Down Memory Lane, We Stopped For a Cup of Tea

Most of my inspirations for this blog, come from some of my favorite childhood memories.  Thinking back to  when I was very young, we lived in a tiny country town, I remember the old dusty roads, the green colored lake, the weeds and long grass that always plagued our front yard.  Our house was a tiny two bedroom hubble, that was covered in chipping blue paint.  We had a giant walnut tree in our back yard, and a wood stove in our living room; and during the harvest season my Mom would toast spiced pumpkin seeds on top of that wood stove.

I can remember when I was about five or six years old; I was sitting on our old, rickety, front porch with my Mom.  In the memory, it must have been a nice, spring day, because we were sitting outside, and it must of not been too hot either.  She was reading a novel to me, one that we had be working on for some time.  It had to do with a girl transforming into a bird.  The book looked weathered and old like the rest of our surroundings.  My mother held the book in one hand, and a delicate, blue embroidered china tea cup, in the other.  I was holding one as well.  I can remember the flavor too, blackberry.  I was sitting, listening, sipping, and happy.

My favorite kind of tea is berry, it can be raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, marionberry, boysenberry,  strawberry, even loganberry.  Vanilla, mango, citrus, and classic breakfast teas are yummy as well.  My better half thinks mint is the best flavor (there is no accounting for taste there, if you ask me!)  

Tea is a wonderful thing, but tea parties are even better.  They are a great way to just relax, and a good place to gather for conversation. They can be mismatched, themed, English, and whatever else you can dream up. Tea parties can be small and causal, with only tea, and maybe a cookie or two; or large, and dressy, with eats like: an assortment of little cakes, creams, jams, berry scones, fruit tartlets, crumpets with honey, samples of creamy soups, cucumber sandwiches, cured meats, cheeses, and of course the tea.  Tea Parties can be such an exciting event, and with summer here, why not have one outside!  Whether your party is big or small, or anything in between, it will be sure to make all invited, very glad indeed.