Tea Time and Lilacs

What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfilment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade. ~

Gertrude Jekyll - excerpt from Victoria May/June 2011


Welcome to Tea Time my lovely friends! 



It is lilac season and the blooms are just right for picking.

I love how the light makes these lilacs look ethereal and the scent fills the room with a heavenly perfume.

I have pieces of china that look fabulous with lilacs but none look as pretty or so charming as my Johnson Bros. Rose Chintz. Those little lavender blue flowers in the pattern pick up on the colour of the lilacs so nicely. So I hope you will indulge me today. My little lavender turtle is joining us too. He hasn't made an appearance in quite a while.

An old-fashioned bouquet of lilacs and old-fashioned china call for old-fashioned tea treats. So join me, won't you, for a nice cup of tea with cookies and some tea biscuits with rhubarb sauce. 


Life is like a teacup to be filled to the brim and enjoyed with friends.~ Unknown 

I have been busy jarring up rhubarb sauce so we can enjoy a little taste of summer throughout the coming months. 

Mmm, good! The nice thing about rhubarb sauce, is you can serve it so many ways. It's wonderful on toast or English muffins, crumpets, biscuits or scones, ice cream, cake, etc. Or it's lovely right out of a bowl. My simple recipe for the sauce is at the end of this post.

Perhaps you would prefer an old-fashioned sugar cookie with your cuppa. Both the pink and the green plates on which my goodies are served are Old English made by Johnson Bros. 

My children favoured these cookies when they were growing up and since my youngest is arriving home this week, I decided to make a batch. I always cut them out big with a raisin in the center.

Happiness is sharing tea with a friend, or two or three.

Savour the scent of lilacs for they won't last long.

It's the month of June,
the month of leaves and roses,
when pleasant sights salute the eyes
and pleasant scents the noses. ~ Nathaniel Parker Willis

Soon my roses will be in bloom too. Love this time of year!

There will be no Tea Time Tuesday next week because my son will be home from Illinois and this mama is most anxious to spend some time with her boy. These precious moments don't come along very often and I know you will all understand. 

Sweet blessings to you, my friends!

People need people and friends need friends

And we all need love, for a full life depends

Not on vast riches or great acclaim

Not on success or worldly fame

But just in knowing that someone cares

And holds us close in their thoughts and prayers.

~ Helen Steiner Rice ~

Food for thought today: 
Smiling not only increases your face value; it's contagious!~ unknown


RHUBARB SAUCE
Clean and cut up stalks of rhubarb into 1 inch pieces to make four cups. 
Dissolve 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup water together in a saucepan then bring to a boil. 
NOTE: You may add 1/2 TBSP strawberry jello powder to the mixture if you desire. 
Lower the heat and add the cut up rhubarb. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars. Will freeze well too. This recipe makes about three small canning jars of sauce.



I am joining the following parties as well~

A Return to Loveliness
Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Tea in the Garden
Tea Cup Tuesday

An InLinkz Link-up

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi