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Aunt Tea's Cup; with honey and lemonLORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. Psalms 16:5 |
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Thought I would try the new guestbook... guests can leave images too? let's give it a whirl! I do still love my old guestbook. It's still here below this new fangled one. Feel free to sneak in there and leave a message.
gwrote:
Sorry to hear you have been under the weather, A.T. Hope all is well now, g
Jan. 20
teatime foto-shwrote:
Now the time comes to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas .. hope to see you more next year.. have a good overcoming into the new year ..love andrea
Dec. 20
Michellewrote:
Am just out blog walking...checking on my friends. Can't believe this year is already coming to an end! Hope all is well with you and your family. Love your pictures, always so bright and cheery!
Grace to you shell
Nov. 19
Carmelina Lounsburywrote:
Hello Aunt TEA,,, I think your photos of nature are breathtaking! I love to see people out there enjoying photography as much as I do. Keep on clicking ... you never know who might gain enjoyment from your pictures. Have a great day. Carmelina
July 21
Pastorwrote:
Hello, my dear friend, I Pray that the Lord keeps us all on the strait and narrow and opens our hearts to the things that are of Him! That He might lead and guide us on the path that He has selected for each and everyone of us, that one day we may all stand in His presence. Can we all take a stand for Jesus? Amen!!! Love in: <*Christ>< Pastor Winston
July 5
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March 27 Spring CleaningAre you a spring cleaner? Spring cleaning is more of a hurry-up-and-finish-winter, cleaning for me. I try to do practical things during the gray days of winter so that I can more afford to cut back and get outdooors when the weather is nice. I'm at the hurry-up stage of this now. The weather is a mix of cold and gray, and sunny and glorious. I am trying to get as much done on the cold days as I can...looking forward to days outside.
Look out drawers and closets...I'm almost out of time. March 21 Spring's Hope March has had plenty of rain. Chilly rain, but here and there a few mostly sunny, warmish days too. The sun is completely theraputic for me. I have been out to do a little yardwork, take a couple of walks and hunted plum blossoms and blossoming weeds with my camera. This month it feels as though life is not all gray. Everyday life that is. The routine life...because always bright is my faith in my Creator, and my gratitude for my family. The skies...G-R-A-Y, and after awhile I think the color of my blood even starts to run...gray.
Ahhhhh, but I feel the motivating springiness rising up. Yep, even a {spring} in my step.
Is it spring in your neighborhood yet? Are you out enjoying it? December 28 Spaces changes again...I couldn't have been gone that long. Live spaces changes again and I find my name listed in my profile. It wasn't there before and I should have had to select something before it displayed. I of course am trying to figure other things out. I don't care for the contacts from spaces meshing by defalut with my hotmail and messenger. I have so many many names in my contact list. My instant messenging is something I only do with a couple of friends and family. I really don't want all of my blog contacts in my email contacts list and instant messenger list.
Surely there are editable options for toning this all down, but I find it a bit ditsurbing. And a BIG PAIN.
I have another differently styled blog on blogger, but I have been hesitant to leave spaces alltogether as I have blog friends here in spaces, and there are still things about spaces format that i rally appreciate, especially the photo albums. But we'll see.
Tips anyone?
How are y'all doing with spaces? Do you still like it here? Do you still like hanging out in blogland? This is me...pondering, pondering. A Year Ends As much as I enjoy the warmth of the Christmas season, I'm ready to say good bye to it. Just a bit of weariness. The day after Christmas a cold set in and I have been obsessed with sleep! And...my washing machine is dead in the water again. It's possible that the days of reliable Sears appliances, and worthwhile protection plans, are a thing of the past. Last year our whole machine was rebuilt part by part, appointment by appointment. It took from September 22 to November 9th. They considered that one repair call, so not eligible for replacement. Every part, not kidding, except for the shell was replaced. Now it's dead again. So starting Tuesday we see what happens. So not happy about this lemon of a machine and the coming trips to the laundromat.
So in the midst of laundry troubles and post holiday sleeping, I am slowly doing the traditional, look back, to get my looking forward perspective for a new year.
How was your holiday season this year? October 21 How do you crack an egg?
