The Pouring Teapot

La Tea Dah at Gracious Hospitality has been hosting a Tea Blog-a-Thon beginning on March 16 and ending May 31. She has a different theme for each week and you may participate as much or as little as you like. The theme for the tenth week, May 18 - May 24, is The Pouring Teapot: "This week is all about sharing about teapots. Do you have one? two? or three? maybe more? Is it for display only or do you use it for tea? What is the tea server you use most? Your favorite teapot (or is it something like a quart jar?). Tell your teapot story, give it's history, and tell what it means to you. You can share more than once if you'd like. Antique, new, Asian, English, or something in between --- we'd love to know!"

All my regular size teapots are for tea use. Only the doll size and miniatures are for display only. This post shows the regular sized teapots.

These first three teapots are each part of a dinner service. The Spode "Consul Cobalt" is made in England. It was my first teapot and I bought in London when on holiday. So it is one of my favorites. [Click here for the story of how I got it on the plane to return to the U.S.]


The next one is by Lenox, in the "Autumn" pattern. Made in USA, its beautiful raised enamelled decoration makes it another favorite.

Royal Worcester "Evesham Gold" is made in England and holds about four cups.

This teapot, along with its matching sugar and creamer, gets used with my blue and white teacup collection. It is by Churchill in the "Out of the Blue" pattern. Made in England. This one has the most use.

This one I got from my mother. White porcelain trimmed in gold, it is made in England, and purchased at Marshall’s. It will serve for these Bavarian cups and saucers, until I find a matching teapot.

This is a new unmarked retro design in terra cotta ceramic. I bought it from an antique store, along with the matching mug. The teapot can be used with an "Evesham" cup and dessert plate.

Another angular teapot is this brown one by DesignPac. It has a triangular shape, with a rustic finish and holds about two cups.

This brown teapot coordinates with my brown & white bowls and plates in the "Wellesley" pattern by Wood and Sons, England, and with the earthenware dessert plates by Royal Stafford, England.

This one is also part of my pineapple collection and a favorite. It is a pineapple-shaped 18th century reproduction from Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. This majolica piece was made in Philippines.

These teapots serve one or two. The "Hampton" 2-cup white ceramic teapot was made in China. It is from CulinaryTeas.com

This tea-for-one set in white ceramic has the word ‘Tea’ on teapot and ‘Cup" on cup. For Pottery Barn, made in Japan.

I feel fortunate to have various choices in teapots from which to pour a cup of a favorite tea. Do drop by whenever you can, so we can share a cuppa.

For links to other participants in the Tea Blog-a-Thon, please visit La Tea Dah at Gracious Hospitality.

Friday Show and Tell – Garden Spaces at ORC

Show and tell Friday is hosted by Kelli at There is No Place Like Home.

Today’s post will be a bit different. I’d like to share photos of my garden and house exterior. These were taken a few years ago at the end of summer.

Looking at the photos ... Here is the front step and driveway garden which is all in containers. I have a difficult time with my back and can’t do all the bending I did years ago.

Going around the side of the garage toward the back yard

Along the side fence in late summer. The day lilies are barely still in bloom. The irises are done.


The past two years I did very little outside, but hope to do some gardening work this month, bit by bit, without overdoing it. I cannot afford to be laid up with my back when I am now taking care of my 89 ½ year old mother. But I plan to place colorful annuals among the established perennials.

This morning I spent some time working on the deck and also cleaning up the garden beds. The hyacinths are done now; tulips are coming now. The hostas are coming up and so are the iris plants.

Well, thank you for stopping by, and do come again. I would enjoy reading a comment from you.
To visit other Show and Tell posts, please go to Kelli’s.

Vintage Thingies Thursday – Cornucopia Vase

This post is a part of Vintage Thingies Thursday. On her blog Lisa the Apron Queen gives a comprehensive list of the sorts of vintage items which qualify: Briefly, they include vintage linens and textiles, vintage kitchen items, and vintage sewing items.

