"It is well to remember that the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others." A.Holmes

Sunday, May 9, 2010

My Favorite Tea Cup & Porch Tea Party

This is my favorite teacup & saucer. I have many teacups I like very much, but this is still my favorite. I found it on a trip to Oregon and back with my sister Joni. We stopped at a little old antique shop in a little old logging town high in the mountains. The cup has a thin crack in it, but it does not leak. The cup just feels right in my hand. I do not drink coffee out of it , ever! This is my cup for tea when I am feeling like pampering myself, or comforting myself. Cielo, at The House In The Roses is hosting a Victorian Tea Party in celebration of Mother's Day and has invited any and all interested to share their favorite teacup. Check out her blog to see all the beloved tea cups, and maybe see other tea parties and teacups too! Since I was getting out my favorite teacup, and the sunshine finally peeped out from behind the clouds, warming up our porch, I decided I would make a little tea party for just myself. Candy Cat invited herself, so I let her warm my feet. I prepared a simple salad for myself. Baby greens with yellow peppers and hard boiled egg on the side. Lest you think me virtuous in my eating habits I will admit I drenched the salad in Ranch dressing. I made a pot of Peach Passion tea, and to really treat myself, read while I ate. What else would I read now that gardening weather is finally upon us? Why, books on herbs! My herb garden is really needing a lot of work, but I digress. I am enjoying myself by having tea, not working in the garden today, no sirree!
Here is a tea cozy I made. It matches the table cloth , see?
Here is my pink tea pot without the tea cozy.A tea cozy is very nice to have to keep the pot of tea hot, especially when I am having tea outside.
So Cielo, here is my favorite teacup and saucer!
Here are the undersides of the cup and saucer. If you wish to view the markings more clearly click on the picture to enlarge it.
I forgot to show you my dessert. Doesn't that chocolate cupcake look delicious? It even says "Happy Mother's Day!"
A personal reflection on Mother's Day. For many years this day was one I dreaded. I love my mother, but our relationship was , well, difficult. My sisters and I all had mixed feelings about this day. I also know many, many others who have lost mothers they still deeply miss and mourn. For others still, they as mothers have been estranged from their own children, and this day reminds them of joys they yearn for but have not come, and may never come. But we are all to be thankful for whatever circumstance we are in now, and if we have failed as daughters or mothers, we can rise up this morning and thank God for today and begin , one day at a time to become the person God has intended us to be. We can apologize and make amends where possible. If our estrangement appears to be permanent, either through death or being cut out of the life of our loved one, we can ask for God's forgiveness if we were wrong and then go on with our life ,or forgive the loved one who hurt us. Through forgiveness in Him we are made new. MADE NEW! Don't look back anymore, except to pray for our loved ones. Don't beat yourself up anymore. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! Every day~
This being said, I am thankful I am a mother, and a grandmother. My children, all now grown , have made my life more blessed than I can express , thank-you God for my children and Grandchildren!
"And it came to me, and I knew what I had to have before my soul would rest. I wanted to belong-to belong to my mother, and in return-I wanted my mother to belong to me." Gloria Vanderbilt
"There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good mother." Jill Churchill

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Mother's Day Kathy. Your porch tea party looks very inviting. Love your tablecloth and matching tea cozy. I remember your post recently with your granddaughters and your husband's teddy bear too. Thank you for sharing your children and grandchildren with us. Enjoy your day.

Anonymous said...

I visited A. Joy's blog to wish her a Happy Mother's Day but would you pass along my best to Breezy today also. May God richly bless each of you.

Southern Comfort said...

Happy Mother's Day to you Kathy. I know you are a great mother. And thanks for sharing the thoughts about your mother. I would have completely enjoyed your tea party. Pretty, private, tasty...and with a book.

Wobegon Cottage said...

Your tea party looks so inviting. I never thought of treating myself to a tea party. I think it would be fun and very realxing. As I am getting older I have realized that God gives us the mothers we have and even though they may not be the ones "we" would choose for what ever reason, good or bad, They do make us who we are. I know now that I would not be who I am if I would have had a different mother, I too have mixed feelings about this day so I understand. Happy Mothers Day!

Debbie said...

I like your little cup, crack and all. The crack only makes it more appealing. Such a lovely porch and such beautiful little goodies must make for a lovely tea party. Thanks for having us with you and I wish you a Happy Mother's Day!

LindaSue said...

Happy Mother's Day Kathy - you are a mother I admire for the intensity of your devotion to your children and your Lord. You and Jim are good parents who have raised 3 decent loving people who are passing on that legacy to the grands. I really appreciated your reflections on our relationships with our mothers - mine had very rocky times, she is gone now so no more chances to explore and heal but she knew she was loved and i know in her own way I was loved by her.

Pondside said...

What a beautiful post - so much to read and gaze upon. I love your table cloth and matching tea cosy. I use a cosy all the time and mine is looking worse for the use - perhaps time to find a pretty piece of fabric and sew up a new one.
Thank you for your reflection on Mothers' Day. The past is...the past, but the present and the future are what we make and a family that loves and is loved is the greatest accomplishment. I wish you a day as lovely as the table you've set - and lots of kisses from grandchildren!

