Can you hear me singing?

Just for the record... I've put a limit on growing old and have decided to enjoy my youthful inner child, who is just tickled pink, to be wearing  pearls and drinking champagne !!!

"TODAY'S MY BIRTHDAY "

"FLORAL TEA TIME "

Hurrah ...  My studio cottage  is just about ready to move into.... Many of my days,weeks,  months even years  have been spent  fussing with colours, painting, renovating and unpacking boxes in two, century old plus houses.  Often, I wondered if  all the demolition and work  would ever end. Now, as I  ponder the thoughts of moving  into  " Grace House ", while the, "  Grand Lady " , undergoes yet another  facelift, I'm dumb founded .... like, " What !!!!!!...  I get to live in a finished  house. ...AHHHHHH... Unbelievable !!!!

Today, I looked around and realized that I had painted the walls of the cottage, in  garden colours, particularly, those from the palette of my clematis.... pinks, mauves, purples greens and yellows.

Suddenly the mundane cardboard boxes ceased to be a toil of slave labor and drudgery( hee hee) ...  They  became a brilliant  gateway,  into a peaceful  floral palette  of memories, and of course, there was a pot of tea brewing.  Would you like to relax for awhile and join me for some refreshments? Please  do  come in and spend a little  time with me !!!

Today, I'm all about flowers, so tea is served in a delicate floral teaset, that my mother  bought me, for my birthday ... and I am, incidentally, getting younger from now on.( Ha ha)   ....  This is definitely a Springtime teaset. .... and one that will be perfect for  those outdoor tea parties...Don't you agree .....  Thanks Mom.

Two years ago, I had the most beautiful clematis and today, I am in earnest to replant and cultivate more of these beautiful vines. It's  amazing  how some plants intertwine themselves into your heart and sometimes, even  around your  teacups.( Ha ha)

Choosing a  Tuesday Teacup makes my day. It has  become a happy  ritual, that has become  part of who I am . ... a teacup sipping G' Ma with five grandsons and one grand-daughter on the way.  "What A Wonderful Life"... Have you ever watched that movie with Jimmy Steward and Donna Reed.. It's a classic!!! OK..I'll get back onto the subject ...Sorry ladies.

This pretty set is part of the, late  " Messrs.Thomas Forester and Sons Ltd, from, Longton, England, who were  manufacturers of Majolica and Art Ware. They were highly noted for their exquisite floral creations.

The intricate design here, reminded me of the ' Indian tree' pattern , but it is simply marked, as part of Phoenix China, with the emblematic bird stamp on the bottom. I suspect, it was manufactured in 1925 onwards, as the "Made in England", was often added under the pattern name at that time. I tried to get a picture of the stamp but it was too obscure, to get a clear shot.

Phoenix Works, as it was called, had a particular eye for beauty and detail in their pottery and china, drawing artistic inspiration from around the world.  They had agencies and showrooms in London, Paris, Berlin and Vienna as early as 1883.  The pottery won numerous awards in Calcutta, New Orleans, Belgium and Paris. Whatever way you look at it , right side up or upside down, it's a pretty  teaset.

 Artistically, only a few colours, were gleaned, to create such a remarkable example of interconnected artisty. How many colours do you count  on the colour spectrum of this set?

I see the Grecian, Asian, East Indian influences and even our supposedly,  new art form,  Zettie ( Ha Ha) in this design.... It  does seem to possesses an old world charm, that melds  exotically with the New Age ....  !!!!

 So Ladies... What cups have chosen today?   I can't wait to see them. What plants are you growing in your garden this year?  I shall have to make plans over another cup of tea with you, soon. Do you have any gardening secrets we can share during our teatimes together?  I do !!!!

Oh Oh .. My cup is empty...  I hear the newspapers  rustling  in the boxes and the unwrapped treasures are waiting to be re-discovered ...  Mercy.. There's no rest for  the Grand Lady.

" WEE FOLK "

"I saw the light in luminous awe ,

Drank in the glow of a magical dawn;

It tingled my fingers, caressed my toes,

like the cat lapping milk in a fairy knowle "
Yesterday, I bought Calla lilies to brighten my day . Today, I simply breath in the morning air and the lightness of experiencing the sunshine.
When I look up, a cool blue kaleidoscope of Spring, flutters on the wings of the shy chickadees. The "top of the morning", to you all .... as we near the celebrations of St. Patrick's Day. How could I ever forget, March 17th ... It's my Love's birthday.. and funnily enough, McKim thinks he's Irish, simply because he was born on St. Paddy's Day. ( Ha Ha)

So today, I share in, " the wearing of the green " and sip from an elegant little teacup, in honour of my husband, McKim, who probably is Irish somewhere along the line. It's a dainty, green, Staffordshire cup and saucer, that provides a wee bit of merriment and song for the heart.