Last Thursday my VTT post featured a vintage planter. This week I want to share a vintage vase which I got at the thrift store for 50 cents.

The vase is a small cornucopia design in a cream ceramic with pink flowers.

My mother has enjoyed seeing it on the table, with flowers or empty.

Another cornucopia vase that my mother likes to see is this one which has a golden base.

I got this on eBay, and since she liked it so much, I put it with her greeting cards in the dining for our Mother’s Day dinner. I placed the vase before I had fresh flowers to put in it; so it has sprays of silk flowers instead.

I look forward to seeing the vintage things other bloggers will be posting. Do visit Confessions of an Apron Queen to see more Vintage Thingies posts.

Green and Herb Teas

La Tea Dah at Gracious Hospitality is hosting a Tea Blog-a-Thon from March 16 until May 31. She has a different theme for each week and you may participate as much or as little as you like. The theme for the seventh week, April 27 - May 3 is The White, Green, Black, and Herb of Tea: "Tell about your favorite tea. How do you prepare it and serve it? Milk and sugar? Plain? What are some of your best memories of serving or sipping on this tea? Share a picture if you can. Tell the health benefits of the tea(s) you prefer. Where do you purchase your tea? Is there someplace you enjoying purchasing tea from? Who from and where."

I have been taxed with many things lately, and so I am just trying to catch up with my entries to the Tea Blog-a-Thon. So I can give just a brief overview.

Since I avoid caffeine, I drink just herbal and green teas. Also, decaffeinated black teas such as Earl Grey and Constant Comment.

Favorite Teas
Lemon Flavored Green Tea
Cinnamon Flavored Green Tea

From Tea Forte - Ginger tea. Here is the small tin with two infusers.

Health King Gastro Ease Tea – a Chinese tea distributed by Universal Herbs Inc. (HerbsPro.com)

Bigelow teas are found in most supermarkets. Here are the flavors I like:
Mint Medley
Apple Cinnamon
I Love Lemon
Apple Cranberry
Sleepy Time (chamomile)
Orange Spice
Tasty Tangerine
Blueberry Harvest

Serving
I usually serve tea plain and offer a choice of raw sugar, Splenda, Stevia, or honey sticks. (We used to add milk to our tea when I was growing up, but no one asks for it now. )

Memories
For her seventh birthday, I held a tea for my niece/god-daughter. Here is a photo of the kid's table setting in May 1998. She had five kid guests, plus five adults.

When it was time for me to serve tea to the kids, the birthday girl declared, "I don’t like tea!" Immediately, the five young guests each echoed, "I don’t like tea!"
My reply – "Oh but since this is a tea party everyone just has to drink a little bit of tea… Everyone just drink a couple swallows. Then you can have some thing else to drink."
The tea chosen for them was Bigelow Apple Cinnamon.

As they sipped from their cups, one of the kids said, "This is good!" The others nodded and agreed. Soon someone said, "I like this, more tea please." The others said, "More tea, please!"

The kid's table was set in the kitchen. In the dining room the adults took Bigelow Earl Grey decaf.

A few Friday evenings ago my sister, her husband and daughter (now almost 17 years old) were here for supper. It happens that her mom, my sister, does not like tea though her husband makes herb teas at home. As we were talking about tea, my niece/goddaughter now said, "When daddy and I drink tea, I feel all warm and nice…"

It has been great to read the various entries on this week’s topic. Go to Gracious Hospitality to read them.

Thankful Thursday - Inspiration

"Before there can be fullness there must be emptiness.

Before God can fill us with Himself

we must first be emptied of ourselves.’

– A.W. Tozer

Right now I am especially thankful for all the sources of comfort and inspiration which are right at hand. For writing in books and journals, television programs, and people who speak a kind word in season.

My sister called Tuesday night to say that her husband had had an accident resulting in his Achilles heel tendon being severed. He is to have surgery on Tuesday May 20.
Please pray for him and for his family as they work to rearrange their daily routines to deal with his inability to drive, etc.
In spite of the accident, we are thankful that his life was spared. Things could have been much worse.

