Tea and Cake

Last week I had a birthday.

I went out and bought myself a cake and some flowers.

Came home and put 6 candles on the cake.

One for each decade.

(I didn't want to burn the house down.)

Lucille, my sister by choice, knows me well.

She knows that two of my favorite things are tea and birds.

For my special day she gave me the lovely Audubon porcelain tea pot (with infuser).

And, two mugs with spoons.

I'm a very lucky girl.

When I blew the candles out, I sent a special message up to the stars.

"I miss you and love you and I'm trying hard to LIVE."

The cake was a red velvet chocolate cake with cream cheese icing.

I had it for breakfast several days! 

It was not on my diet, but birthdays come only once a year.

Thanks to our tea party hostesses.

These are just a few of the tea parties in the Land of Blog.

Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Tea Party Tuesday

"Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude 

and the pleasures of company."

~Author Unknown

from

365 things Every Tea Lover Should Know

Memorial Day

On this Memorial Day

I'd like to share my Daddy with you.

He fought in World War 2 in the South Pacific and he

was one of the lucky ones ... he came home.

On his return he spent a lot of time at Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio.

He didn't talk about the war, just said when he came home he could only eat

life savers and coke.

Daddy died January 1973 from lung cancer.
He is buried in the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
He had the most beautiful blue eyes.
I miss him.

Rest in Peace, Daddy.

Mosaic Monday: Curds and Whey

Mosaic Monday is hosted by the lovely Mary.

Each mosaic is different. Each a story to tell.

You'll enjoy visiting - I promise!

This week I have a story to tell - all about curds and whey.

Curds and whey, you say?!!!!

Yep.

Mr. Dragon and I had lunch with some dear friends last week and the subject of curds and whey came up. Really!

Someone asked just what is curds and whey and I said, without a moments hesitation, milk products!

Which led me to talking about my Grandfather and his ranch.

Summertime Pleasure-1957

This is my grandfather in his kitchen in 1957.

Just look at the refrigerator, the kitchen table and chairs.

Wow! What memories!

He had a ranch in Oklahoma and raised Quarter Horses.

His wife, Mary, raised Angus cattle.

Visiting with them was a pure joy for me.

Up early in the morning to get the freshly laid eggs.

Off to the barn to milk the cow, which brings me to curds and whey.

Curds are a dairy product obtained by curdling (coagulating) milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar and then draining off the liquid portion (called whey). Milk that has been left to sour (raw milk alone or pasteurized milk with added lactic acid bacteria or yeast) will also naturally produce curds, and sour milk is produced this way.

I remember Mother Mary making her own butter. The cream rising to the top of the milk. Buttermilk. Homemade ice cream. Nothing tastes like fresh milk. Delicious!

I have wonderful memories of visiting with them. Somewhere I have a picture of me on my shetland pony. What a life for a young girl! I wish I had spent more time with them.

The mosaic shows the ranch sign; a party (don't remember if it was an anniversary or a birthday party); grandfather with his pride and joy, Blue Blake; and one of his special colts.

Wishing all of you well!

Wordless Wednesday