Happy Labor Day! I hope you have been enjoying the long holiday weekend.
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”
Psalm 34:8 ESV
It is Monday Morning Blooms with my friends Lidy, Mary, and Shirley.
“ Tea time is a chance to slow down, pull back and appreciate our surroundings.”
~Letitia Baldridge
You will find lovely inspiration from my friends’ links at the bottom of this post!
Perhaps you have guessed our common theme for this edition of Monday Morning Blooms…yes, tea it is!
Afternoon tea can be a formal and elegant affair with polished silver, beautiful linens, classic scones, cucumber tea sandwiches, jams, and sweet confections. Most afternoon tea menus will offer several teas for your selection. My Renaissance Man and I have enjoyed beautifully presented afternoon teas on many occasions. More than likely, I enjoyed them more than he did.
The enjoyment of tea is not limited to the afternoon. Elevenses is a late morning affair which often includes lighter offerings. I have planned a very informal late morning tea in the Sunshine Cottage and you are my special guest.
The cute butterfly teapot was my inspiration for this colorful and fun teatime! As you all know, I love color and there isn’t a shortage of color on this table.
My precious sister-in-law brought this tin of oolong tea all the way from Thailand. Oolong is neither a black or green tea, it falls into its own category of tea. Oolong tea is highly popular in Asia. Just as there are wine competitions in California, Italy, and France, there are oolong competitions across Asia to honor the artisanship of oolong tea producers. I am so sorry that this tea is not on the menu, but it was most delightful.
As long as there are flowers in my garden or at the flower farms, there will be farm fresh floral arrangements on my tables. Blushing hydrangeas, zinnias, dahlias, gomphrena, celosia, and coleus were placed in a favorite vase. The flowers were easy to arrange using chicken wire to hold the stems in place. Working with this colorful arrangement was also an inspiration for the tea setting.
I do not claim to be a tea expert, just a coffee snob! I am serving my favorite tea, Earl Grey, which also happens to be the world’s most famous flavored black tea. It gets its citrusy flavor from the essential oil of bergamot.
The table square is a vintage fruit fabric from Schumacher. My kitchen window treatments are made from the same fabric. Cups, saucers, creamer and sugar are Mikasa “fruit rapture”, my everyday china.
Buttery pound cake served along side blueberry-lemon preserves complements the citrusy Earl Grey tea.
Savory finger sandwiches of egg salad are perfect for late morning teatime.
Vanilla bean mousse with strawberries offers a delicate finish to our morning tea.
“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
~C. S. Lewis
Give me a cup of tea and a good book on an autumn afternoon and I shall be happy!
“Perhaps it is while drinking tea that I most of all enjoy the sense of leisure.”
~George Gissing
I invite you to enjoy the beautiful tea presentations from my lovely friends, Lidy, Mary, and Shirley.
Lidy ~ FrenchGardenHouse
Mary ~ Home Is Where The Boat Is
Shirley ~ Housepitality Designs
I am so pleased that you have been my guest for teatime in the Sunshine Cottage. I hope you will return tomorrow as I join fourteen table stylists for a fall tablescape blog hop.
Wishing you a joy-filled day.
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Happy Monday Pam! How wonderful you can still pick flowers from your garden to fashion a beautiful arrangement. We haven’t had the rain you have had and my garden is looking tired and sad from our long hot summer. Your Sunshine Cottage is the perfect spot to enjoy a cup of tea and I love your pretty butterfly teapot! I would love a slice of your delicious pound cake with some blueberry-lemon preserves and Vanilla bean mousse with strawberries! I had to chuckle at ‘I do not claim to be a tea expert, just a coffee snob’ 🙂 Thank you for the flower therapy this morning. Wishing you a Happy Labor Day. ♥
Thank you Mary. We have had an abundance of rain this summer. We probably have only watered five or six times all summer. As a matter of fact, it poured rain this morning. I definitely claim coffee snobbery! See you tomorrow morning!
First of all, I’m a coffee snob too!…yet I do love tea! What a beautiful table for your elevenses tea in the charming Sunshine Cottage. You make us feel that we are sitting in the cottage with you enjoying all of the delectable treats of pound cake with the amazing blueberry lemon preserves, finger sandwiches and topping off with that wonderful vanilla bean mousse! Loving that beautiful tea tin from your sister in law. Happy to join you today for some happy flower inspiration of your no shortage of color. I admire how you can gather such beautiful flowers from your garden. Have a great Labor Day and week ahead!
Shirley, I am so glad you are a fellow coffee snob. I also like tea. Wishing you a lovely week my friend!
Wow, Pam, invite me over! I promise to pretend to be mannerly and raise a pinkie as I devour those scrumptious foods you’ve laid out so expertly! Gomphrena – those are adorable accents in your floral arrangement from the garden. I love the colors!
As I was reading this, I realized I missed your Sunday morning post – today will be a more leisurely day for me to catch up on my favorite blogs.
Thank you for sharing tea with me. Hopefully, that will happen one day!
What a beautiful setting! Elevenses has always seemed so civilized; I would love to sit in Sunshine Cottage and have a lovely chat over a cuppa. My sister and I always try to plan a beautiful afternoon tea on our trips. Lately my hubby has decided he wants Earl Grey instead of coffee in the morning (which means I get to drink the entire pot of coffee! 😳)
Roxanne, one day we shall have a lovely chat over a cuppa! I drink way too much coffee every morning.
Pam, Your teapot is a favorite! It’s so delicate and pretty. Your elevenses snacks and tea are presented beautifully. The snacks look delicious! Happy Monday! Clara ❤️
Your arrangement perfectly compliments your teapot. Sorry, not enough caffeine obviously! Lol Clara❤️
I totally understand ♥️
Thank you Clara ♥️🦋
Delightful from start to finish, Pam! It’s in my Pinterest under Teatime and floral arrangements! Love that teapot! I’m going to make me some egg salad for lunch. Thanks for the reminder! You, my dear, are delightful!
Thank you dearest Martha. I am so glad you visited with me!
What a totally lovely post…Loving all the color and your mix and match tea service. Food looks nummy, too. Lovely, lovely…LOVERLY, post!
Thank you for joining me, Sandi.
I would love to sit and have this lovely tea with you! Love the teapot and the cherry cups!
Penny, we would have much to talk about. It would be fun!
I love teatime and haven’t done one in quite a long while. It’s definitely time again. I love your cups and saucers! Those cherries are really very cute! It’s all so pretty, Pam. I wish I could sip with you!
Jeanie, sharing a cup would be so much fun. Thank you!
One would be a love spoiled guest at such a tea….just beautiful. Every appointment done with eagle eye and giving heart.
That is a teapot to top most teapots and filled with oolong, what could be better? I can almost taste the golden pound cake
swathed in blueberry/lemon preserve… Just love your book collection platform for the tea tin. All in all, an eyeful treat and
sensory perk.. Enjoy this day, dear one.
Mary, it would be wonderful to share a cup of tea with you. Hopefully we will make that happen one day. Wishing you a delightful week!
Oh Pam, how I love a good tea time setting! Your vignette, flowers, and yummy treats look beautiful. I wish I could join you in Sunshine Cottage for tea. It would be so much fun! My sweet Caroline and I are huge fans of Earl Grey tea. Last Christmas, Santa brought her a Fortnum and Mason’s hamper and lots of delicious teas. I have now become a huge fan of their teas. Their Earl Grey is the best! Happy Labor Day, dear friend!
Thank you Shannon. I had the privilege of visiting Fortnum and Mason on a trip to London. I was so fascinated by the lovely store.
Pam, What a lovely Elevenses Tea and I LOVE that gorgeous butterfly teapot. I tend to not drink black tea but instead drink herbal teas but I do enjoy a good Earl Grey. What is your favorite Earl Grey? I have really enjoyed Mariage Frères teas from France. They have a Christmas tea called Noel that is absolutely divine. I order it every year and your post has reminded me that I need to place an order. Beautiful post and I always enjoy your garden fleurs.
Carolyn/A Southerner’s Notebook
Carolyn, the Christmas Noel tea sounds so wonderful. Thanks so much for visiting dear one!
Pam, what a lovely invitation! Your elevenses look beyond scrumptious! And I adore Earl Grey…although my next favorite might be the Marie Antoinette Tea from Paris. But no, Earl Grey remains my absolutely favorite. Have you ever had Lady Grey? That is also a delightful tea. Your flowers, and your whole tea experience is so delightful…would love to join you! Happy Monday Morning Blooms dear friend. xo Lidy
Thank you dearest Lidy. I have enjoyed Lady Grey and it is delightful. Have a lovely week!
Happy Monday and Happy Tea Day! I’m in love with that tea pot! And I have to say the pound cake with blueberry-lemon preserves is calling my name.
Your centerpiece bouquet of Zinnias and hydrangeas is quite stunning my friend!
Such loveliness in the sunshine cottage!
Have a lovely Labor Day my friend!
Nancy, one day you and I will share a cuppa and a sweet treat. Thank you my friend!
Oh Pam… every photo was an ooh or aah moment. Your photos belong on the cover of a magazine. Hope you had a good Summer!
Thank you Katie. You are too kind!
Pam, I felt very special sitting with you at your Elevenses Tea this morning. Your butterfly teapot has to be the sweetest ever. Your food looks so delicious.Your garden flowers in that beautiful green vase is so beautiful. Earl Grey is one of my favorites but have a few from Biltmore that competes with this favorite. When Jennifer, my daughter, was around nine or ten we started making annual trips to Atlanta and always went to the Ritz Carlton for High Tea. We would dress to the nines and pretend we were royal guests. It is a delightful memory for both of us. Thank you for this amazing day brightener. I really needed it!
Dianne, I am so glad you visited with me today. What beautiful memories of High Tea at the Ritz Carlton with Jennifer!
Love all the color. Happy
I love all the happy colors
Thanks so much!
Beautiful, dear friend! I wish we could sit and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, and some of your delicious looking sweets, and catch up on life. I look forward to when we can. Love to you and all of the family.
That would be wonderful, my friend! Love to you and Mike.
I’m right there with you at the Tea Party Pam! 💕
Loved our time together sweet friend ❤️
Thank you for coming by, Jennifer! ♥️
Adorable and precious! Blessings!
Thank you dear one!
Thank you Pam for such a delightful tea party today! Everything was specially made and so wonderful…such a joy! 🦋
Thank you dearest Sue 🦋
I agree with Katie, Pam. Every photo was a ooh and aah moment. You make zinnias look so inviting that I want to plant them, again as I haven’t had success with them. Sunshine cottage is going to have an add on to hold all the precious memories held there. My wish is to add to them.
Alice, you are so sweet and your comments are always so encouraging. We are making memories!
Pam, this post is filled with delights. Your tea time is definitely calling my name. Beautiful flowers, tea service, and goodies. What a treat to join this tea party.
Thanks so much, Sarah!
Thank you for the lovely tea party Pam! The tea kettle is quite the show stopper, and I love the happy mix of colors and treats for your Elevenses, such fun! Tea time always makes me think of long ago, when life was slower, and people took time for rituals like a proper tea. Lovely!
Jenna
Thanks Jenna!
What a fun and beautiful tea party! Sometimes we need to slow down and enjoy Gods beauty.
Thank you Michelle!
I so enjoyed the tea party! Thank you for inviting us here. The colors were just breathtaking and so heartwarming!
Thank you Cheryl!
Good morning, Pam. I am late to the tea party. – sorry. I would love to enjoy a cup of tea with you on a cool autumn day in your garden. That would be a little piece of heaven. Enjoy your day and week, dear friend.
Thank you Sandra. It would be so special to share a cuppa!
Lovely. And I , of course, love your tea cups with cherries. Cherry
Thank you Cherry!
A feast for my eyes. What gorgeous flowers. And that tea pot, so precious. I smiled at this line, “My Renaissance Man and I have enjoyed beautifully presented afternoon teas on many occasions. More than likely, I enjoyed them more than he did.” My daughter and I always did tea together. Then she married and hubby and I were on vacation in Canada at a lodge were they served high tea. He knew I wanted to go, so he graciously said he would come with me, before I even asked. We had a delightful time, and he even learned how to make a cup of tea (probably first time he drank tea), but I did enjoy it more than he did. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your tea story. Wishing you a lovely week!
Hi Pam! Oh, what a beautiful setting for tea! Your flowers are just so beautiful and to think they came from your garden! I also enjoy tea and used to have tea parties with my daughter when she was little. Hope you’re having a great week.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
Thank you Sheila. I know your memories of tea parties with your daughter hold a special place in your heart!
Lovely tea. The Butterfly teapot is beautiful!
Thanks so much Jocelyn!