Tea Time Tuesday

"By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather
And autumn’s best of cheer."
-   Helen Hunt Jackson, September, 1830-1885


Hello dear friends and welcome to Tea Time Tuesday! 

Well, here we are in the second week of September and school is back in session. Some of you are getting ready for Autumn. Me, I am going to hold on to Summer for as long as I can.

"Tea is a time in which we were perfectly contented with ourselves and one another." ~ Charles Dickens

When all my family was home in July, my youngest son surprised me with a new cup.

He had been to the Botanical Gardens in Missouri and found this Irish inspired cup made by Grasslands Road which he thought I would like. 

I wondered how I might display this new cup for you today and I thought it would look nice with old roses, old lace, and this teapot.

As you can see it is cream and green with the Claddaugh on it. 

My hubby is half Irish and our sons are proud of their Irish heritage. When my son saw this cup he thought it would be nice in my collection. Well, truth be told, Hubby has claimed it for his own! 

It is a large sturdy cup that holds about 7 oz. with a comfortable handle and quite masculine in appearance. It is unique, and because it is a gift from my son, I shall cherish it. It always pleases this mom to know my son thinks of me on his many trips.

The meaning of the claddagh ring is what gives the ring it's significance. The hands of the ring are shown holding the heart and the hands denote friendship and togetherness, the heart itself signifies love and the crown in the claddagh ring stands for loyalty.

I think the cup defines our family perfectly. 

I am going to enjoy some Irish Breakfast tea in my cup.

With a piece of Dutch Apple cake.

This cake is easy to make and has just a bit of sweetness. It is best served hot. You may serve it plain, with whipped cream, or a lemon or brown sugar sauce and it makes a wonderful dessert with a cup of tea or coffee. I will share the recipe on Thursday.

Coffee is my wake-me-up. Tea is my hug-me-up. ~ Sam Title

Before I end my tea post today, I thought I would share some of the wildlife I have enjoyed in our backyard this summer. All of these pictures were taken through the window so they are not as clear as they could be.

I got up one morning to find handsome Mr. Fox had made himself comfortable in our back yard.
We have had two bunnies visiting almost every day and the squirrels and chipmunks love to gather seeds that fall from the bird feeder. 

All things bright and beautiful, 
all creatures great and small, 
all things wise and wonderful:  
the Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens, 
each little bird that sings, 
God made their glowing colors, 
and made their tiny wings.~ Cecil F. Alexander {published 1848}

We have numerous birdies feeding at our bird feeder. 

One day the bird feeder fell and broke so we replaced it with this one which keeps the big birds away. 

Now our beloved finches, sparrows, and chickadees can feast to their heart's content without the jays and crows chasing them away. The new bird feeder was a great investment because the bigger birds can't get into it! The little birds spend hours in it and they know they are safe.

Now, if all goes as planned, we will enjoy the company of the gold finches all winter as we did last year. The secret to keep them from going south is to keep a steady supply of food for them and they will stay for the winter. These little birdies are more resilient than I thought.

One more thing; today is my oldest son's birthday. Happy Birthday Sweetie! Like his mom, he too is a nature lover. Anything you want to know about birds, insects, fish, or plants, he's the one to ask.

Every day is a little life, and our whole life is but a day repeated. Therefore live every day as if it would be the last.~ Joseph Hall

Thank you for your company today. I would enjoy seeing your tea wares; teacups, coffee cups, teapots, coffee pots, tea recipes, and visits to a tea shop are all welcome. 


I am joining the following parties as well~

Mosaic Monday
A Return to Loveliness
Tea Cup Tuesday
Tea Cup Tuesday
Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Tea in the Garden
Share Your Cup Thursday
 Home Sweet Home

An InLinkz Link-up

 Sharing from my heart~ Sandi