Vintage Things

      Every day as I travel to and fro from my house to who knows where, I pass this truck. It always catches my eye...always! I think it's adorable. It's just the bones of what it used to be many a time ago, but here he sits, still telling a visual story of yesterday as he meets the passer-byes of today. Oh how I wish he could speak and tell us of the trips he traveled and the passengers he carried.

      This pot could tell a story also. It belonged to my Grandmother. As far back as I can remember, she had this filled with one kind of flower or another. She had a green thumb and I think, a green heart:)

It seemed that anything she planted grew...and grew...and grew. My thumb?...not so green, but I think I share her green heart.

"He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,

and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully"

2 Corinthians 9:6

I love overflowing pots!



      These pictures were taken last year. Sadly, there are not many flowers blooming yet...but soon!

      I have to admit that I am a little impatient. God is working on me in that area. Isn't He good to give us these beautiful gifts of flowers? He gives them to us in the form of seeds, so we will learn to sow them, wait for them to sprout and grow and bloom. In doing so, we learn to be patient. Sometimes I  cheat myself and skip the seed and sowing part...go right to the flowers!

 I'm tempted to start buying flower packs and fill my pots!

      But I have tons of seeds from last years flowers...so maybe I should let patients have its perfect work and plant the seeds and wait.

"He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed for sowing
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
2 Corinthians 9:10

      This is Oliver. Do you see his name tag? He's another visitor from the past I drive by occasionally. He doesn't get around much anymore, but I can imagine he was a hard worker in his younger days.

      Don't know this guys name but I'm pretty sure he was also part of the working class. He might know Oliver because they live on the same street. I would like to think they are the best of friends.

      You've seen these teacups before. I hope you don't mind seeing them again. Out of the few vintage teacups in my china cupboard these two are my favorite.

      I put this vintage doily in a picture frame so I won't soil it, and I use it for a serving tray. That way it can be displayed without being damaged. I plan to add handles to the sides but haven't decided if I like this frame or want to get a different one. A vintage one would be nice.

I'm using it today for my tea tray.

      Tea and toast ~ English Breakfast Tea with a bit of honey and cinnamon raisin toast with cream cheese.

These plum blossoms were cut from the fruit trees in the orchard and give off a sweet fragrance.

With everything on my tray... outside I go!

It's a beautiful day today. I hope you enjoy your day (outside perhaps?) and have a wonderful tea time!

I'm linking to these tea parties:

Tea Cup Tuesday: http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ & http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/
A Delightsome Life: http://www.blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/
Table Top Tuesday: http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/
Tea Time Tuesday: http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/
Tuesday Cuppa Tea: http://antiquesandteacups.blogspot.com/
Tea Party Tuesday: http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/

     I have to confess, I have more than one sweetheart in my life. My husband has known this for several years and has been very understanding. He doesn't mind sharing me with them, because they are his sons. There are five of them.

"The happiest moments my heart knows are those in which it is pouring forth its affections to a few esteemed characters."

~ Thomas Jefferson

So for Valentine's Day I received flowers from my husband,

and from my boys.

I felt very blessed.

 Purple is my favorite color so naturally I loved the mix of purple and red flowers, and I adored the roses.

      On Valentine's Day my husband and I went to the movies and saw, "The Vow" which is a love story. We both liked it! It was about a couple who were very much in love, but were in a car accident and the wife lost her memory. She didn't know who her husband was. She had to fall in love with him all over again.

      Isn't that how life really is? We don't just fall in love and that is that. We have to continue to fall in love with our spouse as the years pass by. Love isn't just a one time thing, it is a way of life.

I received a teacup from a dear friend. She invited me over for a wonderful brunch with a Valentine's theme and she served it on her Rose Chintz China. I didn't take my camera!

What was I thinking!!

This is the beautiful teacup she gave me...

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."

~ Unknown

It makes me excited for Spring to arrive!

I feel very loved...by my husband, my boys, and my friends!

I hope you are feeling loved also.

Thank you for joining me for tea today!

Valentine's Tea

Joining Rose Chintz Cottage today for a

Valentine's Tea Party! 

True Love...

"I have loved you with an everlasting love;

therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."

Jeremiah 31:3

      Do we draw people to us with our love for them? Sharing tea with a friend is a way we can draw that person to us and share the love that God has poured into our lives. Talking and spending time with a person is one of the best ways to give of ones self. Husbands, children, and those we see everyday also need to be drawn close and given special time, and special words...words of love.

"Love one another as I have loved you."

John 15:12

                                       

"The love of God has been poured out in our hearts."
Romans 5:5

Are we pouring our love out to others?

"A friend loves at all times."

Proverbs 17:17

      On Valentine's Day we think of romantic love...the fuzzy-feeling kind we have with our sweetheart. But I have come to appreciate the other kind of love as well, and desire it even more. The kind that lives between the days from one Valentine's Day to the next, and takes a marriage from the wedding day to the 50th anniversary. The one that is patient and kind, and acts in ways that are sacrificial and long-suffering... enduring. That is the kind of love Jesus was talking about when He said, "love one another as I have loved you."

LOVE can be seen...

It can take the form of a heart shaped box of chocolates or a bouquet of red roses, or a simple hug or a kind word or deed. It can change a diaper or do the dishes, or just sit quietly and hold a hand. Love has no boundaries. It does not ask, "what will be done for me?" but instead, "what can I do for you?"

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, ⁵ it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints, ⁶ it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. ⁷ Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things.

LOVE NEVER FAILS.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (CEB)

LOVE can be heard...

Is there someone...a family member, or friend perhaps, who needs a kind, sweet word?

"The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume."

Proverbs 27:9

     There are so many fragrant words we can speak. Words that bring life and healing to a weary hurt soul. God's words are always fragrant, even the hard ones. They always speak life to the listener. May we speak loving, kind, words today...ones that refresh and bring a sweet smell of perfume into the heart of those who hear. Words of love.

"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three;

but the greatest of these is LOVE."

1 Corinthians 13:13

The greatest of all is love. Nothing else compares to it. May we give it out generously.

"Pursue LOVE..."

1 Corinthians 14:1

 I've been married to my sweetheart for 27 years now.

We had a traditional candle-light wedding in church on a Saturday evening in June ...my colors were purple (my favorite) and pink.

Our invitations...

We planned a very simple ceremony and reception after.

 

I loved the movie "Gone With The Wind" and chose a Southern Belle style dress...complete with full slip and hoop! The (not so traditional) things you choose when you're twenty-four!

My sister-in-law gave me a shower gift with this card...

      This is the cake-topper purchased at a glass blowing shop in San Francisco for our wedding cake in 1984. It's sitting inside a purple glass bowl that belonged to Grandmother. I hope to put it on top our cake when we celebrate our 50th anniversary.

      I was going to have a red theme for Valentine's Day but decided to go with purple & pink instead. I think they're romantic colors also.

Here's a teacup with pink and purple roses on it...reminds me of our wedding.

I baked some Raspberry Thumbprints to share with you today. Of course I'll pair them with Raspberry Royale tea!

Thank you for visiting me for tea time.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Graphics complements of

The Graphics Fairy