Time for Tea

I am off to explore the Tea Rose Cottage in Tampa for afternoon tea here is a link to the tea house.
http://www.tearosecottageybor.com

Tomorrow its off to the Angel Tea Room http://www.angeltearoom.com

I have been enjoying the short road trips to tearooms, tea shops and tea houses this summer.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Home again

Well here we are past the mid point for the month of July time really does fly these days and time away is always a refreshing change especially when the time is spent catching up with long time old friends, however, there is nothing quite like being back at home.

After my morning walk I fixed myself a nutritious breakfast using the nifty Birds Eye frozen southwest blend vegetables I came across a few weeks back when I saw these I thought to myself these would taste great stirred into some eggs.

I wasn't wrong the flavor was excellent, just the right blend of peppers, onions, black beans and corn, to which I added a few pieces of bacon and cooked in real butter. Best omelet I ate in a long time.

While away I came across a new limited edition English muffin, by Thomas' this time in apple pie flavor, very yummy, I made sure to look for them this morning while I was shopping for groceries.

I must admit to you my friends and I went through several packages of them during the week they are that good. 

One of my friends gave me this lovely coffee mug for my birthday along with a few packets of organic coffee, this morning I made the Scotch blend.

Bluebird by Enesco

there is also Celtic sunrise, Norselander Grog and Scandinavian blend which I can't wait to try. The company as makes toffee and caramels which were inside the coffee mug but my friends and I made them disappear.

While running my errands yesterday morning I picked up a some books from the library that were waiting for me.

book 2

Last month I began reading the Mitford series by Jan Karon, I enjoyed the first book in this series, I wanted some thing different from my usual mysteries, thrillers and spy adventure novels, this book is definitely far from the books I usually read, I started the second book last night and so far I am not disappointed.

I have been waiting for The Hundred-Foot Journey for several weeks and it was finally waiting for me today, someone told me its soon to be released as a movie, well if you know me I always prefer to read the book.

Well I have a few letters to write and weeds in the garden to tackle once the sun goes down so let me get this posted.

In a flash the day is over...

...My birthday that is, the day passed quickly and moved right into the Independence Day holiday, I remember back in my 20's when I threw birthday parties that lasted from the first to the 4th, people came and went all day long, what a blast. I don't think I have the stamina for one of those blow outs today but I did have a great day.
Even enjoyed some birthday cake...

and received some lovely gifts, the ones I'm posting I bought for myself, yes I tend to do that, this one will get lots of use starting this week when I pack for a short trip.

An ebay seller was having a one day sale of Vera Bradley items and I bought this roomy tote bag, I needed a new tote to replace the one I lug my towel, sunscreen and other things to the pool and beach.

very roomy inside with a zippered pocket and a key fob attached, plus two outside pockets on the sides. I love Vera Bradley prints, they are always bright and colorful and just suits the items.  I bought one in each color and several friends should be getting them shortly.

The other gift to myself is the lovely printed friendship fabric panel and coordinating floral print from Connecting Threads. I see more mug rugs in my future.

Friendship Panel

coordinating fabric

The most special items came via the US Mail by very talented people I am lucky to have in my life. These handcrafted cards are so beautiful I had to share them with you.

From Jackie the blue is so vibrant I think of calm waters and sunny skies when I look at it.

From Marina the garden themed card just pops out, I now have an idea of how I can use all the paper embellishments I purchased ages ago.

From Gloria, this one says to me let's take a stroll down the path of friendship, these cards mean so much to me, when you take time from your day to handcraft a card or note I feel special and very fortunate to count you among my friends.

This lovely note card from Diane is breathtaking, when held in my hands I can see each and every detail of the bird.  I need to remember to post photos more often of the handcrafted cards I receive, since I shut down my debs letters blog and then purged this blog after the Hacker attack I seem to have lost my bloggers heart, in time though it will come back and posting these lovely cards and notes is one way to jump back in.

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July and are safe and enjoying the many fruits of summer. The way this month seems to be moving it will be autumn before we know it.

Have a Happy and Safe Independence Day

Have a Happy Day

Happy Birthday America

Enjoy your day!

On the road to 60

Today is my 59th Birthday...If you were born on 1st July 1955., your age is Fifty-Nine years and zero days. 21550 days passed since day of Your birth (or 3078.6 weeks). But you are not alone with this! In the world 320000 babies were born on that day.
 

July 1955 fun facts

TV remote control becomes public.
Microwave oven was invented.
The first edition of the Guinness Book of Records was published by the Guinness Brewing Company following a debate in a pub (tavern) over the fastest species of european gamebird.
In case you need to know, it is the Wood Pigeon.
The fastest bird of prey would be the Peregrine Falcon.
You’ve been there. Pretty much everybody has visited a McDonalds since it first opened in 1955.
Two labor unions, the AFL and the CIO unted to become the AFL-CIO.
Vladimir Nabakov’s Lolita was published. US publishers were initially reluctant to associate themselves with such a controversial work.

POPULAR BOOKS of 1955

Fiction

MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR, by Herman Wouk

AUNTIE MAME, by Patrick Dennis

THE MAN IN THE GRAY FLANNEL SUIT, by Sloan Wilson

SOMETHING OF VALUE, by Robert Ruark

BONJOUR TRISTESSE, by Francoise Sagan

NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS, by Mac Hyman

Nonfiction

GIFT FROM THE SEA, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING, by Norman Vincent Peale

HOW TO LIVE 365 DAYS A YEAR, by John A. Schindler

THE FAMILY OF MAN, by Edward Steichen. 4 24

WHY JOHNNY CAN'T READ, by Rudolf Franz Flesch

A MAN CALLED PETER, by Catherine Marshall

This year leading up to my 60th year is going to be all about me reclaiming my balance of mind, body and spirit.  I will continue to purge my household of stuff with a goal of getting rid of 50% by the end of this summer including books that have sat untouched on my shelves some for decades.

But for today I am celebrating my 21,550 days with cake!  I'm posting the old covers of some magazines I have read over the years, some still in print today.

Funny the Como articles still look the same as does good old Time magazine

And then just a few other things to remind me how quickly time has flown by

Not the happiest place on earth

Oh yeah that's a Car

My first car was a 1963 Impala made by Chevrolet I was 18 years old and loved that car and drove it

till the carbureator actually fell off. She may have been old but she started up every day and purred like a kitten through those cold snowy NJ mornings just like me.