Hi and welcome to Tuesday Cuppa Tea. Spring has sprung here...and I have the flowers to prove it!!!
Our Rhododendrons are starting to bloom finally...they took a beating this winter, and the heavy unusual cold and frosts we had nearly killed 2 of them, but they are coming back!
It was cold enough, fast enough, and long enough, that our glazed pottery birdbath filled, froze and split...so that's a project for this summer....
But back to my Rhododendron tea!
So I decided to put together a Rhododendron tea...
especially because I remembered my wonderful The Country Flowers Of A Victorian Lady book by Fanny Robinson...sort of an earlier version of my beloved Country Diary Of An Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden.
The author made wonderful drawings, records what she sees around her and things that catch her mind, eye and heart...and Rhododendrons are among those pictured...
she includes a poem in gorgeous calligraphy, and the interesting tidbit that in the language of the flowers, red Rhododendrons said the contemporary of Fanny Robinson, author Anna Christian Burke, had declared the Rhododendron was a signal of Danger and conveyed the warning Beware...well!
This blossom had blown off, so I brought it in. Beautiful! I don't often bring in flowers because I am allergic to most, but this was perfect for tea! I'll show you the winds we had....
My Tulips were as straight as a guardsman until a wind from the west, where our storms come from, blew for 2 days...they were totally bent horizontal...Poor things!
I managed to find a red teacup for tea.. I don't have a lot. This is an Aynsley from the 1930s...I put it on a stand so you can see it better...it is filled with my green tea in the photo above...
I hope you like green tea... this is our current favorite...Harney and Sons Tropical green. It makes a straw colored brew fragrant with a pineapple scent that is mouthwatering! We love it!
And for a back drop I used a transferware plate by Grimwades in the Genoa Italian scenery design...I liked the colors....
This is the same Grimwades more famous for it's use of the Royal Winton Grimwades name and chintz patterns...Royal Winton evolved after a royal visit to the Winton Pottery run by Grimwades....
And...a teapot! This is a Royal Patrician, England from around 2004 if I remember. I kept this one because I loved the shape of the teapot, and of course the red rhododendron. I have some teapots on the website left with mauve flowers or white, but this one was damaged in shipment and has a small base rim chip so I thought I'd keep it. It has turned out to be a perfect 2 person teapot for our daily cup of green tea with a metal infuser I have.
And to scoop the tea... a Victorian brass tea caddy spoon with an Anne Hathaway's cottage finial. I have a bit of a collection of tea caddy spoons, and they live in most my loose tea canisters for scooping...
I know you know I love antique postcards, and this was the closest I had to a Rhododrendron...metallic gold with a pink flower. LOVE these little
windows on the past...
More of my recovering Rhodies....
Thanks so much for having tea with me! am excited to have friends visiting this next week, so will be in and out. But I look forward to visiting, and hope to be able to join these blog parties:
Here is the linky for your tea
related posts...please remember that it is SSSLLLOOOOOOWWWW but if you are
patient...it's there! I am so looking
forward to visiting you!
Love your rhododendron tea today, Ruth, with your pretty Aynsley teacup, pretty plate and teapot, and your pretty posie. The green tea sounds wonderful, too. Thanks so much for hosting and I hope you had a great Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteYour rhododendron tea is lovely, Ruth! Beautiful teacup and I love the transferware! Your book sounds delightful too. I know what you mean by wind. We are a windy province and it really does wreak havoc with the flowers. As always, your post is very interesting. Have a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sandi
Your tea cup is very elegant,love the colour!Gorgeous rhododendron tea! Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteYour rhododendrons are so pretty! I'm also loving your beautiful Aynsley teacup. I picked up a green and gold Aynsley teacup at a church sale last weekend. I also had my eye on a red and gold Coalport, but as usual, my indecisiveness was someone else's gain. By the time I decided I liked it enough to take home, it was sold! Whoops! Thank you for hosting and enjoy your visit with friends.
ReplyDeleteRuth, lovely teacup - I do love red. Had some wonderful news on that front: Friend who is coming to visit next month is bringing me her Old Country Roses teaset that she no longer uses. I'm quite excited about it, but in keeping with my minimalist One In/One Out I must figure out before then what I can give away or donate to make room for it.
ReplyDeleteRuth, my cake today pairs beautifully with a strong cup of Assam with a small splash of milk. Every time I see rhododendrons (not often) I think of standing around a yellow one near the Bronte Parsonage Museaum years ago, discussing it with Vanessa Redgrave.
ReplyDeleteRuth:
ReplyDeleteI have this book too. I have been doing decoupage items with Edith Holden's pictures. Both artist are wonderful! Love your pretty plants. So sorry about your birdbath - you could use it for a fairy garden if it leaks.
Ruth:
ReplyDeleteI have this book too. I have been doing decoupage items with Edith Holden's pictures. Both artist are wonderful! Love your pretty plants. So sorry about your birdbath - you could use it for a fairy garden if it leaks.
Ruth, Love your rhododendron tea post. It is sad about the beautiful blue bird bath busted. Have a great day! Sylvia D.
ReplyDeleteWe have had terrible winds and a freeze just the other night. Some of my plants have taken a beating. Glad your Rhodie is recovering so well! The fallen bloom is beautiful! Both the teapot and postcard are perfect! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
Such a wonderful tea. Love the tea caddy spoon! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!
ReplyDelete