GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!
I've recently been so inspired by Beth's blog - "BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE" - that I decided to put up a somewhat different post today. Beth often puts up beautiful posts and invites her cyber-guests to "have a cup of tea" with her in her beautiful garden. I always feel refreshed and inspired after reading Beth's blog.
Well today, I would like to share a "secret" with my own readers...
I am a tea-set "hoarder". I didn't quite realise that I had so many until I recently took stock of all the tea-sets in my home. I'm not sure exactly how many I have, but they've been put in my care by various people over the years. I must admit, they are really beautiful but not used nearly as much as they should be.
My mother was a great "tea-party" person and she made huge efforts for her guests. A freshly starched linen table cloth was carefully thrown over the garden table. A small vase of flowers was added and then the tea was made. I was often put in charge of pouring of the tea for the guests and would hand out the steaming cups to their recipients. A sugar bowl with pretty coloured granules was also offered, followed by the day's cake or biscuit variety from the kitchen. It was a cherished ritual. Unfortunately, my mom is no longer with us anymore, but her tea sets live on and so do the wonderful memories.
I'd like to share some of them with you...
Above: Hand-painted pottery tea set.
Above: Royal Dalton: "Moss Rose"
Above: Royal Dalton: "Cottage Garden"
Above: A silver tea-set given to my mother as a 'Long-service' award.
Above: This tea-set was inherited from my late mother-in-law.
Queen Ann tea-set
Above: A 'cake/biscuit' plate with 'Czechoslovakia' etched on the back (?)
Above: A 'tea strainer' that I gave my mother for her birthday.
(Don't know who made it.)
Above: My personal 'large' tea cup given to me by my husband
(A real favourite - both the hubby AND the cup that is, lol!)
Above: Arzberg white morning tea set.
Above: ???? no idea where they came from, but VERY old!!!
Any suggestions?
Above: Also an Arzberg morning tea set
Above: Our family's biscuit barrel.
Make???
Above: Milk jug: British heritage collection
Above: Plate and vase: 'The Claypit' (Australia). Handpainted
Above: Hand-painted cake plate: South African protea
Above: Cake plate: South African antelope
Above: 50th Wedding anniversay
(Yes, my parents were married for 50 years1)
---xXx---
BUT ...the biggest secret of all is that I don't really use these tea-sets much.
In our fast modern life-style, our family generally reaches for the old faithful coffee mugs in the cupboard. How times have changed.
But admittedly, both have merit.
:)
Sending lotsaluv to you all
Caryl
Hi Caryl, Thanks for doing this post. It's great! Love the cake plate with the protea and the British milk jug. My favorites are the Moss Rose tea set, the Cottage garden tea set, and the silver tea service. You have many pretties, Caryl! Perhaps you would like to link this post to one of the many blogging tea parties. The ones I link to are Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog and Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage. I understand about using the mugs for everyday - I do too!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Beth
Well, you might not use those tea sets much now, but I would love to have tea with you using a different set each day! They are GORGEOUS! Sometimes we don't have to 'use' something to appreciate it. Sometimes it just makes us feel good to glance at it as we walk through a room or to examine it carefully as we dust and clean. There are so many things I have that I don't use often but I gain such immense comfort just knowing that they are there☺.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI am glad I stopped in today! The tea sets are beautiful and yes, I stick to my trusty mugs too!
xxoo
Deborah