Wednesday, March 27, 2013

"GOING TO TEA"


Today mother and I were invited to tea ... Your invited to come along for a teatime peek..( blink blink) Visiting my Friend , Renate is always  a grand adventure.



She's a busy lady who owns  fishing lodge in New Brunswick, Canada. Most of the time it's bustling with fisherman, but at this time of year, tea and cookies are her specialty.



Since it just past  St.Patricks Day, the house was  still decorated in the traditional green for that very special occasion, which is also my hubby, McKim's Birthday.  Don't these shamrock cookies look delicious!!!


Renate has an exquisiute selection of teacups that she inherited from her grandmother in Germany. many of them with rich layers of gold. They're quite frankly fit for the Queen of the Lephrachauns...


OOPS...I mean the Lephrachaun King Fred, Renate's husband, who is a retired Dentist. His only job  at the camp is to mind the fire... and he sure does keep the fire going ... It's toasty warm.


This lovely  teaset  was so appropriate for the up coming Easter celebrations with it's crackle  effects... and of course the lovely spring posies inside the cup were a plus for us snowbirds who are waiting for the long cold winter to disappear. I was tempted to look underneath the china for the name of the pottery, but then that would have been rude, wouldn't it !!!



With my ninety year old mother, Grace looking on, I decided to mind myself and act appropriately. Although, that naughty little voice inside did  keep urging me on. ( Ha Ha)


My dear friend, always presents such a welcoming table and everyone gets to enjoys wonderful variety of old world teasets and dainties.


 Here she is enjoying a delicious cup of tea.


 She always gives me rose laden teasets to enjoy .. Fortunately I did know the name of this one as it's one of my favourite designs. Do you recognize the pattern?


Yummy, Yummy ... Homemade, lemon jelly roll created with freshly squeezed lemon juice. I was so pleased when she asked if I would have another piece. When I said ' No Thank You ... Renate promptly put it aside and wrapped for me to take home... Lucky, Lucky !!!


Suddenly, the  plump little tea cosy went onto the teapot and 


Renate pulled out her accordion for some good old teatime music that she had composedand written. It was a fisherman song ... Delightful, delightful toe tapping music. What fun we had!!!


Easterners are very creative and this musical " Ugly stick"( below) as she called it, is proof  of that ...Ha Ha .. A mop, decorated with beer bottle caps that you pound onto the floor for  toe tapping rhythm. It's all part of the Folk traditions of the martimers, from the early Canadian settlers... only, with alittle modern addition (i.e.) beer bottle caps. OMG... but it was all in such good humour.


Look .... A friendly little squirrel came for a teatime visit on the deck, when he heard all the thumping  going on.


The sweet fluttering  red-caps, attentively gobbled their flax seed and seemed to enjoy the  silly antics that were happening inside the cabin.


The fishing lodge is  located  on the well known  Miramachi River, where fisherman come from all over the world to fish. Of course, they're sure to catch a salmon, if they use one of Renate's world famous salmon flies. Here's a picture of Renate with one of the salmon that she caught a few years back.


Mother and I had a lovely afternoon tea with Renate and Fred. I'm so glad that you were able to visit with us too.


Till our next  teatime rendevous.. The blessings of the season to you and you family.
Wishing you all a most joyous Eastertide.

   
                                                              Now, Wasn't that fun !!!

Thursday, March 7, 2013

"BIRTHDAY TEA"

"CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE ..... Listen to the music"... It's  mother's 90th Birthday. You're all invited to join into our teatime celebrations. I've included a few pictures for  you to  enjoy.

  

 We are a little late for our February Baby's birth date... but considering that she's come through  a heralding  near death heart attack, this  past January, that's OK ... Let the bells ring and the voices sing, in praise to the Lord ... Reaching the milestone of 90 years old is a grand feat in itself.



Please do  come in and join the Birthday party. We're expecting a small gathering of friends  any minute now. In preparation, I've set the table in with a vintage Royal Albert  teaset called, Laurentian Snowdrop. The pretty mint green reminds me that Spring is just around the corner." Hurrah".



The sandwich menu was simple and delicious. Egg salad, ham and pickle salad and tasty cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches without the crusts. I hope that I've made enough !!!!



Mother, prefers this particular blend of Earl Grey, as it reminds her of the tea her mother used to brew in Scotland, years ago. It has a rich mellow flavour that is simply unforgettable. I'm always mindful of preferences though and have  also included  Red Rose Tea, fresh Jasmine leaves and herbal teas . Which one  would you like?


Laurentian Snowdrop is a dainty set that does  dictate a time when tea parties were a regular event in community homes. The cups are just a little smaller than normal, thus allowing everyone that extra second round of gossip time.



Snowdrops are the most prominent harbinger  of Spring so fantasizing while sipping the tea was an easy task. I'm so, looking forward to the warmer weather...Aren't you ?


There now, I've just poured you a cup of tea , excuse me while I answer the door. It's our friend Renate, the " Egg Lady" , who has stopped in to bring flowers to my mother.



Yes , that fiesty little red head is my 90 year old mother Grace. I'm hoping that  I will look as good as she does when I reach that gracious time in life.



Today , mother put on her make-up, donned on her favourite pearls and enjoyed a lovely gathering of ladies. She could just barely hold the cake.( Ha Ha) ... Gracie loves angel food cake with  stawberries and whipped cream, so our sweet little housekeeper baked her two cakes. 


Mother got to blow out the candles twice. Actually the first cake only had sparklers, as extinguishing  ninety candles took three of us huffing and puffing, but we did it !!!!





Mom just couldn't resist another piece of cake and naughty as she is, scooped some extra whipped creme off of the remaining cake for herself ..." Naughty little girl" got caught in the act ( Ha Ha)




Of course, she helped herself to more of that British Earl grey Tea too..Would you like another cup?




Our guests had arrived at 1:00 p.m. and by 5:00, they were still gathered in the living room laughing and giggling like teen-agers.  Then, just as we had said good-bye,  Jonah our young friend stopped  by to shovel the snow and to wish mother a happy Birthday.  OMG....What a great excuse for another  wee party.( Hee Hee)

I quickly cut him a piece of cake and topped it with an extra big sparkler. WOW .... did it ever fly.


Yes, Gracie had a wonderful  90th Birthday. She is so very thankful for having this special time to share with you and her friends. I'm elated that you were able to join mothers' celebration of life and our humble tea party. Hopefully, you felt welcomed.

Thanks and praise to our heavenly Father above for granting this blessed extension of joy, love and life.Your kind prayers and well wishes were answered and celebrated today, during my  mothers' birthday tea. 


Wishing you all  the longevity to enjoy a healthy 90th Birthday, embraced by the love of family and friends.



                               Happy Birthday Mother ...Imagine , ninety years old !!!!

                                        OOPS... Vanity doth call ( Hee hee)

                    Gracie, respectfully asks that ...." she be called, 90 years young".