Rosemary's Sampler

Tea cup Thursday

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Alas, there are no markings on this richly decorated tea cup. Just a beautiful design on a simply elegant tea cup. Some of you have commented on this pretty tea towel that has been the background for several of our tea cups. The towel is a linen/cotton mix, offered by Kay Dee Designs many years ago. It was Made in Poland, but printed in the United States. My intent was to have it framed at one point, but that hasn't happened yet, and now most of my wall space is otherwise committed. It says 'Tea Time' at the bottom of the towel, and then the pattern is as shown, with the names of a wide variety of tea flavors and accompanying tea pots and cups.

Wave Hill, NYC

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

In late September we took one of our famous Traveling Herb Seminars to the Bronx, New York. Our second destination on this bus trip featured Wave Hill a 28 acre plot that was once considered a "country retreat" boasting former residents like Mark Twain and Teddy Roosevelt.

This now urban oasis features overflowing flower gardens, herb gardens, alpine gardens and many more all planted together with an artist's mastery of composition, color and texture and with a great vista of the Hudson river as well.

The Head Gardener displays his sense of whimsy in this paisley plot complete with relaxing chairs and beverages. We loved the way the herbs were labeled and some of the unusual varieties of herbs grown. Wave Hill is certainly worth a visit.

Isn't this planted chair just adorable?

New York Botanic Garden

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

We typically schedule two bus trips to unique destinations each year. This past fall, The Traveling Herb Seminar to the Bronx Beauties, took us first to the New York Botanical Garden. This 250 acre garden features over 50 diverse gardens including the rose garden, perennial garden, and children's adventure garden.
The herb garden photographed here has the gorgeous conservatory as its backdrop.

The Victorian conservatory was built in 1902 and features 11 gardens including the rainforest, orchid, and cactus gardens.

After our intrepid travelers meandered through the grounds of the New York Botanic Garden, they stopped by the pavillion to gather their basket lunch prepared by Sweet Remembrances. The menu featured French Style Cheese Spread and Crackers, a Marinated Beef and Sun Dried Tomato Salad, Parmesan Tortellini Salad, Flavortop Muffins and Chocolate Zucchini Cake.

Cedar! Nine!

2012-01-29T10:22:00.000-05:00

Packin' a whole lot of livin' in 9 years!

and from Harney & Sons...

2012-01-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

Another quick purchase, a sampler pack of four assorted black teas, was made while the majority of the group was heading out the door towards the next destination. Each tin holds about an ounce of tea, and features samples from Africa, Ceylon, India, and China.The descriptive information on each tin captures your imagination and entices you to sit down and sample each tea to discover whether you can discern the toasty flavors of the black tea from the Northern Fujian Province or whether you can detect the honey notes in the light bodied Temi Sikkim tea, processed in Darjeeling style or the hint of minty spice in the high grown Ceylon Pekoe from the Uva Highlands. There are many natural flavors to discover in the abundance of black teas being produced in the tea growing region, and this sampler pack is only a mere speck of the world of black tea.

One of the notations that I appreciate on the Harney tins is their scale of Briskness, Body, and Aroma that they have designated to the teas. On a scale of 0 - 5, they rate the tea by these categories so that the consumer is aware of the particular characteristics of that tea. For example, Livingstonia GFOP, the full leaf black tea from Tanzania has a briskness of 3, body of 2, and aroma of 2; compared to the high grown Ceylon Pekoe from the Uva Highlands which has a rating of 4 in all three categories. It's just another little guideline to help you begin your tea tasting journey and discover the different types and varieties of teas, all within the group labeled, black teas.

Souvenir Shopping

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

Somewhere in the planning stages for our New York weekend excursion, we apparently forgot to mention that we might enjoy some shopping. So, alas, souvenirs were limited to what we might discover during any stop before we headed out on our trek through the city. Thankful to have discovered a tea shop, I knew there was something I might purchase quickly without holding up the group!
This little collection of bookmarks was spotted in the Ten Ren Tea shop we visited. Probably one of the best bargains in NYC at only 3 for $1.00, I now wish I had purchased more to share with friends! The front of each bookmark depicts a different tea type, Long gin, tung ting oolong, pouchong, white, and Pu-Erh along with a relevant photo. The reverse side of the bookmark features some information pertaining to the tea type, and brewing instructions or additional little hints and tips.

These are simply fun! Perfect to tuck into a book to discover and enjoy over and over again!

Tea Cup Thursday

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Time for another Tea Cup Thursday ~ still another treasure from this past Christmas! This delicate floral tea cup is hand painted and marked Lefton China on the bottom of the cup.

Almost too pretty to use! Almost!

Please do visit Miss Spenser and others today to discover the wide variety of beautiful tea cups they are featuring on this Tea Cup Thursday.

Tea Tasting - Darjeeling

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Inspired by the use of the Tea Taster's Set while in Harney's Tasting Room, when I returned home I decided to break out my set and use it to sample a lovely First Flush Darjeeling from Glenburn Estate, hand carried from India by Steph of Steph's Cup of Tea and offered as a prize for participating in a writing prompt on her blog.

The tea is placed in the larger cup, filled with water at the appropriate temperature and brewed as recommended (Steph suggested 200 degrees, 3 minutes), and covered with the lid. When the brewing time is complete, the lid is held tightly while the tea is poured out through the little riveted edge so the tea leaves remain in the steeping vessel. Smell the wet leaves, savor the beautiful color of the brew, and sip (slurp) the sample from the cup.

Shown here are the wet leaves (left) and the dry leaves (right) for comparison.The dry leaf of the First Flush Darjeeling from Glenburn Tea Estate had a very fresh, very green fragrance to it. Darjeeling teas are considered the "champagne of Indian teas". Personally, I noted a very light flavor to the tea with a touch of astringency accompanied with a floral note, almost an orchid-like sweetness to it. There are many factors involved in brewing a tea, from the type of water used, the amount of leaf, and length of brewing time, that the next time I brew this tea, there might be subtle differences noted, and if you were to brew this sample, your tasting notes might differ. That's okay! It's pretty subjective. It is a very pleasant tea, and exciting to know that it was hand carried from the source. Thank you so much for sharing your tea, Steph! Stephanie has been sharing her travel journeys on her blog, and just recently shared her initial impressions of India. Please visit Steph's blog and tell her Rosemary sent you!

Harney & Sons Tasting Room

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

In addition to the Flight of Teas sampling being offered, while at the Tasting Room, you are able to select one tea of your choice to sample. Tough choice! The two young foreign exchange students traveling with our group were eager to make a selection. Eero (from Finland) selected Sally's Secret, an aromatic blend of Earl Grey combined with rose petals while Adam (from the Czech Republic) opted for a Ceylon from Kenilworth Garden north of the Dimbula area.

The tea specialist quickly went about brewing the selections in pristine white taster's cups, using the proper temperature and allowing the tea to steep for the required time. It's probably a good thing I don't live close by, or I'd be selecting a different tea to sample each day. Wonder how long it would take to go through their wide assortment of teas? Oh, but think of the fun!

Harney & Sons Fine Teas

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

When Harney & Sons announced that they were opening a tasting bar in Manhattan in November of last year, I knew that this would be an attainable destination. We accomplished that goal this past weekend! This tony establishment located in the trendy district of SoHo is a must-see for any tea enthusiast. Situated at 433 Broome Street, we welcomed the opportunity to step inside out of the wicked cold and poke around this specialty location.

From the rows and rows of tea tins that require a ladder to reach, to the artsy TEA sign, there was no doubt what was available to sample and/or purchase here. On this day, the Flight of Teas that were featured included a lovely variety of green teas, including Anji Baicha (a Chinese green with a light herbal honey flavor), Snow Dragon (light and sweet), and Bi Lo Chun (a light bodied green with woodsy and fruit notes).

The tea specialists, anxious to please and share their knowledge, were happy to pour a sampling of the green teas. The three assorted flavors were lined up behind the clear glass jars that displayed a sampling of the dry leaf. If you look closely, you can observe the difference in the leaf and also in the various shades of the brewed tea. It truly is a study! Snow Dragon was my tea of choice, a delicately sweet brew with a light floral note.

Ginseng at TenRen's Tea Shop

2012-01-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ten Ren's Tea Shop is an Asian Company so it came as no surprise to me to see pounds of Ginseng roots available for purchase. Ginseng is a famous Chinese herb and they had several varieties (both Chinese and American) and grades of roots. It is a very slow growing perennial. In fact is is so slow growing United Plant Savers encourages planting and restoring the American Ginseng in our country. Ginseng has many amazing uses. It can decrease stress, increase performance, increase energy, enhance memory, and stimulate the immune system. It has been studied for diabetes and heart disease. It is credited with restoring youth. Use it by slicing a piece of root and eating it raw. Add a slice of root to soup and simmer for hours, or add it to stir fry. As a tea, the root is reused for 2 to 3 Cups.

Ten Ren's Tea

2012-01-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

It was exciting to accidentally discover Ten Ren's Tea while we were walking along the streets of New York. Ten Ren Tea Company was founded half a century ago. They are now one of the largest growers and manufacturers of tea in Eastern Asia. Originally started in Taiwan, they soon expanded to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York, amassing 120 chain stores around the world.

Beautiful golden tins of assorted teas line the back wall. They have a modern tea bar which provides a wide variety of hot or cold teas served in new and exciting ways. I was happy to be able to order a warming cup of Tung Ting Oolong. A popular Oriental tea, it is cultivated in the high mountains of Taiwan and is semi-fermented. Considered a green oolong, it brews into a golden green tea with sweet aroma, a floral taste, and a lingering aftertaste.

