The Perfect Day

It's cloudy and rainy today.

A very light rain.

The perfect day for a cup of tea and reading!

I have green tea in my Blue Willow teacup by Churchill.

I think my mother started this Blue Willow set when it was sold in the grocery store.

Remember those days?

Remember the days when you bought laundry detergent to get the glass bowl inside?

Or the tea towel?

Aging myself!!!

I have lots of books to pick from, 

but I decided to start my reading with the March 2012 Southern Living Magazine,

especially when I saw this article:

"The New Ladies Lunch":

with the pretty rose teacup.

"Inspired by the South's most beloved department store restaurants, we developed a classic lunch-with-the-girls menu, complete with tea sandwiches, chicken salad, and hold on to your napkin, honey -- 

the dessert cart."

What memories this article brought to mind!

It mentions the dining room of Dallas' flagship Neiman Marcus, 

that was built in the 1940's. I remember my grandmother and my aunt

taking me to lunch there. We had to dress to go downtown ... hat, gloves, the whole works.

I had the pimento cheese sandwich.

I can almost taste it! 

The article includes the recipe for Neiman Marcus Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

and I'm sharing it with you today.

Makes: about 2 1/2 dozen

Hands-on Time: 20 min

Total Time: 1 hr, 40 min.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup (4 oz) freshly shredded sharp Cheddar-cheese

1 cup buttermilk

Parchment paper

1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles small peas and dough is crumbly: stir in cheese. Add buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 3 to 4 times. Place dough in a bowl; cover and chill 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll dough to i-inch thickness, cut with a 1 1/2 inch round cutter and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets.

4. Bake at 350 for 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: Unbaked biscuits may be frozen up to 1 month. Bake frozen biscuits as directed for 26 to 28 minutes or until golden brown.

This article also includes recipes for Tomato-Basil Bisque, Tarragon Chicken Salad, Cranberry-Strawberry Salad; Tea Sandwiches like Ham Salad, Curried Shrimp, Cucumber and Strawberry,

Goat Cheese and Pecan, Orange and Cranberry, Egg Salad.

There's a recipe for Caramelized Onion Quiche and last,

the dessert cart that includes:

Banana Pudding Cheesecake, Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake, Lemon-Orange Buttercream Frosting, Vanilla-Buttermilk Tarts, Chocolate-Espresso Pots De Creme.

And, did I mention the photos are lovely?!!!

Well done Southern Living!

A big thank you to our tea party hosts:
Tea Time Tuesday
Friends Sharing Tea
Tea Party Tuesday
Teacup Tuesday
A Return to Loveliness

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Wishing YOU well, a JOY filled week and a Wonderful cup of tea!

Blooming in Musashi's Garden!

According to the calendar it isn't Spring yet.

Tell that to my roses!

They have really enjoyed the rain and the cool one day and warm the next day weather!

This is the hybrid tea rose Double Delight.

From bud to full bloom.

At full bloom the flower is a good 5 inches across.

  "Lemon ice dipped in strawberry sauce" is one of the ways it has been described.

 It also has a wonderful scent.

Thank you to Mary for being our hostess for Mosaic Monday.

Wishing you WELL and a JOY filled week!

The Great White

The Great Egret (Ardea alba), 

also known as Great White Egret, 

Common Egret, or Great White Heron.

 Photographed in the Japanese Garden, Hermann Park, Houston.

I'm joining Misty for Camera Critters.

Wishing you WELL, JOY and a CRITTER filled weekend!

Some Joy

1. While walking to my Village for lunch, I saw my first robin of the season. I stopped for a while and let him sing to me for a few minutes. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me.

2. The college baseball season has started and my Owls are 4 - 0. It is so nice to see all my baseball buddies and to get back into the excitement of watching these talented and intelligent young men play baseball. 

3. I'm fortunate that people ask how I'm doing and I say "okay, thank you for asking". I'm sure many are nervous. They wonder what they should say to me. They wonder what I will reply to their question. I like the ones who say "I miss him, too". I take joy in knowing how many lives he touched.







4. I'm also learning that's it's okay to not be okay. I'm still standing and that's what's important. Thank you Tiny Buddha for your words of wisdom.

5. I love the sound of Cassie purring while she perches on my  chest and shoulder. She is so soft and loves being petted. She is definitely a Momma's girl.

I'm joining Liv Lane for The Little Bliss List Link Party.

                                       

For those looking for a postcard,

here's one that celebrates the coming of Spring.

Thank you Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday!

From the back of the postcard: 

"Fields of blooming tulips are the product of hundreds of years of accumulated wisdom, business savvy, and plain hard work.

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, Woodburn, Oregon"

The photograph was taken by Jon Gnass/Gnass Photo Images

Visiting the Pacific Northwest and some of the tulip farms is on my list!

Wishing you Well and a JOY filled weekend.

Good Morning!

Found on Facebook!