Is It Fall Yet?

Is it fall yet?!

Feels like temperatures over 105 make me dream of fall.

I get emails daily with previews of fall merchandise

and, occasionally, items for Christmas.

You'd think that would cool me off!

My favorite magazine arrived.
That's good!
The Cottage Journal Autumn issue is full of gorgeous photos.

It made me want to go out and find fall!
So, when I went to the grocery early in the morning I came home
with the closest to fall I could find --
Sunflowers.






At least they are the right color
and they look fall-like in one of my favorite pitchers 
that I use as a vase.
It is hand built, heavy and, the most important thing, fall like!

It makes me smile every time I look into the kitchen.
The sunflowers look happy with my roosters.
Fun!

and I guess the random is trying to stay cool!

Wishing YOU well and much joy.
I hope you are staying cool!

I'm joining the Good, the Random and the Fun!

And, the lovely Judith at Mosaic Monday.

Celebrating the Pansy

I love Miltonia orchids.
For me, they are charming and irresistible.
They bloom profusely.
Miltonias are often called Pansy Orchids because of their flat-faced,
open flowers that resemble pansies in shape and markings.
Richly colored, fragrant flowers.
From the time that the flower bud on the stems open,
they remain in bloom for 4 to 6 weeks.

**

I thought sharing the Miltonia orchid was the perfect time to share

another new to me teacup.

It was sent to me for my birthday from another of my sisters-by-choice.

This sister is my Saurian sister -- we both love dragons!

And, we both love pansies. 

This is Spring Melody by Queen Anne.

Queen Anne is a fine quality china produced by Shore and Coggins,

Staffordshire potteries in England from 1911 to 1966.

This is beautiful fine bone china that is very translucent when held to the light.

The background is pure white, and the design is a bouquet of pansies

in colors of purple, pink, blue and yellow.

The teacups are footed and there is gold trim on all the edges and handle.

She also sent me Persian Nectar tea from Serendipi Tea.

Persian Nectar is organic Indian black tea with

organic peach flavoring.

YUM!

A little treat with my tea today.

Key Lime Pie cookies from Oreo.

Oh, my! 

***

Thank you to the hosts of:

Mosaic Monday

Teatime Tuesday
Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

When the world is all at odds

And the mind is all at sea,

Then cease the useless tedium

And brew a cup of tea.

There is magic in its fragrance,

There is solace in its taste;

And the laden moments vanish

Somehow into space.

And the world becomes a lovely thing!

There's beauty as you'll see;

All because you briefly stopped

To brew a cup of tea.

~William Gladstone

(Thank you to Marilyn at Delights of the Heart for the poem.)

Surprise!

My African violet is blooming.

It's always a surprise when it blooms! 

YeeHaw!

I'm joining the new meme Tuesday Afternoons.

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

Why Be In A Hurry?

Did you have a nice holiday weekend?

Hot dogs and hamburgers?

No hot dogs here, but I did have a turkey burger 

and some delicious macaroni salad and a beer (or two).
I watched the 4th of July festivities on TV .. beautiful!
How do people stand being out in the heat??!!

I have taken the red, white and blue buntings off of the balcony.

The Uncle Sam windsock has been replaced by a bright red flag

with a large sun, cactus and red pepper ...

a colorful message that the HOT summer has arrived! 

**

TeaVivre sent me samples of their Spring Green Teas.
I love the TeaVivre packaging ... really sealed!
The first one I tried is La Shan Yun Wu.
Opening the package I could immediately smell the tea ...
sort of a roasted spinach odor.

The dried leaves have an interesting texture.
Really dark green.




I like brewing the TeaVivre samples in my little red pot.
Perfect size for the sample and it has its own strainer.
I can lift it out, drink the tea, and steep another pot if I like.






I brewed the tea for 5 minutes.
Such a pretty light green color.

It has a chestnut flavor ... not overpowering and slightly sweet.

I haven't put up all the indoor holiday decorations yet. 
Why be in a hurry?!

You can see what the leaves look like after one brew.

Still delicate looking, but they really open up. 

TeaVivre said this was a good large mug tea,

so I got out one of my new mugs.

This is one from a set of four given to me on my birthday

 by another of my sisters-by-choice.

She knows how I love my tea and the birds!

I have a tea quote for you:

“As far as her mom was concerned, tea fixed everything. 

Have a cold? Have some tea. 

Broken bones? There's a tea for that too. 

Somewhere in her mother's pantry, Laurel suspected, 

was a box of tea that said, 

'In case of Armageddon, steep three to five minutes'.” 

― Aprilynne Pike, Illusions

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

Thank you to the hosts of:

Mosaic Monday

Teatime Tuesday
Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Simplicity

The crocosmia has finished blooming.
Just in time for the summer's hottest temperatures to arrive.

I'm going to join the crocosmia and start my summer hibernation!

I'm joining Tuesday Afternoon at A Spirit of Simplicity for her new meme.


Wishing YOU well and much joy! 

Walking Down The Street

I try to walk every morning just before sunrise ...

before it gets too hot and humid.

I was on the home stretch ...

just a few houses from mine ...

when I stopped ...

I wasn't the only one out walking.
I was on the sidewalk

and he was walking down the middle of the street.

Yellow Crowned Night Herons roost in oak trees 
on the Rice University campus and surrounding neighborhoods.
This was the first time for me to see one of these beauties
in my area.

I zipped home quickly, grabbed the camera 
and walked back down the street.
Would he still be around?

 Yep!




I told him he shouldn't be in the street ...
Folks would be leaving for work soon ...






I'm hoping he'll come by and visit again one morning.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!


Thank you to the hosts of:

Mosaic Monday.