Bubble Tea was one of the options we selected during our visit to Ten Ren Tea. A high quality tea is mixed with fruit juices and delicious tapioca pearls. The pearls, with their 'gummy bear' consistency add a sweetness and texture unique to this beverage. Served with an extra large straw, each sip is a surprise! We are happy to be able to say we have tried Bubble Tea! Have you had the opportunity yet?

The African Burial Ground

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

It seemed fitting that during the Martin Luther King Holiday Weekend we should come across the African Burial Grounds. What first caught my eye were the burial mounds with Bird-of-Paradise, Antheriums, and shells. From 1626 through the late 1700's Africans gathered to bury their families as best they could according to their traditions. For most of the Colonial Era this was the only cemetery for some 15,000 Africans and African Descendants.

As New York City expanded Northward the burial ground was encroached upon. Officially closed in 1794, the land was divided into lots and sold. Over the next two centuries it was covered with layer upon layer of fill and buildings, which protected the human remains. In 1991, the skeletal remains were discovered when the excavation began for a Federal Office Building. Considered one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th Century, you can read more about the Rediscovery, Reinternment and Remembrance here.

"For all those who are lost, For all those who were stolen, For all those who were left behind, For all those who were not forgotten."

9/11 Memorial

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

Our Visitors Pass for the National September 11th Memorial fell on a very cold Saturday Morning. The Memorial is a tribute of respect and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 2001 not only at the World Trade Center site, but also near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993. Although very crowded on this early January morning, there was a peaceful quiet that prevailed. We visited the memorial as a family and placed sprigs of fresh Rosemary for Remembrance and Bay, symbolic of valor, courage, and strength at the two reflecting pools.

This Callery pear tree became known as the “Survivor Tree” after sustaining extensive damage yet enduring through the September 11, 2001 terror attacks at the World Trade Center. In October 2001, the tree with burned branches, snapped roots and a blackened trunk was discovered and removed from the piles of smoldering rubble of the World Trade Center. It recovered in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx under the care of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The tree was returned to the Memorial site in 2010.

New York! New York!

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Day One: the 9/11 Memorial, African Burial Grounds, shopping in SoHo, Harney and Sons Tasting Room, TenRen Tea Shop, Dirty Water Dogs from a street vendor, walking through Washington Square in Greenwich Village, NYC Circle Line Cruise around the island of Manhattan. Day Two: the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Natural History (with the Hayden Planetarium), dinner at Brasserie Athenee, The Lion King on Broadway, Times Square at Night, Toys R Us on Times Square (complete with a Ferris Wheel inside), Subways, Buses and Trains, Grand Central Terminal, and pretending to spot movie stars! Eleven of us (family, friends, and foreign exchange students) straggled behind our expert leader, Phil, who swiftly guided us through all of this during two very bitter cold days. We thank you! And to Carrie, who planned, organized, coordinated, and graciously opened her home to welcome us, We thank you!

Warm woolen mittens!

2012-01-17T14:47:00.001-05:00

And one final snowman tea for one set to share... this little guy looks toasty warm with his perky red hat, snugly scarf, and warm woolen mittens. On these extra cold days, a warm cup of tea makes the day perfect.

Special thanks to Christy for the newest addition to the snowman tea pot collection!

Snowmen!

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

This little yard sale find features a snowman family on the teapot and also on the matching plate. Festive and warming on these cold winter days, it's a perfect change from the spring floral teapots that we typically use. The little snowmen on the side are crafted using children's socks! Stuffed with rice, they are then adorned with faces, buttons, and a ribbon scarf. This little cutie was one that Angelica made when she was just younger. Happy to be crafting with her mother, it's a treasure!

Let it Snow!

2012-01-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Are you a fan of tea for one sets? That's the purpose of this little wintry snowman. The tea is brewed in the top section of the duo, allowed to steep, and then poured into the cup in the bottom half. Cheery in winter blues, adorned with cardinals, he's ready for that first winter snow. Are you!?

Ready and Waiting!

2012-01-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

This charming little snowman teapot, bundled with hat, mittens, and a scarf, is at the ready for that first winter snowfall. He looks like he might just be filled with hot chocolate! Are you ready?

National Hot Tea Month ~ January

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

January is National Hot Tea Month ~ a steaming pot of tea is a perfect solution for keeping warm during the cold days of January. Are you enjoying afternoon tea such as these two young ladies, complete with crumpets and sweet treats perhaps?

A "Yamada Originals", crafted in 1996 by Lefton, this precious little hand-painted porcelain treasure is actually a music box. It plays a perky rendition of "Tea for Two" as these young ladies enjoy their time together, sharing secrets and creating lovely memories over a pot of tea. As the quiet days of January slowly pass, we hope you are able to find some special time with a family member or close friend to enjoy your own carefree moments of sharing.

Tea Cup Thursday

2012-01-12T11:20:00.000-05:00

Today we're featuring another gift received during the holiday season. This sweet little tea cup is from a monthly series and is marked
'January ~ Carnation'
on the bottom of the cup.

A perfect cup to celebrate
National Hot Tea Month!

Join Miss Spenser and others for Tea Cup Thursday today.

Super Scone Sunday

2012-01-09T19:21:00.000-05:00

Traditional English Cream Scones

Freshly slice pears, raspberries, blueberries

Mock Clotted Cream

Lemon Pecan Scones

Fresh pineapple, strawberries

Lemon Curd, Raspberry Preserves

White Chocolate Apricot Scones

Orange and Kiwi Fruit Slices

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Various Pots of Properly Brewed Tea

A winter time specialty around here.... held yesterday, Sunday January 8th. A perfect way to celebrate National Hot Tea month. A time to sit, relax, chat with friends, while away the day, and savor oven fresh scones.

Our next Super Scone Sunday is scheduled for February 5th.

Patrina's Earl Grey Cupcakes

2012-01-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

The recipe for these delicious little Earl Grey Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting was recently featured on Steph's Cup of Tea Blog. In her post, Steph credits Patrina of The Jasmine Pearl with crafting this recipe. The Jasmine Pearl is a specialty tea business located in Portland, OR, and they happened to be celebrating a special event with unique tea infused treats.

Excited to try the recipe, I finally found some extra time.... and let me tell you, they are yummy! And, personally, although I am not a true fan of Earl Grey Tea, the combination of the infused cupcakes lavishly topped with a whipped cream mascarpone frosting, well, I could become a devout fan of these! If you would like a copy of the recipe, be sure to visit Steph's blog post here, and tell her I sent you! In the meantime, may I offer you a cup of tea and a cupcake? Earl Grey, of course.

Tea Cup Thursday

2012-01-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

Sharing a few of my newest treasures today on Tea cup Thursday. We're joining Miss Spenser and others, sharing the beautiful variety of tea cups to be found. Shown here, displayed on a sweetly embroidered tea towel (a gift from Angelica), are two bone china tea cups (gifts from Marj).

The plum, is marked Regency, Genuine Bone China, Made in England. It is always a special delight to find a tea cup with a fruit design.

The other tea cup is marked Regal Heritage, bone china, Made in England. There is a crown stamped on the bottom of the cup also. Another pretty addition to the growing collection!
Thank you to Angelica and Marj for discovering these fun tea time treasures! They have indeed found a happy home!

Taking Tea in the New Year!

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

A special tea event was offered on the first day of the New Year at "Miss Jade's Tea Room" in Carlisle, PA, and since we had no other obligations, we jumped at the opportunity to enjoy a morning outing. This 'by appointment' only tea room is tucked in the back room of a gift shop that specializes in dolls, and includes a doll hospital.

A variety of blooming teas were offered in pretty clear pots so you could watch the leaves unfurl. In addition, a bowl of fresh berries, homemade sweet potato pie, and warm muffins and biscuits were offered, accompanied with a large bowl of cream. It was a fun morning, a great way to start the new year!

New Year! New Pot!

2012-01-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Under the tree this year, was this beautiful hand crafted fully functional tea pot, a gift from brother-in-law David.
The tea pot is from Black Mountain Studio out of North Carolina. These hand thrown, altered, barkware pottery tea pots are National Award Winners, and I can see why. Their clever interpretation of combining nature and art into one design is amazing.

From the lady bugs to the snail, to the striations on the pot representing the bark, it is amazing to study the pot.

What a real treasure... and now, to decide upon the first tea to be brewed in this little beauty?

In Review ~ December

2011-12-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

Holiday Tea, November 25

FestiviTea ~ Sunday, Monday,December 4, 5

Take Tea! December 10

Victorian Tea - December 15

In Review ~ January - July

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day, 2011

Queen's Tea, June, 2011

Sentimentally Yours, May, 2011

Victorian Tea, June, 2011

Tea Party for the Wee Folk, July 2011

Honor Thy Father

2011-12-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

Thank you dad, for teaching us the value of community, for giving of your time as Mayor of Mechanicsburg, for sharing history, and for documenting it in your book, Mechanicsburg.

January 2011~Booksigning

We are grateful dad, for teaching us the importance of friendship, and for sharing a good story and enjoying a good laugh with friends near and far.

September 2009~Hawaiian Luau Party

September 2009~Welcoming my Japanese penpal

Thank you for encouraging us to save, but understanding the importance of a special outing!

August 2009~Birthday Tea for Nancy

Thank you dad for your dedication to your country as a proud and courageous Marine, and for teaching us about honor, loyalty, and dedication to God, Country, Corps, Family, and Self. Once a Marine, Always a Marine. We are grateful for your honorable service during WWII.

February 2009~Marine Museum with the Grandkids

Thank you for loving your family, protecting your family, guiding your family, and teaching us about our family roots, our past, present, and future. Simply, Thank you! We love you and miss you!

January 2007~With Granddaughter and GreatGranddaughter

September 2006~Go Penn State!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Forever in our hearts!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Reppert and Brill Families

of Sweet Remembrances and The Rosemary House

wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

In Anticipation

2011-12-24T12:58:00.000-05:00

the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

Tea cup Thursday

2011-12-22T21:30:00.000-05:00

As we march quickly towards Christmas day, we'd like to share A Cup of Christmas Tea as we join Miss Spenser and others today on Tea Cup Thursday. This beautiful Bone China tea cup was introduced in 1992 to accompany the book by the same title, authored by Tom Hegg and illustrated by Warren Hanson. Written in rhyming verse, it tells the story of a young man who reluctantly visits an elderly aunt at Christmastime, and shares the unexpected joy it brings as they both enjoy the memories of Christmas past over a cup of Christmas Tea.

The other book shown here, A Cozy Christmas Tea is a little treasure of recipes, quotes, and beautiful paintings by Sandy Lynam Clough. The author encourages you to celebrate the joy and peace of the season with a cozy Christmas Tea, and what better way to do so than with this delightful tea cup specifically for a cup of Christmas tea.

Der Belsnickel

2011-12-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

We welcomed Timothy Essig to the tea room recently. A Landis Valley Museum educator, he presented a first person interpretation of the rascally Pennsylvania Dutch holiday character, Der Belsnickel, or loosely translated, Nicholas in Furs. The tradition of Der Belsnickel was brought to America by German immigrants and is very regional to Pennsylvania and Maryland, perhaps into New York. Dressed in furs and bells, often wearing a mask, he carried a bag of goodies in one hand for the good kids and a switch in the other for the naughty children.

All Belsnickels dress slightly differently, but furs and bells were common. They were scary with unruly hair and raggedy pants. Typically, the Belsnickels were neighbors or relatives, and visited on Christmas Eve. The tradition of Der Belsnickel eventually fell out of favor as the kinder gentler Santa evolved. It was fun to welcome this rascally fellow to the tea room as he announced that there was no such thing as a good kid. He proceeded to tell stories about the naughty activities of the guests in attendance, all in good fun, of course.

Edible Snowflakes

2011-12-17T19:15:00.000-05:00

It was by chance we happened upon this little package of Edible Snowflakes, imported from Germany. The package states that they are 'great for decorating your holiday treats', and indeed, that is how we have enjoyed using them.

These sturdy little snowflakes, made from potato starch and corn starch, have been placed on assorted dessert offerings.Here they have been tucked into a chocolate topping before it dried, and are now securely held in place as the chocolate became firm. Quite festive and fun!

A delicate statement is made by placing a few of the blue and white snowflakes alongside some sugar dusted desserts.

Let it snow!

Boxwood Table-top Tree

2011-12-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

A Boxwood Table top Christmas Tree is an easy decoration to create. It does require a fair amount of boxwood, a full size block of oasis and a bowl that will hold water. We began by taping the soaked oasis to the bowl for some added security. Next we placed 5 boxwood pieces to create the triangular shape of a tree. On piece at the top and then one on each side of the oasis on the bottom. Those pieces were our largest and after that we continued poking in boxwood pieces, each one progressively smaller, thus forming a lovely tree.
Final touches were put on the wreath with ribbons, red ornaments, red birds, peppermint candies and gold bells. Everyone could choose their own decorations and many left the tree all green.

In the oasis, these charming tabletop trees will easily last throughout the holiday season.

Tea cup Thursday

2011-12-15T07:30:00.000-05:00

Running behind schedule, but better late than never, I thought I better share this teacup before it's January. We're happy to join Miss Spenser and others for Tea cup Thursday.

The newest addition to the holiday tea cup collection is this beautiful Royal Albert, bone China, made in England, Flower of the Month series which features the Christmas Rose.
With its cheerful white blossoms and delicate shades of red, pink, and green with red berries and holly leaves, it has been a joy to place this on the holiday table. A special thank you to sister Marj for finding this treasure, and presenting it to me early so that I could enjoy it throughout the season.

Santa's Coming to Town

2011-12-12T13:30:00.000-05:00

Once again this year, the Santa collection is on display in the tea room. They merrily great you as enter the main hallway, right inside the front entrance.

The smallest Santa on the shelf was a souvenir from Spain. And the rotund wooden one behind him, with the droopy hat with a tiny bell was purchased in Germany.

One of my favorites, the jolly old elf pouring tea was a gift from a good friend. He fits right into the collection as if he's been here since forever.

Another friend of the family stitched the small framed piece which sits on the oak side-by-side. If you look closely, it says Santa's pot of tea, a perfect accompaniment to the little Santa tea pot that rests beside it. What type of tea do you suppose Santa prefers?

Gingerbread Houses

2011-12-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Last December, the kids were shuttled to a friend's home where they created these fun gingerbread houses. Friend Matt mixed, chilled, rolled, measured, cutout, and baked these little treasures. It was then up to the kids to build their house and decorate it at whim, using assorted candy pieces, pretzels, gumdrops, and more.
Guided by their imaginations and desire to create, they crafted fairyland houses! Each one colorful and unique. They are eagerly anticipating, hoping, that there will be another gingerbread decorating adventure this year.

Oh Christmas Tree!

2011-12-05T08:47:00.001-05:00

The tea themed tree is in its place...adorned with all types of tea related ornaments, a few tea caddies, some jewelry pieces, even a bookmark. Anything having to do with tea might be found on the tree or under the tree. A swirl of cloth with colorful teapots circles the tree and a miniature teaset sits below it, waiting for little hands to enjoy a pretend tea party.

If you look closely, you might find this small enamel tea pot, adorned with holly leaves and berries.

Or this sweet Spode tea pot with a colorful plaid holiday ribbon, a Christmas present from years past.

Or this fragile little teapot, hanging gaily from the tree.

It's a tree full of discoveries!

Blog Giveaway! ~ Dainty Dining ~

2011-12-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

December! In celebration of the month of gift giving, we are happy to offer this new tea related book, Dainty Dining, by Angela Webster McRae. Angela, an award-winning journalist and freelance writer from Georgia (and long distance blog friend), also pens the blog Tea With Friends. She has been researching the history and collecting vintage recipes from America's department store tea rooms, many you might recognize; Gimbel's, Hess's, Nieman Marcus, and John Wanamaker, just to name a few. The factual history documented in this creative publication is not only interesting, but informative. The photos that accompany the familiar recipes, inspire me to make them! Some are even photographed on the original china dishes. Picture postcards of the department stores are scattered throughout the book, along with other memorabilia that Angela has found; copies of old menus, advertising flyers, and other fun treasures. This book was obviously a true labor of love, well researched, well indexed, well laid out.

A great addition to any tea enthusiast's library, I immediately ordered a copy for myself. When the book arrived, Angela had included an extra copy to share with our readers. If you would like a chance to win this book ,please leave a comment on this post between now and Sat. Dec. 3rd. We'll announce the winner on Sunday.

For additional information about department store tea rooms, Angela has launched a new blog, Dainty Dining. There is also a link on her blog to order your own copy. Be sure to check it out!

The winner of this Blog Giveaway is Garden of Daisies! Congratulations!

Super Soup Recipes

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

We're happy to share a few of the recipes for the Souper Soups that we enjoyed during our special event a few weeks ago.

The Creamy Sweet Potato Soup recipe, originally a recipe from Bon Appetit magazine, was found on the Internet. The recipe can be found here.

Apple Pie Soup

This fun soup slowly cooks in a crock pot. Once it's done cooking, process in a food processor until smooth. Refrigerate until serving time. Garnish with heavy cream and walnuts.
1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cups water

3 cups apple cider

4 large Granny Smith, peeled, cored and sliced

2/3 cup raisins
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons honey
1 cup vanilla yogurt
Heavy cream, whipped and chopped nuts (garnish)
Combine the spices, water, cider, apple slices and raisins in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6 hours or until apples are quite soft. Puree the soup in a food processor, a partial batch at a time, until all the apples and raisins are pureed. Stir in the lemon juice and honey. Just before serving, blend in vanilla yogurt. Garnish as desired.

Italian Vegetable Soup
1 pound ground beef
1 c. diced onion
1 c. diced celery
1 c. sliced carrots
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (16 oz) tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, undrained

2 c. water
5 tsp. beef bouillon granules
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 c. shredded cabbage
2 c. frozen green beans
1/2 c. small elbow macaroni
salt, to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
In a heavy stock pot, brown beef; drain. Add all ingredients except cabbage, green beans, and macaroni. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Add cabbage, green beans, and macaroni. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 10 - 12 servings.

Surprise "giveaway" on Rosemary's Sampler tomorrow!
Be sure to leave a comment on tomorrow's post to enter in the drawing.

Super Soups for Supper

2011-11-29T11:20:00.000-05:00

Earlier this month, we offered Sensational Super Soups for Supper as a special event in the tea room. Every soup spoon available was put into use for this fun evening! Nancy prepared a wide variety of soups while Susanna presented an informative program between each course that included historical information, seasoning tips, and garnishing techniques.

The first course featured a Chilled Fruit Medley, a recipe from Lunchtime in Gettysburg, a cookbook from the now closed Civil-la-tea Tea Room. Served in a clear glass punch bowl and garnished with ruby red pineapple sage blossoms, it was a sweet and creamy beginning to the super supper.

