Tuesday Cuppa Tea, Pinecones Everywhere! Pumpkin Choc Chip Mug Cake

Welcome to Tuesday Cuppa Tea...and we actually had some snow! 

Now no laughing if you live in most other parts on the US...this is a lot for our area in Sequim. When we lived in the Lassen National Forest by a mountain lake at 5,000 feet, we averaged 280 inches a year of snow...wonder why we now live at sea level and love to see the snow...up there in the Olympic Mountains of Olympic National Park!

We have been praying  for the folks in New York with their large snowfall and then thaw. Our largest snowfall when we lived in snow country was 6 feet overnight on New Year's Eve one year...and it just kept snowing for 2 weeks. There were roof collapses, a few propane tanks exploded because they hadn't been cleared and we had no power for a week. Luckily we had wood heat and a propane stove. But it was amazing having to boost the dog UP onto an area of the yard where he could do his business. And when my husband was clearing the roof he was throwing it UP onto the pile accumulating beside the house. I'll have to find those photos...people were coming out their 2nd story windows, and other than the paths or driveways, you couldn't see the houses from the street! Oh to be young....

With that in mind, and finding this door swag on Pinterest with the foot plus long Sugar Pine cones we had in the forest...still have one I can't part with...I decided to share a pinecone teacup today for Tuesday Cuppa Tea.

This is a 1950s English bone china teacup and saucer made by the Clarence China, England company. You don't see too many pinecone cups and saucers...as you know flowers abound. That's why I like this one...a bit unusual!

Clarence was part of a co-operative potter's wholesale group of maker's that worked out of the Crown Clarence Pottery in Longton, Staffordshire. The group used variations on that name and Windsor from the time they began in 1946 in the post World War II period until they closed in the mid 1960s when so many potteries closed their doors. Very fun design for this time of the year.

This pinecone wreath came from Country Living magazine.

I know some of you love green tea, but I find it bitter and unpalatable. A friend who is a geneticist and researcher, says that's because basically people have either the genetic makeup for sweet or savory, and I am a sweet person genetically. My husband is the opposite. Anyway, it is recommended that he has green tea for it's antioxident properties for his Parkinson's Disease and I wanted to join hi,. I tried lots of varieties, loose and bagged from various companies, and have found 2 I like. Stash Tea's Green Chai tea and Bigelow Tea's version of Constant Comment using green instead of black teas. I don't mind either of those! Have you tried them? I have to mail order them as they aren't readily available in the stores around here.

I found this great recipe on the blog Oneshetwoshe that I wanted to share...It looks delicious, easy and a small portion which is good!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mug Cake from  oneshetwoshe

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. pumpkin pie filling OR pumpkin puree
• 2 Tbsp. chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Combine flour, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in a microwave safe mug.
2. Stir in egg.
3. Add pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin puree and 1 Tbsp. chocolate chips and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbsp. chocolate chips on top.
5. Microwave at high power 2 minutes.
6. Carefully remove from microwave, top with a few additional chocolate chips and enjoy!

I hope you all had a marvelous Thanksgiving. We went out to our local Nash's Organic Farm store yesterday for veggies...love their local organic apples, brussel sprouts, cabbage and other goodies. Sprouts tonight with leftover turkey!  Thanks for joining me here for Tuesday Cuppa Tea. The list is below of some of the other blog parties I am joining and the Linky for your tea, teacup, tea room or tea party link.

Just a reminder that my websites, Antiques And Teacups and Antiques And Teacups at Etsy are having our 15% off sale!

I am joining:

Tea Time Tuesday with Sandi 

A Return to Loveliness
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Tea Cup Tuesday 
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Share Your Cup Thursday

An InLinkz Link-up

Happy Thanksgiving

Just wishing you all the best, Thanksgiving...filled with family, friends, food and fellowship. If you have no family close...like we d0...volunteer to help others or host others...as we do!

We have so much to be thankful!

The glass is half full...not half empty!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday Cuppa Tea, Nippon Footed Teacup, Thanksgiving, Teacup Sizes, Treats

Hello and welcome to the Thanksgiving edition of Tuesday Cuppa Tea. One of my favorite days of the year, when we can hopefully reflect, as a nation, on our Christian heritage and bring our minds to bear on what we have...in abundance...that many do not around the world. To be grateful for family, friends, blessings and freedoms. I am very thankful'

These last weeks have again reminded me of the time we have together as a gift from God. My husband has been battling with difficulties caused by a change in a medication that brought on Atrial Fibrillation for the past month, that we finally seem to have gotten regulated. With Parkinson's Disease, Atrial Fibrillation and Hypothyroidism, all the medications affect one another. When one changes it throws everything off.  So this month has been very difficult. But I am so thankful he is doing better and is more stable.

God is good!

