Zinnia Tea Time

Hello everyone,

I have been MIA for a couple of weeks.

I had cataract surgery on my left eye, and 

it's difficult to see small print. My husband

has been so wonderful about putting drops in

my eyes, and on Thursday I will have the

 right eye done. 

Today I have a beautiful set of teacups, saucers, and dessert dishes
on my tea table for the August page of my calendar. 

My daughter-in-law inherited this lovely set when

her mother passed away. My DIL's grandmother vacationed in Norway

and brought this set home as a souvenir. I am blessed to be

the lucky custodian of the beautiful Norwegian dishes.   

My Zinnias are blooming in the garden and 

I wanted to have a bouquet for tea time.

The yellow zinnia is just outstanding.

The dog days of Summer are over, and now I am looking forward to 

Autumn.  The temps have been over 100° for weeks, and I am
so ready to play in the garden and not get scorching hot before noon.

Hopefully, I will get back into the swing of things after Thursday's eye surgery.

Thanks for visiting.

Joyously,

Betty

Linking to:

Rustic and Refined for Dishing It and Dishing It

Love of Home for Sunday at Home 

Normandy Life for Mosaic Monday

 The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Tuesday Cuppa at Antiques and Tea Cups

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

The Dedicated House for Before and After Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

Katherines Corner for Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life 

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Thoughts of Home at Poofing the Pillows

The Essence of Home for  Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes for Best of the Weekend

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes 

Biltmore Estate Tea Time

Hello everyone,

Yes, Peony season is over in many parts of our country.

But I captured this photo in May when I came home from 

my vacation with Four Ladies Go Traveling. 

While visiting the Biltmore Estate, I bought a teacup  and

saucer in one of the many gifts shops on the property.

I took my tea party outside to enjoy the beautiful spring weather.

The little bistro table under the pomegranate tree is a perfect place to have

my cup of tea and the iron garden bench in the background is

surrounded by hostas and perennial coral bells.  

I was so grateful I came home to at least a bouquet or two of peonies

The rose peony bushes were transplanted from my mother's 

garden when she passed away in November 2012. Every year

they are more beautiful than the year before.

The Vanderbilt Service is Adapted from a large Sèvres tea service

circa 1888.  Currently on display in the Oak Sitting Room in

Biltmore House.

The vintage teaspoon holds loose tea. This teaspoon was my

favorite spoon to use when I was a young girl enjoying

 afternoon tea with my mother and sister.

Hope you have enjoyed having tea with me today. 

I have chosen one of these photos to add to my

2018 tea time calendar. 

Have a great weekend. 

Joyously,

Betty 

Linking to: 

Rustic and Refined for Dishing It and Dishing It

Love of Home for Sunday at Home 

Normandy Life for Mosaic Monday

 The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Tuesday Cuppa at Antiques and Tea Cups

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

The Dedicated House for Before and After Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

Katherines Corner for Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life 

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Thoughts of Home at Poofing the Pillows

The Essence of Home for  Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes for Best of the Weekend

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes

Pink Peony Tea Time

Hi everyone,

Peony season is over now. The season lasts three weeks in May. While I

was on vacation, my peonies bloomed profusely. On May 15th I found this

bouquet in my garden. I wanted to have a photo of the pink peonies for my

2018 calendar and one of these pictures I will have on the calendar.

I found ants all over the flowers and needed to retouch the ant problem.

The gloves are from a garage sale. I don't have small hands, and this pair would just not fit.

The little pearls on the wrist are so precious.

Do you love Tea? I do. When I found this tea tin. I knew it would be

perfect for my Pink Peony Tea Time post.

I read a post awhile back, that peony blooms look like ballerina dresses

I think the description is accurate. Thank you Rattlebridge Farm.

Three of my favorite tea cups. The cross-stitch cup is my VERY favorite.

The vintage tea tin is a little treasure I will cherish for a long time.

I think I might use it again when the Black-eyed Susan's bloom.

I left the ants in this photo because I just saw them while typing this line.

I needed to know why ants like peonies the answer is here. 

This is a natural and temporary activity. It is believed that peonies produce small amounts of nectar and other ant attractants to encourage ants to help in opening the dense double flower buds found in many peonies. The ants may be found covering certain varieties and avoiding others, this is totally normal.

Today it's cool, and I am working on my posts about my trip

to the Biltmore Estate, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina.

I ordered a bucket-list map, and it is being framed this week.

I love to make mosaics for my Pinterest board.

Enjoy!!!