The second course was Rosemary Corn Soup accompanied with Cheddar Chive Crisps. A fresh sprig of rosemary garnished this hearty corn soup. A Creamy Sweet Potato Soup, garnished with a star shaped crouton and served with a moist Pumpkin Bread was the next soup in our 5-soup menu. Organic, fresh, local sweet potatoes were cooked and then pureed to create a creamy tasty soup.

The main course was a hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup, garnished with Parmesan cheese. Warm Parmesan Herb Biscuits accompanied the bowl of soup.

For dessert, a chilled Apple Pie Soup, garnished with heavy whipped cream sprinkled with walnuts completed the assortment of soups. All in all, it was a fun evening!

Paperwhite Narcissus

2011-11-28T11:28:00.000-05:00

Paperwhite narcissus are a favorite Rosemary House gift for the holidays. We sell the bulbs loose or pre-packaged in charming containers with stones to hold the bulbs in place, complete with instructions for forcing the bulbs indoors. They are a fragrant addition to any household. Happy to bloom with just water, they do not require any special sunlight making them a perfect gift for teachers, shut ins and others who enjoy watching things grow. This special little gift will carry us through these dark winter months. Once they are done blooming we toss them in the compost heap as they will not re-bloom in this area of PA, it is just too cold. The blossoms, once spent, can be found drying in our garage, as they are a symbol of prosperity and who doesn't want that in the upcoming year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T12:48:00.000-05:00

We Thank Thee
By: Ralph Waldo Emerson
For flowers that bloom about our feet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For tender grass so fresh, so sweet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For the song of bird and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

(For the beautiful floral arrangement, complete with fresh sprigs of Rosemary for Remembrance, my sisters and I thank a dear family friend. Such a thoughtful and caring expression of love. Thank you, D.K.)

With Love

2011-11-19T06:42:00.001-05:00

We share with you today a family favorite ~ my father's recipe for Potato Filling ~ a good old fashioned Pennsylvania Dutch recipe. It has been a family tradition to enjoy this potato filling every Thanksgiving and every Christmas. We would all awaken to the delicious fragrance of sauteed onions and celery as it was my father who would begin the preparations for our family meal. He would prepare the turkey, stuff the bird, and begin making the potato filling. Over the years, the responsibilities for the meal have been transferred to younger hands, but as long as he could, he was willing to help with the preparations and would saute the onions and celery for the potato filling

During one of Dad’s election campaigns this recipe was used on the back of his campaign card and even voters from the opposing party were asking for his card! My father won the election for Mayor that year, and my mother always referred to this as 'the recipe that won the election'.

Byron's Potato Filling
½ pound butter
½ loaf white bread, cubed
½ bunch celery, diced
3 large onions, sliced
12 large potatoes, boiled
2 C milk
4 eggs
1 T salt
½ c fresh parsley, minced

Melt ¼ pound of butter, each, in two frying pans. In one pan, brown the bread cubes until they are crisped, In the other, stir fry the celery and onions until softened and translucent. Mash the potatoes, gradually adding the milk, eggs, salt and parsley. Fold in the cooked celery, onions and browned bread cubes. Pour into one large ovenware dish or two small ones and bake for ½ hour or until the bird is carved.

The Blog Writers, Susanna and Nancy, with their 89 year old Father. Forever in our hearts.

Byron Leibold Reppert 1921 - 2011

Le Chardon Tearoom

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

(Photo from TeaMap website.)

One of the many benefits of attending a meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Tea Business Association (MATBA) is that the sessions are held in a tea room. Last week, PA MATBA members Susanna, Nancy, Janet and Marcella traveled to Le Chardon Tearoom in Hopewell, NJ. This casual European style tea room, operated by a Scottish mother-daughter duo provided the location we needed for our meeting and offered afternoon tea for our luncheon.

Le Chardon means Scottish thistle in French and connected their heritage with time spent in France. The plates and tea cups at our table featured the lovely thistle. A choice of Butternut squash soup or Lentil soup preceeded the tiered tray.

Afternoon tea sandwiches included a cucumber sandwich on white and wheat bread, salmon on pumpernickel, an open faced chicken salad sandwich, and ham on a croissant. All very fresh and tasty, it was a nice variety of sandwiches. Dessert was a slice of bakery made pear tart with a hint of almond flavoring.

We had gathered early in the morning and scones and tea were served at that time, and not served during the Afternoon Tea. It was a fun gathering of fellow business owners, tea speakers, and tea enthusists. In the morning session, Susanna presented an informative program on Guerilla Marketing. Following her presentation was a program on The Art of Blogging by Darlene Meyers-Perry. The Business meeting, conducted by MATBA president Kirsten Kristensen concluded the day. A quick journey back to PA, and it's back to business for everyone.

Tidy Tools

2011-11-09T11:23:00.000-05:00

Spotted this attractive and clever tool storage hanging on a friends potting shed. After you clean and oil your hand held tools for the winter, find a simple piece of iron fencing and you're all set!

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus with Feta Cheese

2011-11-08T13:18:00.001-05:00

Here's a tasty fall appetizer we served recently.... we just love the gorgeous colors! We even had a few edible nasturtium blossoms to use as garnish.The recipe can be found on the Internet site 'All-Recipes' here . This tasty hummus, a delightful combination of roasted red peppers, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, parsley, and a touch of lemon juice can be quickly mixed together in a food processor. We found the flavors improved after the hummus sat overnight in the fridge. Sprinkled with additional feta cheese just before serving, we offered pita chip crackers and halved yummy peppers to accompany the hummus. Oh so good!

You can use jarred roasted red peppers to really make this a super quick recipe. But, if you happen to have red peppers on hand, you can roast your own. There are several ways to roast peppers, and a quick search of the Internet will provide you with assorted options! I placed them on a foil lined tray and baked them in the oven at 450 degrees for approx. half an hour. They were turned a few times so that all the sides of the peppers charred. When they were removed from the oven, I put them in a large bowl and placed a plate over the bowl so they could continue to steam and cool down. Others have suggested putting them in a brown paper bag until they are cool.

Once cool enough to handle, simply cut the ends off, remove the stem and seeds, and peel off the outer shell of the pepper. If you aren't using all of your peppers, store them in the fridge covered in olive oil. They'll be ready for your next recipe that calls for pimiento. I like to add finely chopped pimiento to chicken salad.

Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers

2011-11-03T11:34:00.000-04:00

These petite Yummy (that's their actual variety name) snack peppers are well quite yummy! They are delicious plain, eaten as 'chips' with hummus, or lightly roasted and stuffed. Oh yum!

We recently enjoyed them at our Garlic Dinner stuffed with feta cheese, herbs, and garlic
and baked in the oven for a short time. They were quite popular.
Bet you can't eat just one!

Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers

25 - 30 peppers

7 oz. feta cheese

2 oz. cream cheese

1/4 c. fresh basil

1/4 c. rosemary

1/4 c. sun dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Wash and prepare the peppers. Slice the peppers in half and remove seeds. You can also leave the pepper whole, cut the stem and top off, and carefully remove the seeds. We found it was easier to eat the peppers when they were halved. It does however, present a nice variety to have a combination of whole stuffed and half peppers on a platter.

Place the cheeses, herbs, tomatoes, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until evenly chopped and a fine mixture remains.Gently spoon the mixture into the whole peppers or onto the pepper halves. Place the stuffed peppers onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes .

19th Annual Garlic Dinner

2011-11-02T15:22:00.000-04:00

Garlic! Garlic! and more Garlic! We had our annual garlic dinner last week. The appetizers set the scene, a plate full of garlic that included pickled garlic cloves, Rosemary Garlic Jelly over cream cheese served with garlicky crackers, Feta & Garlic Stuffed Sweet Peppers, and Swiss Apple Melt. Oh yum!
The salad featured assorted leafy greens, cranberries, garlicky almond slivers, feta cheese, and a homemade Italian dressing.

For the entree, Cheesy Garlic Chicken with whole garlic cloves, oven roasted garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, and to-die-for garlic Parmesan bread. And dessert was Apple Cream Pie, yes, with thin matchstick pieces of garlic baked with the apples. Alas, no photo of dessert, it was gobbled up too quickly!

Definitely a dinner for those who love garlic! By the end of the meal, each guest consumed three heads (not merely cloves, but heads!) of garlic.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T12:54:00.001-04:00

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,

May luck be yours on Halloween.

~Author Unknown

Army Survival Garden

2011-10-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

The other Sunday, our family outing featured a visit to the United States Army Heritage and Education Center, located just down the road in Carlisle, PA. This cool place has a mile long army heritage trail which features exhibits from every era. Think trenches, forts, tanks, helicopters, barracks and more tracing through the history of the US Army.

Wondering through the trail, we came across a small Army Survival Garden, winding down its growing season as we approach late fall, there were raspberry bushes, nettles, grasses (for seed), plantain, asparagus and other wild edibles contained within a small makeshift fenced area. As I was looking at it and reading the placard, Angelica pointed out that I "can find a garden to look at anywhere we go."

The sign states: From the very beginning the United States Army has taught Survival

skills and techniques. A major part of that training has always been
the identification of eatable plants to subsidize the diet until rescue
or return to civilization occurred.

Having survival skills is important; having the will to survive is
essential. Without a desire to survive, acquired skills serve little
purpose and invaluable knowledge goes to waste.

Survival covers a wide range of subjects including the psychology of
survival, unique and fascinating ways of obtaining food and water,
shelter-building, fire-building, and navigation.

This exhibit demonstrates a few of the native eatable plants from FM
3-05.70, how to identify them and where to find them.

SURVIVAL:

S-- Size Up The Situation
(Surroundings, Physical Condition, Equipment)

U-- Use All Your Senses
Undue Haste Makes Waste

R-- Remember Where You Are

V-- Vanquish Fear and Panic

I-- Improvise

V-- Value Living

A-- Act Like the Natives

L-- Live By Your Wits, But For Now,
Learn Basic Skills

Kitchen Wreath Workshop

2011-10-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

Talented Linda Fortney taught our fresh herb Kitchen Wreath Workshop the other day.

Begin by gathering all sorts of fresh herbs such as basil, mint, thyme, sage, rosemary, chives and garlic chives, parsley, bay, lemon verbena, scented geraniums, pineapple sage and any other culinary herb you are able to harvest from your garden. Linda also brought some dried lavender, harvested from early summer.
You will also need clippers, a coated wire, a wire box wreath form which we cover with ribbon to give your wreath a more finished look and to protect your wall once it is hanging.
Other optional pieces include garlic bulbs and chili peppers. More detailed instructions can be found in Bertha Reppert's comprehensive booklet Wreaths... of all sorts.

Simply make full bunches of the herbs and wire them onto the wreath always going in the same direction. When you are making a fresh herb wreath it is important to make the wreath very full because as it dries out the plant material will shrink. If you make the wreath very full, it will still be full once it dries.

Small pieces of your kitchen wreath can be snipped from time to time to use in the soup pot as needed.

All of the wreaths were really so beautiful. Thanks Linda, for teaching a great class!

Quit Buggin' Me

2011-10-26T09:16:00.001-04:00

We rarely have an insect problem at The Rosemary House. The herbs are their own defense, protecting each other from predators quietly and efficiently. When we decided to tanbark mulch the floor of our high rise low maintenance garden, we had an army of earwigs climbing the 18inch raised beds and decimating everything they found edible. Suddenly! Our pretty new gardens were chewed and ratty looking. The thick bed of tanbark was their haven – we did this to ourselves. What to do? Our problem was quickly and easily solved with cayenne pepper liberally applied. Just as suddenly all the earwigs marched elsewhere. I guess the hot pepper burned their little feet!

There have been a few other times I have turned to herbs and natural home remedies to aide with garden pests. One old timer in my garden club swears by Epsom salts as a spray for everything, especially her roses. It is not only a bug killer, it feeds the plant with an essential element – Magnesium. Use 1 t per quart or 1 T per gallon of water to foliar feed (a technique of feeding plants by applying liquid fertilizer directly to their leaves) your plants. It is her “secret” ingredient to many prize winning roses. Bear in mind that healthy plants have a stronger system to naturally repel attacks of insects or diseases. In addition Epsom salts is known to produce sturdier stems and stronger fragrance in roses.

Our favorite spray is easy to make: simply steep 1 T each dried tansy, rue (above right), wormwood (above left), 1 garlic clove and 1 dried chili pepper in 1 pint of water. Strain and add that to a 2 gallon watering can and apply to everything outdoors. If you plan to use it indoors or in the greenhouse omit the garlic. This will fight red spider, white fly and aphids of all colors.

Soap is another big help in discouraging plant pests. My mother always used fels naptha soap which is still available on grocery store shelves in the laundry soap area. I use the shavings from our homemade soap. Soak ¼ C soap shavings in 1 quart of water. Mix thoroughly and store in a lidded jar or in a spray bottle. Shake before use. It is easy and effective especially for white fly and scale. Another old timer who tipped me off to using this soap spray for white fly said in his deep PA Dutch accent “It gums their wings together now– no fly, they die”. We have the largest citrus grove in Mechanicsburg, PA and occasionally have to have a mid winter battle with scale. This soap spray with 3 T of cayenne pepper added is our top gun of natural weapons in a fight with scale. The trick is to spray the scale twice. Spray once to soften the shell and then 24 hours later spray again to kill the critter inside the shell.

The highly aromatic leaves, stems and flowers of Nasturtiums (pictured above) and add an equal amount of boiling water (to cover) and infuse over night. Strain, pour into a sprinkling can, fill with water and use on infected plants. This is especially good against white flies, woolly aphids, squash bugs, potato bugs and beetles on radishes.

The effects of marigolds (Tagetes spp., not Calendula) upon nematodes a destructive invisible soil organism that causes great losses, was observed in the great bulb fields of Holland where, after one year of growing the spicy marigold (Tagetes erecta) the fields were found free of this dreadful pest for seven years. We rotate plantings of this colorful plant in different sections of the garden as a cheery preventative measure against nematodes.

Thinking back to my childhood, I remember that after a rainfall the sidewalks would be covered with earthworms. When we ate our family dinner we would sit near a sliding glass door with a beautiful view of the bird feeders. We had so many kinds of birds we kept the binoculars and bird identification book handy for quick reference. As a child I frequently saw find other predator bugs; lady bugs, praying mantis, spiders, bees of all kinds, all good bugs who benefit the organic gardener. Noticing that the bugs, birds and worms that were so prevalent in my youth have gone missing, I have worked diligently to invite all these lovely bugs and their winged counterparts who delight us at the feeder, in the birdbath and with their singing while we work. One day, one of my then eight year old daughters pretty little friends came in and said “You have so many bugs in your yard.” “I know” says I “isn’t it great!”

Friends in the Garden

2011-10-25T08:39:00.001-04:00

While preparing the garden for winter we spotted this Praying Mantis. Camouflaged well in the plants, it will devour any insect that comes near. Named "praying" mantis because of the way the front legs are folded as if in prayer, it should be named "preying" mantis since is preys on any insect and even small frogs. A praying mantis eats any insect and doesn't differentiate between beneficial and harmful insects. It is still welcome in our garden.

What is it?

2011-10-23T15:03:00.000-04:00

A peanut butter cookie? Definitely a Hershey Kiss on something, right? Spotted in the path one summer afternoon, it looked like a misplaced treat from the tea room, but it's not. Upon further inspection, we discovered it is a mushroom of some type! Were you fooled? Have you ever seen one of these before?

Blooming in the Garden ~ Pineapple Sage

2011-10-21T08:36:00.000-04:00

Around here the Pineapple Sage plant is in full bloom in late fall. Not only does this plant have a fabulous pineapple fragrance but it has these stunning red blossoms that attract nectar loving birds. It is glorious as it delicately flows in the breeze. It is considered a tender perennial here in the North, since it won't survive our winter. We have planted it in the ground and probably won't dig it up to bring indoors for the winter since it is close to 4 feet tall. We treat it more as an annual and will simple plant another next spring. We use the pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) as an edible flower and particularly enjoy its flavor in sorbets. The red tubular flowers are pretty and tasty sprinkled on salads as well.

Nasturtiums

2011-10-20T13:43:00.000-04:00

The nasturtiums are enjoying the cooler fall weather and rewarding us with a sea of color. These peppery tasting flowers are fun to use in tea sandwiches, butters, tea sandwiches, to make flavored vinegar, or a peppery egg salad. Both the blossoms and the leaves are edible. Nasturtiums enjoy sun and heat and come in many colors, reds, yellows, peaches and in either compact or trailing varieties. Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) are a gardeners dream plant in that they bloom a lot, cover a nice area densely, generally aren't bothered by insects or slugs and are useful to use.

Miniature Tea Set

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

This pretty-in-pink miniature tea set is a Disney Princess design.
It is a mini tea party for two including a tea pot with removable lid, two tea cups, saucers, and the tiniest spoons ever, plus a sugar and creamer!

After the tea party, all the teeny tiny pieces conveniently fit into the larger tea pot, and that can be snapped onto a backpack or belt loop to magically transport your tea party to a new location.

With such tiny pieces, it is obviously not recommended for children under three. But I'm having fun with it!

Winnie-the-Pooh's Teatime Cookbook

2011-10-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

This sweet little book was a last minute discovery while passing time in the Heathrow Airport in London. It is a delightful cookbook (published in Great Britain in1996) that includes recipes for sandwiches, scones, muffins, and crumpets, cookies and biscuits, and cakes and pastries. Perfect for a Proper Tea!
Delightful illustrations appear on every page and quotes from the works of A.A.Milne are found at the beginning of each chapter.

There is a brief history of tea and also instructions on how to prepare a proper pot of tea. Young tea drinkers are advised to enjoy tea weakened with extra milk or simply try cocoa, cider or warm milk with honey as an alternative to tea. Banana milk shakes are suggested for a cooler beverage option. Whatever you prefer, a Proper Tea in mid afternoon with some of Pooh's favorite sandwiches, scones, and cookies will make for an enjoyable treat!

Winnie-the-Pooh Tea Set

2011-10-17T11:48:00.001-04:00

This petite child's tea set features Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet and Tigger. Not practical for tea time use, but certainly fun for play. In addition to honey, Winnie-the-Pooh and gang enjoyed teatime! The following excerpt from The House at Pooh Corner, by A.A.Milne mentions a Very Nearly tea and also a Proper Tea.

By-and-by Pooh and Piglet went on again. Christopher Robin was at home by this time, because it was the afternoon, and he was so glad to see them that they stayed there until very nearly teatime, and then they had a Very Nearly tea, which is one you forget about afterwards, and hurried on to Pooh Corner, so as to see Eeyore before it was too late to have a Proper Tea with Owl.

Which do you prefer? Very Nearly tea or a Proper Tea?

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-15T10:54:00.000-04:00

The waterfalls and wild horses of Waipio Valley on the Big Island of Hawaii inspired the design for Angelica's twelfth birthday cake.

