Sunday, November 19, 2017

The Delight Prescription

I look around my momentarily-dishevelled living room.  The ever-green pencil tree that has been up since December might look out of place on the last day of March, but not for long. A jaunty circlet of White feathers and pearls dons its top announcing that it will soon be spring.  Crystal-encrusted eggs in subtle hues of rose, violet, chartreuse, yellow and white adorn the branches and jeweller’s crystals in their second incarnation as dewdrops shimmer and shine and will continue to light the room until May Day. Posies of jonquils, pansies and miniature lilies are tucked into sparse areas. Gilded, jewel-toned birds with white down tails perch shyly amongst the finery. This year I have added diminutive porcelain cups and saucers, and teapots. Slowly but surely my home is putting on its Easter bonnet.
It has been a long, cold, unrelenting winter.  Snow seldom flies in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver but we have had plenty this year.  While we cannot lay claim to several feet of the white stuff, any small amount is more than enough to shut down commerce and render us storm-stayed.  Roads are cleared as quickly as our meagre supply of salt and manpower will allow. Sidewalks, however, remain impassable, sometimes for many days, making it especially hard for those of us who don’t drive, are disabled and have mobility issues.  To keep from going stark-raving shack-wacky, I turned my attention to home.




Over the years I have taken my cue from the seasons and decorated our little nest accordingly. But as one season eases into another, there are a few days when things look a bit worse for wear; the transitions can be chaotic.  Today is one of those days. The catch is that tomorrow I am booked for surgery to repair a perforated eardrum. I have no idea how I will respond to surgery or how long I will need to recover, but the doctor has said no strenuous housework for at least six weeks. 

The Valentine decorations are packed in their various boxes awaiting storage downstairs in the garage, I know what doesn’t get done today will have to wait a good long time.  Dusting, pillow fluffing, creating little vignettes of decor here and there, and vacuuming take their toll on my energy.  I am not growing old gracefully and have failed to make allowances for myself in keeping with my diminished health.  I set to work, and by the time I have surrendered to the inevitable, much has been accomplished. The only tasks left undone are the unenviable trip to the garage and the vacuuming of the floors.  Eric, poor fellow, will have to finish what I started.
 



The lazy pacific sun has fallen asleep, so I turn on the lights to the Christmas cum Valentine cum Easter Tree.  The shadows of dusk are transformed into something magical.  How does the warm glow soften each harsh shadow and shed its cheerful presence to every corner?  I can’t explain it, but I can enjoy it.  I nuzzle back into the cushions of the sofa, the warm cup of Cream of Earl Grey cradled in my palms, bringing as much contentment from its aroma as from its soothing taste. The Delight Prescription calms the soul and opens the heart to the possibilities of health and wholeness.  It gently brings to mind that the worries of today will pass and all will eventually be well.  “Be still and know...” a small voice whispers to my waiting spirit.                        

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Using Things and Valuing People






My mother collected, (but never used) beautiful teacups and saucers.  There they sat, too high up in the kitchen cabinetry even to be admired.  Caked in accumulated kitchen grease and dust, they were taken down every so often, gently cleaned in the sink and then redeposited on freshly-scrubbed shelves for safe keeping.  For years she mourned that she didn’t own a proper set of “good dishes”, Eventually her children gifted her with Old Country Roses when she was an old woman.  Alas, those dishes met with the same fate as the china cups. Cherished but unseen, they were considered too precious to be handled and too expensive to replace if t*God forbid!) they got chipped or broken! To my knowledge, Mom never got the chance to enjoy them. 




I believe this was the state of affairs in most homes of similar social standing.  Many people didn’t own Fine China and those who did felt that it was only to be used for “special” occasions that somehow seldom or never materialised.  Barely anything justified their use, no matter how august the circumstance.  Birthdays, wedding showers, baptisms, anniversaries, graduations and deaths of loved ones all fled by, and there the China sat, safe, unbroken, unused and, now-that-I-think-of-it, USELESS.             

This is Dogwood by Royal Albert, one of my sets that I love and use often!
Is it any wonder that Fine China has become less and less desirable to own by the proceeding generations?  People have suggested that these lovely things are no longer valued. Judging from the “oohs and ahhs” that emanate from my visitors when they see the collection of china lavishly incorporated into my home decor, I wonder if something else is afoot.  The shock-bordering-on-panic that accompanies my use of fine china to serve my guests for no reason other than that we are together for tea and I value their esteemed company makes me suspect a truth far more insidious. It is not that Fine China is undervalued, but that people have under-estimated their own worth.  I wouldn't want to be surrounded by beautiful things I didn't feel worthy of using.  What would be the use or the pleasure in that? 

Tea Art by my friend Wanda Burrill-Kowalczyk.  Two classy cats having tea, much like Wanda and I!  


A perspective that values things over people is misguided at best and immoral at worst.  In my house and in my life the opposite is true.  I have opted to use things, beautiful things, delicate things, breakable things, and to value people.  People are more important than things, even gorgeous things, even things as materially valuable to me as my very, very, best Fine China! This is the truth. A broken cup can be mended, or it can be disposed of and replaced.  A broken spirit is not so easily set right, and each of us is broken in some way.  It is as simple as that.


Chelsea was a lovely and lively six-year old caught up in the excitement of playing with my dog Charlie, as her young mother and I sat chatting in my living room one rainy October afternoon.  Given one of Charlie’s many toys, Chelsea was tossing it into the dining area. Charlie was intent on running after it and bringing it back to her so that it could be thrown again.  Unnoticed by the adults present, with each toss, Chelsea, was walking backwards, getting closer and closer to a collision with my antique oak occasional table. Inevitably, the heal of her stockinged feet hit one of the legs.  She lost her balance and fell.  Landing on her hip, settling finally on her bum,  she jarred the table and knocked a topiary teacup onto the floor with a crash. 

No-doubt about it, Chelsea felt she was in major trouble. Thankfully she had not hit her head, and she was not physically hurt, although a little shocked by the experience.When she realised the teacup had been broken in the process, she felt the gravity of having broken something that did not belong to her.  She dissolved into a torrent of tears, apologizing for destroying my beautiful china bauble.  My heart went out to her.  Ignoring the broken china at this point, I helped her up off the floor. “Hmmm”, I said, as I escorted her to sit next to me on the sofa. “my beautiful cup is broken, that’s for sure.  Did you do it on purpose?”  “No!”  she cried,  “It was an accident!” “I believe you, Chelsea and I accept your apology.  I;m so glad that you weren’t hurt.  Do you think the beautiful cup was more important to me than YOU?” No answer. “Well, since I believed you that it was an accident, I want you to believe me that as much as I liked the cup, you are much more important to me. Do you believe me?” “Yes”.  “Do you know why you are more important than the cup?”  No answer.  “Because the cup is just a thing but YOU are a person.  A person is much, much more precious than a thing.   People are more important than things, always. Do you think you can remember that?” “Yes”. Her relieved response was evidenced by a huge, toothy smile. So I lost a cup but gained a friend for life.                  

Friday, January 8, 2016

Reminders From My New-to-me Tea Trolley



If you are an afternoon tea enthusiast, you have no doubt seen or may even own a tea wagon or tea trolley.   The kind of lovely thing one might inherit from a mother or grandmother, this piece of tea paraphernalia very much like fine china,  is not in vogue at the moment.  Despite its current lack of status in popular culture, a tea trolley in good condition will fetch a hefty price at antique stores. Therefore as much as I admired them I didn't actually own one and figured I never would.  I couldn't justify the purchase of something so expensive yet seemingly frivolous, but ooooh, I wanted one! However,  as my husband often says when I express an interest in owning something we can't afford, or shouldn't indulge in,  "It is GOOD to want things!"      

I came across a tea wagon by serendipity, while shopping in a second hand store with my friends June and Ruth.  Ruth, one of those fortunate souls who had inherited a tea wagon from her mom, spied it not long after we walked through the door. "Oh, look Rose!  A Tea Wagon! And it even has the original glass-bottomed tray!" I thought to myself, they would ask a pretty penny for that.  Upon closer inspection though, I noticed several flaws in the piece, some prominent water stains, and a bit of veneer lifting from a place on its top.  Hmmm!  It was encrusted in dust and grime, and wasn't in stellar condition, but some day might be restored and until then, a strategically placed tea cloth would cover a multitude of sins.  I wondered.  To my surprise, the price was staggeringly low.,an unqualified steal of a deal. But, it was still more money than I had in my purse.  I was a bit of a regular in this establishment and it was one of those places where you didn't dicker and you didn't ask them to hold things. You bought things outright, and the price was the price.  It was then my friend June noticed that an acquaintance of hers was working in the store, and as it turned out, was the manager.  They chatted amiably and she mentioned that I was interested in the tea wagon.  I reticently acknowledged that it was lovely, and the price was excellent, but that I didn't have that kind of money at my disposal at the moment.  I was surprised when she countered with "How much would you be willing to pay for it?"   While I could see my way clear to spending X-amount, which was slightly lower than the ticket price,  I would not "nickel and dime" her .  I asked what SHE would be willing to let it go for.  Her response?  What did I think of  (picture a price WELL below the asking price)? Seriously?  What a BARGAIN! This was one of those opportunities that might not happen again but alas I was still a measly twenty dollars short, and ready to walk away, wagon-less, because I just knew that I couldn't ask her to break the "no holding" rule, it wouldn't be right. Called away to handle a situation in the back room, the manger left me to come to a decision, but I walked away sadly from the tea cart.  My friends were flabbergasted!  I explained my dilemma and hoped that when I was able to get back with the proper funds the tea wagon would still be there, but something told me it wouldn't.  That is when my friend Ruth came up with a solution.  She would lend me the money, and I could pay her back when she dropped me off at home.  The deal sealed, I headed home with my prized acquisition.

In January 2012 I began treatment for a chronic condition I had suffered with for thirty four years. It involved the tight bandaging of my legs, from toes to knees for 10 to 12 hours a day.  Over the next several months the swelling in my legs diminished and the infections which continuously plagued me had all but disappeared.  It was a triumph that had taken its time in coming  and had arrived with a hefty price tag.  I had always hoped that there would be a cure one day, but instead I was handed a life sentence.  There is no panacea for what ails me, merely a method of management which is awkward, hot, bulky and unattractive.  That same week I was diagnosed with osteo-arthritis in my knees.  Between the bandaging and the arthritis pain, I was finding it increasingly hard to walk and impossible to manage stairs without the help of a railing.

One Sunday, four months into treatment,  I was scheduled to read scripture in my church's  morning worship service. The six small stairs (alas, with no accompanying railing) which led to the pulpit seemed like an entire flight. I was feeling apprehensive and unsteady.  It was no great surprise to me that  I stumbled on the second stair.  My chin hit the carpet with a dull thud to a thunderous gasp from the congregation.   I picked myself up, proceeded to the pulpit, and read Scripture, seemingly unfazed.  In fact though I felt embarrassed  and demoralized!

That afternoon as I tearfully bemoaed the situation to a friend, my eyes lit upon my beautiful new-to-me tea trolley. I was reminded of just how blessed my life is, regardless of the challenges.  God is so immeasurably good to me.  He provides me with everything I need and then, time and again, he treats me to something special, an unexpected extravagance.  This serendipitous bit of whimsy was just that; nothing I needed, but something I had always wanted.  I felt an urging, not exactly a voice encouraging me to open the drawer of the tea wagon, Excusing myself from  the conversation, I opened it finding what I had placed there , my collection of silver plated coffee spoons in a reseal-able plastic bag to keep them from tarnishing.  Perplexed momentarily, I distractedly scanned the left-hand vertical surface of the drawer and an insignia fairly jumped out at me.  Gibbard.   How could I not have noticed this before?  This was no ordinary tea trolley yet I had completely overlooked its pedigree.   Gibbard, established in 1835 was a noteworthy Canadian furniture manufacturer based in Napanee, Ontario which employed master craftsmen .  To own a Gibbard was to own the best of workmanship. Yes, it had seen better days, had noticeable scars and needed some restoring, but it was, none-the-less,  a valuable piece of workmanship.  A master's hands had created it, and placed the company's label upon it.   I was reminded that the battle-worn tea wagon and I had a lot in common.  

The Bible tells us that we were "fearfully and wonderfully made." by the greatest crafts person in the universe. We are of inestimable value not only because He made us, but because He has placed His own image on us. We carry the maker's mark and we are each a one-of-a-kind creation.  Life however, is not easy. and it leaves its cruel scratches on our once-pristine finish.   Ill-health had taken its toll on me and  my self confidence was battered.  It was tempting to think that I was worthless, but God reminded me through the medium of my lovely new-to-me tea trolley, that I, like the trolley will one day be restored to my former glory. Sadly and all-to-often I am insistent on moping over things that are of little eternal significance.  However, on  rare occasions  I see my bandages and osteo-arthritis being  cast off like a moth-eaten garment for the freedom and healing of heaven. Like the view of a butterfly's diaphanous wing  caught on the periphery of my vision I perceive it and it is gone, but it is none-the-less stunning and real for my fleeting awareness of it.  One day " I will be changed, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye"; I will be effortlessly restored by the touch of the Master's hand.  This world is not all there is, praise God from whom all blessings flow,  even the whimsical, inconsequential but oh-so-lovely blessing of a new-to-me tea trolley.                  










