Tea Time Tuesday

Happy New Year and Welcome to my 49th Tea Time Tuesday, my dear friends!

I am delighted you have stopped by! I trust you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday season; I know I did!  I want to thank you all for making 2010 such a wonderful blogging experience. When I started my Tea Time Tuesday party in January of last year, I wasn't really expecting a lot of interest but my, there are so many of you tea lovin gals out there and I'm so happy you enjoy coming by! 

So, here we are in another New Year and I'm another year older too. Time for a cup of tea! It's sure to lift one's spirits after the rush of the holidays. So, please come on in and make yourself at home....

My sweet hubby gifted me with a new tea book for Christmas, If Teacups Could Talk, and I'm thrilled to have received it. It is just filled with lovely sentiments and pictures. I'm sure to get a lot of ideas from its pages.

Hubby also gave me the cute teapot which is near the top of my post. It is adorned with a cardinal and pine cones and a big red bow on the handle; perfect for the holidays! 

I am having a cup of Bigelow's Cranberry-apple tea today in my Cream Lace teacup. The tea is red in colour and just right for this time of year.

A little nibble is nice too! How about a thumbprint cookie filled with raspberry jam? Yum!

Do you see the little rocking horse sitting there beside the teacup? That is an ornament I have had on the Christmas tree since my boys were small. I love little treasures with memories attached to them, don't you?

Do you have a 'thing' for anything? I happen to have a fondness for several things; one of them being rocking horses; love them! I'm not sure why; probably a fond memory from my childhood but I find them so charming! Perhaps it's because of one of my favourite childhood stories written by Margery Williams in 1922, The Velveteen Rabbit and the Skin Horse. The Skin Horse was very wise, you see, and I loved his explanation to the Velveteen Rabbit about what 'real' was.  

I have several rocking horses in my home... I have this one which sits in front of my Toile Rabbit surrounded by pretty gift boxes at Christmastime.

This cute rocking horse was a gift from my Auntie P and he is lucky enough to spend his time under the Christmas tree. Someone very lovingly made him and isn't he darling! Decked out in gray toile and trimmed in buttons and ribbon, he is indeed, as cute as a button!

Then there is this rocking horse ornament which my middle son Joel gave me for Christmas when he was nine years old; precious! A little teacup hangs nearby.

This rocking horse was a Christmas gift from my hubby this year. The rocking horse has a place of honour beside the fireplace where he will likely stay long after the holidays are over.

You may be wondering what does a rocking horse have to do with tea? Well, nothing really, I was just feeling nostalgic and wanted to share some of my rocking horses with you. Perhaps it has to do with being another year older or a chapter in my new book. Sometimes I take myself too seriously and so I like to add a little whimsy to lighten things up a bit. Hope you don't mind! I find the older one gets, the more one likes to indulge in their whimsies and so I guess that's what I'm doing today. But now on to tea things...

"Life is a cup to be filled, not drained." Anonymous

Three pretty teacups stack up under a cloche while a Lavender Rose sugar bowl sits nearby. All china pieces are  produced by Royal Albert.

"I can just imagine myself sitting down at the head of the table and pouring out the tea," said Anne, shutting her eyes ecstatically. "And asking Diana if she takes sugar! I know she doesn't but of course I'll ask her just as if I didn't know."

Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables.

The other day, my hubby got me out of the kitchen and while he was trying to keep me out, my youngest son was busying himself getting his birthday present to me all set up on the table. When I was finally allowed back into the kitchen, this is what I found!



A sweet snack set with the inscription, "A Mother's Love is the Greatest gift."  He had it all set up complete with tea and a little something sweet to nibble on.... I love my family!

If you look closely, you will see a rocking horse in the Victoria magazine above.

Ah, the joy of tea parties! I hope you have enjoyed your time here today. I have added the inlinkz for your convenience again this week. My son is home to help me with this but next week, I'm on my own again and we will see how it goes.

As we begin a new year, I pray each of us will strive to make the world around us a better place. We are all unique in our own way and we have much to bring to the world. Together, we can make a difference!

My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favour with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation. ~ Proverbs 3: 1-4

As always, should you like to participate, please share a teacup or mug, teapot or china used in a tea. You may also do coffee, iced tea, hot chocolate, or eggnog/punch. It doesn't necessarily have to be tea every week! A poem, tea quote, or scripture verse would be most welcome. Please link your post back to me so your visitors may find their way here to visit with all my lovely participants. Have a lovely week everyone and God bless you!

I am also linking with the following hostesses~

Marty~ http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/   - Tabletop Tuesday

Kathy~ http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/ - Victoria ~ A Return to Loveliness

Martha~ http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ - Teacup Tuesday

Terri~ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/  - Teacup Tuesday

Wanda Lee~ http://silkenpurse.blogspot.com/ - Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday

Pam~ http://breathoffreshair-paperbutterfly.blogspot.com/ - Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday

Wanda Lee~ http://theplumedpen.blogspot.com/ - Tuesday Tea For Two

Lady Katherine~ http://ladykatherineteaparlor.blogspot.com/ - Teatime Tuesday

Donna and Miss Spenser~ http://missspensersblog.blogspot.com/ - Teacup Thursday

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi