Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Tea from Paris....and a new book which sounds so exciting!


Red flowering currant in our neighbours garden...
the hummingbirds love it!


Versailles Rose Tea
with
rose petals, grapefruit and sunflowers



The label is in French but I can provide you with a "rough" translation...

It is with a lot of love that I made this tea
the passion to do what I love 
and the love of a woman 
who is still waiting...

I am happy.



English Royal Chelsea cup and saucer
probably my favourite of the bunch.


A new mystery written by Jessica Fellowes...
she wrote all the companion books to the Downton Abbey series.

She is also the niece of Lord Julian Fellowes who wrote the Downton Abbey series.

I just finished reading Six, the book about the Mitford sisters
 and lo and behold this new book pops up on the shelf at the book sellers...
I grabbed the last copy!


 Also a new "can" to help me keep all the container plants well watered.
I like to have one on the front porch and one in the back so that I don't need to lug a heavy can throughout the garden and strain my back or arms.

My frozen shoulder has been slowly improving...
I am optimistic that it is in the thawing stage.


Tea time is over 
the flowers are in bloom and I am embracing the possibility of change.

Perhaps a trip?

Or maybe a new class or a course?

Feeling like I need to kick things up a notch...

What plans are you making?

Hope that your week is ticking along nicely...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

23 comments:

Patricia said...

What a pretty post! The red flowering current is very attractive, one I have never heard of before. Versailles rose tea sounds wonderful, and the fragrance must be lovely too. Enjoy your tea in that lovely cup, so elegant. I look forward to your next adventure, and meantime we are planning our trip to Europe in June.

Anonymous said...

Your photos are always so beautiful,code red continues....
Such a lovely shade of red flowering currant!
This book sounds interesting,I didn't know that J. Fellowes has a niece who writes. I'm going to order it,thank you
Dottoressa

Becky said...

Planning a trip brings new adventure into one’s life. I’m learning some mandarin in anticipation of my trip to China in May with my two grandsons. 🇨🇳

Margie from Toronto said...

What gorgeous shades of red!
I have a couple of biographies about the Mitford sisters both collectively and individually - they were certainly a colourful bunch! I find it intriguing that such a diverse group of thinkers (I'm being polite in some cases) came from one family - but - the book that covers all of them does point out that some of the them took deliberately opposite views just to differentiate themselves from, or to simply annoy one of their siblings. Brilliant minds but a tad too impulsive and a bit thoughtless of others on occasion.
I have read a few reviews of that master book and it is on my "To be Read" list so I am very interested in what you think of it.
I'm afraid that I am a very traditional strong black tea with a splash of milk lover - although I will break out upon occasion and try a new blend - usually when I go out to tea with friends but I rarely buy anything more adventurous than some green tea when I want a change. But I am a sucker for some of the lovely tea tins that are out there.
Please send some sunshine east - temperatures are finally struggling up to almost normal for this time of year but the wind is icy and it is about to rain right through the weekend so it is still a bit depressing I'm afraid. Enjoy your book!

La Vie Quotidienne said...

I love your use of red, both in the house and garden. All of my garden accouterments: gates, shutters, doors, etc, awnings are in red - but not flowers, with those I favor pinks, which when I really think about it is a tint of red.

I think I saw that book at the library, I will have to go back and check. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

I always enjoy the beautiful florals in your posts.

Making plans . . .

a. A Quiet Day Away with some Benedictine sisters this Saturday. Including a silent noon meal.

b. A Bach Festival on the Mother's Day weekend. Lectures, concerts, an organ recital, Bach motets.

c. A documentary and lecture series on Catherine the Great and the art of The Hermitage.

d. A birthday trip to Wales.

And, once rain and snow and cold weather lift, more walking out of doors in some of our lovely parks.

Today, though, some nice hot soup, Caldo Galego, from Galicia in northern Spain, is on my agenda. Along with some reading in a delicious novel set in the Middle Ages.

I'm glad to hear that your frozen shoulder is thawing.

Honey Bee

Lorrie said...

The flowering red currant is such a rich shade. Beautiful photos, too. I just went and placed the new book on hold from the library. It's going to take awhile to get - I think there are 69 people ahead of me. Hope they read fast!

Rosie said...

Such vivid colours in this post Leslie ... just beautiful. I'm not a lover of tea ... unusual for me as I like most foods and drinks :) Your tea caddy is gorgeous and thank you for highlighting and translating the words, it would have been a shame to overlook them. I feel we are in sync at the moment, regarding embracing change. I'm not sure exactly what or where yet but I feel excited at the prospect of trying something new :) Meanwhile I'm taking advantage of the dark and rainy weather to do some serious sorting of clothes and general possessions. When we travel I'm always aware of how little we actually need to be happy, although I do wish that I didn't develop such an emotional attachment to "things" :)
I hope that you're having a good week Leslie.
Rosie

KSL said...

Curious what kind of course or class you're considering? I love taking painting workshops. Maybe it's from your blog - but I've found a new love of the color red in clothing. Just ordered a red jacket, so we'll see. I do think red looks great with silver hair and also with all my neutrals. xo

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

We have a white flowering current in our garden but the hummingbirds prefer the red one. The tea smells amazing, very fragrant and tasty too. Planning a trip is such fun I do hope you have a lovely holiday.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Code red is a good way of describing this colourful phase...hope you enjoy the book...I am reading a biography about Joni Mitchell now so it may be a week before I start on the mystery novel...has Spring arrived in your city?

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Those grandchildren are so fortunate to have you as their grandma and tour guide!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Can you imagine the Mitford household? all those girls growing up together and their personalities clashing? I bet it was a noisy home and the discuss=ions at the dinner table would be more than amusing...
I usually drink regular black tea but have branched out and tried some different blends lately...I would love to send some sun your way...it is a sunny afternoon right now but yesterday was cold, rainy and windy...we all need the warmth don't we and our attitudes improve with the better weather.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I hope that you share some of those red garden features on your blog sometime soon...we have 2 red chairs but most everything else is in black...pots, pergolas, a french bistro set.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Honey Bee your life sounds so very interesting...thank you for sharing with us.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh I had that experience too with several current releases but the library usually has many copies so it goes quite quickly.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I too have been purging and sorting stuff here...many bags off to the charity shop...the volunteers must be used to seeing me this past few weeks!
Attachment to things is interesting...I have this too with certain pieces...things that I have kept for years because they have a "Hold" on me...I am finding the older that I become the easier it is to get rid of stuff!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I was thinking of a knitting class but then I found a pattern called the Bateaux Mouches Scarf on the Churchmouse website that I fell in love with a whisked myself off to the yarn shop for the wool...a baby alpaca and silk blend in a soft dove grey...am just waiting for the pattern to arrive and then I will start knitting...and the course well I am in the early stages of deciding what I should do...keeping an open mind for now. Your painting workshops sounds fabulous I quite like the style that the artist paints in...it will sync nicely with the one you took in the UK last year!

KSL said...

I just went to their website and saw the pattern - gorgeous!

Ellie's friend from canada said...

I love your red flowering currant and hope to get one for myself.
My hummingbirds will love it! I've tried several times to post –– maybe it will work this time!
I am recovering from a broken arm. Have enjoyed your blog!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh no! A broken arm...how dreadful!
I do hope that you are doing ok despite this setback...
Take care

La Contessa said...

Love that CUP!
Gearing up for THE INSTAGRAMMER LUNCHEONS!I will be HOSTING THREE!!!!!!
After those are over...........will have to contemplate!
Maybe I will FOLLOW your LEAD!!!!!
XX

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh you must be busy planning your menu and getting ready for the ladies! Sounds like a lot of fun too. Hope you will share it on your blog.