Happy Birthday to my Honey, King Tut and Les Mis

Today is my honey's birthday, so we are up early to catch the ferry from Bainbridge Island to Seattle. We go to

the King Tutankhamun exhibit at the Pacific Science Center and then this evening go to a touring company presenting Les Miserables at the 5th Avenue Thearter.

This is our favorite stage show. I think we have seen it at least 10 times. We go most years in London when we are visiting and have also seen it in San Francisco, Vancouver, BC, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Jose, Portland, ORE and a few more places. So my honey was thrilled it was on when we were planning what to do for his birthday. Hopefully it will be nice! We return tomorrow. So have a great weekend!

Tuesday Cuppa Tea Blue And White Teacup, Trip To Salt Creek Olympic Peninsula

Hello and welcome to my meme Tuesday Cuppa Tea where we share things related to the wonderful and restful pastime of taking tea! You will find the linky at the bottom if you would like to link your tea related blog post. There is also a list of some of the blogs I am joining. Find a comfortable seat, a cup of tea and relax!

My teacup today is another blue and white one, this time made of ironstone with a pretty basketweave pattern and blue roses. The cup and saucer was made in the 1950s by Wedgwood &Co., Enoch Wedgwood, England. BUT...it's not thw Wedgwood we think of with the jasperware I shared last week. This Wedgwood, although a relative of Josiah Wedgwood, had his own pottery in Tunstall, the Unicorn pottery, which explains the device or symbol. They were a busy pottery family!  I love the basketweave feel of the pattern, and, of course, it's blue and white! For more info on the teacup at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.

I think I decided to share this one, because we got out the picnic basket...which I forgot to photograph, and went to a local Washington state recreation area, Salt Creek, last week,  just to the west of Port Angeles on highway 112 on the way to the most northwest corner and point of the USA.  The area is gorgeous! But isolated, so the road washes out often during the winter. But last Wednesday was perfect! There are hiking trails, camp sites for tenters and RVs, picnic areas and play areas as well as tidepools and sandy beach access. I realized I only took beach photos!

This was at the Tongue Point area of campsites where there were also picnic benches. We had our lunch overlooking the sea. My breathing is best at the coast!

If you look closely, you can see a paddle boarder. I did a closeup of the boarder in the photo above. The day was beautiful! We, however, stayed dry!
 

There were wild pink dog roses everywhere, but the bright sunlight washed out the color on the photos.

As you can see, it was a perfect summer day! But we have had rain since, and it's raining now. Again, I reported a while ago the rainfall just west of this in the little town of Forks, WA. Official rainfall total from Jan.1st to May 15th was 68.9 inches, and it has rained quite a bit since then! That's a rain forest for you!  My apologies for those of you who are baking in the heat. 

We think it's warm when you still have your jackets on! Last Wednesday was the first day of summer. It got up to 72 degrees in Seattle! Whoa!


Here are the blogs I am joining, and the linky for Tuesday Cuppa Tea. Have a great day and have a cuppa with a friend!

Common Ground ~ http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com

Monday Marketplace

Terri~  http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday

Trisha~  http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/ 
Tea Party Tuesday

Sandi  ~  http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Teatime Tuesday

Kathy~  http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com
Victoria - A Return to Loveliness

Martha~  http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday 

Ruth  ~ http://timewasantiquesfamily.blogspot.com

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Angela  http://teawithfriends.blogspot.com/

Tea With Friends

Miss Kathy ~ http://thewritersreverie.blogspot.com/

Celia ~ http://attitudeivlife.blogspot.com/  Afternoon Tea

Wanda Lee ~ http://theplumedpen.blogspot.com/

 Tuesday Teatime 

Bernideen’s ~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/

Friends Sharing Tea Wednesday

Ivy And Elephants ~http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

What’s It Wednesday

Teacup Thursday, Prince William's Birthday

Hi there and welcome to my blog cottage! I am joining Teacup Thursday with Miss Spenser, Vintage Thingie Thursday with Colorado Lady and  Share Your Cup with Mrs. Olson.

But first...Happy Birthday to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge who is 30 today.

This is one of the photos by Mario Testino made for the wedding in 2011. I really love it!  

And so my cup and saucer today is actually a mug that was made for the engagement of William and Catherine in 2010.

 I think that's a great photo of them as well.

Today was a gorgeous day here on the Olympic Peninsula, so we decided to take a ride out to the Salt Creek Recreation area on the Strait of Juan De Fuca. I will be posting my photos for Pink Saturday on Friday...I have to download and organize them. It was one of the days that make me so gratedul that we leave near the coast. 

Have a great day and visit the other wonderful blogs.

Tuesday Cuppa Tea, Blue And White

Hi and welcome to my Tuesday Cuppa Tea and Savor The Summer Tea with Rose Chintz Cottage.! I hope you have had a lovely weekend and loved on any father figure in your life!  The linky and the list of wonderful blogs I am joining is at the end of the post.

The inspiration for my post today came from the May/Jun3 2009 issue of Victoria Magazine, my favorite magazine. I often look through the old issues while having a break and my afternoon tea. The issue was centered on blue and white, which is a perennial, timeless combination and my all time favorite for everything!  

The article reminded me that 2009 was Wedgwood, England's 250th birthday. At that point, it was still functioning, although in a limited fashion under the Royal Doulton headship. So...that was my inspiration:

This jasperware cup and saucer was made in 1959 in the Sacrifice Figures pattern, and I just love it! It is such a shame that it is only made in extremely small amounts now, and possible not in England again. But...I can enjoy the superb workmanship of this wonderful teacup!

Along with the Wedgwood article, the magazine also had some wonderful pages featuring blue and white that I would like to share with you.

I loved the shaped wall panel the plates are mounted in to be used as holders. And the transferware cup above is a great scoop. That's elegant recycling!

The issue is a joy for someone like me who is so one eyed about color...I love any color as long as it's blue! I have been that way since a baby!

I hope you've enjoyed my blue and white issue of Victoria. Take time to visit the wonderful blogs and link up below if you have something tea related to share.  Also, a reminder that I still have the DIAMOND 15% coupon at Antiques And Teacups until June 30th. Click on the teacup photos or the tab above to visit.

Common Ground ~ http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com

Monday Marketplace

Terri~  http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday

Trisha~  http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/ 
Tea Party Tuesday

Sandi  ~  http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Teatime Tuesday

Kathy~  http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com
Victoria - A Return to Loveliness

Martha~  http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday 

Ruth  ~ http://timewasantiquesfamily.blogspot.com

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Angela  http://teawithfriends.blogspot.com/

Tea With Friends

Miss Kathy ~ http://thewritersreverie.blogspot.com/

Celia ~ http://attitudeivlife.blogspot.com/  Afternoon Tea

Wanda Lee ~ http://theplumedpen.blogspot.com/

 Tuesday Teatime 

Bernideen’s ~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/

Friends Sharing Tea Wednesday

Ivy And Elephants ~http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

What’s It Wednesday

Pink Saturday, Dunoon Roses Mug

Happy Pink Saturday! I am joining How Sweet The Sound for a fun gathering of pink!

I found these mugs at an estate sale several weeks ago and thought they would be perfect for Pink Saturday!

I love Dunoon, which producers wonderful bone china mugs in England and stoneware mugs in Scotland. The lovely mixed rose bouquet mug is called Ashbourne and was made in 2006. I love the design by artist Christine Chadwick.  I found a rose bouquet that is similar 

and, more fun, a rose cookie arrangement from Shari's Berries...

How fun is that! For more info on the mugs at Antiques And Teacups, the rose bouquet at The Flower Shop in California or Shari's Berries, click on the photos.

And have a great time visiting the Pink Saturday participants!

Teacup Thursday, Paragon Yellow Floral

Hi There. It's Thursday, and I am a little late for Teacup Thursday. Too much going on now that we are actually getting a bit of summer here...in between the marine layer sucked in by the warmth, that is such a part of living near the coast. But I'm not complaining!

I found this pretty Paragon, England cup and saucer at a recent estate sale. I don't usually find myself attracted to yellow, but I loved the hand colored floral in this teacup. Paragon made such wonderful china! 


The mark has a combined Royal Warrant for Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. Royal Warrants were awarded to firms that had consistently good reputations to have been patronized by the royal family. Queen Mary was the grandmother of the current Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Elizabeth referred to in the Royal Warrant is Queen Elizabeth's mother, wife of King George VI and lovingly known as the Queen Mum. This dates the cup and saucer to the 1940s. I love hand colored transferware teacups! Available at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.


I am joining the following blog parties today:

Miss Spenser ~ http://missspensersblog.blogspot.com/

Teacup Thursday

Coloradolady  ~ http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Mrs. Olson ~  http://jannolson.blogspot.com/

Share Your Cup Thursday

Tuesday Cuppa Tea, June Teacup, Queen Elizabeth Quiz, Tuna Sweet Corn Sandwich Filling

Hello and welcome to my weekly meme Tuesday Cuppa Tea. I will be joining the other blog parties listed at the end of the post by the linky.

Did you enjoy all the Diamond Jubilee coverage? There was just so many wonderful things that I wanted to tell you about, I forgot most of them!  It was just too much fun! Had our Union Jack out as well!

If you are interested in some more royal related trivia, I found this fun Queen Elizabeth Quiz in the National Post Online:

Quiz: Ten questions about Queen Elizabeth after her Diamond Jubilee

I even learned something...I didn't know all the answers. Quite good fun...go ahead...try you skills....


But...on to Tuesday Cuppa Tea!  My teacup today is a June cup and saucer from a Flowers Of The Month series by Royal Castle, England. Since the demise of most of the major English china manufacturers in the last few years, quite a few new  and small potteries have sprung up, which I think is good news. I have spotted some of the molds that used to belong to other potteries being used or having been copied by the new kids on the block! This is one of them.

The teacup has some lovely red roses for June in quite a pretty pattern, and it's bone china and made in England. Hurrah!!! The month, June, in a surround is on both the cup and saucer.  I found this at an estate sale, but would love to see the rest of the series. For more info on the teacup at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.

As many of you know, we live on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state, north and West of Seattle, just across the Strait of Juan de Fuca (or the Salish Sea according to the local native peoples) from Victoria, BC Canada. Well, Washington gets quite a bit of rain, and the West Ens, as we callit, by Forks, where the Twilight series is set, is a rain forest. So...you want to know how much rainfall they have had from Jan 1st to May 1st this year????  Wait for it...   five feet!
No kidding...NOAA posted it in the paper. We, here in Sequim, have had 8 inches. Whoa! Just to make you feel better about where you live. Folks over there rust...or according to Stephanie Meyer, turn into vampires! LOL!!!!


Okay...back on track. Being raised in an English household, there are things I don't think twice about until someone points them out.  Like I mean an American goggling at me and asking "what???" And such a case happened yesterday.  I am on my milk free diet due to this having been a bad year for my respiratory allergies, and food can get boring. A friend was visiting and asked what I was making for lunch. I told her without thinking, Tuna and Sweet Corn sandwiches...and she almost spilled her tea down the front of her shirt. Her next comment was "Ewwwww, that sounds horrible!"


That's when I thought...ahh...another Brit thing I take for granted. I was raised on them...along with bacon butties, chip butties, toad in the hole, etc. Sooo...here is the recipe. I love Tuna and Sweet Corn sandwiches. In England you see them all over, and their baguette sandwiches are the best!!! You can even get them at Sainsbury's of Marks and Spencers or any good food hall all over the country.

Tuna & Sweet Corn sandwich spread


1 can of water pack chunk white or albacore tuna, drained and flaked into bowl
chopped green onions to taste---all of this recipe has lots of room to innovate, I do it all the time


dried dill weed---again, to taste


1/2 to 3/4 cup sweet corn kernals, drained canned or thawed frozen or cut from cooked, cooled...the English call it sweet corn because what they call corn is what we call wheat


2tbs or as desired of mayo...some folks like to add or substitute sour cream or cream fraiche, but I don't with the milk allergy


a dash of lemon juice and pepper if desired. Mix well and chill. Serve on bread, a bagel or a small split baguette.

So there you have it, easy as can be and milk free!!!! Have a great day!


Here is the list of blogs I'm joining and the linky to join Tuesday Cuppa Tea. Please link your TEA related posts and I'd love to hear from you. 

Common Ground ~ http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com

Monday Marketplace

Terri~  http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday

Trisha~  http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/ 
Tea Party Tuesday

Sandi  ~  http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Teatime Tuesday

Kathy~  http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com
Victoria - A Return to Loveliness

Martha~  http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday 

Ruth  ~ http://timewasantiquesfamily.blogspot.com

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Angela  http://teawithfriends.blogspot.com/

Tea With Friends

Miss Kathy ~ http://thewritersreverie.blogspot.com/

Celia ~ http://attitudeivlife.blogspot.com/  Afternoon Tea

Wanda Lee ~ http://theplumedpen.blogspot.com/

 Tuesday Teatime 

Bernideen’s ~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/

Friends Sharing Tea Wednesday

Ivy And Elephants ~http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

What’s It Wednesday