How do you crack your {raw} eggs? Do you tap-tap-tap intil it cracks? Or do you give it one firm, perfect tap? {I might have an opinion on egg cracking.} October 08 Shopping!
The cup and saucers pictured below were only about three inches tall. Sooooo cute. I'm sure they would make fabulous additions to staged photographs, and tablescapes. The shop owners let me take photos in the store once I assured them that I was not a spy for another shop. So many colorful things there longing to be adopted. (click on album link below to see full size)
October 06 Missed photo OPI had been eyeing a crabapple tree by the side of the road for a couple of weeks. There was a hint of fall in the leaves, and it was FULL of crab apples. Surely the subject of a few charming photos. But... I kept forgetting to walk up the street with my camera. (this was a daily drive-by event) Yesterday I made it up there only to find that there were only about 5 apples left IN the tree and being that the tree was on a slope, it was really too hard to get good photos of those remaining.
I did find it strangely satisfying to squish the crab apples under my feet.
July 05 Summer sweet and summer lossWith strangely extended cold weather, this was a summer that seemed would never really arrive. Now that the fourth has come and gone it feels like summer is really here and that it will too soon fade. My flowers and veggies are not their glorious selves yet. It's been a slow growth year and the bugs are eating my zinnias as fast as they grow it seems.
With the sweet warmth of summer our family is also adjusting to loss. My brother in law died this June and he was truly one of the sweet things of summer. Many a pool side chat and photo shoot shared with him over the years. He was a sweet uncle to my kids. This summer 6 weeks after learning that he was going to leave us, he was gone. We thought we would have more time and more photos. Friends, remember to take photos of your loved ones. You will always wish for more.
Summer is still sweet. We have hosted family, entertained younger cousins with roasted marshmallows, thrown water balloons and driveway fireworks. We've eaten ice cream and watermelon, suffered in triple digits and savored the blue skies (when they are free of smoke). We still have summer to enjoy and I aim to appreciate every day of it.
This summer is a season of God's faithfulness. We see His comfort and grace. We know His mercy and provision, and for awhile, we will walk in it in our barefeet. March 21 Good Friday stirs the soulIf we stop to take the time, remembering the cross will first bring a soberness and a gratefulness to your soul. If you continue to linger you will find the cross will sweeten your cup of difficulty, grief, weariness, regret, loneliness... whatever it is you bear. It was for the joy set before Him that Jesus endured the cross. The joy of being your savior, your friend, your everything. It was for the joy of presenting you, perfect, to the Father. P E R F E C T. Allow the cross to stir sweetness and completeness into your soul. Your sorrow, your pain, your inadequacies, your unworthiness... were all completely, perfectly borne. You've been redeemed, beloved.
February 15 cheerful polka dotsThis afternoon a delightful box of cheer arrived.
A gift from The Queen of Cheerfulness.
(puns, plays intended...)
You can see the sweetness below and for a closer look,
in the photo album.
A box to make me feel like a priority...
A little heaven in a polka dot bag...tea that smells A M A Z I N G...little lucious lindt balls...little seeds of hope for spring (as in, "peas let it be spring")...charming paper for happy list making and note jotting...and the loveliest handmade, handwritten card.
It's all quite at home with my little red tea pot. Inspires a smile each time that I walk by.
Thank you dear Chelle. I feel blessed.
-Aunt Tea
 February 13 Beloved...February 08 buttercream rantI'm back. I've only been gone 2 minutes and I'm adding an entry.
I stalk flicker photos and photo blogs.
a d d i c t i o n.
a lovely, inspiring a d d i c t i o n.
But there is a trend that I am finding annoying.
People everywhere are taking photographs of CUPCAKES.
Beautiful, arty, delicious... cupcake photos.
I have such a craving for cake these days.
I think I N E E D a cupcake...or two!
-Aunt Tea
Addendum:
yep....I stumbled upon the collection of collections
of cupcake photos...
right here:
um, Chelle...your fault.
  oh my...february is slipping by...2008...2008...it seemed to have worked. Practicing. I didn't write 2007 once in my check book.
