Hello and welcome to a HOT Tuesday Cuppa Tea in the Pacific Northwest!
Can you believe it? It's the upper 80s around here, and 90s inland by Seattle...record breaking. We are wilting and hibernating! Now don't laugh if you are more used to this...more than 70% of the folks in western Washington state have no air conditioning...wasn't needed...until recently. We do, but outside, it's hot! We had our daily walk at 8:30 pm last night, when it finally got down to 80 degrees!!!! Hope it's nicer...or you're more used to it where you are!
I chose a teacup with a summer flower today for Teacup Tuesday, but didn't do a tea party...can't use the sunroom...and it's the only place with natural light enough for photos....
This is a 1930s tea cup and saucer made by Salisbury, England in my favorite hand colored on transferware design with hand applied red enamel paint in a design called Geranium.
Salisbury was in business from 1927 until the great and awful pottery closures and consolidations in the 1960s...closing early on in 1961 when it was taken over by Thomas Poole. Thomas Poole never used the Salisbury mark again, but continued to make china under the Royal Stafford name and only survived until 1972. Royal Stafford actually reopened in 2004 as a much smaller pottery and was in business still when last we were in the Potteries 2 years ago. Hooray! For more info on the teacup at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.
Geraniums are a summer flower that is very popular here...our town, Sequim, has a flower basket cooperative agreement between local business owners and the high school botanical and agricultural students to decorate our central business district street light poles every summer with flower baskets, and geraniums are popular choices. The business owners pay for the basket materials and plants, the students make, plant and tend them until they are hung out on the lamp posts in spring. The our city takes care of keeping them watered.
I think they are lovely touch! And as a business owner, sponsor one every year...
Friday we attended the Sequim Lavender Festival street fair...which we do as soon as it opens before it gets crowded, and this year before it was too hot!
Here are a few sights of the fair...
This was a fun booth with wind chimes from silver hollow ware and flatware...
This booth had glass yard ornaments of all sorts of decorated repurposed glass objects...the sign says "Dale Chihuly...Eat Your Heart Out! referring to internationally known local Seattle glass artist Dale Chihuly who's Chihuly Garden And Glass is such a fabulous place by the Space Needle in Seattle...will post about that next week...
Loved these fun aluminum signs...middle one says "Drive Carefully...the Squirrels can't tell one nut from another"
And local potters with mugs and tea pots galore...as well as pretty well anything that could be made with lavender!
An empty dish you say? Huh? That's because I forgot to take a before, during and done photo of a cobbler I made...I think the heat fried my brain! I had some strawberries that needed to be used, so...made a vegan, low cholesterol cobbler that you might want to try because it is so versatile and easy!
Simple Fruit Cobbler
Ingredients
4 cups fruit...I used cut up strawberries, frozen organic blueberries and a can of peach halves, rinsed of all juice and cut up
1 cup of flour...I used whole wheat, but you can use whatever...have used soy, almond and rice
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar...I used organic non refined and didn't use the full amount
1 egg beaten
1/4 butter cut in cubes...I used Vegan margaine
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Spread the fruit mixture in an 8 or 9 inch square pan, no need to grease
In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and sugar
Add the beaten egg and mix in with a fork until crumbly and everything well mixed
Spread over berries, and dot with the butter or marg cubes
Bake for 40-50 minutes until browned and bubbly. Cool slightly before serving
This is equally good warm or cool, and never lasts long at our house, as you can see by the photo. Would be good with any sort of topping, but we usually don't. I especially like the recipe because of it's ease and versatility, and have had it since I was first married 42+ years ago.
Can you believe it? It's the upper 80s around here, and 90s inland by Seattle...record breaking. We are wilting and hibernating! Now don't laugh if you are more used to this...more than 70% of the folks in western Washington state have no air conditioning...wasn't needed...until recently. We do, but outside, it's hot! We had our daily walk at 8:30 pm last night, when it finally got down to 80 degrees!!!! Hope it's nicer...or you're more used to it where you are!
