Greetings, October

It still feels like summer here with the flowers and bees

 and butterflies and birds still making life a joy to behold.

However, the evenings are turning slightly cooler

 and Homecoming is done for the year,  
and football has had us rooting for our favorite teams.............

It has been so very long since I have posted on my lil ole' blog.
Sure hope you haven't forgotten me -
 because I certainly haven't forgotten YOU!

Early October also brings around my birthday, 
so I thought I'd enjoy my tea today in my lovely
OCTOBER TEA CUP AND SAUCER
that a dear friend gave me some time ago.
It's so beautiful, I love it so much.

I keep it in my special china cabinet all year long. 

And my friends always seem to find
 just the perfect tea-themed birthday cards to send me. ♥

For my teatime today I brewed up some of my special blend tea
that Angela from the blog Tea with Friends sent me.

I think her Waterlogue pic of the rose on the front of the tin
looks a bit like the rose on my quilted runner underneath.

I am also enjoying the best cupcakes EVER,
made by my eldest when she hosted us for an early birthday
gathering on Sunday. (Thanks, Eve!)

She made the very best buttercream frosting
I have ever had in my life.

I hope to get the recipe to share with you soon,
and also share pics of my wonderful presents 
my daughters and their husbands gave me.

(One present was this lovely white tea rose plant!)









Well tomorrow - my actual birthday - 10/4, good buddy - 
I am having lunch with a neighbor friend,
 and tomorrow night have church choir practice. ♫ ♪

Thursday evening my husband said we will officially celebrate
 in style at a favorite restaurant....and then Friday my sister
said she'd take me to lunch.....Saturday we're going out of town
to celebrate our nephew's 6th birthday - so it will be a week long celebration of happy smiling and too much eating for sure!

I am so truly blessed.

It is so nice to be posting again - and hope to do so again very soon.

(Sorry I was away so long.)

Fall is in the air and I have much to share with you,
my beloved readers. 

God's blessings to each one of you!

♥

~Michele

Linking:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea   *   Home and Garden Thursday

Friends Sharing Tea   *   Share Your Cup  

Hodge Podge Wednesday

Well...looks as though I am more like Thursday

 but better late than never!

This week's questions from Joyce:

* We've reached edition number 315 here in the Wednesday Hodgepodge. So: what were you doing at 3:15 yesterday?

I was picking out plants for our new landscaping (which I hope to share soon.) I was also actually driving on Route 315 right around that time!

 * Is that typical? 

No, it's been over a year since I picked out new plantings for the gardens. 

* On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being low and 10 being high) what's your energy level usually like at 3:15 PM?

Low - maybe a 4 or 5 - which is why that is around the time I try yo take my tea. It gets me energetic to fix dinner and get work completed before my husband gets home. 

* A frisbee, a tantrum, a towel, a party, a punch, or a curveball...which have you most recently thrown or had thrown at/for you? Elaborate.

Oh....did I ever have a HUGE CURVEBALL thrown at me this week...which completely blindsided me! I may even blog about it, once the shock and anger wears off. I am trying to count to a hundred before I say anything.

(But no worries - it isn't family or friends or anything that personal.)  ♥

* What are three things that would help you right now. Tell us how or why.

a. better health so I feel and sleep better 

b. cleaning my basement - BIG task that has overwhelmed me!

c. less rabbits and deer eating up our gardens 


* Do you think you're strong? 

I know that I am, yes.

What makes you strong?

I have had a great deal of responsibility for others since I was a child - it has help mold me into the strong woman whom I am today. The old addage "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is true in many cases. It certainly brought me a confidence inside knowing that I can handle big things; therefore I was able to lose inner fears and insecurities. I then could make decisions and take chances that has helped me meet my goals for life.

[Pinterest]

*  What makes you strong?

Faith in God, my life experiences, trusting my instincts, good support network, and an amazing husband, children and family.

* Do you enjoy reading historical fiction?

It's my #1 very favorite genre of novel. 

 * What's your favorite book set sometime in the past?

My absolute favorite is Pride and Predjudice.

(And favorite movie!)

Credit: All searched Google images on this post, unless noted differently.

*************************************************************

If you haven't done so already,

 check out my last post GIVEAWAY!

There's a few more days left to enter!

As always, thanks for your visit!

Hugs,

~Michele

Christmas in July Giveaways!

MERRY CHRISTMAS IN JULY!

It's been a while since I've done a giveaway....

so in honor of Christmas in July I am giving away some

 Christmas tea-themed goodies!

"Christmas in July" is a pretty big deal where I grew up. 

(I explained why a while back, in an old post here.)

I had a sweet garden Christmas in July tea party with my

niece a few years ago here.

I just can't believe we're on the down side

 of July already!

