Good Morning!!!!!

I was having my Sunday morning breakfast and pondering what my next Post would be. Sunday Mornings are a tradition with me, I made Blueberry Pancakes, Scones, Eggs and My Tea. I have Irish Music Playing in the background, no TV on Sunday Mornings at my House. This is a photo of my Orchid in bloom now, it sits on my Morning Room table while it is in bloom, I bring the orchids inside one by one as they bloom. I was staring at it while I was deciding what to Post. This is a photo I shot a few weeks ago, that inspired this Post. I was on the computer in the evening with the lights off over head. The Living Room lights back lit my chandelier and made this silhouette on the wall, I loved it so, I took a photo. In the left corner is my Welsh Cabinet Hutch peeking into the shadow. I have decided with the chandelier imagine in mind to give away a blog award with the silhouette of the chandelier. I am giving it to: Mary at Across the Pond http://devondesigns-mary.blogspot.com/ She is always so inspirational and creative with each Post, so Mary come and collect your reward and Enjoy!!! I am giving a second Blog Award to: Fifi Flowers Design Decor http://www.fififlowers.com/ Who is an inspiration to us all, her unlimited ideas and talent are incredible. Though the Award says You have been Crowned by the Queen, we all know I am just A Princess!!! Best Sunday Morning to us all.....Enjoy your Day.. Kate

Home Away From Home

I'm missing my Home Away from Home. On my 50th birthday my daughters, girlfriends and I all went on a Cruise to the Bahamas. I took a little day tour of the New Harbourside at Atlantis. The sign said "Own A Piece Of Atlantis" I said to myself, I would like to own a piece of Atlantis. I took the tour and we went back on the cruise and nothing much came of it. Two years later, I received an invitation from Harbourside to stay for a week, the money from the holiday would go back into the Time Share if I bought. So I booked the vacation and my daughter and I spent a wonderful week at Atlantis. I bought a "piece of Atlantis" the last day I was there. That was 5 years ago now. We enjoy it every year and as I said I am missing my home away from Home.

It has become a place of solitude. Peace, I don't

use a cell phone when I'm there. Nor the computer.

We just relax. Enjoy. Read. Walk. Explore. Eat. I can't wait to go Back.

8th Grade Dance

So it is finally the end of the school year

and my oldest daughter Hannah

(she will be 14 tomorrow the 26th)

had her 8th grade school dance.

Hannah and her best friend Ashley

I know you are wondering why this picture is in here but if you look at the next picture you will see.........

Mother like daughter

Our beagle

/hound dog started to sing

while this picture was trying

to be taken as you can see

Hannah was hysterical with laughter

Finally after all the howling we got a decent picture.

They had the best time at the dance and have a wonderful memory of middle school.

A few months of summer fun and the off to

The Best High School

Sarasota Military Academy!

Congratulations Girls and Boys

For Gina,

Who has waited so patiently for her Peonies....

Her favorite Flower...

Kate

Hydrangeas........

Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh!!!! Look what I found when I went to get my mail!!!! My first Hydrangea ever. Do you know how many times I tried to grow Hydrangeas in Florida???? More than I can count. Once I thought I would try and buy a large Hydrangea in North Carolina (thinking if it were more mature it would grow in Florida and not die) I drove with it in between my legs, 10 hours back from North Carolina!!! It still died.... I'm so Excited.... Katie

Tea Travels......

Thanks again this week to Barb at Grits and Glamour for hosting this weeks Tea Time Tuesday....... http://gritsglamour.blogspot.com/ I've decided to share some of my Tea Adventures with you. Below, is a photo taken at The Orangery Tea Room I told you about last week at Kensington Palace in London. (Open to the Public) Below, is my oldest daughter , Lindsey having Tea. Below, The Peacock Cafe, they serve Cream Tea all afternoon, with Peacocks strolling around your tables.....it is lovely. This is at Pencarrow in Cornwall. http://www.pencarrow.co.uk/homepage.asp Pretty Picture from Kimbery Shaw. http://www.kimberlyshawstore.com/ Below, Cream Tea in Cornwall at a Pub, Seaside on a small Cliff in the little Village of Fowey, Cornwall, UK. Below is a Menu for the Month of May from a Wonderful Tea room in an old Victorian House in Lexington Ky, I have inserted the web address so you can visit. It is well worth the trip if your in Kentucky. MAY MENU Chilled Fruit Soup Cream Scone Lemon Curd & Fayette Cream Asparagus Crêpe with Mornay Sauce Greentree Classic,Cucumber-Dill &Shrimp Tea Sandwiches Chocolate Pots de Crème,Greentree French Filled Wafers & Strawberry Cream Cake Darjeeling Tea http://www.greentreetearoom.com/ Below, is a peek in my kitchen tea cabinet, next week I will let you peek in my Tea Pantry. Top Shelf, Peter Pan canister from UK, Hedley's Earl Grey 2nd Shelf, Bavarian Tea Cup, Harrod's Canister 2006 "The Store Mixture", Yellow Tea Cup (my Great Gramma's) One of my favorites, Cauldon, Bone China Made in England 3rd Shelf, Matching Saucers to above and ELMWOOD INN, FINE TEA, English Breakfast, from Perryville ,KY. Bottom Shelf, Harrod's Tea Canister, 2001 in Green and Gold, ( Food Halls) Limoge Tea cup, English Tea biscuits, Oxbridge Hazelnut & Raisin, Oxford Uk. Thanks Again to Barb.....Until next Week. katie

Summer Time Blues....

With Summer on the Way, I decided it was time for a change in the house. The Easter decorations have been put away and I needed a quick fix. Ahhhh, slipcovers.....

Everyday chairs above, linen fabric from Strohiem

and Romann.

Two years ago, I designed and had slipcovers made for

my dining chairs. I choice a Jaima Brown Fabric.

http://www.jaimabrownhome.com/

In my Morning Room, I bought a Anthropologie Table

Cloth and Napkins. I had some of the napkins made into

seat cushions.

Top. Anthropologie Fabric (napkins)

Side view, I combined three fabrics. A small check and a

Large plaid with the Anthropologie Fabric.

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp

I had my seamstress shir the small check and made extra

large ties......

Time for Summer...

Something New

Please go to my New Blog called

Mountain Home,

http://mountainhomekd.blogspot.com/

to see how I made these Great Monogram

Charms......

Tuesday Tea Time

Any one who knows me knows I love Tea. English Black

Tea. Real Tea. No sugar, no milk, no green or herb Tea.

Just good Black Tea. The last 25 years I have made it

my hobby to visit Tea Rooms around the US and UK

to critique and enjoy the Tea.

This is a photo of The Orangery outside

Kensington Palace, the last place Princess

Diana lived before she died. The Orangery

is open to the public for Tea. It's the most

Beautiful Setting in the UK I have been to

for Tea.

In Cornwall they have what they call

"Cream Tea" instead of "High Tea" like

they would in London, NY or Chicago.

Cream Tea consists of a pot of Tea,

a Fruit Scone (Raisin we would call it here)

and all the trimmings including Cornish

Clotted Cream. (Hence the name)

The Best Tea I have had consistently is at the

Ritz Carlton. I get what they call the "Royal

Tea" which means it comes with a glass of

champagne!!

The Ritz Carlton employees there own pastry

chef, that is one very good reason there Tea is

always wonderful!!! Also they are true traditionalists

with a Harp playing, each person has there own

Tea pot and choice of Tea, and the Tea sandwiches

are always fresh and wonderfully different.

Cheers......

Kate at Tea at the Ritz after two glasses of

champagne!!

Thanks to Barb at Grits and Glamour for

Hosting this Great New Tuesday Event!!

http://gritsglamour.blogspot.com/

Lost Hours

Another great story by Karen White

(Author of House on Tradd Street )

* Sound familiar this is the street Kate and I visited while in downtown Charleston*

When Piper Mills was twelve, she helped her grandfather bury a box that belonged to her grandmother in the backyard. For twelve years, it remained untouched. Now a near fatal riding accident has shattered Piper's dreams of Olympic glory. After her grandfather's death, she inherits the house and all its secrets, including a key to a room that doesn't exist? or does it? And after her grandmother is sent away to a nursing home, she remembers the box buried in the backyard. In it are torn pages from a scrapbook, a charm necklace and a newspaper article from 1929 about the body of an infant found floating in the Savannah River. The necklace and it's charms tell the story of three friends during the 1920s. Each charm added during the three months each friend had the necklace and recorded her life in the scrapbook. Piper always dismissed her grandmother as not having had a story to tell. And now, too late, Piper finds she might have been wrong. I started this book while at the airport on my return flight home from visiting with Kate in Charleston,SC. I found this book to be a real pleasure. The book keeps you trying to put the pieces of the mysteries together ie: the scrapbook, the necklace and the newspaper article and how they all connect. Great read but I did find The House on Tradd street a bit better and cannot wait until the sequel comes out. If you are looking for a nice read pick up a Karen White book you won't be disappointed.

What's for dinner?

Italian bread

Caesar Salad

Vino

Homemade Marinara

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Viola Lasagna!

Today I am making homemade Marinara and Homemade Ricotta cheese

tomorrow it will be Lasagna

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there.

I am cooking today so I can enjoy one of my favorite meals for mothers day.

Lily Of the Valley

I've been missing Lily of the Valley. I've asked if we can grow it here in South Carolina, and apparently were too far south for them to bloom. Last year in England, I was two weeks to early for the blossoms, the foliage was tall, but no blossoms...... Did Winter, letting Fall in vain regret A tear among the tender leaves of May, Embalm the tribute, lest she might forget, In this elect, imperishable way Or did the virgin Spring sweet vigil keep In the white radiance of the midnight hour, And whisper to the unwondering ear of Sleep some shy desire that turned into flower? Lily of the Valley by Charles G. D. Roberts Such a sweet smell, I can smell it now in my mind.....I wish I could hold some in my hand and smell them. Thanks to French Essence, http://frenchessence.blogspot.com/ ( for the beautiful line drawing above) The flower is also known as Our Lady's tears since, according to Christian legend, the lily of the valley came into being from Eve's tears after she was driven with Adam from the Garden of Eden. Traditionally, Lily of the Valley is sold in the streets of France on May 1. Lily of the Valley became the national flower of Finland in 1967. The Norwegian municipality Lunner has a Lily of the Valley in its coat-of-arms. My Jasmine is in Full Bloom here in Charleston. So I think I will go smell it and be happy I'm here, where it's warm in March and December...... Remember to take time to Smell the Flowers.