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Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Tuesday 12 February 2019

Rose Chintz and Tulips

Life is like a camera...
Focus on what's important
Capture the good times
Develop from the negatives
And if things don't work out
Take another shot. ~ unknown

Hello everyone! It has been very cold here on PEI. At the moment, the sun is shining brightly but the temperature is cold at minus twelve degrees Celsius and a wind chill of minus twenty-one. So, what does one do when it is too cold to venture outside? Well, one hunkers down inside with a cup of tea or coffee. 

It was one of those weeks when I didn't have a lot of energy so I didn't get a post ready until the weekend. Extreme temperatures play havoc with my body and I figured I had better get a picture of these pretty tulips before they start dropping their petals. 





They were the most gorgeous shade of pink in the beginning but after a few days, they have faded and they are opening up to resemble something else. Tulips this time of year are such a welcome sight because they bring a little touch of Spring into one's home.


Tea is to the body as music is to the soul. ~ Earlene Grey

Tea is on the menu today as well as some sugar plums I had frozen from Christmastime. My family loves them and I have a few left to nibble on.


I brought out my Johnson Brothers Rose Chintz as I haven't used it for tea time in a while. I have many pieces of the pattern now since my auntie gave me all of hers and I use it every day. I oftentimes use other teapots but the colour of the tulips goes so well with the pattern. 


The curtains are drawn most of the way today because the wind is howling outside and one can feel the cold just looking out the window.

Another angle I thought was pretty. Yes, I have eaten one cookie already!


Tomorrow, there will be another snow storm with twenty to thirty cm of snow. The older I get, the more I detest the wintertime. I try to enjoy it but it's not easy. 

When one is sitting around home a lot like I do, you tend to do a lot of over-thinking. I am housebound most of the time because of a medical condition but I try to keep my mind active. These are the times when I have to turn my mind over to thinking on the blessings in my life and not the negatives so much. I'll be honest, I find wintertime the hardest. So, I drink some hot tea, read a good book, watch a good movie, or listen to music. On a good day, I will have a friend over for company.  And I pray. 



I often pray when I'm doing the dishes. The warm sudsy water on my hands is soothing and whenever I pull up a piece of pretty china from the water, it makes me happy. That's why I think it's important to use pretty china. Don't leave it in the cupboard until a special occasion. Use it now; enjoy it! 
In my case, the Rose Chintz reminds me of warm summer days and whisks me back to my childhood when I visited my auntie. Anyone who has followed my blog for any length of time  knows the story of the Rose Chintz and how special it is to me. 

Someone once said that if you have something in your home that is not beautiful or useful, then it's best to get rid of it. This is why I use pretty china. It is beautiful, it is useful and it makes me happy. 

How about you? Do you have pretty china that makes you happy? Do you use it often or does it sit looking pretty in your cabinet?

I lead a simple life and I enjoy simple things. A sunny day, the laughter and love of family, a message from a grandchild letting you know they love you, etc... My life is not at all the way I thought it would be but it's the life I have been given and I thank God for it.

Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought life would be like and learn to find joy in the story you're living. ~ unknown

I am planning a special treat for Hubby on Thursday. I'll tell you about it next time.

Have a beautiful day, dear friends, and enjoy it to the fullest. Happy Valentines Day!



Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

14 comments :

  1. What beautiful china. I love my collection of vintage china, it brings me a lot of joy just to look at it and tea tastes so much better from a pretty floral cup. Lovely post.

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  2. Oh be still my heart, I love your Rose Chintz china! Your photographs are just lovely and makes me want to get my china out now! I agree, I love to use my china, makes me happy. I admire the way you keep yourself busy and you are an inspiration to people like me that have a medical condition that keeps us in and not out and about all the time. Wonderful post.
    Nancy
    xo

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  3. Your beautiful china and pink tulips warms a cold winter day. I do enjoy my china, and like you enjoying washing them. I also enjoyed your thankfulness, we all need to be more thankful, and let others know.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Blessings,
    Sue

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  4. Sandi , love your beautiful China . You always display the prettiest dishes . Wow at the snow you are getting . Living in Florida we never see that as you know . I love pretty dishes and i use them . I made up my mind long ago that i would not wait for something special to come to use my pretties . My pretties will our live me ❤️ I want to enjoy them now . I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day . Beautiful pictures Sandi . Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  5. Sandi I'm with you about the china. I use it and have different colors and patterns. Life is too short. I understand what's like to not be out and about much. We go out on weekends because I'm not able to drive anymore. I'm busy during the week cleaning our home and when I got the physical ability back to do it I vowed I would never take it for granted. I work on projects and take care of my fur babies.

