Tuesday, July 28, 2015

K is for Kettle and A Winner!



K is for Kettle

The kettle has a long and interesting history

having been used across times and cultures to

insure potable water by boiling away impurities.






Our Georgian copper kettle dates to 1870,

yet still continues to serve us well.

We purchased it in 1980s from

an antique dealer at the iconic London

Antiquarian Antiques Market on Kings Road.

One of the best and most useful souvenirs ever.




Image from ROCK A BYE BABY AND OTHER RHYMES, c1882
Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature in the Department of Special Collections and Area Studies, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida.


This 17th century nursery rhyme was written by a father

who observed his daughters tricking their brothers

to get them to go outside to play.

Seems the girls didn't want the rowdy boys around,

so they pretended to have a tea party, 

which of course the boys wanted no part of.

As soon as the boys took off,

the girls went about doing the things they liked to do

 without any rowdy boys to interrupt!




Photo by Debbie @ Mountain Breaths


Debbie @ Mountain Breaths

was my inspiration for K is for Kettle.

She recently attended the

MacKenzie-Childs' Annual Barn Sale,

and her new Courtly Check tea kettle

was among the treasures she scored at this year's sale.




Photo by Debbie @ Mountain Breaths


Debbie put the kettle on just for us

so we could all have tea.

Oh, I see some yummy muffins too.

Grab a cup and join me!





Speaking of tea,


Thanks to all who stopped by to visit our


Mad Tea 2015.

If you missed the party, click here.





In honor of 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland's

150th Anniversary

I invited my readers to leave a comment 

and to share their favorite character 

from Lewis Carroll's Alice.

Drumroll Please!

~  ~  ~  ~  


 Hands Down Favorite Alice Character 

The Chershire Cat


Alice 150th Anniversary Gift

Goes to

Christina Paul ~ Comment # 18

Congratulations, Christina!

Christina shared her own Mad Tea Party here.





Christina, please send me your mailing addy.

The White Rabbit  has a few tea time

things for your next Mad Tea Party.

~  ~  ~  ~

TAKING TEA WITH ALICE

Tea Time Napkins by Meri Meri

English Caramel Tea from Austin's Steeping Room

A Heart Shaped Tea Ball

~  ~  ~  ~

If you are an Alice fan,

perhaps you'll plan your own Mad Tea and join

Vanessa's Annual Mad Tea Party 2016.


Joining


Sarah
Sarah

The summer we married, my husband was in graduate school, and I was employed as a teacher. We took a portion of our savings that summer and purchased a sailboat. We christened our Catalina 22, “Hyacinths For The Soul” after Saadi’s poem. Our "Hyacinths" provided years of pleasure.

51 comments:

  1. Oh I'm so delighted! Thank You so much!!!

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  2. My hubby is always telling me he hopes I never have to choose between him and my MC CC tea kettle......hahhaaa

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  3. So great is your copper teapot, Sarah. And congratulations, Christina! Debbie's barn sale finds have me drooling too.

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  4. Hi Sarah, Your Georgian tea kettle is stunning. I am amazed that it is in such beautiful condition and I love the it still serves a useful purpose. Dianne

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  5. I absolutely adore your copper tea kettle!!!!!!

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  6. Your copper teakettle is a beauty, Sarah, and how well it's held up. It's a treasure for sure. Debbie's kettles are so pretty and look lovely in her garden.
    Yea for Christine! We all love a winner!!

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  7. Congratulations to Christina!
    Copper gleaming in the kitchen is always beautiful - years back I had some copper pans I displayed - somehow they eventually were replaced, and I do miss them.
    Hugs - Mary

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  8. K!! My favorite letter and such pretty kettles. Lovely! Congrats to Christina! How fun!

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  9. Fun post! Your copper tea kettle is wonderful!! And the Nursery Rhyme story is great, I had never heard that before.
    Happy Wednesday!
    GIna

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  10. Dearest Sara,
    That is a lovely copper tea kettle and it made me think of the one I had but that stayed behind in The Netherlands...
    Enjoy your summer.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  11. Your copper tea kettle is gorgeous and to think it is almost 150 years old! Have you ever had to have it retinned? Debbie's kettles are beautiful, too.

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  12. I love this post---the copper teapot is just wonderful. My mother gave me one when I got married and I thought it would get damaged if I used it. I'm sure it's stored away and I'll be elated when I get to it.

    Jane x

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  13. Didn't mean to sound frivolous with that...just funny how we store things until...when ever it's the right time!

    Jane

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  14. Congratulations to Christina! I'm mad for Debbie's Courtly Check tea kettle! Your copper kettle is a real treasure Sarah! Don't you wish it could tell some stories instead of just whistle? :)

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  15. What a wonderful copper tea kettle you have and how special that you bought it in England! The story behind the picture of the girls is cute. Congratulations to Christina on her win!

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  16. Hi Sarah, what a a great kettle and so special since you found it on a trip as a souvenir. I have a copper Kettle from my mom and dad that I treasure. I love to polish it up till it shines, even with the dents and screeches it serves me well! Congratulations to Christina, what a great anniversary gift.

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  17. Good Afternoon Sarah, Well, you took me back, Polly Put The Kettle On was a rhyme I used to sing to my daughters when they were little girls and as they grew older they sang it with me.
    Your Georgian copper kettle is gorgeous and how lovely that you use it.
    I have to tell you I love the black and white kettle it is very unusual.
    Best Wishes to you.
    Daphne

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  18. I love your copper kettle -- it is a beauty!

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  19. What a wonderful story and kettle Sarah! You and Debbie have so many fabulous McK-Chds things, from your totes to your kettles! Christina is one lucky lady! I would love to join the mad tea party next year! I will have to get my looking glass out :)
    Jenna

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  20. This was such a fun post to read! I loved the kettles and old illustration :)

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  21. I am just going to WOW!!! Love the tea kettles and poems and stories. Always enjoying the Mad Hatter Tea party post hope to join in one of these days.

    Cathy <;)

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  22. What an interesting post Sarah, what a special kettle you own I love the idea of all that history attached to it. And thanks for sharing the mad hatter tea party info I would love to join that next year. It was one of my favorite books from childhood... I hope you're enjoying your summer Sarah.
    xo
    Leslie

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  23. What a lovely story, and i love the kettle.

    Kathy

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  24. I love this! I am entranced with tea pots, even though I don't drink much tea. I have quite a few and just love looking at them from time to time... Your kettles are wonderful!

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  25. I love copper and I love MacKenzie Childs too so I got both in this post and really enjoyed them....Christine

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  26. Wonderful post for K ~ Love the copper kettle and others ~ Post and photos are all wonderful!

    Happy Weekend to you,
    artmusedog and carol

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  27. What a fun poem! I should have tried that when I was younger ;o) Your copper kettle is wonderful, and I agree that it was a special souvenir. You definitely have the eye for choosing interesting items Sarah!

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  28. I have a doll' house in my class room. Some boys tell me only for girls.

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  29. Oh, I am a little tea pot, too.
    Lovely post

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  30. Just read Alice in Wonderland over and over to 3 little boys. I think they like the story because of the book's popups!

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  31. A very nice and entertaining post.

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  32. Your kettle is beautiful. I have an old kettle myself, that I get tons of use out of.

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  33. Your kettle is beautiful. I have an old kettle myself, that I get tons of use out of.

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  34. Oh my, they're all so pretty. Love your copper and Debbie's courtly check. I found a colorful flowered one at the thrift store months back, and it lights up our kitchen. They have so much personality, don't you think?
    Happy pinks.

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  35. Your teapots are all lovely, Sarah. I still love copper although I'm not displaying it as much here in my Colorado home as I did in my NY house. Happy Pink Saturday!

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  36. I enjoy learning the origin of the nursery rhymes. When I was a kid, I thought Polly put the kettle on was a boring poem. Now, I understand why. :-)
    The View from the Top of the Ladder

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  37. I love this post and your tea displays are so pretty! I would love to have you post on my new blog hop—the Weekend Blog Hop at My Flagstaff Home (www.myflagstaffhome.com). It begins on Thursday evenings and lasts through the weekend, if you're interested.

    Jennifer

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  38. Oh how fun! I've enjoyed the Mad Tea Party many times as well. It is so much fun! And I LOVED reading the back story of Polly Put the Kettle On - Very fun to learn "the rest of the story." :)

    Have a lovely Pink Saturday -

    Kaye
    Sandwichinkrealestateinfo.com/water






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  39. The M. Childs teapot is fabulous! Love the cute story about the kettle! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  40. What a fun post, I love all the books and tea pots, especially the checkered one. How sweet the tea set, I still have mine from when I was little, I think I should get it fro a picture session. Thank you for stopping by to share on Friday Favorites this week!!!

    I do hope you have a wonderful week!!
    Karren

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  41. Wonderful post...I have a copper kettle and now I am wondering if it would polish up as nicely as yours....will have to do some research now♪ http://lauriekazmierczak.com/the-knack/

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  42. Lovely copper kettle- so historical looking! The MC tea kettles are whimsical. I have a friend who collects MC and I brought her a lidded enameled pot as a hostess gift when I visited her last month. Such a fun line of products. TFS :)

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  43. Hi Sarah! Oh, your copper kettle is wonderful. Boy it was really made well to last so long. The MC kettle is just darling! I read her post about going to the MC sale. What fun that would be. You always make me smile with your pretty and sweet posts. Hope you're doing well.
    be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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  44. Hi Sarah,

    I never knew the story behind that childhood rhyme; thanks for teaching me.

    Happy Blue Monday!

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  45. Oh I love tea sets and just adore the Alice in wonderland set.
    Have a great week!
    Joy @ Books and Life

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  46. Anything with tea makes me smile. I love the cooper tea kettle. You have a shared a huge smile for me today. Thanks and enjoy a wonderful week.

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  47. I am mad about butterflies so I think I have to say the butterfly one is my favourite but oh I wouldn't mind owning any of them they are all so nice.

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  48. Your copper kettle is wonderful! The history of its service (and that it continues to be used and loved) is amazing! The best kind of antique.

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  49. I always love seeing your Mckenzie Childs! Thanks for joining Home Sweet Home!

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  50. Such a kute link for the letter K.

    Love the kopper and the McKenzie Childs check one! That's a sale I'd love to go to.

    Thanks for linking to the letter K.

    A+

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  51. Happy Pink Saturday, Sarah. I am smiling that I have made it to K. I have loved the whistle of a tea kettle since I was a little girl. I have had my Alessi kettle for decades, and I still love it and the little red rooster whistle.

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Thank you to each of you who take the time to leave a comment. I read and appreciate each and every one and will respond to any questions. Your notes are the only way I know who has stopped in for a visit.