Haunted Gardens

2011-10-14T09:43:00.001-04:00

Once again the herb gardens have been haunted for the Halloween season. It may seem early, but with our local Halloween parade already over, and Streets of Treats to be held this Saturday, it's just in time for the local festivities. Area businesses offer treats to the kids and promotions to the parents with other activities throughout town. We encourage the families to stroll the gardens.Not too creepy during the day light hours, it's during the moon light that things begin to move about.

Are you CrafTea?

2011-10-09T19:36:00.000-04:00

If yes, this might be something fun to replicate. After a search of the web, I was unable to find a pattern for this clever way to disguise a box of tissue.... but, with a few measurements, a free afternoon, some pretty material, and a box of tissues as your guide, you could have a go of it!

The tissue box is covered entirely with the double sided material, shown here with a pretty tea cup pattern on the outside and a plain white material as the lining. The bottom is open so the box will slide right into the covering. There are five petals that circle the top of the box.

There is an additional ring of five elasticized petals that fits over the petals in the outer covering forming a blossom on the top of the box where the tissue peeks out.The end result is a cleverly concealed box of tissues, perfect for the ladies room in the tea room. If you aren't crafty, or are short on time, perhaps you might find something like this at the upcoming holiday bazaars that will soon be occurring. Either way, good luck!

Taking a Peek...

2011-10-04T11:00:00.001-04:00

The Stone Mansion, Baltimore, MD

Feathernesters Tea Room VA

into decor found in a variety of ladies rooms in tea rooms!

Pink Bicycle Tea Room, VA

Sweet Simplici-tea, MD

De'Tours in Elizabeth City, NC

Sweet SimpliciTea, MD

The Enchanted Teapot, CT

Tea Around the World - Japan

2011-10-01T07:00:00.007-04:00

My penpal always sends me a nice assortment of teas from Japan, mostly green, sometimes Matcha-latte, occasionally a black tea, or as she refers to it "English tea". They are always packaged in beautiful paper bags complete with preparation instructions on the reverse side. I love the accompanying photos with the instructions. Even though I probably don't I follow all the steps precisely, I do end up with a delicious brew.

Tea Around the World ~ Cambodia

2011-09-30T07:00:00.001-04:00

Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus) has light gray-green wispy leaves that grow to 24 - 36" and yield a lemony scent. Its flavor is excellent for teas, salads, fish, poultry and Asian cuisine. It is typically found in Thai recipes.

This fun package of Lemon Grass herb tea was another souvenir gift from the recent trip our cousin took to Southeast Asia. Made in Cambodia, this skillfully crafted reed basket contains powdered lemon grass. Lemon Grass is the distinctive lemony fragrance found in Southeast Asian cuisine. The recipe included with the basket provides instructions to prepare Lemon Grass Tea (frappe). To prepare this specialty drink, after making a simple sugar syrup, you add fresh lime juice and lemon grass and then infuse black tea for 5 minutes. Strain, and serve over ice. While on vacation this past summer, I prepared the Lemon Grass Tea as instructed, and it was described as an 'exotic flavor' by my cousin's husband.

Tea Around the World - Viet Nam

2011-09-29T07:00:00.001-04:00

Our cousin recently returned from a unique trip to Viet Nam where she purchased this box of herb tea as a souvenir. Artichoke tea, 100% artichoke in tea bags. The package, in both Vietnamese and English, explains the healthful benefits of drinking artichoke tea.

Tea Around the World ~ Germany

2011-09-28T13:33:00.000-04:00

A sister recently travelled to Germany and brought home some tea packets as a souvenir. These colorful packets are designed to be addressed and mailed to a friend as a thoughtful gift. Thanks to Google Translate, the green tea package reads "Anything really worthwhile takes time, just like a good cup of tea." and the yellow package reads, "For You. A bath refreshes the body; a cup of tea, the spirit."
Reading the label on the reverse reveals that these packets contain flavored Rooibos, one is vanilla flavored, and the other contains elderberries, orange peel and safflower. Rooibos is harvested from the Red Bush plant native to South Africa. This herb tea is naturally enriched with nutrients such as iron, potassium, calcium, and fluoride. Once brewed, it produces a fruity cup with sweet notes that is reddish orange in color. Naturally caffeine free, it's a unique alternative to decreasing caffeine intake.

Medieval Dinner

2011-09-26T14:17:00.000-04:00

Last week we hosted a Medieval Dinner and Program in Sweet Remembrances. The tables were set with trenchers, hollowed out slices of bread that served as plates for several courses of the feast.In earlier days, it was acceptable to use the tablecloth to wipe your fingers. However, as cultures progressed, napkins were used, typically draped over the left shoulder. As fashions developed, the napkin would be wrapped around your neck and the expression 'to make ends meet' developed. Silverware was limited. We provided a knife, although attendees at a Medieval feast would have provided their own dagger to spear the meat that was served. Forks were not considered appropriate to use and spoons would have been made of wood and later tin or silver. There would be a communal plate to serve the various courses. Our feast began with Dilled Veal Balls and a bowl of Cabbage Chowder. Saffron was a popular seasoning because of the flavor and gorgeous color it would impart on the food.

The second course featured Golden Leeks and Onions and a plate of Puree of Peas. Mushy Peas can still be found in pubs throughout England. The trenchers would be gathered at the end of the banquet and given to the hoards of hungry that were gathered outside the castle gates. The next course included Chicken with rice and almonds and sauteed mushrooms and leeks. Dessert featured Pumpkin Bread with Lemon Curd, circletes (a type of cookie with currants) and mulled Cider.In addition, we were happy to be able to harvest fresh figs from our backyard tree.

For additional information about figs, visit this earlier post written by Susanna. If medieval etiquette interests you, this previous post includes a bit of etiquette that we typically share with our guests when attending our Medieval feast.

Abigail's Victorian Tea Room

2011-09-24T20:25:00.000-04:00

The last leg of a recent Rosemary House traveling herb seminar found us in Reading, PA where we had the opportunity to visit Abigail's Victorian Tea Room established in a beautiful 1883 Victorian Manor house.

Rich fabrics, delicate laces, assorted china patterns, crystal chandeliers, stained glass windows all added to the wonderful atmosphere of Abigail's tea room. The Victorian Royal High Tea was featured this evening which included an assortment of steaming hot pots of tea (Peach Apricot, Orange Spice, or Berry). Berry scones and slices of orange bread were placed on the table as we arrived.

Our next course featured a choice of chicken noodle soup or broccoli cheese soup accompanied with a mixed green salad and assorted dressings. A beautiful individual tiered tray was presented to each guest and held the tea sandwiches (chicken salad, tuna salad, cucumber, and apricot cream cheese on raisin) on the bottom tier and delicious desserts (brownie, raspberry tartlet, and berry cake) on the top tier.

Our evening tea at Abigail's Victorian Tea Room provided a delicious and fitting end to a memorable day of touring gardens in New York City.

Calling all Pixies, Elves, Wizards & Fairies!

2011-09-17T09:30:00.001-04:00

One week ago we celebrated our annual Fairy Festival in the gardens of The Rosemary House and Sweet Remembrances. What fun we had! The rains during the entire week preceding the festival could not dampen the spirits of the sprites and pixies and fairies that danced around the gardens this weekend. Blue skies and happy faces prevailed.

The Fairy Festival for 2012 will be held on Sat. Sept. 8th and Sun. Sept 9th.

You will find information about our festival here.

Calling all Pixies!

2011-09-07T10:03:00.000-04:00

This precious little Pixie A-B-C book is the newest addition to our library. This Read-With-Me Big Time Wonder Book was printed in the UK for the publisher Peter Haddock Ltd., Bridlington.
Don't you just love the colorful pixies, fairies, and plant life that adorn the inside cover?

A few of our favorites, A is for Antics of Pixies at play...E is for Elves who chase butterflies... F is for Fairy who got a surprise!
and, Z is for zest when they tackle their tea! Too cute!

Tea cup Thursday

2011-09-01T16:21:00.000-04:00

And today we introduce Miss September for Tea cup Thursday. In addition to August, September is the only other teacup I have in the Flower of the Month Series Produced by Royal Albert, it is fine bone china, made in England. September features the Michaelmas Daisy. We are happy to join Miss Spenser and others for Tea Cup Thursday. Happily, Miss Spenser's Special Teas tea room, located in Iowa, was recently featured in the newest edition of TeaTime Magazine. Did you happen to see the article? Some day we hope to meet Donna and her delightful family. A visit to her tea room is on our bucket list!

Farewell Birthday Month!

2011-08-31T07:00:00.001-04:00

One final peek at the birthday celebration held earlier this month. Appropriately, a hand crafted fondant tea cup atop a sweetly decorated birthday cake. A special thanks to friend~neighbor~artist~fairy~Patti of Patticakes Confections for the fun cake! It added to the special tea themed celebration.

So long August.... we will await your return next year; but must we continue counting?

Regency Tea for Friends ~ Part Two

2011-08-30T07:00:00.001-04:00

Although Afternoon Tea as we know it wasn't introduced during Jane Austen's time period, there are many references to taking tea in her novels. Coffee was the fashion for many decades, but by 1700 the British upper class were changing their preference to tea. In the era of Jane Austen, tea was always served after dinner. The custom of taking Afternoon Tea as we think of it didn't appear until later, in 1840 with Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford when she complained of 'a sinking feeling' in the late afternoon and began to take tea and a butter sandwich in her boudoir in the afternoon. As she invited select friends to join her, it became the fashion to continue this tradition. Our menu for the Regency Tea featured a bit of both worlds.
Tarragon Chicken Salad Sandwich
A Finger Sandwich of Mixed Vegetables
White cheddar & Olive Rounds
Cucumber with Mint butter
Artichoke & Spinach Toasts
Traditional English Cream Scones
Olde English Seed Cake
Mock Clotted Cream, Cinnamon Honey Butter
Fresh Cantaloupe and Summer Berries
Sticky Toffee Pudding
A fine Cake
Assorted Hot Teas We were pleased to once again welcome Eliza Blackwell Dupree, a lovely lady of the 19th century who regaled us with stories of tea during the Regency period as well as the customs and traditions of the time. It was an enjoyable afternoon as we stepped back in time.