    Looking forward to reading what you have up your sleeve for your husband.

    Enjoy

    Cindy

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  6. Oh dearest Sandi, the quote by unknown, at the beginning of your post is soooo perfect!!!! Thank you for sharing that and your others. I loved your pretty Rose Chintz tea for today, with your tulips and sugarplums. Yes, it is important to use our pretty things everyday. I use a different teacup for my morning tea, and love changing them out and thinking of the person who gifted it to me. Happy Valentine's Day to you and your sweetie! xxoo
    p.s. I feel like your do about our summers here with the extreme heat. it drags on and on, like your winters do on PEI.

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  7. Dear Sandi ... I do love your "Rose Chintz" china and agree ... a person should use their pretty pieces. I choose a different teacup every morning and really do enjoy my tea so much more because I am able to admire the colors, pattern and even savour the tea from the rim of the cup. Your tulips are such a pretty color and match perfectly with the chintz ... How special are those sugar plums( yummy)...Thank You for sharing teatime with me... Happy Valentine's Day, Daar Lady ...Hugs

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  8. Hi Sandi. Thanks for commenting on my Cherry Loaf blog. You were wise not to connect with Google+.
    As you first poem says, Life is like a camera. Focus on what's important etc. ..and if things don't work out, take another shot. That's what I'm doing with my blog. It has been a hard Winter this year.We are digging out from a storm today. I am staying with my sister in The Townships, near Sherbrooke, Que. We visit Thrift Shops to pass the time, weather permitting. I love dishes and have found some nice ones. If I get too many, I sell them in my garage sale in the Summer. Your rose chinz china is so pretty and the tulips are so pretty in pink. I wish you a Happy Valentines Day. I hope your Hubby loves his surprise. bye for now. Thelma xo.

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  9. Sandi, I really like the photo from a different angle (with the missing cookie!). And, well said, USE the pretty china! What are people saving it for? Use it! The way I look at it, my home is my *living space*, not *storage space*--I don't want anything in the house that I don't actually use. Looking forward to reading about the special treat you're making. Have a wonderful day!

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  10. I love how the tulips changed with each picture...they really do become "something else", but still so lovely...and they grace your table so perfectly, yes, matching the Rose Chintz china. I am glad that you use the china and enjoy it like you do. I tend to use our common "everyday" china everyday, because it is DW safe and even microwavable, so that becomes simpler and easier...but then when I want to treat myself and/or with some special friends, we use the pretty stuff. That way it feels really special. Often times I treat myself to an afternoon mini teatime and bring out the china teacups. You have inspired me to think of that more often. It is a delightful time. I don't always have a cookie or sweet to go with the tea, but that's okay. I enjoy and savor the tea alone while I read a good book or look at my "pretties" in the dining room. I am sorry you are so housebound especially in winter time. But it is good that you have special ways of enjoying the time. You sound like a good candidate for heading south for the winter! If ever you do, please let us know so we can plan a get together for tea!! God bless you, Sandi...and Happy Valentine's Day to you as well.

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  11. Happy Valentine's Day, Sandi!

    I always enjoy seeing your pretty Rose Chintz china. I don't use my "fancy" china as much as I should, but I do have them on display so I can at least see the pretty designs!

    I can relate to the winter blahs. For me, it's the darkness that seems to drag me down. It's soooooo hard for me to get out of bed in the morning. But the days are getting longer. Spring is here!

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  12. Oh I can totally relate to feeling down in the winter. I tend to struggle with some depression and lack of energy. I agree, having beauty around you, whether pretty china or some flowers, really helps. I'm so thankful for my fireplace, it feels so cozy to sit by it with tea. xo Deborah

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I am delighted to have you visit me and I read every comment. Please forgive me for not being able to visit you all as there are so many of you lovely bloggy friends now. I will visit as much as possible. I wish you a day filled with JOY!

Also, due to the amount of spam I've been getting, I have had to set Comment Moderation. ~ Sandi

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