Pages

Monday, March 30, 2020

Cocooning With Forget Me Nots and a Dessert Flop!

Life is interesting at the moment... it is not much of a change for us, both what is now termed elderly, and with the Parkinson's Disease my husband is enduring which has shrunk our world anyway in the last year...
but we do feel for the families with children in our neighborhood. 
As a mother and former kindergarten teacher, I remember how hard it was to keep them occupied and happy!
My heart and prayers go out to you!


We happily spend time with a book and a cup of tea... business as usual...
but for you it is ANYTHING but normal!


I did manage to remember to photograph an afternoon tea in the sunroom with some newly acquired Adderley, England Forget Me Not china this week on a sort of sunny day...


The tea tray is on my grandmother's Victorian rocker... a family treasure to me...


I have added one of my Edwardian hand made tray cloths... I do love them!



I was thrilled to recently find a partial teaset in the gorgeous blue and white Forget Me Not pattern by Royal Adderley, England from the 1960s...


The pretty swirl molded bone china is so pretty! This is a nice big teapot holding 44 ounces for lots of cups of tea!


Adderley in various formations started in 1885 as William Alasager Adderley... W.A.A. & Co., became Adderleys in 1906, and produced until the war stopped production. It was one of the first potteries to reopen after the war with government help, then went through several amalgamations with Myott, the Adderley Group, Lawley's and  in 1952 became a Ridgway & Adderley Ltd.
The marka above as well as Adderley were used between 1964-1971 when it was acquired by Royal Doulton and became part of what I call the slice and dice , and discontinued in the mid 1970s. 


I love these Wallace Silver, USA Baroque pattern silver plated napkin rings...


They havd a pretty floral repousse band and are silver plated. I love silver on the tea table!


You can just see the mark inside...


And of course we need a cream and sugar bowl, matching the teapot...


And of course, matching teacups...


slightly different mark, but still during the same time frame. Both marks were used at nearly the same time...


Lastly, one of the fun finds I have made in the recently is another sterling silver teapot spout drip catcher. 
They are quite difficult to find, and I always love when I do.
This is by Manchester Silver, USA from the 1890-1904. I have previously had Gorham and several English companies as well. So elegant!



And I had decided it was time to make us something, but was running short of eggs, so decided to use a powdered egg substitute... well, I had a flop!


e all love to share our successes, but... this is not one of them!!!

The Lemon Blueberry loaf cake rose up beautifully and tested done. But when I came back into the kitchen to turn it out onto a rack as directed in the recipe, it had shrunk to about 2 inches in height!



The only change I made was the usual with my almond milk instead of the regular and the egg replacer for 2 eggs...



Oh well... it did taste good, and we enjoyed it, but I think I will wait to make it again when some eggs are available!


Hoping your week goes well, and you can find some enjoyment with tea, books, and things to make you remember how blessed we really are!

Monday, March 23, 2020

Cocooning With Virus in the Neighborhood


Well, that might not be strictly true, but I like the sound of it.
We are "cocooning"... as the English Women's Institues... or W I's decided was a better name than Social Isolation.


I have to add... prayer to that, but...

Our neighbor 3 doors down was diagnosed with Covid-19 virus this week. She and her husband had gone to Seattle... a virus hot spot... earlier in the month and met friends. Then a cold, she thought which put her in hospital with pneumonia. She tested positive for the virus.
She is home recuperating at home, but it brings it very close.
We have been basically cocooning since the first of the month as my husband's Parkinson's disease and age as well as history of respiratory issues make high a high risk. 
Both his GP and neurologist contacted us and said stay in!


Right now, we are very conscious of the blessings we have, and are... indeed... grateful for the small things.

I found this list of things to do when cocooning on Pinterest, and thought it might inspire someone, or remind someone of things to do if you are bored... I have been working on cleaning, working on the business, enjoying more reading time, chats with my husband and cross stitch...
how about you?


Monday, March 16, 2020

Irish Farewell Welcoming Spring Social Distancing



Last week in March page from a Marjolein Bastin diary calendar from a few years ago...

