Red and White for A Big Birthday

...God keep our land glorious and free!

Hello everyone and Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends! Tomorrow, July 1, is Canada's 151st birthday and so today I am sharing red and white, the colours of our flag.

I have some strawberry-banana trifle complete with Canadian flags. The miniature flags were a gift from a blogger friend. 

Strawberry Banana Trifle

1 container strawberries, sliced
4 bananas, sliced
1 large pkg Vanilla instant pudding
2-1/2 cups milk
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
1 angel food cake- cut up
1 large container Cool whip

Prepare pudding with milk and Eagle Brand Milk. When pudding starts to thicken, add 1/2 the container of Cool Whip.
Layer half the cake cubes, half the pudding, half the bananas, and half the berries. Repeat the layers and top with Cool Whip. Garnish with extra berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you prefer cake, there is a buttercream frosted cake also adorned with miniature Canadian flags.

I have chicken salad on whole wheat and egg salad on white tea sandwiches to enjoy. I make the chicken salad two ways. For sandwiches, I shred the chicken and for a chunkier salad which I would use in croissants, I cube the chicken.

My china is a mix of red and white, the colours of our flag -

A Felicity Red teacup made by Burleigh of England

Masons Vista of England

My tea set is called Valencia also made in England.

The table is set, would you like to join me?

Serenity is a solitary cup of tea; pleasure is sharing it with another. ~  Victoria magazine

Summer has finally arrived bringing with it warm weather. It has been a very cold June and would have gone down as the coldest on record on PEI if not for the past few warm days we have had.

A friend took this shot in North Rustico which is not far from Cavendish, PEI.

Hubby and I went for an early stroll through Peakes Quay this morning and it was just so beautiful down there with hardly anyone around. We enjoyed some Cow's ice cream at 10:30 in the morning. Yes, I know! That's rather early for ice cream but it was fun.

While we were enjoying our ice cream, a young fellow with his family stopped in front of us and the young lad climbed up on the Cow's back. He reminded me so much of our grandson that we asked if we could take his picture. 

That is something our grandson would have done. The young lad loved it!

These are my grandsons last summer at Cow's when their uncles treated them to ice cream. 
  

My intention was to go down early to Peakes Quay and try to get a PEI dirt cap for my son who is coming from Vancouver in July. He's been trying every summer when he comes to get one and they are always sold out. 

These caps are washed in our PEI red dirt which gives the cap its unique colour. I was so happy to finally get one and he's going to be very pleased!

Canada, for those of you who are not aware, belongs to the British Commonwealth so many of our holidays we share with Britain. Our province of Prince Edward Island is the smallest province in Canada and as many of you know, we are famous for Anne of Green Gables. Many say we are much like Ireland in landscape. PEI is also the birthplace of Canada and is called the Cradle of Confederation. 

I know that my American family and friends are also celebrating Independence Day this upcoming week so I want to wish you all a Happy 4th of July! 

Have a safe holiday everyone and God bless our country Canada and God bless America!

I am joining the following parties as well~

 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Home Sweet Home

 Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

A Hodge Podge of Happiness

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. ~ Abe Lincoln

Hello friends! This post is going to be a little bit of this n' that. 

Why a hodge podge of happiness? Well, it's because my hubby started a part time job at a sporting goods store a month ago. He retired the end of 2017 but he wanted a part time job. We have been busier than ever because of his schedule but he's happy to be working at something he enjoys. He's a people person and he loves sporting goods! So it's a good mix.

Another reason for happiness...For Father's Day, one of the things I surprised Hubby with were his favourite cinnamon rolls. I have not been able to make them for almost a year so I was pretty pleased with myself that I was able to do this. He was happy when he got home from work and found them sitting on the table!

 I always bake my cinnamon rolls in muffin tins so they bake up thick like a muffin. Yum!

If you're interested in my recipe just click on the link.

Another reason for happiness...We went out for dinner on Father's Day and he had the boring hot beef sandwich with veggies. This is what I had!

Doesn't it look delicious? It is a mandarin salad with a breast of chicken drizzled with a Thai sauce. I ordered it without the seeds and when our little waitress noticed I was scooping the seeds off, she immediately came over and apologized and brought me another one without the seeds. Oh, was it ever good! Don't you find a meal served attractively always tastes better? This time last year, I was just beginning to ease myself back into a regular diet after having two surgeries.

Last week our little granddaughter was in a dance recital and here are a couple of photos her mom sent us.

She is the little brunette in the center.

Yet another reason for happiness...I can't wait to see her next month! Our middle son, his wife and our two youngest grandchildren along with their darling fur baby, Boomer, are all coming for a visit and I'm so excited! 

This is Boomer. Isn't that a sweet face?? He almost looks like a stuffed toy.
We haven't seen our DIL and grandchildren for two years other than on FaceTime/Skype, although our granddaughter is always sending her Papa little love notes on the phone. There is no doubt, she is Papa's girl! Our sons were all home last year and it will be good to see our middle boy with his family and pup again. 

There is so much to do to prepare for them; baking some favourite treats, cooking, cleaning, and getting their room ready. I need Hubby's help because my hand is not back to its full use yet but I'm getting there. One day at a time. 

I value this delicious home feeling as one of the choicest gifts a parent can bestow. ~ Washington Irving 

Unfortunately, our youngest won't be coming this year because he is moving to another state in July. 

Another reason for my happiness...It's a good move because he got tenure-track at a university in MI and he's pretty happy about that. Oh, I love and miss that dimple and those big blue eyes!

I am very blessed with a family who loves one another and even though most of us live far apart, we are close in every way that counts. And I know Whom it all comes from, my Father above who loves us all. 

God's love for us offers us the sense of belonging and identity we all crave. ~ Our Daily Bread 

Now, how about a cup of tea while you're here? I saved some cinnamon rolls for you so you may help yourself.

May your life always be like a pot of tea...overflowing to warm the soul. ~ Irish Proverb

A little blue and white just before Canada Day when everything will be red and white.

The teapot, creamer, and tea cup and saucer are all made by Port Meirion called Botanic Blue and have a motif of flowers, dragon flies and butterflies on them; perfect for summertime! I love looking out at our big maple tree out front.

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

A simple tea time setting with creamy white roses in front of the window also brings me happiness.

So there you have my hodge podge of reasons for Happiness today. I am so thankful for the simple things in life because it is the simple things in life that are perhaps the best things of all. I believe Laura Ingalls Wilder said that. 

Have a beautiful week dear friends and thank you for your visit.



I am joining the following parties as well~

Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea  
 Home Sweet Home

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

Lilacs and Rose Chintz

I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June. ~ LM Montgomery - Anne of the Island

Hello everyone! The lilacs are in bloom! Some flowers have the most heavenly scent and lilacs are no exception.

I love using my Johnson Bros. Rose Chintz with these flowers. Lilacs and Rose Chintz together evoke such charm to any tea table. Both are old fashioned and remind me of days gone by. 

Last year my Auntie P passed down all of her Rose Chintz to me. She had been gifted the china when she got married and kept adding pieces to it over the years and I have always loved it. 
She is in a nursing home now so she has no more use for it. How things have changed the past two years! Her beloved hubby, my sweet Uncle Doug, went home to be with the Lord a year ago in May, and Auntie can no longer take care of herself so she is in a nursing home not far from where she and my uncle used to live. 

It still takes me some getting use to it all because up until a couple of years ago she visited my blog and often left a comment. We used to email long letters almost every day to one another which my hubby called "books" because they were so long. But oh my, we had such fun in those days and I miss the day to day communication with her so much!

Anyway, on to my lilacs and Rose Chintz which will always remind me of Auntie P....

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


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. 

My little lavender turtle hasn't joined us in a while so he has come for tea as well.  

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 some cookies and perhaps a tea biscuit with rhubarb sauce. 

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

These are my tea biscuits. They are plain and cut into rounds whereas when I make scones, I add fruit or raisins to them, cut them into triangles and sprinkle them with sugar or drizzle a glaze on them. 

I have been busy jarring up rhubarb sauce so we can enjoy a little taste of summer throughout the coming months. I really love it because it is filled with summer goodness and is delicious on so many things. 

Perhaps you would prefer an old-fashioned sugar cookie with your cup of tea. 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 my middle son and his family will be coming home next month for a visit, so I decided to make a big batch and freeze them. I always cut the cookies out big and add raisins in the center.

Happiness is sharing tea with a friend or two.  

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. Or I hope they will be. I don't see any buds yet because it's been so cold. June has not been a very warm month so far.

Sweet blessings to you, my friends! Thank you for your visit and have a lovely day.

I am joining the following parties as well~

 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea ~ http://blog.bernideens.com/
 Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/


 Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

Beautiful Blossoms for Tea Time

One June evening, when the orchards were pink-blossomed again, when the frogs were singing silverly sweet in the marshes.... and the air was full of the savor of clover fields and balsamic fir woods, Anne was sitting by her gable window. She had been studying her lessons, but it had grown too dark to see the book, so she had fallen into wide-eyed reverie, looking out past the boughs of the Snow Queen, once more bestarred with its tufts of blossom. ~ LM Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables

Hello dear friends! I have been on a blog break and enjoying all the beauty that nature offers this time of year. The trees are wearing their lacy tresses and the flowers and fruit trees are in bloom. The lilacs are out and I'm waiting for my roses to bloom. It thrills me to look outside my window and see it greening up everywhere. I do adore springtime!

It has been cold however and one morning last week we even had snow. That is springtime on PEI! There is some concern about our strawberry plants. I hope they will be alright because we have the best berries you will find anywhere!

Most mornings I'm awake to see the sun kissing the sky with its glorious sunrise. It is so peaceful and oftentimes I hear a bird twitter outside my window. I'm not a morning person really but there is something about that peace and quiet that sets the tone for the day.

Since I last posted, Prince William and Kate welcomed another little one into their fold and Prince Harry married his Meghan. Lots of celebrations for the Royals!

We've had our celebrations as well this past month. One of my grandsons has a birthday today as a matter of fact. He is taller than his dad now. How can that be? One of these days I'm truly going to be the shrimp in the family.

Meanwhile, out in Vancouver on a cool rainy day, my little granddaughter and her mom enjoyed a warm cup of tea. My little cute-pie! Can't wait to see you next month then we can all have tea together!

I believe I could be a model child if I were invited out to tea every day. ~ LM Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables

It is blossom season and the fruit trees are dressed in their perfect blooms of soft pink and white. This picture is one a friend took of her apple tree. Isn't it splendid with the deep velvet blue sky above? If you look closely, there is a butterfly among the blossoms.

A walk through our PEI National Park revealed our provincial flower, the Lady Slipper. Not sure who took this picture but it's a lovely one!

I like to bring out my Blossom Time china this time of year. This gorgeous pattern is made by Royal Albert and the blossoms depicted on the china were created from real images of the apple blossoms in Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada. The pattern was created in 1933 and discontinued in 2001. You may find the history of this pattern by clicking here.

Many have mistaken the blossoms on Blossom Time china for cherry blossoms but they really are apple. This pattern is so beautiful and perfect for this time of year. Each piece draws you in for an intoxicating walk through the orchards.

If only there could be an invention that bottled up a memory, like scent. 
And it never faded, and it never got stale. 
And then, when one wanted it, the bottle could be uncorked, and it would be like living the moment all over again. ~ Daphne du Maurier

This pattern is special to me because the Valley is not far from where my father grew up in Nova Scotia. Very few patterns have been inspired in this country so I am especially proud of this one so close to home.

One teacup and saucer was a gift from my Aunt Judy who stopped at Replacements in North Carolina a few years ago and purchased this set especially for me. 

It's not the tea that makes teatime special, it's the spirit of the tea party. ~ Emilie Barnes - "If Teacups Could Talk" 

The other set I found last fall at an antique shop here in Charlottetown. The price was twenty dollars but the clerk sold it to me for fifteen so I was happy!

The square plate was a thrift store find for four ninety-nine in New Brunswick so all of these pieces have a history and have come from different places. Who would have thought they would all find themselves on my table!

I would love to know where they have been and what fascinating folks owned them.

It is rhubarb season so I have some rhubarb crisp today with a scoop of ice cream. If I have strawberries on hand I will throw some of those into the mix. I make the topping with a little extra spice just because I like it.

A vase can be a little garden, its contents gathered to please the eye. ~ Debra Prinzing - Victoria magazine

Today's vase is a teapot for my blooms.

It is a simple tea today; camomile, honey, and vanilla. I'm so happy to have you join me.

Teatime; a time to savour.

Happiness is the realization
of God in the heart.
Happiness is the result
of praise and thanksgiving,
of faith, of acceptance;
a quiet tranquil realization
of the love of God.~ 
White Eagle from the book "A Book of Joy" by Thomas Kinkade

Anne and Matthew passing through the Avenue or the White Way of Delight as Anne named it. - courtesy of the Internet

Overhead was one long canopy of snowy, fragrant bloom. Below the boughs the air was full of a purple twilight and far ahead a glimpse of painted sunset sky like a great rose window at the end of a cathedral aisle. ~ LM Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables

While I was on my break, a notice appeared on my blog, and I'm guessing, everyone else's, about something pertaining to the European Union laws. I don't get this at all. Do we here in Canada and the US really need to do this or does it only apply to those who are running a business on their blog? Hope one of you ladies who know their way around Blogger better than me can explain it to me. Thanks for your help.

Have a beautiful day everyone and smile because Someone loves you!

I am joining the following parties as well~

 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Tea in the Garden
 Home Sweet Home


Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi