it's time for tea

It's time for tea with my "Maritime Rose" china.

I only have 4 teacups, 6 saucers and 4 dessert plates to

this beautiful pattern by Spode Copeland's China.

These dishes were at my Aunt Henri's home and I love the delicate

mauvey blue edge with white embossed flowers and the

beautiful roses in the center.

I love tea ~ black,  green, herbal and flavoured.

In fact, I prefer tea over coffee any time.

I love tea any time of day too.

My favorites are green, Licorice Spice, Earl Grey Vanilla,

Green Pomegranate, Peppermint, Chai Spice, English Breakfast

and good old black tea.

I don't add milk or sugar to my tea.  I remember when I first had a cup of tea

it was at a dear elderly lady's home with a friend.  I had never had

tea so I added milk and about 2 spoons of sugar to make it palatable!

I drank my tea that way for years until I was somewhere where there

wasn't sugar so I tried it black.  Not bad after all and that's the way I like it.

Of course I always have a sweet with my tea like the frosted shortbread

cookies shown in the pictures.  It may only be a Social Tea which sometimes

gets dipped in the tea. Are you a dipper? 

I think I'll go have a cuppa right now to warm me up on this cold winter day.

Today, I am joining Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday.

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/

Blessings,

Pamela

making the most of winter

My hubby and I took our dog, Marshall, for a walk at the local provincial park again.  Mactaquac Park has always been a year around park pretty well since it opened in the 1960's.  Last winter, due to expenses and cutbacks, the government chose not to open the park for the winter.  Many local citizens and users of the park had a petition signed by supporters and they protested at the Legislature in Fredericton last year.  Well, it sometimes pays to speak up and protest as the new government has reopened the park for the winter months.  It was a busy spot there today.  I remember when our children were younger and we took them there a lot to skate on the pond and slide on the big hill.  We cross-country skied there too.  The parking lot was jammed full.  Today there were a lot of people there but the big parking lot only had 2 vehicles in it while we were there. The smaller lot had many cars and there were quite a few near the skating pond.  I think it could be used a lot more and maybe once the word gets out people will start coming back.

This is the road going through the park.  It goes past the 18 hole golf course.

This is the skating pond.  There are two ponds but one is not being used.

When our kids were little this one was for hockey and the

other one was for skating - safer that way.

There are a lot of these old cedar rail fences lining the fields and golf course.

Someone has snowshoed through this field.

Cross country skiing

Sliding on the big hill ~ it's a long walk to the top

Snowmobiling

This is the Mactaquac Lodge - the club house for the golf course and

dining room, restaurant and canteen, depending on the season.

Saturday morning I went out and took a few pictures of the frosty trees.

It was soooo cold - my fingers in my leather gloves were hurting!

(you can't take pictures with insulated mittens on)

I hope you are making the most of winter where you live ~ whether

it's warm and sunny, cool and rainy or bitterly cold and snowy!

Today it's beautifully sunny with clear blue skies but very cold!

It's very deceiving when looking out the windows so instead of

walking outdoors I walked on the treadmill.  I am so thankful for that machine.

Have a great day everyone!

Blessings,

Pamela

need colour?

I thought I would give you a shot of colour to brighten up your world today.

We are all getting tired of the lack of colour with the snowy whiteness

in our part of the world aren't we?

False Heather

Pentas

Geranium and Bacopa

Yes, I know it's only the end of January and for us in the Maritimes we'll have to wait until

June to see some of this colour again but, it's nice to know there is hope isn't there?

In the meantime, I'll just look at my flowers on the computer screen to

keep my spirits up until spring.

Blessings to you!

Pamela

the key to my heart

I love old keys.

Keys unlock many things.

Keys unlock....doors, drawers, boxes, chests and treasures and...

Hearts....The Key to My Heart

Can you see it at the bottom of this ribbon?  I don't know where these

came from.  They are little metal charms or trinkets sewn onto a

black velvet ribbon.  A keepsake from the past.  There is a ship, a shoe

a hat, a wheel, a pitcher, a cup and a cat.  I wonder if they were

favours in old Christmas Crackers.  Does anyone know where

they would have come from?  I am curious. They are

all cute but, I especially like the "key to my heart".

I think I'm going to hang this special key on a chain and wear

it around my neck.  It should be a great conversation piece don't you think?

We are enjoying a beautiful winter day with temperatures moderating

somewhat to the minus single digits and sunshine forecast for the next few days.

I can really notice a difference in the lengthening of the days this week. Can you?

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my first tablescape post.

I appreciate each one of you who visit me.

I hope you have a wonderfully blessed weekend!

Pamela

winter tablescape

This is my first tablescape I've posted.  We are not fancy folk and I don't have tons of dinner dishes.  We use Corelle 'Butterfly Gold' for everyday - they still work after almost 34 years :-)  I have 'good' dishes which are Denby Shamrock pattern which we use about 5 times a year. I also dug out my grandmother's flow blue dishes (what's left of them) and use them frequently.  And, I have Christmas dishes which I use from mid-November through New Year's.  This year I found these snowflake dishes really cheap  on sale before Christmas.  Why oh why didn't I buy 2 sets!  There are only enough for 4 people so we have had 2 small dinner parties using them this month and we use them for every meal.  I decided to set the table in a winter theme of white and silver.

This table setting is quite simple but I like the silvery, sparkly candlelight idea for a winter supper of heart- warming beef stew and home made rolls.

I am joining Susan at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/  Come on over and view some other tablescapes for Tablescape Thursday!



                                                                 Blessings!

                                                                   Pamela

pink snow

This morning's sunrise gives a touch of pink to the fresh snow after the

storm of last night.

The view from the office window, which is at ground level,

 ~ fresh snow and a brilliant blue sky.

I just wanted to share these pictures with you today.  We had about 20 cm.

of snow last night - a nor'easter.  The skiers and snowmobilers will

be very happy with all the new snow.  Tonight it is going to be very cold -

down to -21 C by morning.  Brrrrr!

Stay warm!

Blessings,

Pamela

an old music book brings inspiration

I have this over 100 year old music book that is falling apart.

I didn't know what to do with it until I saw what some of

you folk in blogland are doing with old sheet music.

Please don't be mad at me for tearing sheets of music from

this book.  I had reservations about it ~ honestly, I did.

But, what was the point of this book just laying on the book shelf?

So, this is what I did with some of the pages.

I wrapped a candle.  But, I warn you, please be careful

when burning candles wrapped in paper!  Sometimes

the candle will burn off center thus causing the wax to flow to

the side and softening the 'wall' of the candle.  This

could lead to a fire.  Please be careful.  (I caught it just in time!)

I lined the back of this little shelf.

This is the dedication page in the book - 1896!

There are some lovely pages of poems and drawings.  Have a look.

These are just a few of the pages and I think they are wonderful.

I see a project of framable art don't you??

There are some very interesting song titles as well.  Some you will have heard

of before and some are quite funny everything from patriotic to

love songs to hymns.

This is a template in the book - a beautiful design of a harp

and horns, flowers and a bird.

This book was compiled by Henry Frederick Reddall and

was published by the Elliott Publishing Co. of Philadelphia Penn.

in 1895.

We are having a snowstorm here this afternoon and into tonight and it's

getting pretty nasty out there.  We may get up to 20 cm. and the wind

is whipping the snow around so it's a good night to stay home.

I appreciate everyone who has visited me lately and hope you'll stop

by again.  I appreciate your comments as well and try to respond

to as many as I can.

Have a blessed weekend!

Pamela