See you soon.

Joyously,

Betty

Rustic and Refined for Dishing It and Dishing It

Love of Home for Sunday at Home 

Normandy Life for Mosaic Monday

 The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Tuesday Cuppa at Antiques and Tea Cups

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

The Dedicated House for Before and After Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

Katherines Corner for Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life 

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Thoughts of Home at Poofing the Pillows

The Essence of Home for  Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes for Best of the Weekend

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes

Winter Soup Tablescape

Hello everyone, 

It's raining again this week, and the forecast is for rain 

until late next week. During the rainy days 

I love having a crock pot of Winter soup cooking on low

all day long. I can serve soup for lunch or dinner.

The Green Cabbage Leaf bowls are perfect for soup.

The white square plate can hold a delicious slice of

French bread covered with garlic and Parmesan cheese. 

The little green Vintage glasses hold a beverage and one is used 

as a vase for fresh oregano, I picked from my herb garden.

This spot is where we love to eat our lunch or snacks.

The island divides the kitchen from the dining room.

Being retired for ten years, I  sometimes wonder

 how other retirees plan menus. Do you eat breakfast, 

lunch, and dinner? Do you have dessert in the evening?

Every day this island is a busy place. 

The Keurig coffee maker is on

the right side of the table setting. I prepare

afternoon snacks, and I serve buffet dinners 

from the island at family celebrations.  

You can see the back counter is my baking center. 

For handy reference, my collection 

of celebrity cookbooks stored next to the counter.

I love my kitchen and on rainy days

I am busy preparing goodies to share with you

and my family.

Bistro napkins completely cover the lap. 

 Black handled flatware, and black napkin rings 

add a casual look to my farmhouse kitchen tablescape. 

Save a mosaic.

Thank you for visiting today.

I would love to hear how you 

spend your retirement days.

Joyously,

Betty 

Linking to:

Rustic and Refined for Dishing It and Dishing It
Love of Home for Sunday at Home

 The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Tuesday Cuppa at Antiques and Tea Cups

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

The Dedicated House for Before and After Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

Katherines Corner for Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life 

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Thoughts of Home at Poofing the Pillows

The Essence of Home for  Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes for Best of the Weekend

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes

Tablescape Inspiration

Hello everyone,
Last Saturday I attended a Holiday Tea to raise
money for a high school scholarship fund.
A person buys a table, develops a theme and
invites friends and or family to join them for tea.
I want to share some of the beautiful table settings
I viewed. The photos were taken with my
6s+iphone.

A mosaic to pin
save pin in the corner of all photos.

I hope you enjoyed the delightful tablescapes.
I love tea parties.
Joyously,
Betty
Linking to

Rustic and Refined for Dishing It and Dishing It

 The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Tuesday Cuppa at Antiques and Tea Cups

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

The Dedicated House for Before and After Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

Katherines Corner for Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life 

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Thoughts of Home at Poofing the Pillows

The Essence of Home for  Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes for Best of the Weekend

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes

Love of Home for Sundays at Home

A Visit to Williams and Sonoma

Hello everyone,

I thought I would do a tablescape today.  But I didn't do it myself. 

While visiting my sister in Los Gatos, Ca. a couple of weeks ago,

 we stopped by the Williams and Sonoma store. My little town doesn't 

 have a Williams and Sonoma, so it was a real treat

 to visit this beautiful store.

I was excited when I downloaded the photos off my iPhone. 

My iPhone is the S6 plus apple product and the camera 

in the phone takes the most beautiful pictures.  

This is my first iPhone and I love it.

The "Lancaster" is on sale now. Go here.
 This tablescape is fantastic. The goblets, linens, and
hammered copper mugs 

are beautiful with this dinnerware.

I fell head over heels in love with this tablescape and 

I love the chairs too.

This pattern is "Spanish Floral" dinnerware.

The hammered chargers make a beautiful statement 

with the stack of dishes on the matching runner.

The "Lancaster" dinnerware resembles
Pennsylvania Dutch folk art with a vintage
warmth and relaxed tradition.  

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Williams and Sonoma.
Please come back soon.
Joyously,
Betty
Linking to:

Rustic and Refined for Dishing It and Dishing It

 The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Tuesday Cuppa at Antiques and Tea Cups

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

No Place Like Home at Rose Chintz Cottage 

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

The Dedicated House for Before and After Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

Katherines Corner for Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life 

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Thoughts of Home at Poofing the Pillows

The Essence of Home for  Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes for Best of the Weekend

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes