More From Mom + Dad's

Another day of sorting at my parent's home--

I love these!!

Do you know what they are? I do:)

I think they are really cute and remind me a lot of Port Townsend and Port Gamble, Washington--although I think they predate our time up there by a whole lot of years!

I haven't decided if I should use them at the Tea Party--what do you think?

I could go with a Victorian theme...

of course then it would be tempting to wear some Victorian type clothing:)

I found more tea cups, saucers and these pretty pink bowls/plates over there.

They would work for the party--I love pink!

The four tea cup/saucers hanging (in the picture of the post below) were only the beginning.

I found a lot more in the hutch--more than enough to use for the party...

I was thinking, I don't remember mom using them much--

I intend to display and use them.

Another thing I found today was my baby clothes---that really made me smile!

Most of the little dresses had a little card attached to them (with a diaper pin) explaining a bit about the outfit: where it was first worn, a friend who made it, etc. SO COOL!!

I am totally in LOVE with these shoes BTW--totally!

Another find was cloth napkins (light purple),

crocheted and knitted items,

nice dishtowels, etc.

I particularly loved this apron that was with those things--

it is small (child size),

looks handmade

and unfortunately I don't know anything more about it

except I LOVE it:)

Now I am wondering--

who made it?

who was it made for?

when was it made?

I may never know...

Blessings,

Aimee

A Tea for Mom

My mom loved to have afternoon tea whenever we were at The Harrison or elsewhere in Canada! She also, as you can see, liked to collect and display teacups and saucers (this pic shows a few of them). I will soon be taking some of these home but before I do that, I would like to have a tea in mom's honor there--kind of a celebration of her life!

I have a bit of an idea of what I want to do, having planned several celebrations for a large group of people before at my last job, but (and this is where I hope you will help out) do you have any ideas to make this tea extra special? Decorations? Color themes? Recipes for tea sandwiches you are willing to share? Scones and other desserts? Teas to try? Salads/soups? Other tips? I would LOVE to have your input so feel free to comment--anonymously if you prefer:) Thanks!

I am excited:) Already have never-used special flatware (Kristin, a rosemaling design-from Norway) that I will bring to the tea--very feminine and I am hoping that somewhere in all of mom's stuff I can find pretty napkins, a tablecloth and ???

Blessings,
Aimee

The WORD on Wednesday

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27 KJV

Blessings, Aimee

Here Ye, Here Ye! News From the Garden

Despite the cold and rain,

we have marionberry plants full of white blossoms

(makes me hungry for a berry pie or berry crisp

or berry smoothie or just fresh berries)!

Two varieties of Japanese irises blooming by the upper pond

(the other variety is bluish).

Every year it seems like we have more:)

Some of our roses are in bloom now--

our rose season tends to run from mid/late May through October.

We have one climbing rose, a bed of miniature roses

and some other roses.

I don't tend to buy flowers at the grocery store

because we tend to have something in bloom most of the year:)

More color in the wildflower/perennial beds

(today I spied a newly blooming orange/red Oriental poppy from across the yard--

you just cannot miss their vibrant color!

(I haven't transferred them yet but will later this week)

Raspberry blossoms--

the plants seem to be doing quite well still in their wine barrel home!

And unless there is a new variety of columbine (not!),

this edition of Our Garden sadly reports

that someone has been eating one of my columbines

:(

Blessings on this first day of June, Aimee

A Witness Now

Among the trees, flowering shrubs and manicured lawn they lay,

side by side,

each with their resting place marked

by a grave marker and American flag.

For this is a National Cemetery --

one of many and it is the final resting place for
Veterans of World War I and II, Korea, Vietnam and more recent conflicts.

Comrades in arms;

both those who have passed on full of years

and those who died while in the prime of their life.

The flags -- small and large --

wave in the breeze on the hillsides here;

so many lives--so many stories told and untold.

We come here-

children and other descendants, schoolmates, friends

and parents too.

Veterans and civilians,

some who have not forgotten the ferocity and cost of battle;

others who just feel the need to remember, to witness

this day-

the service and the sacrifice

of the precious souls at rest in this hallowed ground

above the city.

"You're his witness now.

Without a witness, they just disappear."

Blessings to the families of our fallen Veterans today.

May you find peace in the midst of your loss

and may you know we will remember.

Aimee

~

Note: above quote taken from 'Taking Chance', HBO films, 2009. USA.

Photos taken spring 2011, Willamette National Cemetery.