     

Monday, April 22, 2013

Saying Good-bye to Nova Scotia's Queen of Hearts

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Rita MacNeil
Arms outstretched in welcome
Looking like the down-home royalty she was, in her gorgeous red frock!



In just under 15 minutes,(2:00 pm EST) folks back home will bid their fondest farewell to Rita MacNeil at St. Mary's Church in Big Pond Nova Scotia.  I am there in spirit.  It is just so hard to say a final good-bye to her  but given all the music she has left us, I suppose we don't have to, thankfully.


     
 
 
 
 
 
 
                   

 
 
 

She embodied all that we as Nova Scotians hope the world sees in us; honesty, humility,  a passion for hard work, respect for others, love for family, community, a good ceilidh , and the ability to let down our hair, kick off our shoes and testify to the goodness of God! One news report noted that Rita's cremated remains have been put in a white teapot that bears her name.  It seems appropriate and I think she would have smiled demurely and loved the simplicity of it. Something tells me it might even have been her idea! A woman after my own heart, was our Rita!

In my research over the past few days, I came across an on-line video of a young Rita, perched on a rock at a beach somewhere ( I am assuming a Cape Breton beach) singing away like the song bird she was, accompanied by a lone guitarist.   It was truly something to hear, not the Rita of her famous later years, (her beloved voice tempered by experiences, many of them painful and heartbreaking).  The vibrato was  untempered, the quality naïve, youthfully hopeful, and full of potential.  A beautiful, buxom lass,  her dark hair in two braids, her complexion like polished porcelain, and always the shyness reflected there, but not as yet OUR Rita. Ah, girl, you aged well m' dear and we all were the better for it. 
 
Thank you, generous lady, for sharing your life and your beautiful music with us.  We were hungry and you gave us bread, we were thirsty and you gave us drink.  God has noticed.  Rest now in the bosom of your beloved homeland, you queen of Nova Scotia's heart.  RIP Rita.                  

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Farewell Rita! Saying Goodbye to An East-Coast Legend and a Canadian Icon.



I received news today that Rita MacNeil died yesterday in Sydney, Nova Scotia, not far from her beloved home of Big Pond, Cape Breton. 

It was one of those moments when your reality shifts and is never the same again.  Rita, gone!  I took the news like I had lost a dearly beloved friend, and I guess that in a way I did

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The Celtic lilt of Rita's voice was hauntingly beautiful. It poignantly bespoke the brokenness we all share.    It chronicled the disappointments, longings and triumphs of a life of  inner struggle and hard work. She sang from her heart and testified to her honest truth; she was happiest in the place where she drew her first breath and her last. 

As an expatriate Nova Scotian I was moved to tears each time I heard her sing of our beloved province. A passion for the rugged shores of our east coast homeland was a cherished obsession that we held in common.  It bonded us as sisters even though we never met officially.  Knowing that she had not only managed to make it home, but was well-beloved there, I pray that I will one day do the same.  I have often thought that if it happened for Rita, it might just happen for me someday.  Here's hoping.

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"Drop by for a cuppa tea.  The kettle is always on!"  This common Nova Scotian  invitation was  one which Rita took to heart with great success. Several years ago, Eric and I stopped by for a cuppa at Rita's Tea Room while in Cape Breton visiting with Eric's recently widowed mom.  It seemed not at all unusual that the grand dame was there that day, greeting patrons, having her picture taken with all and sundry and chatting amiably to anyone who approached her.
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I viewed the scene, feeling great affection for this gentle soul, but chose not to impose upon her myself, as like the great lady, I suffer at times with shyness.  I trusted there would be another time, but of course now there won't be; however I have no regret.  It seemed right at the time, it still does and  I wouldn't change a thing.  I loved her and enjoyed her company from afar; my awkward conversation would have gilded the lily. 

Farewell sweet lady.  I miss you already. 