My teacup today is one I chose because I don't think I've shown a 3 footed teacup for a long time! And the chocolate browns and gold were sort of seasonal anyway.

This is a Nippon period Noritake, Japan 3 footed teacup that I just love! Footed teacups are so fun...elegant and somehow whimsical!

The design is a variegated cocoa brown with heavy hand applied gold trim and beading that is called moriage...beautiful, isn't it?

The teacup is the wide type that is such a favorite of the Japanese potters, and those cute little feet or legs! The porcelain is very light and thin.

You notice that the teacup is even marked Nippon, which actually means Japan, but was only used with Japanese china between 1906-1912. I told you it is Noritake, right? But the mark has an M which stands for the parent company, Morimura, that became Noritake later. Confusing, I know! But such a pretty teacup! So that was my choice today!

So....I ask you...all teacups are created equal...right????? NOT SO!

I have run into confusion from customers and bloggers about teacup sizes, so I thought I'd give a quick teacup size comparison for you from some of my Shelley China teacups. Look at the teacups in the photo above...all different...and representing a different size.

Back row: the breakfast size cup...largest of the teacup sizes, with a regular sized teacup to the right of it...the one we usually see

Front row:  on the left is a demi or demitasse teacup, and to the right of that a miniature. Basically the sizes go from 12 ounces to 2 ounces...quite a difference!

And there hordes of collectors for each of the sizes. Which are the most fought over and command the highest price...in general, outside of certain specifically difficult patterns in each size, the most expensive is the miniature teacup...if it's a Shelley at least. I have seen them go for almost $1,000! Amazing! So there you go! As Goldilocks says....sort of...this size may be too big, this size may be too small...but there's sure to be a teacup that's just the right size!

And to put IN that teacup, I just got my tin of Christmas Tea from Murchies Tea in Canada. Murchies is the tea shop we always visit in Victoria, BC Canada which is our closest big city. But knowing we wouldn't get over ther before Christmas I mail ordered the tea...and I LOVE it!Black tea, orange peel, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla. I thought it was orange and vanilla prevalent with milder spices than Harney & Sons Christmas tea. It's now my favorite!

And to go with the tea, this is what I am baking for Thanksgiving day....Cranberry Pumpkin Upside Down cake from MyRecipes.com

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, plus more for pans 

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 

1 tablespoon dark or light rum

1 1/3 cups cranberries 

2/3 cup toasted coarsely chopped walnuts 

2 large eggs 

1 cup canned pumpkin 

1/3 cup canola or other vegetable oil 

1 cup granulated sugar 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

Lightly sweetened softly whipped cream 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9-in. square pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in brown sugar until blended. Remove from heat and whisk in rum. Pour mixture into prepared pan, evenly covering the bottom.

3. In a small bowl, combine cranberries and walnuts; arrange evenly over brown sugar mixture.

4. In a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed, beat eggs, pumpkin, oil, and granulated sugar until smooth. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture. Spread batter evenly over cranberries and walnuts.

5. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes in pan. Run a thin-bladed knife between cake and sides of pan, then invert cake onto a serving platter. Remove pan and parchment, and let cool at least 20 minutes. Serve slightly warm or cool, with whipped cream.

Doesn't that sound good? I am looking forward to it! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and enjoy family, food, friends and blessings overflowing!

I wanted to let you know also that I my Black Friday Cyber Monday sale started early this year and is on now at with 15% off everything:

Antiques And Teacups

Antiques And Teacups At Etsy

Here is a list of some of the blog parties I am joining...hope you can visit and enjoy their creativity! And here is the Linky for your tea related posts...remember that it is SSLLOOOOWWW so be patient! Thanks for joiing me!

A Return to Loveliness

                                              Time For Tea

 Tea Cup Tuesday

 Tea Cup Tuesday 

 Friends Sharing Tea

 Share Your Cup Thursday

An InLinkz Link-up

Tuesday Cuppa Tea, US Zone Teacups, Anniversary Coventry Blitz

Hello on a crisp, November day! Today started out at 25 and warmed to a scorching 44...them warmest we have been for several days, but the birdbath is still frozrn solid and the finches were ice skating today trying to find water to drink...BBbrrrrrr! Cold for here, but colder still to the east of us!

Welcome to Tuesday Cuppa Tea...with Veteran's Day just passed, and another war related anniversary...that I will share later in the post... just a few days ago, I have chosen to share some teacups and saucers from the immediate post World War II period in Germany called the Partition. After the war ended and plans were put into place to help Germany rebuild, the country was divided under the leadership of the Allies. The map below, from Google shows the zones...the Allied Occupation or Partition lasted from 1945-1952.

