The Purple Heart

My friend Ann is an interesting woman, loving person, very giving, extremely smart, so encouraging and just a wonderful friend. I first met Ann a few years back when she joined my Take Peace group. This is a group who loves Tasha Tudor and is keeping her legacy very much alive. I was matched up with her on a Christmas exchange. Group exchanges are so fun as you really get to know your partner. You know how you just kind of click with certain people? Well, Ann and I just clicked.
Last year, we both experienced very difficult health issues. Ann actually almost didn't make it.It's often at those times that you realize how much a friend means to you. Well, the struggles we faced only brought us closer together.
Ann is an Episcopal minister. She retired last year, another difficult part of her journey. We are currently working through the book Woman of the Bible. It's a year long study and it's great to be sharing it with a friend. Her insights on life and her experience as a minister bring a different dimension to our bible study. She is so open and honest.
So, we have become very good friends. We have never met in person yet, but we intend to!
Today, I got a delightful card in the mail with a little purple knitted heart! So sweet. She sent me a print out from her blog about this adventure. She award little hearts to people who do special or caring things and really don't get credit for it. We don't need to get credit or recognition but how nice to be surprised by this sweet little gesture.

So she awarded me with one and it arrived in the mail today. I was so touched, I cried. Things like this are so dear and are very encouraging.

So, go out there and spread some joy or happiness or help. Who knows, you may get a purple heart.
Thank you sweet Ann.

Spring!

Welcome Spring! You have been a long time coming. So much has happened since the beginning of the year. Will I ever get back to blogging? Maybe, maybe not. At least I got the header changed from winter.
This past week, I sold #4000 on my Etsy site and that is so exciting. I just keep getting more orders and I am so thankful. I MUST get more items listed this week. I love doing Etsy, however, it really takes a lot of time. 

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! I am glad to turn the page the New Year....2018 was a very difficult one.
I  did very little blogging this past year and I miss writing, sharing and connecting with my blogger friends. I have lost them. My real reason for blogging was to create a journal of my life.
I really had time to reflect on the New Year. I have set goals for myself....body, mind and spirit! This will include, improvement, faith, learning, making time for quilting and sewing, reading, gardening, and happiness. The past 3 years have left little time or energy for the gifts that God has blessed me with in my life.
I think my word for this year is HOPE! I am going to concentrate on that and pray that God blesses me with exactly what He knows I need. Sweet and simple.

Happy New Year.

Pretty Fall Days

It has been just a beautiful fall here in Oregon! The days have been warm and sunny and windy!

After days of strong east winds, the trees are getting a little more sparse.  Oh, but there are lots of leaves left to fall!

The wind piles the leaves up against Jim's cottage...they are piling up.!

I decided to do a bit of baking to enjoy a bit of tea today. Something for me and something for Jimmy.

I've been experimenting with almond flour. The tea bread is a pumpkin spice almond flour bread.
It's very moist and has a lot of flavor. It only has 2-3 T of honey, no sugar. I had a 1/2 can of pumpkin, so made Jim some soft drop pumpkin cookies with an old fashion butter cream frosting. YUMMY.

I have had these pumpkin mugs for over 40 years. I got them at the Oregon State fair when we were first married. I have used them every year.

My friend LaVonne gifted me with this darling acorn teapot. I brewed a chai tea by Stash-mild and delightful.

Our weatherman says we will have about 5 more days of this lovely weather. 

Pear Time!

It's almost fall and it's pear time!!! I am putting together Tea Time Tuesday with Dolly Time Thursday. It's actually Friday, but I had my little tea yesterday.

I adore this beautiful new teacup. It's a Royal Albert called Pear Harvest from the Orchard Collection. A great Etsy find.

It's so pretty with my tea! Why does tea taste better in a bone china cup and saucer????

This is a new tea for me and I really like it. It's a white tea, so it has flavor yet it has a delicate taste.

It's a pretty mix too! I am not a tea snob, but I do enjoy loose tea.

I found this set of pressed glass cream and sugar a few weeks ago at a flea market. Can you see the pears? No one wants these treasures anymore...only $5 for the set.

The fresh pears are so yummy now! Enjoying a couple different types.

 Isn't this dolly cute! I love these fruit and veggie dolls. They are from the 1950's and were made in Italy. I recently found one at a flea market and was so delighted to add one to my collection. She is charming.

She still has her tags...Made in Italy!

Fall is on it's way! It will be here officially next week....yeah! Enjoy. 

How the Dolls Celebrated Tasha's Birthday!

The dolls also wanted to celebrate Tasha's Birthday on August 28th, so they planned quite a birthday tea! They showered Tasha with treats and gifts too. She looks so happy, doesn't she?

The dolls chose an antique China tea set for the occasion. It is a favorite of Tasha's.

Cakes and pies and yummy things!

The dolls were delighted when Linda found a box of tiny English crackers for the party. They are perfect for the dolls.

A whole box to enjoy...but who could actually use one? They do pop and most likely have something inside, but....

Quite the gathering of good friends came to celebrate!!

Love this little miss!

Ladye Lydia Rose was invited, of course!

This is Melanie....she is Daphne's cousin, who came for a visit. She came with her little floral suitcase.

Isn't she a pretty one? She was so nervous to meet Tasha.

She was holding on to her suitcase....I think she was afraid she might have to leave quickly!.

Daphne calmed her down and told her not to be afraid. They are good friends and enjoy each other's company.

See...there was nothing to be concerned about! Tasha was very welcoming and was happy to meet the new little lady.

Melanie's dress is quite lovely. So she is going to live at Harlow House and all the other dolls are quite pleased about it.

So Happy Birthday Tasha! It was a wonderful day for the dolls and their owners. Let's do this again next year! 

Tasha Tudor's Birthday Celebration

Today, August 28th, was the birth date of the illustrator Tasha Tudor. She would have been 103 years old today. As big fans and members of the Tasha Tudor Museum Society, we love to celebrate on this day. Our Take Peace group had a gift exchange, however, I didn't participate this time. My surgeries just fell at the wrong time for me to join in the fun. Today is Tea With Tasha Tuesday, so several of us had a special tea today too.

My Jimmy has been such a great caregiver, so I thought I would put together a tea for him today too.
He drove me to the grocery store yesterday after we attended my sister in law's dad's funeral. Yes, I am still not driving...sigh. I had planned my menu so I was able to pick up my goodies.

I planned to have a lighter summer tea time using fruits and vegetables. I was happy with the results. I used my red transfer ware dishes and used lots of pink. I love setting a tea time table.

The blackberries area almost done and the peaches are really good right now.

A few yummy brownies, some pink chocolate chip cookies and a little coconut creme pie...YUM.

I used some of Tasha's books, her silhouette (a gift from LaVonne), some candles and a sweet African Violet plant.

I just made two sandwiches...egg salad and cucumber/strawberry open faced little hearts. The combo was really refreshing with a bit of cream cheese. I can now eat more tea goodies after the surgery, so it was quite a treat!

My friend sent me a box of goodies the other day. She made this wild violet jelly and oh, it is wonderful! I thought Jimmy was going to eat the whole jar. It was just delicious on the drop scones I made.

The little tomatoes are still producing , but I think we may only have fresh tomatoes for a few more weeks.

I adore little salts. These little birds and bird nests are some of my favorites. The pink salt was perfect.

So here is my very happy and very pleased Jimmy. He does love food and a good tea. We enjoyed tea chatting about Tasha friends and Tasha events. I am blessed to have such a sweet hubby who enjoys my love of Tasha Tudor. It was a very fun day.