Sunday, April 14, 2013

The Healing Tea Cup


            
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A beautiful cup and saucer filled to "just below the brim" with a steaming spot of splosh contains a balm for the spirit and the body, regardless of the type of tea it cradles.  Oh, when will I learn to turn to this simple act of healing when in the midst of my life's many stresses and strains? Slowly, slowly the realization dawns upon me.  It is MY choice to embrace the healing which will lead to a  beautiful and creative life , and nothing and no one can keep me from it but myself.   "Calm down, dear one, make yourself a cup of tea and think on good things." says the friend who truly knows and loves me.  God, who loves beyond all measure, says it in another way if only I would heed the call of Scripture.
".... whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Philippians 4:8).  
For me there are  few better postures in which to ponder this sagacious principle than sitting comfortably with a  teacup in hand, sipping a full-flavored tea and abandoning myself to worshipful thoughts of our wonderful God who has filled this life with many honorable, lovely and commendable realities to focus our rapt attention upon. Even in the midst of all that is wrong in my life, when I view things from this blessed vantage point, I am inspired to look beyond the insignificant ugliness.   I am strengthened to strategically plan  how I can be part of the solution to whatever upsetting circumstance is vexing my soul and body.  I am emboldened to respond lovingly to whatever life hands me and not to merely react in fear or anger.- 

-copy write Darlene Rose Hominick  






















Tuesday, April 9, 2013

An Inadvertent Embarassment of Riches

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Footed Cup & Saucer Set in the First Love pattern by Paragon
First Love by Paragon



tea



....A Steaming Spot of Splosh from a Gleaming Silver Teapot
into An Old Country Rose Cup!  What a delight!


Wedgwood Royal Homes of Britain


My Newest China !  The Royal Homes of Britain by Wedgewood




When my husband Eric and I announced our intention to marry some twenty years ago, we were not exactly your average engaged couple.  While all of our friends had married at relatively young ages, I was 36 and Eric was nearly forty when we "tied the knot".  I felt pressure to be "mature" about our wedding plans, so we had a small, simple ceremony and a minimalist wedding reception that was nice but not in any way extravagant. Even though I loved dishes, I didn't choose a china pattern and didn't put our name on a wedding gift registry.  I felt that all that "hooferah" was meant for younger couples and might be construed as inappropriate for people of our advanced years.  I don't know where I got these silly notions, and had I to do it over again, I would throw caution to the wind and indulge in whatever nuptial celebratory fancies  we might take a shine to.  However, I married the man of my dreams and have no intention of trading him in for a younger, richer or more handsome model and I suspect he feels the same way about me, so that ship has definitely sailed. My desire to "act my age" meant that we started off our married life with very few material possessions.  However, as we look forward to our 19th wedding anniversary this coming July, I am grateful that we have been blessed with not only a strong marriage but with a great many beautiful "things" along the way, not the least of those including not one but THREE beautiful sets of dinner china!

 I can't explain why in my mid forties my preferences changed so drastically, but for whatever reason, be it altered taste, or just missing my mom, I fell in love with Old Country Roses  with inexplicable passion.  I was over the moon when at Christmas time Eric gifted me with a setting for four, including dinner, bread, and side plates, cups and saucers and rimmed soup bowls.  I received the self same set the next Christmas giving me a setting for eight, and the teapot, creamer, sugar bowl and coffee pot followed shortly thereafter.  For our fifteenth wedding anniversary my dear friend, June gifted us with a matching platter, and I have picked up a few smaller pieces here and there at garage sales and second hand stores.  To my mind I was all set.  I used my OCR for special occasions like Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and Birthdays.  Determined that they would not just sit and look pretty I also used them to serve afternoon tea to friends, or even when I was by myself sipping a solitary spot of splosh over the reading of a good book.  What I soon realized is that the using of my OCR made the occasion, whatever it might be, special and memorable for my guests as well as for me, so I used it more and more, and to date, have yet to break or chip any of it.  In fact I was told by a friend who knows a lot about these things, that using china makes it stronger, because as the dishes are washed , they are hydrated and made more durable. She encouraged me to use my China at least three times a year, and I am committed to do so, both to enjoy and protect them.

Two years ago a friend arrived at my door with several cardboard boxes filled with china. She was the executor of an estate that included a not-quite complete set of Royal Albert  White Dogwood . I had never seen this particular pattern before.  It boasted a spray of ( you guessed it!)  white dogwood flowers with green leaves and a gold border.  I couldn't decide if I like it or not, so I left it out on my coffee table until I could make a decision on it.  Meanwhile another friend showed up at my door with ANOTHER incomplete set of china, Royal Albert American Beauty. (pale pink roses on white china with a gold rim)  Comparing the two sets, I soon decided that I preferred the White Dogwood .  I offered the American Beauty to a friend who was more than delighted to take it and add to it so as to give it to one of her grand daughters.  Meanwhile, I now had two sets of china, one for the summer and one for the winter, and was always on the look-out for occasions to use each set at least three times a year to enjoy and protect them.




