Tea on Tuesday - Come In From the Cold For Tea

Tea on Tuesday Celebrating Autumn

Sunday Shadows ~ Tea on the Porch

Sunday Shadows and Morning Tea on the Porch

With Childhood Friends

Mornings on the porch are lovely when Mr. Sun creeps into the day and casts his light as if he is performing a dance. The graceful light and gentle shadows create the perfect ambiance for morning tea on the porch.

Let's move in a little closer and join the tea party.

Morning tea is served from a sweet

Quimper service in a cheerful soleil pattern.

For afternoon tea ~ a little table perfectly set in the corner of the kitchen.

Tea and Sunday shadows are magical all through the day.

Mad Hatter Tea Party ~ Reprise

Oh my! The date is here, and I'm remiss.

It's time for the Mad Tea @ A Fanciful Twist.

The 2011 Mad Party that I've been planning in my mind's eye is, well, still right there. Life seems to have taken over recently, and there is no new Mad Tea Party to post. The best I can do is a reprise of the Mad Tea Party here @ HFTS last summer. I do hope that's acceptable.

Thank you to our amazingly creative hostess,

Vanessa @ A Fanciful Twist

and a warm welcome to all,

both new party guests and those who attended last year!

Hurry please. 

 We can't be late.

Ah, there it is.

In the clearing near that odd little house,

its roof thatched with fur.

Yes, yes, 

this must be the right place.

The time, the time! 

 We must not be late!

There he is!

It's the Mad Hatter himself,

our infamous host for this curious afternoon tea.

~ The Mad Tea Party!~

Let the fun begin.

Oh, my. It is a rather curious tea party, indeed!

Alice is here.

See there she is

sitting in her big comfy arm-chair.

No doubt she is very tired after

swimming through her pool of tears.

Please do sit down. 

 How about this chair here?

Yes, dear, the one near Tweedledee.

Or is it Tweedledum?

Oh, no matter.

Quick, find yourself a cup.

Better be quick!

I hear the rattle of the tea cups 

of this never ending meal.

Wonderful choice!

Let me pour 

you a cup of tea.

And cake . . .

you must have a slice of this!

It's a delicious cake of curious talking flowers.

A cherry or two 

with a mushroom cap?

Yes, it truly is 

a splendid afternoon!

What's that?

Do you see a grin looking 

down upon the festivities?

Is it? Could it be?

Yes, it must be the Duchess' Cheshire-Cat!

No doubt he'll be disappearing and

popping up all about the party.

I do think he's after 

another one of the mushroom caps.

Oh, the happy days of summer!

"Take some more tea . . . "

There's plenty for everyone.

Do take another 

mushroom cap or two.

What a delightfully 

curious afternoon tea!

"So she sat on, with closed eyes, and

half believed herself in Wonderland . . ."

Time flies!

"Would you tell me, please,

which way I ought to go from here?"

Most certainly you will want to go

~HERE ~

for more Mad Tea Parties

~HERE~

for Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

~HERE~

for Tea in the Garden @ Bernideen's Tea Time

~HERE~

for Sunday Favorites @ Happy to Design

~HERE~

for Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

~HERE~

for Tuesday Tea for Two @ The Plumed Pen

~HERE~

for Tea Time Tuesday @ Rose Chintz Cottage

If you missed my post on

Alice in Wonderland in Central Park

~ Click here~

Alice, Cheshire-Cat, Mad Hatter, White Rabbit

Needlepoint figures from Petei Designs, stitched in the 1980s

http://www.petei.com/line_list/line_alice.htm

Miniature Tea Set - Paul Cardew Designs

A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS by Trygg & Poshek

A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS

By Koren Trygg & Lucy Poshek

A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS , an Antioch Gourmet Gift Book, is a petite book of cherished Christmas traditions. It's the perfect size to slip into someone's stocking, and though out of print, it can be found here on Amazon.

This delightful book credits the Victorians for the "classic, festive holiday we cherish today". It was during the 19th century and Queen Victoria's reign that many of the age old customs were revived, "emphasizing their romantic and religious significance". The Christmas tree, a German tradition, dates to the 16th century. When Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, a German, she wanted him to feel at home and had a Christmas tree brought into the palace. Thus the practice of decorated Christmas trees became fashionable in British homes.

Gingerbread cookies decorated with red sugar were often hung on the trees for decoration.

Most of the ornaments were handmade.

Glass ornaments later became the fashion.

The Victorians took the pagan idea of hanging greens in the house as a welcomed opportunity to use wreaths and garlands of fresh greens to "dress up their homes in the spirit of the holidays".

The custom of Christmas cards dates fromVictorian times. The typical greeting of the time is the same as today, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You."

Traditions of Christmas stockings, according to British legend, date from "when Saint Nicholas dropped some gold coins along with his gifts down a chimney. The coins would have fallen through the grate but were caught by a stocking that had been hung to dry on the hearth. Ever since then, children have been leaving their shoes or stockings to be filled on Christmas Eve."

Victorians loved their sweets and began preparing marmalades, jams, jellies, puddings, and cakes months ahead.

By December they began baking cookies and breads.

The last two chapters are devoted to special recipes that can be used as gifts from your kitchen or to host your own Victorian Christmas Feast. I selected the recipe for Old-Fashioned Gingerbread to share for Food For Thought because gingerbread is my favorite.

It's cold outside, so come on in by our cozy fire . . .

Where you can enjoy a cup of hot tea and a piece of gingerbread fresh from the oven.

"Had I but a penny in the world, thou shouldst have it for gingerbread."

William Shakespeare

Click the link below to see more FFT Edible Reviews

Joining Jain @ Food For Thought

Jain has invited everyone to visually share favorite holiday books during the month of December. I hope you'll join in with some of your favorite books, illustrating them with treasured collectables, holiday decorations, or food from the kitchen.

Also linking to:

A Few of My Favorite Things

Bargain Hunting & Chatting With Laurie

Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper

Silver Sunday @ Gypsy Fish Journal

Tea Time Tuesday @ Rose Chintz Cottage

Tuesday Tea for Two @ The Plumed Pen

Tea Time Tuesday @ Lady Katherine's

A Return to Loveliness @ A Delightsome Life