• American Zone of Occupation...blue
• British Zone of Occupation...green
• French Zone of Occupation...orange
• Soviet Zone of Occupation...red

In the US Zone, which included Bavaria where many famous German porcelain potteries had been located, one of the first thing focused on was reopening the potteries to provide jobs and begin again bringing income into the country. And this is where my teacups for this week come from.

This is  demitasse cup and saucer from the Schwarzenhammer, Bavaria Germany pottery in the Black Forest near Munich. The pottery was a small one and was started in 1905 and closed in 1986, so the rebuilding under the Allied Occupation obviously re-established the business...

The mark clearly has U.S. Zone printed on the mark, dating it to 1945-1952. I LOVE the green stripes and gold overlay!

The teacup above is another from the US Zone, another demitasse cup and saucer which were very popular in Europe for elegant after dinner tea or coffee, was made by Bayreuther, another Bavarian pottery. Bayreuth is actually a town in Bavaria where many German potteries were located, so the name is taken from the town. Not much more is know about this small pottery, or what it's commercial fate was after the Occupation.

This cup and saucer, also from the Occupation Zone is marked for Porzellan Imperial, Bavaria. On further research I found that this was a trade mark that the aforementioned Schwarzenhammer pottery used at a different pottery, so I assume that it closed in 1986 as well.

I always thought that this teacup looked like the embroidered ribbon on a Bavarian dirndl...the teacup and saucer is by the Royal Bayreuth, Bavaria pottery, one of the most famous from the area.  Royal Bayreuth from the town of Bayreuth Germany was founded in 1713 and had a long history with lots of different trade names. This incarnation was the 

Erste Bayreuther Porzellanfabrik Walküre Siegmund Paul Meyer

you can see why I copied it....which after restoring operations under the Occupation after the war with 60 of their pre war 400 employees, by 2008 had become one of the most prestigious manufacturers of hotel china in Europe...truly a Phoenix like success story.

This is my last example...another success story. Tirschenreuth began in Bavaria...in the Bayreuth region also, in 1838. It was acquired by Hunschenreuth Selb in 1926. The Occupation restored several potteries under the Selb leadership, and Tirschenreuth is the pottery this gorgeous teacup is from. LOVE all the gold! Tirschenreuth was forced to close due to financial problems in 1994.  Therewere many more Occupation potteries established as well, but these are the ones I had examples for. The first 2 teacups are available at Antiques And Teacups, and the others are from my archives. All photos are mine.

November 14, 1940 the skies rained down bombs on Coventry, England, a large industrial city just north east of Birmingham in what is called the Coventry Blitz. The Germans claimed the intense bombing was in retaliation for the bombing of Munich...which followed the London Blitz. The photos here are from the Cabinet War Room archives, Above is Winston Churchill visiting the ruins of the 14th century Coventry Cathedral....

The bombing was something that was important to both my husband's and my families...living very close to Coventry. I wasn't born, but my husband was a mall babe in arms and remembers stories from his family....

A horrible day during World War II for the family of my husband, living in Birmingham, England 20 miles away. Along with his younger sister, he was not evacuated to Wales for safety with his 2 older sisters. His oldest brother was serving in the war in the Coldstream Guards of the Queen's Brigade of Guards, where my husband was to serve his army service later in peace time.

The bombing was remembered as horrific and John often wonders how his parents coped with the terrors of war  and just trying to feed the family between times spent in the bomb shelter at the end of the garden.  Coventry was a strategic site for the bombers because of it's heavy industrial plants and rail interchanges. Over 1200 people were killed and most of the city was destroyed. John's father and brother who was on a short leave had walked to the bridge over the railroad bridge close to their home and watched the planes dropping their payloads and the subsequent explosions and fireballs.

As they stood there watching, John's father Sam thought he heard Annie, his wife, calling him so they left the railroad bridge and started quickly home. A few minutes later the railroad bridge went up in an explosion as it, too was bombed. Annie hadn't called, but if they had stayed they would have gone up in the explosion... 

The ruins were not taken down, but preserved as a monument. The cathedral was rebuilt around and beside the ruins. A moving tribute to England, and it's people.  Not a cheerful post, I guess, but this is the season of thankfulness and remembrance. For an account of the bombing from the BBC, click HERE

Please scroll down...Blogger is glitching, and the linky for posts and comments is WWAAAAAYYYY down there...there shouldn't be all the extra old post links...don't know why it's doing that...ahhhh...technology...my apologies...

Thanks for joining me. 

 

Below are some of the blog parties I am joining...

A Return to Loveliness

Tea Cup Tuesday

 Tea Cup Tuesday 

 Friends Sharing Tea

and the Linky for you to link your tea related posts....Remember it is SSLLLOOOOOOW, so be patient!    I promise something cheerier next week! I appreciate your comments and love to visit your wonderful blogs! Have a wonderful week!

An InLinkz Link-up