Vintage Royal Albert American Beauty Pink Rose China Teacup Trio

...American Beauty china pattern



Last summer, while with hubby on one of our many Saturday garage sale excursions, I came across a lady who was selling her gorgeous blue and white Wedgewood China, The Royal Houses of England .  I acknowledged them as being beautiful, but I passed them by quickly thinking that I could never afford to pay what she was PROBABLY asking for them.  After all, we are talking WEDGEWOOD, and that said one thing to me.  It would be way too expensive for me. to even consider.  I did buy a lovely blue and white Sadler Tea Pot from her that would certainly coordinate with my everyday Blue Willow and which cost me the paltry sum of $5.00, but I would not ask about the price of the  Wedgewood, as I just knew her answer would break my heart and probably my bank. As I was perusing other finds, Eric asked me if I had seen the Wedgewood.  Of course I had, but it was out of the question.  So, he inquired, did I think that it was not worth her $50.00 asking price?  Well, it surely was, but with 6 place settings at $50.00 per setting that would be $300.00 dollars and that was certainly more than we had to spend.  Fact was however, she was asking $50.00 for the entire 6 place settings!  I couldn't believe my ears!  Surely there was some mistake.  This WAS Wedgewood, after all.  There was no mistake.  She was an elderly woman who was going into a nursing home.  Her only daughter  was not interested in the china, although she had had it  overly- conservatively appraised for $800.00 at a local antique store that would take it and sell it on consignment.  She decided to just put it in the garage sale and see if she could get $50.00 dollars for it.  I tried to tell her  that it was worth much more than $50.00 dollars, but she explained that it was getting late in the day and that I was the ONLY ONE who had shown any interest in it at all.  She was sure that I would enjoy it  and use it, and she really wanted it to go to someone who would value it.  She was sure I was that person.  If I would pay her $50.00 dollars for the set, she would GIVE me the blue and white Sadler for free.  Now I  have three sets of china, all of them lovely  I have one for Winter (Old Country Roses) one for Spring (The Royal Houses of England)  and one for Summer (White Dogwood) I am bound and focused to use them each three times per year for my enjoyment and their protection.

Last week I was sad to learn that my dear friend Kristin had lost her beloved Dad quite suddenly and unexpectedly.  Her mom had died some years earlier. Kristin and her younger sister are lovely  women but with no interest in china. As Kristin was in the process of packing up her parents' home, she thought of me as she looked at her mom's china collection.  She has no idea what the name of the pattern is, but she knows I will love it.  Would I be interested in having it?  Well,  there is always Fall to be considered.  What an embarrassment of riches I enjoy!                
         

I am also joining these ladies for...


~ Metamorphose Monday @
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/decorating-for-easter/


~ Teacup Tuesday @ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.ca/



~ Tabletop Tuesday with Marti @ http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2013/03/157th-table-top-tuesday_25.html



Also...



~ A Return to Loveliness with Kathy@ http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Teatime Tuesday and also Home blog party on Wednesday with Sandi @ http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/


~ Friends Sharing Tea (on Wednesday) @ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.ca/ 


~ Wow Us Wednesdays @ http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/ and also @

~ Home And Garden Thursday @ http://www.adelightsomelife.com/2013/04/home-and-garden-thursday-18.html

~ Tablescape Thursday  @ 
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

... and also @
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/easter-table-setting-with-bunny-plates-and-baby-chicks/

 ~ Show And Tell Friday @
http://romantichome.blogspot.ca/2013/03/easter-decor-show-and-tell-friday.html

~ Feathered Nest Friday @
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.ca/2013/04/feathered-nest-friday.html

~ Festive Friday Fiesta @
http://the-home-girl-blog.blogspot.ca/2013/04/festive-friday-fiesta-link-party-5-and.html

~ Saturday Show Off / Easter Show Off @
http://maleviksrosentradgard.blogspot.se/2013/03/easter-show-off.html


~ Seasonal Sundays @
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.ca/2013/04/carnegie-hallseasonal-sundays-145.html



http://theteatrolley.blogspot.ca/2013/04/an-inadvertent-embarassment-of-riches_9.html


Regards, Scone Queen Rose


Comments:

2 comments:

  1. So enjoyed reading your story. Sometimes God just blesses us because he loves us. Enjoy your china. Have a great day!
    Reply

    Replies


    1. Thank you Graceful Rose for your very kind comments. I have been on a rather long blogger nap for the past two years or so and it was wonderful to have you respond to my first post in many a year! I look forward to seeing what you are up to on your lovely blog! thank you from the bottom of my heart!