Blossom & Bear

The ornamental crabapple blossoms are so pretty in vibrant pink! I decided to bring some inside and pair them with a pink blossom teacup and saucer so I could enjoy them in the house. Dusty miller provided some contrast to the vibrant pink and bright green leaves. The arrangement is more whimsy and casual than symmetrically formal or elegant. But, it was fun to create!

The pictures are of my Blossom Bear. She's just the right size to sit on a chair and to look pretty on display, but she's really not stylish any more. Trends have changed from the days when bears were so ultra-popular. But I don't mind. She is special to me. My mother made her about twenty years ago. The fabric is an embroidered 1950's luncheon tablecloth that had been a wedding gift to my parents. Mom kept it as such for about 40 years. Then she decided to re-purpose it by dying it pink and using it to make a bear out of. She strategically positioned the embroidery on the body and face so that it would be featured well. Isn't she sweet? I thought you might like to see her. I love Blossom Bear because she has become a family heirloom.

Are you familiar with the crabapple tree? I have memories of my father raving over how good crabapples were. My grandmother would stew them or can them in his childhood and he developed a fondness for crabapples that has never gone away. I like them too, but not well enough to put up with their messiness in the lawn when the apples fall. So, our crabapple tree is ornamental. The apples are very small; similar to berries. They are a popular ornamental tree used in landscaping, having beautiful blossoms that announce spring so loud and clear! Their blossoms are beautiful even before they open. The bud stage is called "balloon". Flowers in the balloon stage are often a different color than the open blossom. The leaf colors can vary from tree to tree.

Today I paired this teacup with Blossom Bear and my ornamental crabapple blossoms (top photo; lower photo is shown with dogwood blossoms).  The teacup and saucer are Peach Blo Limoges, Silver Moon pattern. They are American made and feature a square plate with scalloped corners. The teacup and saucer are platinum trimmed with a pale pink background and have pastel blossoms and foliage. It was manufactured from the 1920's to the 1940's.

The tea is Adagio's Ceylon Sonata, a black tea from Sri Lanka. Grown on the Kenilworth Estate, it is fresh, citrusy in aroma and has the sweet, juicy notes of mandarin peel or grapefruit. It is quite balanced in astringency and has a refreshing, smooth texture.

It's been fun to look around my house and the garden, finding things that go with this and that. Today is the day for pink! I hope it is a wonderful one for you!

Help One Another

 

"Help one another is part of the religion of our sisterhood."

Louisa May Alcott

The lilacs are blooming! I love their fragrance as it fills the air. To me this signals the beginning of one of the most beautiful times of the year. Let the flowers bloom!

The Weaving Studio

A trip to town took me to a shoe shop to look for a new pair of sandals for summer. It was a fruitless search in that regard, but it was a beautiful day, so I enjoyed some window shopping while I was out. As I was walking from store to store I noticed a sign pointing to a fiber shop on a side street. Colorful balloons fluttered in the breeze, doing their task at attracting attention to the arrow pointing "this way".

I was curious, as I'd never known of a fiber shop in town before. What a treat! The sign directed me to Sue's Weaving Studio. Inside the shop were handwoven goods of original design. Sue specializes in wool and rag rugs, wall hangings, tea towels, mats, and runners.

It was evident that Sue has a gift and a passion for the art of weaving! She shared that "when so much of modern life is overwhelming, weaving provides a sense of peace and harmony". I think she's right. Although I don't weave, I can remember watching my own mother work with the rhythm of a loom as she created mats and towels. They are cherished items in our family's linen closets. There's something about the repetition of motion and the click-clack of the shuttle as the weft is woven through the lines of the warp that create a feeling of well-being.

Setting up a loom for weaving involves wrapping the warp thread around a beam at the back of the loom. It is threaded in a specific order through the loom's harnesses and heddles, then through the reed in the beater and tied to the front of the loom.

Weaving is performed to a natural rhythm that flows from the repetitive raising and lowering of the harnesses and the thumping of the beater bar.

Sue teaches classes to adults and children. Additionally, she creates items to order and has some of her work available for sale in her show room. She was friendly and inviting during my visit.

The pattern reminded me of a musical score. It takes talent to read!

A loom was set up in the showroom, specifically for those who dropped in to try their hand at weaving. By the time the woven item is created it truly will be a communal work of art!

