Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing you the best of Valentine's Days! Here is my cup of Harney & Sons Darjeeling in my Royal Doulton Rosebud china with little cupcakes with heart shaped sprinkles. Not fancy, but this has been a trying week.

After getting the burst pipe dealt with that we came home from our family holiday to, yesterday evening our heat pump/furnace quit. It seems there has been a slow leak and the refrigerant had leaked out, causing the heat pump to shut down other than emergency operations. So...5 hours and $600 later, we are back to normal.  What a day! So...an abbreviated post indeed!

But I had to celebrate Valentine's Day!  So I got out some of my antique postcards and that cheered me up considerably!

The online magazine The Metro in the Uk did a list of the Most Romantic Spots in the UK, as well as the least, and here it is:

Top ten most-romantic destinations in Britain:
1. Lake District
2. Cotswolds
3. London
4. Cornwall
5. Stratford-upon-Avon
6. York
7. Edinburgh
8. Bath
9. Isle of Wight
10. Devon

Top ten least romantic destinations:
1. Slough
2. Birmingham
3. Scunthorpe
4. Hull
5. Bradford
6. Basingstoke
7. London
8. Crewe
9. Stockton on Tees
10. Blackpool

We have been to most on the Most Romantic list, Stratford-upon-Avon being my husband's birthplace.  I think it's funny that London is on both lists...guess it depends what part...here is my most Romantic Place....Washburne Court Hotel (although I think it changed it's name in the last 2 years) in Lower laughter in the Cotswolds...

Tea Time Magazine shared a Valentine's Day tea menu....

Which  I especially loved because of the Johnson Brothers Rose Chintz ironstone china. I am including here a recipe they had online for some lovely Sugar And Spice muffins I am baking for breakfast tomorrow for my honey....

Sugar And Spice Muffins

from Tea Time Magazine

2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg, divided*
1 cup whole milk
1 large egg
¾ cup melted butter, divided
½ cup golden castor sugar

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Spray 9 wells of a 12-well muffin pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon nutmeg, whisking well. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine milk, egg, and ¼ cup melted butter, stirring well. Add flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are incorporated. (Don’t overmix, as this will make muffins tough. Batter will have lumps.)
• Using a levered ¼-cup scoop, divide batter among prepared muffin wells.
• Bake until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out dry, approximately 15 minutes. Remove muffins to a wire rack. (At this point, muffins may be stored in an airtight container until ready to serve.)
• In a small bowl, combine castor sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon nutmeg, whisking well.
• When muffins are cool enough to handle, dip tops of muffins into remaining ½ cup melted butter, and then into nutmeg castor sugar.
• Serve immediately.

*Ground nutmeg may be substituted, but adjust measurement to 1 teaspoon.

This vintage pop up Valentine's Day card is from Kovels.com archives....so cute!

So I wish you a lovely Valentine's Day and weekend...we are rejoicing being back in our home with running water and heating. To all my dear friends on the east coast, I hope and pray that this week end will bring improved weather for you.

A reminder, Antiques And Teacups is currently having a 15% off sale with coupon code Love! Come visit us!

I am joining:

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

Vintage Thingie Thursday

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

Share Your Cup Thursday

Lady Linda ~ http://ladylindateacup.blogspot.com/

Tea Time Thursday

Beverley ~ http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

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