Timi said...

You have a very nice and lovely teacup! This little tea party is just perfect!

Connie said...

What a lovely tea party, Kathy. Wishing you a wonderful Mother's Day! :)

A. Joy said...

You were a good mom, in all areas - just so you know - except for the times you'd let the boys go out camping with their friends but not me because I'm a girl - oh, okay, I guess that was wise too, keeping me safe and all, especially since I'm your favorite! =)

Betty said...

What a lovely tea party you are having. Your table looks beautiful.

Willow

fitty's pinky rose cottage said...

Happy Mother's day and your teaset are just lovely! I have the same teacup like yours and I enjoy using it all the time! You always feel special when you use lovely teacup.. dont we all?! :-).. have a good week!

CIELO said...

This is truly gorgeous... a huge thank YOU for participating in our Victorian Tea Party

Hugs

Cielo

The Charm of Home said...

What a lovely spot for tea. This looks delightful!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous! I loved my visit! You sweet Candy Cat is special too!
Happy Tea!
Lorena

Unknown said...

So beautiful porch and delicios tea!!!

Hugs
Charo

Martha's Favorites said...

Hi: I just love your message today. I stopped by to look at your tea cups. They are beautiful. I would love it, if you could share them at Tea Cup Tuesday. The link is up today. I know the ladies would love to see them. Have a wonderful week and may God richly bless you. Martha

Vickie said...

Good post, Kathy. I hope you had a nice Mother's Day. To me EVERYDAY is Mother's Day. I feel so blessed to have a close relationship with my mother and my sister, and now my daughter. The men are wonderful, to, but there's nothing like another woman to share your heart with!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kathy! Oh, your porch tea table setting is so pretty! I've never owned a tea cozy but I can change that! ;) Everything looks so good.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Shelley said...

You set such a pretty table! So inviting!I loved the blue & white tea cup too! Hope you had a wonderful and blessed Mother's Day!

KathyB. said...

Mildred, thank-you~ I did pass on your greetings to Breezy, she was here yesterday.

Southern Comfort,thank-you,and I hope your Mother's Day was lovely too. I rather enjoyed my private tea time, and I think I will do this often this summer.

Alice, Wobegon Cottage,you are so right about the Mothers God gives us, and He knows all who call on Him will be able to bear or embrace the Mother He chose, no matter what, and He will heal us from any harms. Fortunately, most mothers love their children and do them good and not harm most of their lives.

Debbie, I am glad you enjoyed my tea party. There a lot of analogies I completely resisted writing about a favorite tea cup with a crack....maybe another time. But I do love that tea cup!

LindaSue, you make me cry , thank-you!Your sentiments about your mother are mine exactly. My mother passed on many years ago, and I always wonder "what if"? and then accept sadly there will be no more "what ifs" possible.

Pondside, I kept using a ratty tea cozy I made years ago, but last month I pulled it out for a tea my granddaughters hosted for my husbands' parents and I realized it had seen it's last days on my table.Tea cozies are so easy to make too. I love what you wrote about family.Thank-you.

Timi, thank-you! I will be posting about your sheep later this week, they are amazing sheep!

Daisy, thank-you! I hope yours was pleasant, and humorous too!

KathyB. said...

A.Joy, thank-you. This means a lot to me,you know, you should be thankful we let you go to Australia, and that was clear across the globe~our only daughter needed to be protected, and now that you have daughters.....

Willow, thank-you very much!

fitty's pinky rose cottage, I will need to check out your blog, we obviously share the same good taste!

Cielo, thank-you, that means a lot to me and I appreciate the opportunity to do this, it was a lot of fun!

Sherry, it is a very nice spot. I did not show the doves in a cage near-by, nor the little wild birds that hop around the table while I sit there.They are gathering the seeds the doves spill put of their cage. It is lovely for summer mornings especially.

Lorena, thank-you. I will pet Candy Cat and tell her what you said!

Charo, thank-you. Peach tea is so refreshingly good and almost like dessert.

Martha, I will! Thank-you ~

Vickie, I loved my Mom, but am so thankful God allowed me to learn a better way to be a Mother. I am very thankful to be a Mother too, it is one of the most amazing and wonderful blessings God has given me.

Shelia, thank-you. Yes, you can change that, tea cozies are so easy to make and they can be the centerpiece of a table too. My tea cozies keep tea in a pot hot for more than an hour, well worth having.

Shelly, thank-you very much!

Carolyn said...

Hi Kathy,
That is such a pretty spot to relax with a cup of tea and a book!
Your teacup is pretty also and good message for those who struggle.

Take care,

Carolyn

Terri said...

Beautiful outdoor tea! You can really set a table.
I hope your Mother's Day was very special for you.
Hugs,
Terri

Deanna said...

Dear Kathy,
LOVELY, LOVELY Tea!!!
Ahhhhh...a cup of tea with thee on the porch and looking out across your property would be so fun and relaxing.
Glad I stopped by!
d