The next opening of the door brought something more welcome; it was for the tea-things, which she had begun almost to despair of seeing that evening. ~Mansfield Park

Regency Tea for Friends of Jane Austen

2011-08-29T07:00:00.003-04:00

Recently, we hosted a Jane Austen themed tea event in Sweet Remembrances. In addition to the Internet resource, two wonderful books on the topic provided inspiration and recipe suggestions. The Jane Austen Cookbook (Maggie Black & Deirdre Le Faye) includes a selection of recipes dating back to the late Georgian/Regency period, approx. 1750 - 1820. The recipes featured would have been dishes that Jane Austen and her family, and the characters represented in her novels, would have enjoyed. Each recipe appears as it would have been written during this era followed by an updated version for our modern kitchen. There is also considerable back ground information pertaining to the social and domestic life in Jane Austen's time. The recipes are divided into different categories, including family favourites, picnics, suppers, and entertaining friends.

The second cookbook, Tea with Jane Austen (Kim Wilson) also provided a wonderful selection of tea related recipes, quotes, history, and general information regarding the occurrence of tea time events in Jane Austen's novels. A delightful sampling of the quotes that appear in the book were shared with our guests in the printed menu that day.

"No coffee, I thank you, for me ~never take coffee.~A little tea if you please, sir, by and bye, ~no hurry! Oh! here it comes. Every thing is so good!" ~Miss Bates in Emma.

Tea Cup Thursday

2011-08-25T20:50:00.000-04:00

We're joining Miss Spenser and others for Teacup

Thursday today, featuring the birthday cup for the month of August. This Royal Albert bone china tea

The sweet little tea pot featuring precious blue blossoms, forget me knots perhaps, is marked on the bottom Lane End Pottery, Fine Bone China, England.

Home alone

2011-08-22T07:40:00.000-04:00

This past weekend was rather quiet around here... the 'neighbors' were away on an annual weekend getaway that includes fun, food, friendship and fantastic times. They're home now. No longer quiet around here.

2011-08-20T14:47:00.000-04:00

Flowers are those little colorful beacons of the sun from which we get sunshine when dark somber skies blanket our thoughts. ~Dodinsky

Sugarplums & Tea

2011-08-15T09:26:00.001-04:00

We were surprised to find Sugarplums Tea housed in such a stately building located in a fairly residential area in Lancaster, PA. An easy one hour drive from our home town, thanks to a handy dandy GPS, we arrived precisely at our destination after twisting and turning about a few country roads.
Another part of the birthday week/month celebrations, the family gathered together for tea.
Even the Old Boy joined us for the journey, much to everyone's delight.
This tea room was perfect for the wide range of ages in our group, 8 - 89. Almost on the verge of being more a restaurant than a tea room, everyone had the option to order off the menu. Cedar was eager to order the sliders (mini hamburgers) while dear old Dad requested the fish & chips.

We ordered the three tiered tea tray which included a choice of fruit and scones OR soup and bread (shown on the top tier). The middle tier, with an assortment of hearty sandwiches included chicken salad on Hawaiian bread, chicken kabob with teriyaki sauce, ham and cheese encroute, and spinach & cheese melt in petite phyllo cups.

The dessert tray included a trio of sweets that featured a peanut butter chocolate mini parfait, a sponge cake, and a truffle in a petite chocolate cup.

As for the tea, loose leaf in T-Sacs, Susanna sampled the Peach gingerand Nancy requested Ti kuan yin;
or, if you prefer, milkshakes were an option also.
This tea room pleased everyone in our group.

Pitcher Plant

2011-08-10T07:00:00.003-04:00

Sarracenia or sometimes called Pitcher Plants, are herbaceous perennials that grow along the coastline of the South East U.S. in bogs or swamps with an acidic type soil. This clump of Pitcher Plants was spotted at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. This aquarium strives to illustrate the water/coastal life of the state. Many of these bog plants have been lost to developments and several states have taken measures to protect the plants. Some of the species are listed on the USA Endangered Species Act.

A carnivorous plant, insects are attracted to the nectar like secretion at the top of the lip. Slippery footing causes the bugs to fall inside and die. They are then digested by the plant as a nutrient source.

Happy Birthday!

2011-08-09T07:00:00.003-04:00

This pretty plate held a petite chocolate cupcake, a chocolate syrup stem with leaves, and a strawberry garnish, all delicately dusted with confectioner's sugar and presented with a candle, while accompanied by that old familiar refrain.
What special birthday treat have you received while attending afternoon tea in a tea room?

After Tea? What next?

2011-08-08T07:00:00.004-04:00

So, what do you do after tea?Monster Trucks!? Oh yeah! The sheer power,the roar,
the dust, the speed,
and those tires, oh yeah!

Every time one of the kids lets out a 'not another tea room' comment, or something similar, we are quick to remind them that vacation is not all about what they want to do. During the course of the week, we try to schedule something of interest for everyone.So, when this monster truck adventure appeared on the highway as we were returning from tea, it seemed the perfect complement to our day and everyone was excited to jump on board. And fortunately an older and wiser Brother-in-law was happy to stay off the Monster Truck and snap a few photos.

Grave Digger. Oh Yeah! Afternoon Tea. If we must.

De'Tours in Elizabeth City garden space

2011-08-06T07:00:00.001-04:00

Our tea room in Elizabeth City, NC offered this large welcoming porch.

There were several spots throughout the yard where outdoor living was welcomed with seating on the deck and on the patio as well.

The Georgian style house was shaded by a huge magnolia tree and surrounded by well maintained shrubbery.

"De'Tours" in Elizabeth City, NC

2011-08-05T07:00:00.001-04:00

Our third (!) tea room visit during our recent vacation, also discovered via TeaMap, was a trip to "De'Tours" in Elizabeth City and the beautifully restored home of Bonnie Calliotte. In addition to a lovely afternoon tea using her grandmother's 1863 hand painted china, we enjoyed a history of her home and the assorted accoutrement's and historical items in the home followed by a walking tour of the city, homes and churches in the surrounding area. Bonnie loves to cook, she loves history, and she obviously enjoys sharing both aspects when she welcomes her guests to her home.
The table was beautiful, set with a fun variety of tea cups and assorted little dishes. It was quite a welcoming sight.
Tucked inside each tea cup was a Harney & Sons flavored tea sachet. Bonnie chatted about her collections as she poured hot water from a silver tea pot. She shared a delicious pink fruit punch for the younger ones in attendance.

Mother & Daughter Smiles

A gathering of twelve family members from NY-PA-NC-CA graced this tea party. Sisters, cousins, siblings, and in-laws enjoyed this flavorful contrast to our regular vacation fare. Ham & brie on a baguette with raspberry sauce, Goat cheese with basil and fig jam on toasted raisin bread, and Pimento cheese were just a few of the savories. Scones, of course. And chocolate dipped strawberries and lemon cake finished the menu.

After tea, we journeyed outside for a personalized walking tour of Elizabeth City. It was a delightful addition, with our CA cousins particularly enjoying the history of the east coast.

Thank you Bonnie. We appreciated your gracious Southern hospitality and enjoyed your enthusiasm for your community.

Feathernesters Garden Space

2011-08-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

All of the tea rooms we visited during our vacation week had such lovely outdoor garden spaces. Feathernesters did a terrific job creating green space where originally there wasn't any. This lovely front terrace was warm and inviting and on a slightly cooler day we certainly would have enjoyed our brunch here.

This is just a small glimpse into the decor in their store. Filled with shabby chic items, Feathernesters was a joy to browse and shop.

Feathernesters Tea Room, Richmond, VA

2011-08-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

Tea Room #2 ~ during our 2011 summer vacation to the Outer Banks, discovered via TeaMap, a source we always check prior to traveling anywhere in an attempt to locate tea rooms within our travel destinations. And what a special destination we found! Feathernesters Tea Room in Richmond, VA offers Sunday Brunch, which fit our travel schedule perfectly. When I emailed an inquiry regarding availability, the response we received was overwhelming. We would be delighted to welcome you and your family to Feathernesters Tea Room. We recognize your name and have been to The Rosemary House on several occasions. We referred to your mother's book (Growing Your Herb Business) frequently when we first opened. Tony & Marc

How special is that!? We felt as if our mom had sent us to visit them! On Sundays, they serve a delicious Sunday Brunch. We arrived promptly at 10 am, and had a chance to peek around the amazing gift shop before we feasted on a delicious Southern buffet which included made-to-order omelets, hash browns, garden casserole, ham, bacon, cheesy grits, biscuits & gravy, scones and blueberry muffins, and more! Beautiful presentation, individual pots of tea, delicious and bountiful food, and a very special welcome made us feel quite at home on this Sunday morning.

Lovely displays, good food and good tea, complete with a fun gift shop made it difficult to leave Feathernesters, but we were headed to our beach house with a van full of excited kids, so off we went.