The combination of color, pattern, and texture work together to create a unique, one of a kind item. Sometimes the results even surprise the designer and creator of the woven project!

The journey down the side street resulted in reprieve amidst a busy day. I think it's true that colors, textures, and the soothing sound of the repetitive click and clack of a loom do provide one with a sense of peace and harmony --- even if someone else is the one weaving and you are the observer. The experience made the afternoon so pleasant. 

Vibrant Lime of the Sweet Potato Vine

The first time I saw a sweet potato vine was at a plant nursery and gift shop called "My Grandmother's Garden". I was visiting my mother and it was one of her favorite places. The shop owner planted a variety of plants in huge planters and urns. She was skilled at selecting a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, and reds and greens filled the planters. Tall plants of sharp spikes were contrasted with delicate vines and plants with small, bushy leaves. I came away inspired! In analysis, I decided that it was the bright lime-colored sweet potato vines that caught my eye the most! They were gorgeous, classy, and vibrant!

If you read Gracious Hospitality, you know that I love tea and everything related to it. So, last summer I planted a sweet potato vine along with a purple hot pepper plant in this large teacup planter.  It did very well in the summer's heat. I was also pleased to find that it wintered over very well in my living room. How I enjoyed its vibrant lime green during the dreary days of winter.

Sweet potato vines also grace my outdoor garden. They are tucked into planters and flower garden beds. It grows prolifically and compliments both flowers and plants. It dies back after the first hard frost, but it's a gift that keeps on giving. If you are curious, dig up the root and you'll find a large and healthy sweet potato! Take a look at your garden center if you want to have some fun "creating" gardens with this interesting trailing plant.  I think you'll enjoy it, as I have! 

Today I am linking to Bernideen's Tea Time Blog for "Open House". 

Mighty Leaf of Ginger Peach

Summer! Bring it on! 

Our family has been on a quest for cold, refreshing, healthy, no-sugar beverages. What started out as fresh squeezed lemon added to purified water and stevia has advanced to more sophisticated choices. Rylan has been experimenting with a variety of homemade beverages including kombucha (a healthy, brewed tea) and fresh ginger beer. 

Last night he pulled out a stock pot and filled it with water. I knew that he had some other concoction in mind. 

This time he was making Ginger Peach tea. He selected a tea from Mighty Leaf Tea Company. Their website describes this tea as:  

Organic Ginger Peach combines the best of spicy and sweet. Smooth black tea yields a full flavored iced tea with hints of ginger, spice and peaches.

Our silver tin is a great way to display and store your Ginger Peach Iced Tea. Reuse your tin by stocking up with our 10 count bag refills. Our silver tin and refill each contain 10 pre-portioned 1-ounce filter bags. Easy and fast to make, each 1-ounce filter bag makes 1 gallon of iced tea.

The tea bags are large, sturdy pouches. When the tin is opened, a spicy peach fragrance fills the air! Rylan brewed five gallons of Ginger Peach tea. Imagine five large tea bags all steeped to a perfect, puffy perfection! 

That is a lot of tea! But Rylan had a plan. After research and invention, he and his dad corroborated together and built a spiffy cooler, complete with carbonating unit and spigots for dispensing. 

Tea on tap! Refreshing for a hot, summer day! Thankfully, Rylan shares.

Favorite Jam Tea

Sometimes it is fun to vary from the usual routine and try something new. Although I usually take my tea without any sweetener except for sweet leaf stevia, sometimes it is fun to add something else instead. Flavored honey sticks  are delicious added to tea, but they tend not to stick around very long, as they are found by those who live here and are enjoyed just the way they are. But, on most days a jar of jam can be found inside the fridge door. Jam makes a great addition to any cup of tea! It makes a cup of tea so delicious that the amber liquid will slide down your throat with ease! Kids love it too and it makes a fun addition to a children's tea party. Just remember to invite the teddy bears and dolls in the house. 

The recipe is simple and I'll share it here with you:

Jam Tea

1 cup of hot plain brewed tea (I like Darjeeling for this)

1 teaspoon of your favorite jam (try apricot, or grape, or strawberry, or even raspberry jam)

Stir together the hot tea and jam. The jam will melt into the amber liquid and you'll have a sweet treat to enjoy!