Teacup Thursday #12-Roses!

Late, late, late! I had a connection problem with my computer last night and got back on track this morning. Then I had some problems posting pictures on my blog, so I am going to try this once again with a calm attitude and a new cup of coffee! The sun is shining so I can't be a grumpy Pooh Bear!

This is an exciting week in Portland, Oregon which is only 21 miles from my home. It's Rose Festival time and the grand floral parade is this Saturday.

The July/August issue of Victoria magazine just featured Portland with some lovely photos and fun information. They mentioned the rose test garden, started in 1917, the beautiful Chinese garden but neglected to show our Japanese garden which is just as lovely.

Anyway,today I'm showing a rose teacup by Adderely. It pink and white, of course, and just a simple sweet pattern.

I wanted to show some other rose items that I love from my tea collection. The rose teacup/teapot set was a birthday gift from friends when they took me to tea one December.

The teapot is a favorite of mine...pours well, holds the heat and is a good size. Don't you love teapots that behave so well? The hand painted tea tile is so lovely.

OK....I'm going to try once again to post these pictures and get this message posted for Miss Spenser's Teacup Thursday before it's Friday!

Happy rose time.

Fun finds...

We went to some great estate sales this past weekend. It's really fun when you can get the goods at 1/2 price on the last day!

Most of the goodies will be for the our booth at the Expo show in July, but there's always a "few"

items that need to live at the Colantino Cottage-right?

The little stove is so charming, I was surprised that it was still there when we arrived in the afternoon. The dolls were at a different sale...cute with their little outfits, pink and blue. The great crib was found a few weeks ago. The teapot is a keeper, not old, but one that will be great for spring. The rose autograph book is so pretty -a new fascination.

Also shown is my "collection" (I have three now) of mustard pots. LaVonne sent me the beautiful blue one with the matching spoon, Jim gave me the green one with the Prussian teacups a few weeks ago and he found this sweet little one at one of the sales, no markings, but a darling little addition.

Saturday Gardening

"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into." Henry Beecher

A glorious day working outside in the garden. Finished weeding and did some planting. The plants are loving the sunshine and so am I! Another day or two of sunshine is expected.

My potting table makes it so nice to fill pots and just spread things out. Finally we have some salad greens and spinach coming up. LaVonne sent us lots of wonderful seeds from Montana and encouraged us to try them in our little urban spot of the world.

We were able to eat dinner outside again-love it love it love it.

Seems my Tasha friends are doing a great deal of gardening too. We have chosen 2011 as the Year of the Garden, so lots of gardening chit chat. The Tasha Tudor's Garden book is a beautiful book to enjoy.

It was so good to be outside all day.

Sunny morning but where are the strawberries?

The sun woke me up this morning! OH MY! Glorious sunshine and I do believe we are supposed to be visited by Mr. Sun for about three days.

I'm meeting friends at a craft mall to explore that option around 1 PM so I think I'll make a stop at the nursery on my way home for one more round of plants. I'm excited. As I walked up from my storage cottage last night, the yard and the flowers looked so nice. It's nice to hear all the birds again.

We should be having fresh local strawberries now but sadly, this wet spring has delayed them.

We drove by a strawberry field yesterday and didn't even see one green strawberry-just blossoms. Strawberry shortcake is weeks away. Maybe this sunshine will move production along! I'm hoping.

I'd love to hear how you make your strawberry shortcake...so many family favorites!

Teacup Thursday #11

"Nature uses only the longest threads to weave her patterns so that each small piece of her fabric reveals the organization of the entire tapestry."

Richard P. Feynman

I was able to do some gardening this week with a few breaks in the wet weather. The forecast says we are in for a warm day of 81 on Saturday and it is the talk of the town! I have a few more sections to plant and then I can just enjoy and watch it grow. My husband put in a few vegetables, so hopefully we will get a bit of a harvest someday. No one is expecting much with the late season.

Next week is our Rose Festival here in Portland. We have beautiful rose test gardens here, but alas, the roses are so late, they are not in bloom yet! Unheard of....maybe that sunshine will force some blooms.

The teacup for Miss Spenser's Teacup Thursday is called TAPESTRY ROSE by Paragon. I love tapestry anything. The colors are appealing to me.

I found these two little cups at an estate sale last weekend. They are just so cute and I had to rescue them! They are German and my dolls were very happy to welcome them into their home.

I would love to hear your garden stories!

Good bye Micki~

My dear friend Natalie lost her mother early Sunday morning after a week of just being with Micki and loving her as her body slowly shut down. Micki was also a friend to me and a good customer when I had my shoppe. It was sad for her two daughters and yet, what a lovely way to finish up a long life here. She was 86. When I think of Micki I will always think of flowers and gardening....her passion. She would spend hours at her daughter's home in Washington planting and planning gardens when she no longer had a place of her own. She was so happy just being outside.

So how wonderful for her to make her exit in late spring when the flowers are so beautiful. I will always think of Micki with a smile as the flowers and the birds return each year.

Here's to you my friend...may you rest in peace.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Happy Memorial Day Weekend. A time to remember, a time to reflect and a time to be grateful.