I've been putting off blog writing in order to catch up on my to do list. a short, I'm-behind-on-stuff list. But the result is no blogging. Soooo... I think I need to take blog breaks or something, or stay up all night and get the list done. Ü
Oh to have the list done. I have a few Christmas things yet haunting me.
Perhaps some extra special coffee...will...help...to get me back in business. That and the lure of friends here to chat with.
Anybody have some good brownies?
-Aunt Tea
January 01 2008 begins2008... 2008...2008...2008...2008...
 (I'm practicing so that I get it right in my checkbook.) December 20 A cup of peppermint teaOh my goodness! December is soooo getting away from me! the regularly timed extra christmas chores, a few poorly timed germs and long distance family medical chrisis and here we are. I am certainly keeping to the holiday tradition of being behind schedule.
Christmas will be extended this year as at least one sibling is bringing his family the day after Christmas to spend a few days. My sister is contemplating roads and weather and may also come. we are crossing our fingers that they will all be here, but I am also gearing up for a longer stretch of holiday. No sitting on the couch the day after Christmas and being lazy!
I am so glad that I still have friends popping in here and I look forward to sitting down at my blog table with mugs of hot tea and coffee when the holidays are over and the gray days of winter linger. I miss writing to you all, and all of your lovely comings and goings.
Last night at the end of a busy day I watched the St Olaf University choirs sing for Christmas on PBS. For me Christmas must include a university style choir. (or a big Presbyterian type choir) Somehow the well sung, harmony and voice rich renditions of the music stir my soul in a way other music doesn't. Surround sound was cranked up last night and the last song, a part of the hymn, "Fairest Lord Jesus" ...was just stunning. I just needed that last night. Music that touched my spirit. It was nourishing.
I hope that you all find spiritual nourishment that only our Fairest Lord Jesus, can give, as you bustle through your holiday activities.
When the holidays are over and you're resting and looking for a cup of tea, pop in and share what nourished you this season.
The Lord richly bless you all.
-Aunt Tea
October 10 Fall is here...but where is Aunt T. ?I am getting my family ready for a trip out of town...
without a washing machine.
I am so hoping to have it fixed tomorrow!
I couldn't help myself,
I HAD to photograph a little fall color.
Fall came early and this makes vacation
a bit ill timed.
for fall photographs that is.
family vacation of course will be sweet. September 12 Coffee and what!?I was looking for information on the internet and took a couple of bunny trails that led me to this...
Coffee and doughnut cupcakes.
It's clever though a bit over the top...but still... clever. I may have to try the cupcake recipe sometime sans the doughnut. Between long walks, make that HIKES would probably be prudent.
The blog with the recipe for Cofee and doughnut cupcakes:
September 05 Walking wordsIt's Wordless Wednesday but I'm using words today...
I have done A LOT of walking this summer! I cannot tell you how grateful I am for that. (see post below about my summer's start) Along with the everyday pain free walking for errands, I have gotten in plenty of camera walks and a couple of big camera walking field trips. The highlight was a trip to the Oregon Garden and Silverfalls State Park. Husband and I spent a full day walking in the garden with our cameras and then a bit of outlet shopping after. It was a warm, sunny day and I survived the day of walking well. No pain. The next day we went for a hike in the state park. I really had doubts about my ability to hike around there as the terrain is anything but flat. You are either going down a significant slope, or going up one. After the first leg of our hike we decided to go on. The map was deceiving! it was not a short switchback, but a VERY LONG uphill switchback. Forget the pain issues, I didn't think my stamina was up for such a thing. BUT! I did it! after hours of going up, I did have to sit a couple of times and let my body recover a bit, but recovery was quick and I made it out. Again, NO PAIN. I'm writing, and I should have words to tell you how FANTASTIC this is, but it's tough to find the right words. Deep in the sanctuary of my soul, I feel utter gratefulness to my Heavenly Father for the grace and strength to do and enjoy that walk. There was another sweetness too. It was a long overdue time with husband, no children. It was good for two, gonna-be-empty-nesters-soon, married folks. As for photos, we did get a handful of good ones. Mostly we thought we could do better, and we are eyeing the new resort being built at the garden for future photo, fellowship for two, expeditions. Aunt Tea
I shall walk before the LORD In the land of the living . Psalm 116:9
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