Welcome Friends

I’d be delighted if you could join me today, along with my tea-loving friends Mary and Pam. I have the honor of being a guest at their Tea on Tuesdays, which they host once a month.

My dear friends Mary from Home Is Where the Boat Is and Pam from Everyday Living have graciously invited me to share tea with them again. It truly warms my heart to receive the invitation; it is a cherished honor. Thank you so much, Mary and Pam. Their tea times with links will be at the bottom of this post.

There are places that hold lots of memories and bits and pieces of who we are.

Our summer home is also my childhood home. Every corner of our home is filled with special memories for me. I have said it before just as Miranda Lambert sang the words— “it’s the house that built me.” And as I sat down to set up my Tea on Tuesday in the dining room, I found myself looking around the room and remembering just how much life has happened around this table.

 I had my Sweet 16 birthday party right here. And the little creamer and sugar bowl sitting on my tea table today have a story of their own. They came from a Princess House party I had when I was 16, with a group of friends gathered around this very table.

The dishes and teacups belonged to my Mom, along with the silver. Mom loved her “fancy dishes” and always enjoyed setting a pretty table. My sister and I added to those memories when we bought Mom the rose dishes for Mother’s Day several years ago. She loved using these dishes. So I am glad I can use them today and remember Mom as we sip tea, enjoy chicken salad, and delight in cheesecake for dessert.

The porcelain china is The Royal Kent (Poland) collection. It’s name is Moss Rose and it was produced in the 20th century. We got the china for Mom in the 80’s.

The teapot is another little piece of Mom. I remember seeing it sitting in her hutch, though she didn’t use it often. I love having it here now, where it can be part of another tea and another new and sweet memory for me.

And then there is the cranberry Fenton Hobnail glass vase. My sister gave it to me when I graduated from college. It has traveled through the years with me, and now it sits among so many other things that remind me of the people I love.

A Special Gathering

My aunts and uncles once gathered around this very table to read letters that my uncles had sent home to their wives, my Mom and my Grandmother—while they were serving during World War II.

Just think about that for a minute.

Those letters were written by young men far away from home and read by the women who loved them. And years later, those same people were gathered around this same table, holding those words in their hands. I was there, shedding tears right along with them and being thankful that they survived that war. That whole generation of our family is sadly gone now. But they are looking down from heaven and smiling at our tea table.

Here’s a cherished photo of Mom, captured by my Aunt Helen on that special day when everyone gathered around this table to read letters from WWII. This beautiful picture of Mom now happily sits inside her kitchen hutch, a warm reminder that our kitchen is still her kitchen.

Having Tea Steeped In Memories

Now, all these years later, I’m sitting at that same table, having tea among the dishes, silver, and keepsakes.

I suppose that’s what makes this tea feel a little different.

It isn’t just about the tea, the pretty china, or setting a beautiful table. It’s about the memories that come along with them. It’s about the people who once sat here, the celebrations we shared, the stories we told, and the love that filled this room.

Before We Finish Our Tea

I just wanted to share that Mom would have really adored these cloth napkins and napkin rings. They’re new purchases from Amazon, and I can’t help but think how much Mom and Dad would have enjoyed quick deliveries from online shopping.

Today’s tea is another favorite of mine. I wonder if Mom would have liked it? I feel it needs one or two sugar rose buds to add a little bit of sweetness.

I love their delicate tea sachets.

Thanks For Joining Me

Some heirlooms are valuable because of what they are.

Others are valuable because of who they remind us of.

For me, our treasures with remembrances are what I will always cherish.

So today, I’m having my tea surrounded by memories. And somehow, sitting here in the dining room of the house that built me, it feels a little like having tea with Mom, too.

Thank you for sipping tea and listening to all my stories.

I do encourage you to visit my wonderful friends, Mary and Pam. They have such a passion for tea and always create the most beautiful and inviting settings. I know you’ll enjoy their company and the warmth they share!

Thank You for joining all of us for Tea.

Enjoy what this upcoming week brings to you. And whatever you have planned… make every day count and be thankful for your Blessings.Take good care of yourselves!

Joining Terri for The Flower Hour

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