The lilting circular pattern is so handsomely regal, that would be very befitting for the King of the Leprachaun himself ... Of course, we all know that the wee folk are only make believe!!!

Although, every once in awhile, I'm smitten and succumb to watching  Walt Disney's ..." Darby O'Gill and The Little People"for the hundredth time ... I often delight in a real good belly laugh during the movie. It's a classic that I'm sure you'd enjoy, Ladies. 

Have you ever noticed that tea tastes better on a brisk morning,  especially if you're  playing a game of hide and seek with the wee folk, who also watch the chickadees circle the seed feeders. I quess that is why, my teacup is always empty on mornings like this. It's a invigorating type of day, that suggests that  the pot of gold is out here somewhere !!! I'm sure that you've all had that glowing  feeling at some time in your life. If not ... Go run through the snow in your bare feet.( Hee Hee) 

OK.... Now, I've poured a second cup of tea for myself and meandered into the porch area, to discover a great blunder of the tulips and crocus bulbs, that had not been planted last Fall ... Oh, my heavens, they're sprouting !!!!
I also found seed packages, dampened by the cool temperatures of porch living. I'm troubled to know, if I can salvage any of the seeds or bulbs.... What a dilemma... I shall have to plant them indoors and say a prayer to St. Patrick.
Goodness, my cup is empty again... but I'm sure it was filled, but, a minute ago ... Now, what is one to think, in this day and age, when your down to the last drop of tea.

You're right ladies ... It's the wee King himself, up to his old tricks .... no doubt, he's a little whoozie, from his long journey, into our time zone. I'm sure he thinks, my tea is a pint of you know what ( ha Ha).. but I've fooled him ! I've got him locked away in the porch ... Can you hear my Irish accent ladies !!!! I'm waiting for my three wishes!!!

There's a bucket of dirt in the corner, your majesty ... and if you want another pint your Royal Highness ... here are the gardening gloves.( Hee hee) Oh it's grand, to get all the chores done by the wee fellow.... how ever mischievous he may be!!!!

Ho hum .... I'm off to watch the river float by and enjoy my own pot of gold, with my teatime friends ...  " Happy St. Patricks Day " to you all.

P.S.
I left a crack in the porch door for the tiny elf to escape ... (poof, poof)) he's gone ... but will be back in the Spring to see his flowers blooming.( twinkle,twinkle)

"BLOSSOM TIME"

" SPRING is in the air " ... filled with prayers and wishes for an early Spring awakening .

WELCOME to my first glimpse of sunshine ( yawn). I'm a little late for Teatime Tuesday , but better late than never. I do hope you enjoy my seasonal Cherry/Plum blossom photos from Japan ... with your tea.

How special it is to gaze into a cup filled with sunshine and ponder the stirring of nature, in-between the folly of old man winter, who just can't make up his mind on whether to stay or blow away . I really do wish he would be more decisive. Don 't you!!!

However, my " Blossomtime " cup doesn't mind, dilly dallying about the weather, as long as there's time to chat and share a cup of tea with you all.

In Japan, the cherry/plum blossoms are budding and soon will be blooming. ( sigh) ... Perhaps .... It's a time to seek transformation and become like Maria, from the " Sound of Music ", running through the fields singing.( ha ha)

Ok ... so it's still below zero, I'm wrapped in an over stuff coat that makes the Pillsbury Dough Boy look thinner , not to mention that my boots weigh 5 lbs each ... I quess, running through the ice fields/hills in joyous song is much like being a baby elephant pirouetting in "Swan Lake".

I will simply attempt to loosen up the old art of transformation to get me through the winter blahs ... It is a ridiculously, healthy alternative to becoming melancholy with yet another month of winter. It works for Me ( Hee Hee)

March is a ho-hum month, that begs for a brilliant cup filled with a fragrant tea.What's your favourite, flavour of the day Ladies?

I thought ... Why not infuse myself with a shade of colour to brighten my perspective. Why not reminisce about Cherry blossoms and the beauty that is just around the corner.

My, harbinger of Spring is a simple Stafforshire cup that oozes with synergy ...mmmmm .... such a good feeling !!!! Even the saucer has a brilliant persona( above) that makes the spirit soar. Of course, I do love bright pinks . Do you have a special teacup that enfolds you with energy ? It could be the colour , the pattern or just the shape of the teacup. This one is mine!!!!

Fondness for Cherry Blossoms, is an extension of sharing in the celebration of many Cherry Blossom Festivals in Japan, where nature is honoured on a yearly basis ... Of course , walking through streets filled with millions pink floating petals does it for me ( Ha ha) ... It's truly a gorgeous time of the year .

Cherry Blossom tea is a delightful tease for the olfactory nerve and the palate. Would you like another cup? I've have just enough petals for another pot of tea!!!

May the Cherry Blossoms of Spring fill you with sweet memories of Spring.