Be joyful always:…give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
1Thess. 5:16,18

For more Thankful Thursday posts, visit Iris here.

Tea House Visit

La Tea Dah at Gracious Hospitality is hosting a Tea Blog-a-Thon from March 16 until May 31. She has a different theme for each week and you may participate as much or as little as you like. The theme for the ninth week, May 11 - May 17 is Tea Room Ventures and Venues: "Share all about one of your favorite tea rooms. Use photos and descriptions to tell about the decor and ambiance, menus, service, and what makes this tea room special to you. Does this tea room have a gift shop? What kind of special treasures does it contain?"

Eastern Massachusetts has a number to tea rooms. The closest one to my house is the Colonial Tea House in Clinton.

This tea house is attractive but without frills. It has a basic modern take on colonial décor. Tables for two each have two teacups. No two teacups are alike. Larger round tables hold four to six tea drinkers.

Around the main room are framed pictures of teacups, and various tea items on display which are available for sale. Teapots and tins of tea are also displayed on shelves and are for sale.

I took my mother there for a mid-morning break today as we were returning from a medical appointment. We had a pot of "Lemon Sunset" a tasteful blend of "lemongrass, lemon balm, spearmint and rosehips." My mother really liked the pink and white tea cosy which kept the tea really hot. She had three full cups of the tea. Her scone was cinnamon, while mine was blueberry. Double Devon Cream was a nice accompaniment.

Since it was early, we had the room to ourselves and spent the time pointing out various items of interest around the room.

I took my camera out of my purse to take some photos. However, the panel said "recharge batteries." Was I ever so annoyed! I'll have to go back to get some photos of my own. The ones I've used here are from their website.

The small gift shop has tea cozies, teacups and saucers, teapots, and a variety of gift items. As we were leaving, mymother told the waitress that she will bring her youngest daughter (my Massachusetts sister) and grand daughter to take tea here.

Photos from http://www.colonialteahouse.com/

Dinner for Mother

On Mother’s Day, May 11, 2008 I hosted a family dinner in honor of our mother. Travelling an hour and a half over the Massachusetts border, came my brother and his wife and 16-year old son from their home in New Hampshire. From an hour south here in Mass. My sister, her husband 17-yr old daughter and 22-yr old son.

The table was set with a beige tablecloth with lace and hand-painted roses. Here is my mother’s place setting at one end of the table.

The cream and cobalt bone china plates I got in England and the gilt flatware was my mother’s. The flatware coordinated with the gilt edging on the plates and goblets.

A fun item was an Edible Arrangement sent by my sister in Maryland. The fresh fruit were most succulent to nibble on and a delight to look upon.



The dining table centerpiece was quite simple -- light pink roses I placed in a cobalt blue ginger jar, and a silverplated candlestick on either side.

Other flowers were brought by my sister – roses and lilies. We placed them in two of my cream vases.

There were two cakes. The one I provided was vanilla with lemon filling topped with kiwi, strawberries and peaches.


I was only sorry that the cake was too big for my Princess House crystal cake plate cover.

The other cake, brought by my brother and family, was a white cake with buttercream icing topped with a spray of gum paste flowers.

In one corner of the dining room I hung two certificates my mother received in previous years – Grandma of the Year from two grandsons and Mother of the Year from my late brother.

On the nearby table were her cards,

a chocolate 22-cent stamp I gave her in 1990...

and fresh flowers.

In another corner is a small chest on which I placed some pink and white cups and saucers and dessert plates. The cups and plates picked up the rose theme, and were selected by my mother and I. Right at hand were sweeteners for tea – honey sticks, Stevia and Splenda.




The buffet was in the kitchen where everyone filled up his or her plates. A great time was had by all, with lots of eating, drinking, talking and laughing. All in all, a very memorable Mother’s Day. Mother was very happy.