Where is our summer going so fast?

So...getting back to the giveaway:

Instead of just one box going to one winner

 I'm going to pick 4 winners!

I am spreading the love, haha! 

Winner #1:

A Christmas tree tea cup

Twinings Christmas Tea (new/unopened) box of tea bags

Gold demitasse spoon

Winner #2:

A Cup of Christmas Tea book

Winner #3:

A St. Nicholas Square hand painted ceramic bowl 

(Nice size for mini pinecones, candy, nuts)

Green wreath with red bow on one side, pinecones on other

Winner #4:

Cardinal-themed "Seasons Greetings" Mini Garden Flag

Everything offered is either new or gently used in great condition.

Warning: this much-loved book is showing wear, though.

These giveaways will be chosen July 30th by random selection.

I would have chosen July 25th as my picking date, 

but I just thought of doing this today

 and just doesn't give folks enough time to enter.

Open to USA and Canada

(Apologies to my worldwide readers.)

You needn't be a blogger, but I do ask

 that you please are a follower of mine.

Double check. It's easy to goof up.

I ask that you leave a comment saying that you wish to enter,

and maybe even which item you'd most like to win. 

Little Baby Bug got her 12 months shots

 (3 of them!) yesterday

and had to get poked twice for some tests

 andalso have blood drawn from her finger.

Her momma took this sweet pic after she fell asleep.

You can see her cute pink bandaids on her arms. 

The baby always rolls over and sleeps on her tummy.

Just like her momma did.

Poor baby girl.

As always, thank you for your visit!

Hugs and prayers!

♥

~Michele

Happy 1st Birthday, Granddaughter!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY, VIVIAN!!!

Oh my, oh my! What a happy and special day!

We celebrated our granddaughter's first birthday

 at her Auntie Eve and Uncle Dan's on Saturday.

Auntie is a real crafty gal and hand-made every item for the party-

and it all tied in to the adorable personalized invitations, too.

There were banners and streamers and balloons everywhere!

Here's auntie now
 sneaking in a kissy-selfie with the birthday girl!

And didn't we have a nice and festive welcome out in front!

(Their entire garden is English Country Garden style -

and so much was in bloom this past weekend.)

This is only a portion of the food-
these early pics were taken before all things were put out.

Candy, cookies, krispie bars and cupcakes.....

But as wonderful as the party atmosphere and the food was

the Princess of the Day was definately the highlight!

One of the few smiles captured on film-
cuz she's looking right at her Grammie!

She's growing way too fast.

She walks now. She speaks more than a few words. 
And she's getting her 7th tooth.

Her Momma and Daddy are so happy and proud.

I love that her Auntie Eve took the time

 to even decorate her high chair!

But baby was much more interested

 in tasting sweets for the first time

than in posing for the camera.

She didn't even know what to do with it at first.

I don't think she liked the sticky/gooey mess on her fingers.

Her Momma broke off a small piece of cake sans frosting

and took the rest of it away.

NEXT year she'll get herself a whole big 'ole piece, 
won't she, Mom????  : -)

The tables were so pretty with bright

 happy potted sunflowers on them.

They matched the sunshine we had all day!

Some of the guests got them as favors from the hostess-
and Katie (baby's momma) made home-made berry jam
from berries from her gardens and Eve's mulberry tree!
Everyone got a canning jar of it as a favor;
 and it is FABULOUS!

Here's our sweet grand-dog Derby.

She was so good with all the commotion yesterday.

And, thank you, too, dear Derby (grand dog)

 for sweetly sharing your lovely home with us.

We know it's much more noise than you are accustomed,

but you were such a well behaved girl through it all. ♥

Auntie Eve and Uncle Dan spoiled the birthday girl big-time

 with many wonderful vintage and new gifts -

 but my very fav was her cute wee 

table and chair set that Auntie re-did for her.

This was a trash-to-treasure save - and it is a solid wood antique!

I told you my eldest daughter is very crafty! 

It's funny because the baby wasn't much interested

 in her presents at all... till she got some new books.

She loves books!

She was "reading" them aloud to herself.

I was next to her and could hear it all- 

babbling away quietly in baby speak - it was so cute.

I just adore the determination she shows on her face as she is opening it up.

Look at those pursed lips!

But the pic below wins the prize! 

LOL!  Book up-side down, too funny!

♥

She really loved her fuzzy birthday card, too!

It has a pink and sprinkled cupcake with a 1 on it.

Thank you, Evelyn and Dan for hosting
 this very special birthday party!

♥

We love you, sweet baby girl!

As always, thank you for your visit.

I'll try hard not to stay away so long next time!
Miss you all.

♥

~Michele

Linking:

Foodie Friday and Everything Else