Teacup Thursday #58

Last Friday, I picked up my friend Nancy and we drove up to Richfield, Washington to join another friend Natalie and her visiting friend Lynda at Myrtle's Tea House. We met for tea and it was delightful! I've been saving this blog to share today on Miss Spenser's Teacup Thursday.

Of course we talked for hours and enjoyed several pots of tea. I really liked the dessert tea we tried...
Coconut Chocolate and Chocolate Hazelnut. Yummmm. Natalie's friend Lynda lives in Spokane. They have been friends for 38 years and it shows!

A few weeks ago, Nancy and I went to a book ready by my favorite author-Jane Kirkpatrick. She writes historical fiction and she lives in Central Oregon. I have heard her speak several times, but it is always a treat to hear her. This is her new book... Where Lilacs Still Bloom.

It's about a wonderful woman named Hulda Klager who is also called the Lilac Lady. Her home and gardens are located just up the road from where we had tea, so we had to go on a little field trip after tea! The lilacs were almost done for the year, but the property is lovely, the fragrance was heavenly and the house was so interesting to visit.

It was just a beautiful day....not too hot with a slight breeze blowing. I can still smell the lilacs!

We spent a bit of time inside the house. Here's the charming little lady who was a volunteer. She reminded Nancy of her grandmother.

Enjoy a few pictures of Hulda's home.

I loved the kitchen. This is an apron that Hulda made for one of her daughters. It looks similar to the runner I found a few weeks ago.

Soon it was time to leave. We did visit the gift shoppe before we left and took just a few more pictures of the front of the home on the way out.

Before I say good bye, I must show you the cup and saucer that I bought at the gift shoppe. It's ceramic and made by someone in the area for the lilac gardens. I just wanted to have a teacup to remember the wonderful day with such dear friends.

I just love the embroidered runner that I found when I was shopping with my girls. This spring has been filled with many lovelies and many blessings.

If you ever have the chance to visit the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens, you will be delighted. You can take a peak on the internet at www.lilacgardens.com. If you can't make the trip, you might want to read Jane's book to learn more about this amazing lady and her family.

Remembering Mother's Day!

I had a busy Monday but my mind kept wandering off to yesterday and the Oregon Coast.
I just thought I'd take a bit of time tonight to share the wonderful day I had and put it on my blog.
I'm hoping to have my blog put into books so I can keep them "somewhere" other than on my computer.
When I woke up, Jim had some goodies for me with my coffee. He had gotten me some beautiful samplers a few weeks back as my gift, but he's so funny, he just has to give me something on the holiday.

This is a poem about Mother's Day on a leather wall hanging. It's so sweet. I love the words and they made me tear up. And to make it even better, it was from Portland, Oregon!

You can see a few other treats. A miniature coin purse for my dolls along with a tiny tin type! The ring is going to be for Gina's wedding. When Angie got married, Jim bought me a pearl necklace with a diamond. We found this ring awhile back and old Jimmy just couldn't wait to give it to me. I will save it for the wedding.

I was also gifted a wonderful Queen Victoria book. It's really a find addition to my collection.

After coffee, we drove to the Oregon Coast. It was just the most beautiful day...warm, sunny and perfect! Jim hadn't been to the beach for about a year...shame on him. Our coast is so pretty.

Of course,we had to do a bit of antique shopping. Here's Jimmy at a fun place in Wheeler, Oregon.

Of course, shopping makes you hungry, so we went to Bay City to a casual and yummy place we love!

I had a bay shrimp and crab salad and Jim had oysters about 3 different ways~stew, raw on the half shell and fried. After we stuffed ourselves, we headed home. What a great day.

My girls took me out last weekend. We went to a great breakfast place were we cooked our own pancakes in the middle of our table! It was so fun. They took me to get my IPhone and we also did some antique shopping. Gina was out of town for so many Mother's Days, so this was really a special
occasion. I kind of celebrated all week long....thanks girls, thanks my sweet hubby! I really was spoiled!

