Tea is Wonderful

We were supposed to have a photo session today. (We always book a local photographer when we travel) We got all ready (that's extra makeup for me, ha!) but then it started raining so we met the photographer in the hotel and decided to postpone for the next day -- bummer! 

The girls wanted to go off on their own and they took a ton of photos. So cute! 

Scott and I did some shopping and loved our time together. 

We met up later for a small lunch and then the big event of the day -- High Tea at the Fairmont. We'd walked through this amazing hotel before years ago on a trip and were really looking forward to tea this visit! 

Just look at this beautiful entrance down the stairs. 

Oh goodness the place settings, tea cups, and the teapots were stunning. It was such a treat for us. 

There were four courses - the first a fruit compote. 

I was so excited when the spreads arrived -- clotted cream, lemon curd, and a raspberry butter. 

Course two: scones

Oh and I must mention that my tea was Cream Earl Grey ( soooOoooo good!) 

Courses Three, Four, Five: Petite sandwiches, cheeses, savory, and desserts 

Course Six: Once the tea was taken away we had new desserts. Oh my stars, what a treat! 

 

September Weekending

Well, it's a long while since I've done these types of posts - now that it's fall I feel like changing things up on my blog.

All summer I had a little blogging schedule going on:

Monday - our teatime from Sunday
Tuesday - our home
Wednesday - what we were reading
Thursday - catch up
Friday - from my heart

But I'm ready for a change.

I haven't been on this blog for a W E E K! Why would I think I might be able to get here during the first week of school? Crazy to think that's even possible.

So here are just a few pictures from our weekend.

But please know nothing in my home, in my life is this pretty or organized. I don't have it all together. In fact, I cried on and off all day Saturday. Partly from exhaustion from the first week of school and partly from trying to figure out this new way of teaching during this pandemic. And honestly, partly because it's a huge adjustment every fall to go from being home each and every day - homemaking and mothering to all us back to our school. I couldn't keep the tears from coming. I missed my girls. I missed my kitchen. I missed my summer days. And I was just so stressed out thinking about the task (of teaching) ahead of me. The weight of this 'new normal' way of education this year had me such a mess.

But there WERE these moments, and for now I need to soak up MOMENTS instead of looking at the big picture. Sometimes I need to be in one moment instead of even looking at the whole day. When I can do that, I feel more at peace. Before I know it, we WILL be in the swing of things. I WILL figure out how to teach in person and online at the same time. It's just a little shaky now.

With all that said {I just didn't want you to think it's all lovely roses around here}, here is a glimpse at a few moments from the weekend. Oh, and I'd love to blog every day like in the summer. Really, I would. But for now, I'll be lucky if I can get a 'once a week' post. So here goes... September weekending.



Saturday Morning











Viola Playing





{oh my goodness it was pure Heaven to see one of my girls up on a stage playing in an orchestra. So I took 2,000 photos because I don't know when this will happen again. We missed so many concerts with Covid}















Working





Baking





Helping



Simmering



Fall cookies cooling



Evening tea-ing

Tea Time Menu

What I believe about tea time is back here and here



Today was a very simple tea time. We actually did something fun on Sunday {I'll blog that later in the week} so I kept tea time small. It was still just as wonderful to sit on our porch. Perfect weather... ahhh



Yesterday was Scott's birthday so I made him his favorite: Carrot Cake! This Susan Branch recipe is so so good!



Simple. Lovely. Yummy. Perfect. Tea time.



Other tea menu posts are here and here and here and here and here and here and here  and  here  and here  and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here 

Tea Time Menu

What I believe about tea time is back here and here

It was a lovely tea and a bit of stop on a Sunday in the middle of swirling. For sure our whole Sunday doesn't look like this - there was food shopping and heaps of laundry and other normal life. But where there is tea, there is always pause.



Today I served: 

Homemade Egg Custard Tartelettes. 



Homemade scones 



Homemade Cookie Pie bites 



Now I always make one new thing each week (this week the tartlettes) I find that if I freeze the scones or a dessert the day they are baked than they usually come out wonderfully. That way I'm not baking 3 things each Sunday.

Other tea menu posts are here and here and here and here and here and here and here  and  here  and here  and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here

Tea Time Menu

What I believe about tea time is back here and here









Other tea menu posts are here and here and here and here and here and here and here  and  here  and here  and here and here and here and here and here and here and here