Hello sweet friends. Leaves are falling and it is time for warm boots as it is predicted to drop below freezing tonight in our Appalachian Foothills. Most often our first frost is toward the end of October, so a little early!
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
It is Tea on Tuesdays with my friend, Mary, and our special guest, Bonnie from Living With Thanksgiving. Bonnie is a fellow Alabamian, gardener, traveler, tea drinker, and lovely friend!
You will find Mary’s and Bonnie’s creative links at the bottom of this post.
My favorite tea is Earl Grey and I recently read that it was also Queen Elizabeth’s favorite.
Last Friday was a picture perfect autumn day, so why not have tea on the Sunshine Cottage Porch all by myself. RM only drinks iced tea and he was quite busy preparing for the pumpkin carving that was to take place in the late afternoon. Stay tuned for more pumpkin fun this Thursday!
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth, I became very interested in reading more about her life. There were many things written about the food she liked. The Queen always started her day with Earl Grey tea. It was rumored her favorite for breakfast was Special K cereal (how simple when you could have anything your heart desired). Sometimes toast and marmalade was also on the table.
With her toast, the Queen preferred light marmalade. I just happened to have a jar of Three Citrus Marmalade from Stonewall Kitchen. It was a delicious pairing with cinnamon raisin and honey wheat toast!
This Tuesday teatime was inspired by the Rae Dunn ceramic toast rack I happened upon at TJ Maxx. It is outlined in the perfect autumn color!
For my petite tea table, I pulled out a French tapestry that was given to me by a long-time friend. The colors are ideal for fall!
The Johnson Brothers “willow” pattern was the first pattern that I purchased for myself. It is probably forty seven years old and is definitely showing its age.
A small teapot holding flowers was bought at an antique store for two dollars. Its lid is missing, but hey, what can you expect for two dollars?
The teapot is resting on Johnson Brothers “coaching scenes” bread and butter plates. RM foraged our woodlands for wildflowers, including woodland sunflowers, blazing star, and Chaste tree blooms which were cut from a small tree behind our garden. A velvet pumpkin by Hot Skwash joins the tea party!
I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.”
~Nathaniel Hawthorne
In case you missed autumn on the Sunshine Cottage porch, you can see it here!
Zinnias in the cottage garden needed to be cut down but were left in case the monarchs dropped by. The butterflies did not disappoint and were here several days last week before continuing their southward journey!
“Autumn that year painted the countryside in vivid shades of scarlet, saffron, and russet, and the days were clear and crisp under the harvest skies.”
~Sharon Kay Penman
It is now time to visit my talented friends. Bonnie has set a beautiful tea table in her garden and Mary’s favorite couple are joining her for tea!
Bonnie ~ Living With Thanksgiving
Mary ~ Home Is Where The Boat Is
Thank you for your visit and gracious comments. Wishing you a most wonderful week!
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Pam, What a beautiful setting your Sunshine Cottage provides for tea! I’ve long admired your tapestry table covering. It looks so pretty against your blue doors with the blue leaves in the floral pattern, paired with your JB Blue Willow. I love your foraged bouquet in your teapot and new Rae Dun toast rack! We’ve had some beautiful fall weather recently with the temperatures taking a nosedive and potential for frost and freezing tomorrow. As always it’s a treat to share tea with you. Happy Tuesday.♥
Thank you, Mary. We are having three days of cool weather, but warming up by the weekend. Happy Wednesday!
The amber linens with blue/white China is very striking. Even the marmalade matches. Lovely
Thank you, Gail. Happy Autumn!
Pam, Your photos are beautiful! That tapestry is exquisite and perfect for a fall tea table. I love the wildflowers in your antique pitcher! You tell a sweet and inviting story with each pic. Your sunshine cottage porch is a lovely spot for your morning tea and toast. I enjoyed learning that Earl Gray tea was also Queen Elizabeth’s favorite tea.
The sunshine cottage porch celebrates fall beautifully with pumpkins, cotton wreaths, fall mums, pumpkin pillow, and a cozy throw.
Thank you, Bonnie. It was a pleasure having you join us for tea. Happy Wednesday!
I love your inspiration of putting teacups and tea pots, with your fall decore. Your porch is charming and so cozy looking.
Thank you, Linda. Fall is my favorite season. I love its warm colors!
A beautiful table for tea with your tapestry cloth, willow blue and all your fall beauty that surrounds you. Earl Grey is my favorite also. I loved seeing the Queen and Paddington Bear enjoying their tea and marmalade. A monarch came for a visit to my garden this week. Thank you for the joy your Everyday Living brings to me.
You are so sweet, Dianne. I always love your visits!
What a pretty table, Pam! And how nice you can still have tea outdoors! Love the toast rack but what I really love is the idea of the three-citrus marmelade, which I’m going to have to find! What a wonderful place the Sunshine Cottage is!
Thank you, Jeanie. It is rather cool today, but beautiful sunshine!
What a beautiful place to have your morning tea and toast. That toast holder from TJ Maxx is so cute. Love the pretty table cloth too. Everything is just lovely Pam. Happy New Week. xoxo Kris
Thank you Kris…Happy Wednesday!
I want to sit at your tea table…perhaps you could add an extra seat for me? LOL So pretty and perfect for a wonderful Fall day. I had to chuckle when I read your Johnson bros china is about 47 years old. We must have been purchasing them at the same time as my set is about that old also. I must have been a mere child at the time. LOL
For years I used my blue willow as every day dishes before finally retiring them for occasional use only. I have the teapot too. Actually I have a collection of teapots. Love ’em.
I adore anything about the Queen…she was definitely a class act. Years ago, I started having hot tea for my morning ritual after watching the TV show “Murder she wrote” with Angela Lansbury, who also recently passed. Who could forget her playing Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast”?
Thank you for sharing your Sunshine Cottage tea party my sweet friend.
Hugs and Blessings always.
Kari
Thank you, Kari. Just like you, I used my JB willow every day for a long time. It only comes out on occasion now, but I still love it. Happy Wednesday, my friend!
Love the tapestry! I also enjoy Earl Grey tea and toast and orange marmalade!
Thank you Penny, have a wonderful day!
Oh how beautiful! The Sunshine Cottage Porch is the perfect setting for your lovely Tea. Do you feel like a Queen? I enjoy marmalade very much and am so glad you enjoyed it with your tea.
The tapestry covering looks amazing with the blue doors as a backdrop. Your porch looks lovely all dressed in Autumn Colors!
Thank you for sharing your Tea Time with all of us.
Happy Tuesday!
Thank you, Nancy. This is my favorite season and month. Happy Wednesday, dear one!
A lovely place on your Sunshine Cottage’s porch to enjoy a cup of tea. The tapestry is beautiful. Johnson Bros has some lovely pieces. The pumpkins in the background are so pretty. Love the stacked one and the cute little cart. The toast find is so darn cute. Reminds me of the toast holders we saw while visiting England. Happy week ahead.
Thanks so much, Linda. I am enjoying the bright sunshine even though we have a few days of colder temps. Happy Wednesday!
Love your tea table settings! They so beautifully reflect Fall!! Inspirational
Thanks so much, Caron. Happy autumn!
Such a delightful spot for tea and toast! The French tapestry covering the table is gorgeous and the RD toast rack is so perfect~ I would love to sit there curled up with your cozy plaid throw and sip tea surrounded by pumpkins and flowers!
Jenna
Thanks so much, Jenna. We really need to meet for lunch!
Pam, this is fall perfection! I love every single detail, from the textiles pairings to the complementary blue dishes, the flowers and the food. I like the Queen’s morning menu. I am a creature of habit and have the same cereal (tho not Special K) every day. Toast and marmalade is like a dessert for me. Happy Tuesday!
Thank you, Rita. I am also a creature of habit about my breakfast, granola bar and coffee every morning. Happy Wednesday!
Pam, you never miss the mark – what a darling porch! It looks as pretty as a picture! Have a wonderful week!
Thank you, Katie. Happy Wednesday!
Your table is gorgeous Pam – that tapestry!! And the flowers are beautiful. I love that your RM picks them for you. That’s just the ultimate in romance! 💛 The sunshine cottage has inspired me from the very start, and this is so perfect there – I bet you had a wonderful tea and toast. Happy Tuesday!
Pam, your setting looks just beautiful, and I always adore that pretty French tapestry. It looks so lovely in an autumn setting. I’m partial to Earl Grey as well and usually start my day with a cup. Toast with marmalade sounds like the perfect accompaniment! We dropped down to 32 last night and will dive down to 26 tonight. What’s crazy is it is supposed to be in the 80s this weekend. I so enjoyed my visit this morning, sweet friend! Enjoy these wonderful autumn days!
Thank you, Shannon. Wishing you beautiful autumn days this week!
Pam your Tea table is elegant. The French Tapestry is beautiful and just right for the Autumn season.
Marilyn,Joan and Marion
Thanks so much, Marilyn, Joan, and Marion. Wishing you all a lovely Wednesday!
What a beautiful tea table arrangement Pam! The French tapestry, throw & velvet pumpkin are perfectly paired and the colors are definitely for Fall. That toast looks delicious! Sometimes simple food is the best food. I must agree that we are a bit early for Fall freeze warnings! We’re usually warm through October with just a few cool days. I must admit I’m loving the cooler weather though after such an extremely hot summer. I enjoyed having tea on your pretty Sunshine Cottage porch! Clara❤️
Thanks so much, Clara. I am enjoying the cooler weather after a hot summer. Have a wonderful Wednesday ♥️
Could I enjoy any more of your posts than this one. Every time I think that you do it again, the colors are perfection. When I grow up I want to be you.
Oh my goodness Pam. That tapestry is gorgeous and looks perfect with your JB plates and teacups. Teapots without lids make excellent vases! Love the Rae Dunn toast holder – what a great find. RM did a wonderful job of foraging for wild flowers for your teapot turned vase and it all looks lovely together. The marmalade looks marvelously delicious! I hope you enjoyed your tea on the porch!
You are so sweet to always read and comment. I did enjoy tea and toast on the porch. Happy Weekend!
Everything looks so beautiful! I’m totally in love with your tapestry tablecloth. It has all the colors used in my home. Here via Love Your Creativity. Come share with us at the Home Matters Party each week Thursday 9pm through Monday. Hope to see you there!
very pretty table – I love blue and white china!
Thank you, Carol!
Good Morning. I’m coming over from Nonie’s blog. I am loving all your Fall decor and goodies, especially the blue tea cups. There’s just something about blue in the home that I love. All the orange pumpkins made me smile as well. Everything looks so charming, the gold table cloth, the wreaths, and the Mums on the porch. What a wonderful season this is. Have a sweet day.
~Sheri
Thanks so much, Sheri. It is so nice to meet you!
Oh, how beautiful! And that toast rack! I have never seen such a thing, but what a great idea! I love the autumnal coloring around the edges. You set such a lovely, inviting table, it always makes me hungry when I see your posts! You are such a Godly woman & have the command of being “given to hospitality” down to a science. Much love to you today, sweet friend.
Cheryl, you are most kind dear one. Thank you for your encouraging words.