Sparkle

Monday, Monday....a new week after a busy and delightful Mother's Day. I hope to do a blog later on my lovely day with pictures.

http:thepinkfairycottage.blogspot.com

My friend Denise from Coffeeberry Cottage sent me some darling handmade tags. I was reading her blog, and read about Tobi Britton at the Pink Fairy Cottage and her new blog Sparkle Mining. She is a sweetheart and has such a neat idea to link to other's blogs when you find a cool one to sort of pass it on! She thinks that it's a wonderful idea to work on getting some sparkle back into your life! I agree. Spring time makes it easier to work on your sparkle. I know sometimes I find myself looking at other's blogs and then I come across one that is very special. So, Tobi suggests that you feature an inspiring blog and do some sharing. She call that Sparkle Mining.
So, later this week, I hope to go Sparkle Mining and see what I can find to shine up my own "sparkle" and hlep you add to yours.
Off to work~lots to do today. Have a good one.

Teacup Thursday #57

Happy Mother's Day to all my blogger friends who know the joys of motherhood! I wanted to share this sweet pink cup and saucer with you for Miss Spenser's Teacup Thursday. I got it recently at an estate sale and as I love pin and this type of teacup, I thought it would be a good one for Mother's Day. It's not marked but it looks some some I have that are from Germany.

I love that it says Remember Me on it and don't you love the handle? I have it sitting on some Mother's Day cards that I need to get in the mail~I've been working in my yard the past few days and I get so involved in my gardening!

Here's a few pictures from to show you how my flower beds are coming along.

The picture above is the bed in front of my house under the window. This morning it was full of 5 over grown and sick miniature roses plus two kinds of grown cover. Jim helped me pull it all out and I replanted it with daisies, lavender, geraniums and petunias. I line the bed with saucers and butter plates.
I'm almost done planting and redoing in the front yard...I still have to pick out my flower baskets~that
might be a treat tomorrow!

Have you these new stamps the Post Office issued? Just perfect for Mother's Day and spring time.
I'm going to tea on Friday with some friends, so hope to post after a fun day with some special friends.

Happy Mothers's Day! Enjoy your day.

That Busy Time of the Year!

Oh, so much to do in springtime. Now my time needs to be outside working in my garden and planting my flowers. The rains have stopped and it is time to get those babies in the ground. I cleaned out a big flower bed yesterday and I just might be ready for some planting today. I love to go to the nurseries and just get lost in the flowers. I have to be careful as I want to take them ALL home! So, if I'm not blogging much, you'll know I'm out in the garden!

Teacup Thursday # 56

I've been working very hard this week~SPRING CLEANING. I was able to get most of the house done but there's always so much to do! I haven't washed the windows or cleaned out all the closets yet, but I was able to get quite a bit done. At least the woodstove dust is gone gone gone! And here it is time for Miss Spenser's Teacup Thursday already!

I love this cup and saucer. Jim bought it for me at the doll show in March and I've been saving it for this week. As Tuesday was May Day, I thought this was such a perfect teacup. It's by Aynsley and features a couple different nursery rhymes that we learned long ago. I love nursery rhymes. Do children still learn them?

"Mary Mary, quite contrary.....how does your garden grow?"

I adore this little Miss Mary watering her silver bells and cockle shells...

The cup has sweet little ladies singing "Ring-a-Ring of roses, a pocket full of posies."
A bit different from the way we used to sing it. Don't you love the colors and the design?

This darling piece of linen just seems to be another Miss Mary in her garden! It opens up and has a pocket inside.

I shared this little plate last year for May Day, but I love it so much, I thought it should be shared again.
The charming children are dancing around the May Pole.

So this is my yummy dessert tonight after all my hard work. Treats are good. Jim returns home later today-he's been off fishing again. I have plenty of goodies to share with him with tea or coffee when he tells me all those "fish stories" once he's home again.
My youngest daughter sent me a text that she'll be home from Seattle this weekend and I guess my two kids have cooked up an early Mother's Day time together on Saturday. First on the list...help the mom get a new phone...a smart phone! Something new for the old mom!

I started a new Beth Moore bible study a few weeks ago on James and of course, it is so good! We meet on Thursday mornings, so I won't be able to read and enjoy your TEA TIME posts until the afternoon or evening.

"Bringing in the May"......Happy May Day!

Happy May Day! I can't believe it's time to flip the calendar over once again. The months slip by so quickly anymore. I will be cleaning house again, but wanted to just take a bit of time to send all my blog friends a virtual May Day Basket! Did you make them when you were litttle? We made paper cones filled with flowers, hung them on our neighbor's door, rang the doorbell and then ran away hoping now to be discovered! I was looking on the internet and found some great ideas to inspire you. Our weather continues to be wet and chilly~I was hoping to plant my flowers this week, but it's looking like that may have to wait for more sunshine!