T Stands for Red Letter Day

 

Tuesday last was a Red Letter Day for me. What better way to spend it than with my buddy, Teague. We celebrated with ice cream. I had a mini Cookie Dough Blizzard and a Vanilla Coke.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

And Suddenly

the leaves popped. Along with allergies.

 

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Potential Wish

Daffodils still putting on a good show

Anne from Anne's Creative Cornucopia had sent me some Fern Leaf Bleeding Heart Seeds. They didn't come up last year and I was hoping that's what these are, but somehow I don't think so.

Iris

Vinca

Rotrow. Looks like I'm losing the Zensical Garden to raised beds.

Up in the woods, daylily or iris?

some ivy

Forsythia

Dirt boats. I assume for the raised beds. Hey, Kid! Why wouldn't you wait to put the innards in the raised bed before4 you filled it with soil?

Some new floral solar lights which will have to be moved before next week when the lawn guy comes to mow the lawn. Hint. Hint.

The prettiest flower

How does your garden grow?

Happy, Little, Time Waster

 

Why Japanese Calligraphy Ink Is So Expensive 

The Friday Five Good Things

 Five good things that happened this week.

1. I had an alien abduction (a very long nap where you have no idea what time it is when you wake up)

2. Tuesday was a Red Letter Day. Celebrated with a Dairy Queen mini-Blizzard

3. The Skecher sneakers I ordered arrived.

4. 2 play days this week with Teague

5. A trip to the Skecher store to exchange the sneakers for a smaller size.

How was your week?

Happy Mail

A pretty envelope

The Tabby Love stamp, one of my favorites.

Such a pretty unbirthday card, front and back as it's not my birthday. Inside a note from the Food Service Girl and Mackerull. The tall card format was perfect so they didn't have to put too many folds in

this beautiful butterfly coloring page.

Thank you, FSG and Mackerull, you made my day.

Whatcha Doin?

 

I'm waiting for UPS to deliver my new sneakers. Whatcha doin?

T Stands For Tea

 

Blog post from April 15, 2010 and one of my favorite pictures of Ink:

With lousy weather, feeling crummy, and schedules finally syncing schedules, my friend, Red, was able to come over for tea. Several months back over steaming mugs of tea, Red mentioned she was looking for a china teapot. How she would love to use the china. Got me thinking because I have several teapots, china cups, and a china tea set which belonged to my mother. She  gave the tea set to me a few years ago. These items live in a curio cabinet and are not used. I thought setting the table with the china would seem pretentious. On the other hand, it seemed a shame not to use the fine china.

Ma bought the tea set when she first moved to the house where I grew up. She wanted something nice to have to serve the ladies tea. She found the tea set at Jordan Marsh. Most likely it was on sale as Ma was keen for the thrill of the hunt. The china is Rosenthal and the pattern is Caprice. Delicate ivory cups with pink dogwood and yellow forsythia blossoms. (I'd have preferred blue forget-me-nots) Ma worked so afternoon tea with the ladies didn't happen, but she used the set whenever we had company.

I set the table with the tea set, pretty dishes, and linen napkins. Baked a non-traditional Irish Soda bread. We ate, gossiped, laughed, and sipped tea from the pretty cups.  With Ink hopping up to check out the goodies, it was almost like being 6 yrs old and having a tea party with imaginary friends.

Do you use your fine china or best dishes only when you have company?

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

I Was Going To

rant over the fact that measuring cups only have markings for right-handed users and that members of the Sinistral Minority (aka Southpaws, Lefties, etc.) are forced to turn the measuring cup to the right.

Okay. So my measuring cup does have markings for left-handed users, but only in 1/2 cup increments. Not in all the fractions of 1/4, 1/3, 3/4 markings on the right-handed side. Like, Lefties would have no use for measuring 1 1/3 cups.

And then I noticed those measurements on the side of the spout so

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Tomatoes in the hydroponic garden

Seedlings getting hardened to the elements

The mail carrier has been driving his truck over the ditch (it was filled in with a pipe about 20 years ago), but he's complaining. I called the Town Highway Department to see if there was something they could do. Afterall, the easement is their responsibility. They put us on a list to check it out and maybe fill it in with gravel or ground up asphalt. I think your name's on the list is like the check's in the mail.

A little woodpecker wasn't afraid as I came up the walk, but he moved so you can't really see him.

Awesome sunset

How does your garden grow?

Happy, Little, Time Wasters

 

What If Animals Were Round

The Friday Five Good Things

 Five good things that happened this week.

1. Breakfast at The Garden. It's been closed every time we went by, but now it's open

2. We heard the jet flyover for the start of the Boston Marathon, but it was cloudy so we couldn't see it

3.  The day was so nice, Teague and I went for a walk and sat outside on her deck. Hung out in her sunroom

4. Loose tea from Harney and Sons arrived

5. The residents of Trout Towne sent a lovely thinking of you e-card

How was your week?

Something to Look Forward To

 

54 days until Camp Ofunquit

62 days until the Summer Solstice.

What are you looking forward to?

Whatcha Doin?

 

Today, I'll be shopping (and hopefully buying) a pair of sturdy athletic shoes for walking. Specifically, I'll be looking at Skechers as they have slip ons or hands-free slip ins. I hate tying shoelaces.

Whatcha doin?

T Stands For Teacup Puzzle

 

A teacup puzzle at Jigsaw Exlporer. Lots of pretty tea and coffee cups for everyone at the T party. I high-hosey the cup with the swallow on the bottom.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

112 Anniversary of the Sinking of the Titanic.

 

Uisce Beatha ('Whiskey / Water Of Life')

How Does Your Garden Grow?

What a difference a week makes! The daffodils started to make a comeback after having snow dumped on them

The petunias needed a little protection from the chilly nights

Waiting patiently

A full recovery and looking so fine in the moonlight. Well, the spotlight from the garage door.

Two days later a showy display

Tiny hyacinths in the grass

Sad, little jonquil. Himself said it was a daffodil. Daffodils are bright yellow says I and jonquils are pale yellow. He looked it up and said it was a wild daffodil. Whatever it is, it's looking sad.

How does your garden grow?

Happy, Little, Time Wasters

 

How Crayons Are Made

The Friday Five Good Things

 

Five good things that happened this week.

1. At Teague's when we felt the earthquake around 11:15 AM. We thought it was her house settling, but we felt the house shake.

2. I made cornbread to go with the crockpot Taco Soup

3. Beautiful weather day. Teague and I spent the afternoon in her sunroom.

4. Teague and I went to Pam's Diner in Bellingham for breakfast and I had eggs Benedict.

5. Another commission on the horizon.

How was your week?

The Perfect Portmanteau

 

Teague and I have been planning our Runaway to Ogunquit, Maine in June. Teague was searching online checking out what might be open as our trip is early in the season before a lot of things open up. Also to see what damage the area sustained from three, huge, back to back rainstorms that brought flooding to many of the coastal towns.

By mistake, she typed Ofunquit into the search engine and the perfect portmanteau was born. A portmanteau is a word that blends the sounds and combines the meaning of two words. Ogunquit and Fun. 

We always have a grand time at Camp Ofunquit.

Whatcha Doin?

 

I'll be reviewing filigree illuminated initials for an upcoming project. Whatcha doin? 

T Stands for the Unboxing

Last Wednesday, I received a package from my blog buddy and artist, Robin from Pink House Studio. Let's see what's inside.

Loose teas, honey, and teaware from Adagio.com

I decided I would try the Teaster Marshmallow. It's an herbal blend of green rooibos, apple, marigold, apricot, and adorable shaped Easter sprinkles.

While the abundant variety of teas Robin sent are wonderful, the piece de resistance is the IngenuiTea. It's an infuser, steeper, and decanter all in one. You put the amount of loose tea you desire in the cup, add the amount of boiling water (it can hold up to 16 oz.) and steep for the desired time. The Teaster Marshmallow directions say to steep from 5 to 7 minutes. I went with 6 minutes.

Then the magic happens. You place the IngenuiTea on your cup, and it dispenses the tea into the cup. How cool is that? The only downside would be to tea leaf readers because no tea leaves make it into your cup.

The Teaster Marshmallow is very fragrant, but not as sweet as I thought it would be. No worries. Robin thoughtfully included a honey sample which was perfect.

Robin, I can't thank you enough for your deliciously, thoughtful gift. You made my day, and I'm glowing.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

The Snow Melted

 

from the backyard. The sun came out and so did the bunny. 

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Spring has sprung

The grass is riz

I wonder where the flowers iz?

The poor petunias

The Spring Nor'easter on Wednesday night into Thursday was supposed to leave a coating to an inch of snow in my area.

Two inches of snow does not a coating make

The snow was supposed to end by 10 am, but it just kept snowing

These daffodils seemed to be okay.

These not so much

Hopefully, the petunias will make a come back.

Two days later and still snow on the front lawn. Deep sigh. Forlorn look.