Pink Bicycle Tea Room Garden

2011-08-02T07:00:00.001-04:00

Immediately, what caught my eye at the Pink Bicycle Tea Room was the adorable little garden out front and the way they are utilizing their mismatched chipped china within the garden.

Plates and saucers were used as edging along the sidewalk.

Teapots, cups, and other serving pieces were being used as garden decor throughout the garden bed.

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And of course, a pink bicycle tucked in among the greenery.

Whimsical, fun and perfect for a tea room garden!

Pink Bicycle Tea Room

2011-08-01T07:00:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago, we traveled to the Outer Banks where we had reservations for a week long family vacation. But first, we stopped in Occoquan, VA to enjoy afternoon tea at the Pink Bicycle Tea Room . Located in a quaint community, we followed the sign inside.

Pink bicycles. Didn't we all have one at some time or another?

Pink Lemonade in a froggie tea pot for the lad. Look how concentrated he is pouring that lemonade. Did you happen to catch his expression in the first photo? Tea rooms aren't necessarily his 'thing', but he plays along, particularly if lemonade is involved.
We selected the Queen's Tea, a 3-course Victorian treat which included a choice of soup or salad. The salad was fresh, colorful, and delicious.

The scone was warm and yummy.

Followed by the three tiered tea tray laden with assorted sandwiches and desserts.

It was a great start to the vacation!

Black Cohosh

2011-07-30T07:00:00.001-04:00

What a fun treat to spot this huge expanse of Black Cohosh! On the "at risk" list of the United Plant Savers, I was thrilled to see it thriving on the edge of a state park. Black Cohosh, Cimicifuga racemosa is a powerful nervine and muscle relaxant. It is the root that is used medicinally which is a large part of what has it so endangered. It is also one of the most useful uterine tonic herbs. It stimulates the estrogen cycle in women and is particularly helpful in menopause. Not water soluble, it is best extracted in an alcohol based tincture. Be sure to use cultivated supplies!

One summer day I cut these blossoms from my garden to use in the center of the dining room table,

The next time I entered the house I wondered what that smell was. I checked the garbage can, sniffed the drain in the sink, made sure the toilet was flushed..... As it turns out, it was the Black Cohosh. Considered a carrion flower, black cohosh emits a smell of rotting meat, to attract flies which are what pollinates it!

It is sometimes called "Fairy Candles in the Woods". Can't you see why! Surely this plant casts a magical glow on some fun mid-summer eve parties for the wee folk.

Brownies with Horseradish!? Say what?

2011-07-27T07:00:00.002-04:00

Wasabi Cream Cheese Spread

At the recent Horseradish and Herb Festival held in Somerset, PA by Barb and Fred Will of Sugar Grove Herbs and Shoppe there was a cooking contest featuring horseradish. Wasabi is a cousin to horseradish that is grown only in Japan and was used in this tasty wasabi cream spread.

Another special horseradish treat featured these mini tomatoes stuffed with horseradish, herbs, and sour cream.

One of the contest winners was this delicious plated of horseradish brownies submitted by Kathy Randall of Windswept Meadow Farms. These brownies had dark chocolate chunk pieces, cherry halves and "enough horseradish to make your eyes water". And, the winner for the dips and spreads was our own Nancy Reppert's Jezebel Sauce. The recipe for that is featured on our Fri May 13, 2011 blog post.

Chestnut Tree

2011-07-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

The American Chestnut Foundation is working hard to reestablish the Chestnut Tree (Castanea)in its original native area. Many of these majestic trees were lost to a fungus introduced to the US about 100 years ago. It is very difficult to identify the American Chestnut Trees from other varieties of chestnut, so we are not positive this is an American Chestnut. But it was just so majestic we couldn't resist snapping its photo. Considered a favorite nut for roasting and for turkey stuffing, it looks similar to and is often confused with the horse chestnut and buckeyes. However, it is a different nut distinguishable by a small point on the end.

History of the Bee Skep

2011-07-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

Egyptians were keeping bees as early as 4,000 years ago. Colonies of bees were floated up and down the Nile on barges. An integral part of British economy, the main product of British and Tudor apiarists was the wax, used to make candles. The name skep, introduced in the 16th century is generally regarded to have been derived from the Norse word skeppa meaning a container and measure for grain equal to half a bushel.

Keeping a skep of bees dry was an important part of bee keeping. A bee bole or three sided shelter is the best protection. In the 17th century, German immigrants that settled in America brought with them their bee skeps and knowledge of skep making. Rye straw was used as coiling material and hickory, ash and white oak splints were used to bind the straw together. Over the centuries the domed shape of the common bee skep has changed little. These bee skeps are no longer used for hiving today since you need to destroy the hive to get the honey. In 1871 Lorenzo Longstroth introduced the beehive that revolutionized bee keeping throughout the world: the wooden beehive with removable super. Although the modern beehive is the greatest blessing, it's the straw skep that continues to symbolize the world of bees.

Many many thanks to Lisa Head, an extraordinarily talented basket maker and bee skep maker. These photos are of her very tightly coiled bee skeps and she also shared the history of the bee skep. Please visit Lisa's website, here.

Tussie Mussies

2011-07-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

At the recent Herb Society of America conference, Deb W. hired The Rosemary House to create her "Thank You" bouquets for her committee. This was both an honor and a challenge since we were preparing tussie mussies for other herbie folks. Fortunately, everyone was pleased with how they turned out.
Symbolic little posie pins were both a thank you and a keep sake to the committee.

Deb chose symbolic herbs and flowers for the bouquet including:

Lavender for acknowledgement, Rosemary and Pink Hydrangea for Remembrance, Parsley for many thanks, and Purple Leaf Sage for gratitude.

History of the Tussie Mussie

2011-07-24T07:00:00.003-04:00

A Tussie-mussie is a small nosegay or posey, usually carrying a special message in the laguage of flowers. Tussie is a medieval term for knot of flowers and mussie is derived from the moist moss used to keep the flowers fresh. These bouquets can be traced back a millenia or more as they were used to qrd off foul odors from the people and the streets. In the 15th century a simple tussie mussie was quite commonplace. by the 18th C it was the rage to wear or carry fresh flowers as a fashion accessory.

The Victorians brought Tussie mussies to an art form and used them to convey messages throught the language of flowers. Symbolic meanings were adapted from mythology, religious symbols, ancient lore and a bit of creativity. So much language developed that entire dictionarys were created to help a lady express herself through the flowers. Even today a tussie-mussie is sometimes carried by a bride. A bouquet like this a personal way to convey congratulations, sympathy, baby blessing, good wishes or thank you.

This fascinating history and display of floral dictionaries, reproduction and antique posie holders and books was at Herb Society of America annual conference and created by member Pat Beckman from Cinncinnati.

Laurel Lodge, Harpers Ferry WV

2011-07-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

This curious lodge was built as a family bungalow in 1913. It is filled with all sorts of interesting and unique touches.
From sayings stamped into the concrete to the beautiful view, it was a lovely place to stay.

The builder of the lodgetacked up many sayings in the screened in room. He also scrounged bottles, pot belly stoves, gears and other oddities which he used to make the house.

The bottles and other oddments are thought to be left overs from the huge encampment of Civil War soldiers (25,000 soldiers involved at Harpers Ferry!) Below are a large number of bullets which he used in various ways throughout the house. He also used bayonets as well. Many of the bayonets have been pried out of the cement over the years.

Breakfast included granola, vanilla yogurt and fresh cherries. The second course featured oatmeal pancakes.

Harpers Ferry, WV

2011-07-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

David and Susanna enjoyed a weekend visit to Harpers Ferry WV, famous for John Brown's attack on slavery as well as one of the first Railroads, plus the beginning of interchangeable manufacture at the National Armory, in addition to the largest surrender of Federal troops during the Civil War and one of the earliest integrated schools. This charming town offers a wealth of history.

The National Parks Service runs the historic district in Harpers Ferry. It is a reconstruction of a Civil war era town. Pictured here is the Sweet shop or bakery.
The general store offered all the usual supplies, dry goods, tools, notions, dishes and more.

The general store also offered a variety of spices including: Ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon and tea including: Hyson, gunpowder, and twankey (a Chinese green tea of inferior quality, exported since the 16th Century).

Garden Markers

2011-07-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

Labeling your herb garden is so important. Not only does it help you remember what you have planted but it helps you to remember what was there last year! This year sister Marj, the artist held a make your own garden marker workshop. Participants were invited to create a variety of garden markers and learn different techniques to make those labels. Both the Chives labels were made using the rubber stamps shown below. Marj made rubber stamps using rubber letters and wine bottle corks. We found the capital letters worked the best.

The river rock label which says Sweet Basil was made using the outdoor "Sharpie marker". Marj encouraged everyone to use thick lines with the marker since Sharpies will fade over time. The Catnip label, which is crafted on a piece of thick slate was done using out door paint markers. All the labels were also sealed with a spray sealant to help them to last more than a season or two.

SereniTea Wednesday

2011-07-20T07:00:00.001-04:00

Wednesdays come and Wednesdays go... and we serve tea around here on most Wednesdays.

A recent menu selection for SereniTea Wednesday
Egg Salad Triangles on Whole Wheat
Cucumber Sandwiches
Cheddar Bacon & Pecan Rounds
Cheese Filled Puffs

Traditional English Cream Scones
Lemon Currant Scones
Mock Clotted Cream, Lemon Curd
Fresh Fruit

German Chocolate Cheesecake
Lemon Frosted Triangle
Strawberry Cream Puffs

Hope you enjoyed this virtual tea party!
Hope you can visit Sweet Remembrances soon!