Hope you have a lovely St. Patrick's Day tomorrow...I made corned beef and cabbage this last weekend in my Crock-Pot Express Pot Instant Pot which turned out very well... it's an appliance I use A LOT!


And enjoying the Shamrock patterned teacups before they disappear 'til next year...



And our last Irish treats for dessert last night...a friend gave us some little cupcakes with green frosting and shamrock sprinkles...so cute...and tasty!
And I know you've seen my Shelley Shamrock teacup before....

The saucer is one of my Shelley spares... a Melody Chintz... used because it is predominantly green.


So Saint Patrick's Day is past, and Thursday March 19th is the official meterological first day of spring...are you ready?


From Victoria magazine...a quote from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow...

If spring came but once
in a century, instead of once a year,
or burst forth with the sound
of an earthquake, and not in silence,
what wonder and expectation
would there be in all our hearts
to behold the miraculous change.


I COULD wish it didn't have the accompanying pollen, but....especially when this year with the COVID-19 every sneeze and runny nose is looked at askance. Being a lifetime allergy sufferer it is distressing!
Caring for my husband with Parkinson's Disease and already underlying respiratory issues is concerning.
For the last week we have been on social distancing... missing neighborhood parties, etc., but it is what we need to do.




But... we have each other, a full pantry, even Toilet paper! Lol!
And are well supplied with tea. We are drinking our usual black with green and ginger, so we are quite happy reading and enjoying a bit of an enforced break.
Our daughter and son in law are due to arrive here on April 1st in their trailer from Utah while they build on the property this summer, but I am wondering if that will be delayed... we will just have to see.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Irish Shamrock Tea Tray For St. Patrick's Day


I think it's been said, that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day....
and I had that is mind for my tea tray this week...


I usually have a few Shamrock patterned pieces around, so figured this was the perfect time for them!

It's always nice thinking about St. Patrick's Day because it is late in March and April and spring is in sight!

Last week, I shared the white and gold Golden Crocus pattern by Aynsley, England... and this week the maker and shape is the same, the Crocus shape, but the pattern is...


Shamrocks! 



And if you have followed this blog, you may remember that I have mentioned that not all designs are exclusive to specific potteries, but that a number of decal makers sell their designs to potteries who don't have their own designers or the facilities to make their own...
Look carefully at the Shamrocks above on the Aynsley teapot, then here is the teacup and saucer... but by another maker...



The pattern is identical, although made in this case by Salisbury, England.
Both pieces were made in the 1950s, and sourced the Shamrock pattern from the same place.
Aynsley was not related at this point to Salisbury, but the pattern was also used on Royal Stafford which was a sibling of Salisbury under Thomas Poole.
I love when I find a pattern I recognize from another maker!
Such fun... and so easy to coordinated pieces for a look if you don't mind differing maker's marks.



I made a package of Irish Fruit Scones I got for Christmas, and Thompson's Irish Breakfast Tea which is a blend I like.


I put some scones out on a Wedgwood green and white jasperware pedestal comport or tazza which was the perfect size for the tea tray....


No shamrocks, grapevines actually, but I don't have much that us green...



And am using a spare Shelley Dainty Shamrock saucer as a plate...





I added some sweet 1950s Holmes & Edwards, USA Silver Fashion butter knives for spreading Irish butter on the scones...


And on the Aynsley cup and saucer... in a swirl shape, not the Crocus shape, we have something to strain the tea...


This aluminum tea strainer has a 4 leaf clover cut out on the finial!
So cute! 
Funny thing, it was made in Germany in the 1930s.


And to hold some jam for the scones... I found this little crystal jam dish... I thought it reminded me of a Hedgehog, which I love... it has eyes and a snout and was made by Anchor Hocking in the 1970s, bur may be a marriage of the bottom of a fish dish with another lid... but I think it's cute!



And lastly for a cream and sugar for the tea...


a large individual cream and sugar from 1963 by Wedgwood, England in green and white jasperware.


You don't see the green and white quite as often. This set has the same marks as the pedestal compost. 
So sweet!

Thanks for joining me for tea, and I hope you have a marvelous St. Patrick's Day and wish you all the luck and blessings of the Irish!