Thursday, November 21, 2013

Teatime on the Sun Porch

Well, it's been a long few weeks, so I haven't posted here in a while, again. Unfortunately, when my schedule gets too busy, this blog is what gets let go. I guess some things just must take precedence to writing about cottage life, teatime, and my outfit posts. Today I'm stopping for a bit of tea...

The weather here has been so fickle (for Indiana, that's not uncommon, though). Last week we had our first snowfall (just a light dusting). Over the weekend we held up under the storm front and multiple tornadoes that surged through most of the Midwest. Check out my post over at "Christ in the Clouds". I got this photo of a double rainbow over the lake. It's a bit blurry, but I didn't even think my camera was working right at the time I took this, so I am happy to have this picture.
I'm finally finding some time to relax again and enjoy teatime by myself, something I cherish. This "alone time" allows me to unwind and spend time in the Bible/communing with the Lord! 

 “Tea should be taken in solitude.”
The large owl is also a cookie jar. The lid is the owl's head and is removable. (Now, that's really losing his head!)
“There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.”
Lin Yutang, The Importance Of Living 
I even tried a new recipe - Mississippi Tea Cakes. They're quite simple to make(I had all the ingredients already in my pantry/fridge.) and they are really delicious! I made half of mine with the regular ingredients and with half, I added a mixture of sugar/cinnamon.
 
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup buttermilk(substitution: 1/4 T. lemon juice added to 1/4 cup of milk)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda; beat into the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

I still love having teatime with friends, too! Unfortunately, our church decided not to have their annual "Ladies Tea" this year, as we have done for many years. There were several reasons behind this, but I do hope they return to having it next year! I will definitely miss seeing the more than 80 tables, each personally decorated for teatime, the wonderful music and speakers that would also be a part of the afternoon, and the delightful women and young girls (over 600 in one room!) that would gather together.


Maybe I will try to have a few friends over for tea over the holidays! I have had such a wonderful time with my dear friends when we have teatime together!
 “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”
Henry James,
The Portrait of a Lady
'Afternoon Tea' by William Henry Margetson 1861-1940
The Tea Party 
"I had a little tea party
This afternoon at three.
'Twas very small-
Three guest in all-
Just I, myself and me.

Myself ate all the sandwiches,
While I drank up the tea;
'Twas also I who ate the pie
And passed the cake to me.”

Jessica Nelson North

Do you like to have time to just sit, read, pray, whatever and sip on some tea by yourself? Do you cherish that time or are you more of a extrovert and don't like to be alone? 

Ann
“Better joy in a cottage than sorrow in a palace” Spanish Proverb
Linking up at these blog hops:

13 comments:

  1. I absolutely love this post. Exactly what I meant in my post. And those owls are adorable!!!

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    1. I agree, Adriana. Our posts were both on the same track. I recently have become an admirer of owl stuff and am just starting to collect owl stuff. Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. I love the owls that you used. I recently did a tablescape using the salt & pepper shakers that match this. They were the entire inspiration for the tablescape. I'm not an owl collector, but there was something about those adorable eyes that grabbed me.
    Happy Thanksgiving.
    Sam from http://creativelysams.com/

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    1. Sweeeet! I just had to go and check your owl shakers and tablescape out! They are the same pattern. And the glass pumpkin on the back of your seating in the pictures....I also have one just like it, too! We just have good taste in fall things, don't we....lol! Thanks for stopping by, Sam!

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  3. It looks like you enjoyed a lovely tea! I'm partial to sharing tea time with my husband and family. On occasion, I retreat into solitude and read or write while sipping tea :) Thanks for stopping by my blog. Have a blessed Sabbath!

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    1. Thank you, Anne! Teatime is always a joy for me, too! My husband will also have tea with me on occasion, but he is more of a coffee drinker.

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  4. I love that you live on a lake, Ann! After 26 years of living on one, my husband and I moved to the country so we could "spread our wings" a bit. But I miss seeing the sparkling blue water outside my windows. :)

    xoxo laurie

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    1. That is so bizarre, Laurie. When we were first married, 26 years ago, we lived on a 5 acre farm and had horses and lots of farm animals. I enjoyed our time on the farm, but it was a lot of work to keep everything up. We moved to the lake last year and hope to retire in a few years from now. It's so laid back on the lake!

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  5. I love the owl cookie jar and wish I could have one for myself! The cookies look great too, a perfect accompaniment to tea.

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    1. I really love owl stuff and it seems to be a new fad, because I have been finding lots of owl things in the stores. I got the cookie jar at WalMart, believe it or not. I noticed the following week, after I bought it that they were all sold out already. Thanks for stopping by!

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  6. Hi Ann, I'm stopping by from Behind the Gate. Oh, we share a love of tea! I also love your view of the lake out your window, I am swooning... it must be so very peaceful. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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  7. Hey Ann, there is nothing I like better than tea and cookies! Your cookies sound yummy buttermilk alway adds such flavor. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, Laura

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  8. It's 10:30 at night, and I still have more essays to grade, but you know what? Thanks to you, I'm brewing myself a quick cup of tea first. Now, if I just had a Mississippi Tea Cake to go with it, I wouldn't even mind the essays so much! :)

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