I chose a teacup with a summer flower today for Teacup Tuesday, but didn't do a tea party...can't use the sunroom...and it's the only place with natural light enough for photos....
This is a 1930s tea cup and saucer made by Salisbury, England in my favorite hand colored on transferware design with hand applied red enamel paint in a design called Geranium.
Salisbury was in business from 1927 until the great and awful pottery closures and consolidations in the 1960s...closing early on in 1961 when it was taken over by Thomas Poole. Thomas Poole never used the Salisbury mark again, but continued to make china under the Royal Stafford name and only survived until 1972. Royal Stafford actually reopened in 2004 as a much smaller pottery and was in business still when last we were in the Potteries 2 years ago. Hooray! For more info on the teacup at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.
Geraniums are a summer flower that is very popular here...our town, Sequim, has a flower basket cooperative agreement between local business owners and the high school botanical and agricultural students to decorate our central business district street light poles every summer with flower baskets, and geraniums are popular choices. The business owners pay for the basket materials and plants, the students make, plant and tend them until they are hung out on the lamp posts in spring. The our city takes care of keeping them watered.
I think they are lovely touch! And as a business owner, sponsor one every year...
Friday we attended the Sequim Lavender Festival street fair...which we do as soon as it opens before it gets crowded, and this year before it was too hot!
This was a fun booth with wind chimes from silver hollow ware and flatware...
This booth had glass yard ornaments of all sorts of decorated repurposed glass objects...the sign says "Dale Chihuly...Eat Your Heart Out! referring to internationally known local Seattle glass artist Dale Chihuly who's Chihuly Garden And Glass is such a fabulous place by the Space Needle in Seattle...will post about that next week...
Loved these fun aluminum signs...middle one says "Drive Carefully...the Squirrels can't tell one nut from another"
And local potters with mugs and tea pots galore...as well as pretty well anything that could be made with lavender!
An empty dish you say? Huh? That's because I forgot to take a before, during and done photo of a cobbler I made...I think the heat fried my brain! I had some strawberries that needed to be used, so...made a vegan, low cholesterol cobbler that you might want to try because it is so versatile and easy!
Simple Fruit Cobbler
Ingredients
4 cups fruit...I used cut up strawberries, frozen organic blueberries and a can of peach halves, rinsed of all juice and cut up
1 cup of flour...I used whole wheat, but you can use whatever...have used soy, almond and rice
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar...I used organic non refined and didn't use the full amount
1 egg beaten
1/4 butter cut in cubes...I used Vegan margaine
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Spread the fruit mixture in an 8 or 9 inch square pan, no need to grease
In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and sugar
Add the beaten egg and mix in with a fork until crumbly and everything well mixed
Spread over berries, and dot with the butter or marg cubes
Bake for 40-50 minutes until browned and bubbly. Cool slightly before serving
This is equally good warm or cool, and never lasts long at our house, as you can see by the photo. Would be good with any sort of topping, but we usually don't. I especially like the recipe because of it's ease and versatility, and have had it since I was first married 42+ years ago.
Thanks for joining me, and I hope your summer is glorious!
Below is the list of some of the blog
parties I will be part of and there is the linky for your tea related
posts...please remember that it is SSSLLLOOOOOOWWWW but if you are
patient...it's there! And I love to read your comments, and can find you to
visit!
Ruth:
ReplyDeleteYour cobbler's empty dish is a testimony of how good it was and it looks delicious. Your cup and saucer is one I think I saw once before "somewhere". Lovely! What a fun festival too. Sorry it is so hot there......keep cool!
What a lovely post!!! Yes, I guess it is July all over!! We finally hit 100 this past week and it will be 105 later this week! However, WE are prepared for it with plenty of A/C and only venturing out late at night.
ReplyDeleteI truly love lavender but I simply cannot grow it! It's dead before I turn around!
Thank you for the recipe! I just so happen to have all the ingredients you used so I see a cobbler on the menu for tomorrow!
Love seeing all your pretty teacups and for taking me to the fair with you!
Hi Ruth,
ReplyDeletePretty teacup! And the flowers are too. I have been reading several blogs about Lavender festivals, they must be quite the thing. How fun!
Thanks so much for hosting and have a great week!
Gina
Good morning, Ruth! Your geranium teacup is so pretty and I do love the hanging baskets in your town, too. The lavender festival looks like such fun, but I'm sorry about your sweltering heat. I've never gotten used to our Texas summers, either. Thanks for hosting your party and for the tried and true recipe for the cobbler!! Yum!
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth,
ReplyDeleteWell, it's cooler here this week so we're disappointed. Seems everyone has their complaints about the weather. Love the hanging baskets! The festival must been so much fun. Another pretty teacup and that dessert must have been delicious, judging by the pan. I love a good cobbler! Thanks for hosting and try to stay cool!
Blessings,
Sandi
I understand the hot and humid. This is the time of year I go into hibernation. If all the errands aren't done by 10am, they don't get done. I love geraniums and this is a lovely teacup. One day I'm going to make it to the Lavender festival. I bet this was fun. Thanks for the recipe. Happy Monday, Happy Tea Day and thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteHello dear Ruth!
ReplyDeleteI love that cobbler and thanks for the recipe too. My DD Alex who is living in Spain is complaining about the heat as well. I know what it's like as where my daughter Sofie lives is terribly hot and humid. NYC was horrible too when I lived there...my home town. Thanks for the wonderful party.
Have a lovely week and keep cool.
FABBY
The festival looks like so much fun and those signs are neat. I am with you this heat just doesn't help on trying to think straight, what was left looks really good :)
ReplyDeleteHI Ruth ...You're display another lovely and unique cup and saucer...I've never seen one with geraniums on it...SO PRETTY... and judging from that empty cobbler dish you've had a lovely fill of tea and sweets. I am so admiring those beautiful flower baskets...Looks like you had quite an eclectic time at the Lavender festival..WHAT FUN ...Thank you for sharing all the excitement and the fair.... Hugs
ReplyDeleteYour geranium teacup is very pretty. And I love the hanging baskets of flowers; they do make a wonderful display is a downtown area. We just had our art fair here, so fun to walk around and see the various booths.
ReplyDeleteHope it cools down for you.
Hi Ruth,
ReplyDeleteThe Lavender Festival looks amazing! I love lavender! Your gernanium teacup is so pretty. Yellow flowers are always so bright and cheerful. Happy Tea Day Dear Friend and Thank you for hosting! Karen
What a lovely teacup! I love all geraniums and they just spell summer to me. Thanks for the recipe. I will try it with soon! Thank you for hosting and have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite color is yellow and your tea-cup-saucer is really really pretty. The adventure at the Lavender Festival looks great too. I just love walking about places like that to see many peculiar, interesting pieces of art and knik knacks :-) Someday I might try your cobbler, it is almost gone means it's very good :-)
ReplyDeleteLovely teacup! I agree that the geranium baskets help beautify your downtown district. Stay cool!
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth! The lavender festival looks like so much fun! I really like your teacup for today, and the tie in to the geranium baskets in town! So pretty :). Its been hot here too lately (98 today). I'm definitely ready for the hot weather to break...and this summer has actually been pretty mild for us.
ReplyDeleteMmm... the fruit cobbler looks and sounds very tasty. My husband would love this treat so I may have to try it soon :)
ReplyDeleteThose yard ornaments are simply lovely and the windchimes are quite charming. Thank you, sweet friend, for sharing with Roses of Inspiration. Hugs to you!
It is so nice, that you two made it to the festival. The basket program in your community is so great. I love how they have the students involved.
ReplyDeleteI love lavender festivals! Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteLove the geranium teacup - the colors and the design are special. Probably a good thing (for my budget) that I can't go to the lavender festival - I see many things I would have purchased!
ReplyDeleteFruit cobbler sounds scrummy! I've never seen a teacup with geraniums -- gorgeous! I just had a cup of Earl Grey (in a yellow-flowered cup) and a banana muffin.
ReplyDelete