A Warm Tea

Spring is only a week away for us here in Australia.

The garden, awakening after a winter doze

 is throwing off  snowy quilts and turning it's face

 to welcome the warm rays of the sun again.

And today I am sitting with my back to winter's window,

happily inhaling green peppermint tea and golden jonquils.

Fruit on my plate...strawberries and banana bread!

This is simply a joy!

(Bananas had become a luxury for us after devastating floods wiped out the Australian crop.)

Yellow daffodils are keeping jolly company with waning helebores all snuggled in my old tin teapot 

while the first soft pink camellias of the season lay beside them.
The year-long dance of these blossoms having turned full circle once again.

"In the tiny petal

of a tiny flower

that grew from a tiny pod

is the miracle and the mystery

of all creation and God!"

Helen Steiner Rice

The cup and saucer I am using today is from a set I've had for a long time.

The brand is Orion and it is made in Germany.
A delicate small cup..just right for herbal tea!

I love it's bright floral pattern on the fine white china.

A sweet little garden blessed by the sun to cheer my day!

It reminds me of  the faithfulness of God

Who promises to bring about each wonderful new season in it's time.

May it always be the hopeful season of Spring within our hearts, dear friends!

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." Genesis 8:22

***

I'm joining Sandi today for Tea Time Tuesday

LACE~ My (almost) Spring Bonnet

ugh!!! I'm sick of this old hat..think I'll get a new one.

Well what do you think...does this look like "me" ?

How about this one for the gardening?

Or something simple for shoppping..

And of course, I need a Sunday best for church!

hmmm...decisions, decisions!!

Aha! Found it!!

Now this ..is ME!!! lol!

All jokes aside..I really have always been a bit of a hat fancier!

It was in the 1994 May edition of Victoria that I fell in love with this soft grey one with it's pink bow and dreamed of finding one as lovely for myself someday.

Unfortunately, having a smallish head and  has somewhat hindered me from indulging any passion when it comes to buying pretty chapeaux.

Nevertheless..I love to wear hats in the warmer weather and I was delighted to come across the one you see centre and right in the above collage.

It's acually quite similar to my Victoria favourite, in that it is a pale grey and the crown is almost the same shape.

It's very light on the head and I really enjoy wearing it in the summertime when I need good protection from the heat and glare of the day.

In Winter I use it as decoration along with other sundry hats, caps, bonnets etc. which I have displayed on the hat rack by our front door.

Ah..sigh..now I'm dreaming of pulling it off that rack, popping it on my little old head and taking a cuppa out into the garden.

Spring, Spring..wherefore art thou Spring!!

Perhaps if I don it as I do my housework today, I'll feel more convinced that winter is almost over for us at last; and warm Aussie days are just around the corner.

And if I drink sweet tea from my faithful old Johnson Bros "Indies" cup and saucer, that will help me think of the bright blue skies and white clouds of Spring to come.

Yes..what a good idea!

Excuse me friends..I'm just ducking off to open the chocolate biscuits and put the kettle on :-)

*

linked to  Kathy for A Return to Loveliness
and Sandi for Tea Time Tuesday
***

Ladies, welcome to LACE!
This is a place to share posts on the blessings and beauty of our vocation as Christian women - happy in the heart of our homes! Please feel free to share a devotional, craft, cooking, family event or tea post etc.

Whatever you like - I simply require that it be an uplifting blessing to all.


This meme is based on Philippians 4:8
Whatever is..Lovely. Admirable. Cheerful. Encouraging. ~ LACE
Link to the actual post and not to your homepage.
Link back to here so others can find the participants of this blog party.
Take the button on the sidebar and display it in your post if you wish.
Leave a comment after linking, and try to visit each other.
Thank you to all the lovely ladies who make this such an enjoyable meme for us each week.
God bless you, friends!

How To Enjoy Hot Chocolate for One

Take a pretty blue and white cup and saucer

and select a favourite Victoria magazine and a sachet of hazelnut-hot chocolate.

Mix the chocolate powder with boiling water and stir

and place two Monte Carlo biscuits on your saucer.

Set everything down on your coffee table in front of a comfortable sofa

and take a moment to look around the room,

 giving thanks to the Lord for the roof over your head and the love in your home. 

Then sit back, relax.. and enjoy the simple blessings of your day!

*

Today I'm having my morning tea with these lovely ladies:

Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage

Kathy at A Delightsome Life

Sweet Violets and Emeralds

Did I ever tell you how much I like violets and pretty china?

Or how well emeralds match my eyes?

Or how blessed I am to have a family that treats me like royalty?

It's all true, my dears!

I received such beautiful gifts from my lovely menfolk on Mother's Day, and my heart is so grateful for their thoughtfulness and consideration.

Yes indeed..I am truly a very blessed lady!

And as I sit here wearing emeralds and sipping from my pretty voilet covered teacup..

enjoying the fruits of my family's love for me..

I pray that your cup also, is running over with joy today.. and the sweet assurance of God's grace and tender love for you!

It's time to join my friend Gae for her homeloving meme at Cherished Hearts At Home

But I have to say,  my head is a bit slow in getting round to planning homemaking goals for this week's Hearts for Home.

It seems to want to linger on the loveliness of Sunday for a while longer...

Still..the garden is calling my name and this week hubby and I are well into digging a new veggie patch.

So there is where my focus will be for next few days :-).

blessings..Trish

I am also linking up to Sandi for her lovely Mother's Day Tea at  Rose Chintz Cottage

And enjoying the pretty things at Martha's Favourites