Tea Time Tuesday & A Secret Santa Mystery

Isn't this teacup lovely ? I received 2 teacups of this pattern as a gift from my Secret Santa last month. My Secret Santa did a wonderful job of choosing gifts for me, I just wish I knew who she was...please come forward , I love the gifts you chose for me. I made myself a cup of tea and drank it out of this teacup. Although the very old teacups came without saucers, I do have a supply of old Japanese made saucers on hand that go very well with these teacups.I think the blue saucer goes very well with the blue flowers ringing the rim of the teacup, don't you? I took this short tea break to catch up on reading my magazines, especially my poultry magazines, as my Grandson & I are raising bantam D'uccles (a small breed of chickens) together .Of course I had to have some of the berry butternut cookies my husband made for Christmas. I ate the last 3 cookies , with no regrets! I was also able to read my 'Tea Time' , 'Country Living', & 'Victoria' magazines with all the inspiring tea settings and recipes. My lovely teacup is titled 'Cherry China', Made In Occupied Japan. I searched on-line for any info on this beautiful china but could not find any apropos to this pattern and style. What I appreciate about these cups is that I can use so many different saucers and table-setting colors with them. For now though, I will eat my cookies, drink my tea, dream about future tea parties, and then get on with my January house-cleaning & organizing.I hope my Secret Santa reads this so the mystery can be solved.~ To see other Tea Time Tuesday inspirational ideas, please visit the ladies listed below.

• Terri * ( Artful Affirmations )
• Martha * ( Martha's Favorites )
• Sandi * ( Rose Chintz Cottage )

There are many reasons I love January. The weather outside is so cold there is no gardening to be done. I can focus on what needs doing indoors. After feeding my sheep, poultry, dogs, cats, & goats ~ making sure they are well, warm & dry, I come indoors and hum as I bake, clean, craft and write without feeling I am neglecting other duties.The wood stove needs to be fed often to keep the house warm. I am so grateful to God who has provided my family, home, hearth, health, and blessings more abundant than I can write. Tea time and blogging friends are icing on the cake of such abundance. I hope you're able to see all your blessings and be thankful, for even if you're suffering hardships and loss, you are still abundantly blessed, really! ~"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. " James 1:17 ~

Yikes , What a Year ! ( There's always hope for the coming year.)

Yikes, and how was your year? I hope your year was one enabling you to take not only the good, but the bad and all the in-between with a perspective allowing for optimism and hope. Optimism because this world can be a rough place, a sad place, a place of fear , worry, and evil, but in spite of all this, it is a world of beauty , kindness,small mercies...fun,laughter, and hope."we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...and we exult in hope of the glory of God, and not only this, but we exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance , proven character, hope ; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:1,3-5 ~picture above taken in our home and in front is our great-nephew.

The Cat at Christmas

Oh the joy of so many sparkling and moving things.Mesmerizing ! Where do I start?

Should I grab that reindeer as he slowly swirls ...

...or the Santa that clinks against the other ornaments, just asking for a good time with me, the family cat?

Hey look, a sheep in a size I can grab and toss around...

...even though I can't snag a snow globe, those little trees are easy to catch & carry.

I like to meow to the sounds of the snow globe music, and the wind up key is so much fun to watch go 'round.

Of course, there are stockings swaying over the wood stove, so much fun to watch as I warm myself near the fire. Ahh, Christmas fun for cats, a most wonderful time of the year!

My Secret Santa Box!

My box of goodies from a Secret Santa arrived! Suzanne Melkoski * ,( Colorado Lady) hosted and coordinated this blogging event and I thought it sounded like fun.She assigned each of us a fellow blogger to send a package to. We were not to reveal who we were, the package is from a SECRET Santa. Since I did not know the lady to receive a package from me I had to read over her blog to figure out what she might like, and this was fun. Kind of like being a detective, a mystery. Suzanne also e-mailed each of us a list of likes from the person we were to gift.That helped a lot.I hope the lady who received my package was as pleased with hers as I am with mine ~ Blizzard my cat made sure he was comfortable under the wrapping paper he shredded as he watched me unwrap and ooh & ahh over my goodies. Look at how clever my Secret Santa is. The gifts came wrapped and numbered, each with its own note. "It's all about the Christmas cheer. This little box that we have here. I hope you do enjoy the gifts, Ive sent you for your spirit to lift." ~The gifts did indeed lift my spirit! "I know you like a cup of tea, or tea for two as the case may be. The cups are pretty, vintage too, This first little gift from me to you." Oh the teacups are exquisite. I will do a Teatime Tuesday post very soon featuring these precious teacups made in Occupied Japan, yes, they are vintage! "And what is tea without a treat, some Finnish bread for you to eat. My Grandma's recipe, I did bake. Called "pulla", sort of tastes like cake." ~ My Secret Santa BAKED bread for me !Isn't it beautiful bread? It smells so yummy , perfect for breakfast this morning. "And then of course, what good is tea without a bit of sweet you see. Some M & M's , the almond kind I heard that you had these in mind." ~Oh yes, I did, I did! I ate most of these right away too. "And if you're hungry after that, Then take your coat, take your hat, And off to eat egg rolls and test your Chinese at the Panda Express." ~ I will, very soon!

"And finally, when all is done, And gifts you've opened , one by one. You can place this last one by your tree. The real reason for Christmas, for all to see."

"And when they saw the star they rejoiced exceedingly with joy," Matthew 2:10

Thank-you my Secret Santa. You are so creative and thoughtful. I love all the gifts you packed into this box that came all the way from Romeoville, Illinois. Merry Christmas to you and yours as we Rejoice exceedingly this season and all through the year because God chose to send His Son to save us from our sin and bestow on all who believe in Him eternal life. "...for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

Small Blessings

This is a busy time of year, when isn't it though? Do not be so carried away by the activities surrounding a time we say we are celebrating because of the birth of Jesus that you forget to take time for what is truly important.A lavishly decorated home filled with an abundance of presents, too many parties, frantic comings & goings, spending too much money on gifts that will be forgotten too soon all lead to being worn out and an empty heart. Treasure the true gifts of your family and friends, remember the One who gave His Son to save you, rejoice in your blessings. ~ Above, our grandson holds one of his new little Christmas bantam chicks. I think he knows how to take joy in the small blessings before him, and my husband & I take joy in his excitement and wonder over the chicks. What every day blessings make your heart sing this time of year?

Welcome Home!

This post contains pictures I think will not be as photogenic as I would like, but these are pictures that make my heart sing with joy. Our two sons and their families are here this weekend for a quick visit. We try to cram a lot into these visits and with so many children there is always a lot of commotion , clutter, and fun! One of my great pleasures is sitting at the table with the children with only Christmas tree lights and candles glowing, and talking with them as they sip hot cocoa, or eat ice cream. ( This makes them very happy and more prone to sharing their childhood joys.) Our oldest son holding his youngest daughter while the oldest daughter sleeps next to him on our sofa.His other two daughters are playing with the big doll-house in the study. The wood-stove has a nice fire within and the house is warm and cozy. We are all full and drowsy from dinner and snacks. I found these words in a very old book on our book-shelf. The book was published in 1909 and translated from Norwegian. The book is titled 'Our Homes and Our Children', by O.Klykken. ~ "A wonderful power is in the word home: the home of mother, our childhood home. This holds good of the child, the youth, the man. Nay, even in old age the word home is able to call up a world of memories and sensations." ..."And God bless your coming and going every time that you really return to take your parents by the hand and hear the familiar and precious : "Welcome home." I say, welcome home sons, welcome home granddaughters, welcome home !