Faith Family Friends

Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Wednesday 30 September 2015

A Pathway to the Past



I could never stay long enough on the shore; the tang of the untainted, fresh, and free salt air was like a cool, quieting thought. ~ Helen Keller

Summer is over for another year. The picnic cooler, the thermos mugs which hold our coffee, our beach sandals, and the beach chairs have all been packed away for another year. It is sad knowing that it will be a whole year before we can once again return to the peace and quiet of the seashore.




So what is my fascination with the beach, you may wonder? Well, there are a few reasons. 

The beach offers a peaceful interlude away from the comforts of home; a time to get out and breathe in the fresh air laden with the scents of nature. ~ Sandi W

When I was a girl, my father used to take us camping with friends every summer to Stanhope Beach which is on the north shore. Those were such fun times! My brother and I would run freely through the woods to the canteen and buy lick-a-maids for a penny, not minding a bit that our fingers and mouths were stained from those sweet and sour treats. There was always an adventure or two to be found every day in those woods. 


Oftentimes we would walk down from our camp site to the beach where Daddy would 'bury us in the sand.' 


A day at Stanhope beach with our family where the grandchildren got 'buried in the sand' by their uncle. 

Sometimes Daddy would help us build sand castles. 


One of the castles being built during a sand sculpturing contest this past summer at Brackley beach.


At night, we would all sit around the camp fire singing along with the accordion that our family friend would bring along while we roasted marshmallows and hot dogs on sticks.

A few short years later, I met my true love who also had a love for the beach. He had grown up there so it was only natural that we would want to spend time there together.


Taken on our first date.

You see, here on our little Island, we are surrounded by water and the seashore is a place that continually beckons to our hearts. It is a place where we feel closest to our Creator.  Standing on the shore looking out over the water, one feels like they are standing on the edge of the universe. We are always in awe of His creation. 



Brackley

The Beach .... the only place where salt lowers your blood pressure. ~ unknown 


For us, the beach is a special place where our troubles seem to vanish on each lace-edged wave which laps upon the shore. It is here we seek tranquility. 

One doesn't have to go far to find a beach because it wraps itself snugly around our little Island gifting us with multitudes of places to go and relax. One particular area of the north shore alone boasts several beaches in a row; Brackley, Covehead, Stanhope, Dalvay, and Tracadie with several smaller spots in between each one. 

Dalvay

Now let's go back a few decades....
Also nestled on the north shore of PEI is a small community which was my hubby's stomping grounds. You know all about those little communities where everyone knew everyone else and the hub of the community was the little country store which stood across the road from my hubby's homestead.



Running along side of my hubby's home was and still is a road called Watts Road. Watts was the name of the land which was owned by Hubby's Dad and his relatives. This road ran from the main road in the community all the way down to the beach. Here and there along the Road were cottages tucked in among the trees. At the end of the road is a small clearing for parking your car and that led to a path which led to the sand dunes and the water beyond. 



So, let's take a walk down that road and discover the hidden treasure at the end of it. The first half of this road is paved and the other half is clay.

First we park the car in the little clearing in the woods and then follow the pathway. 



The pathway leads to a boardwalk.






Behind those sand dunes lies the Gulf of St Lawrence which hooks into the Atlantic Ocean. 






If one could see far enough, you would catch a glimpse of Newfoundland.



As far as the eye can see there is sand and sea and sky. 

Smell the sea, and feel the sky, 
Let your soul and spirit fly. ~ Van Morrison 

Now picture, if you will, two young people very much in love, lured by the sound of the waves and the peace and quiet that can be found in their special place. How they relished the feel of the warm sand between their toes and the sun on their faces. Being together on the beach was total bliss!

When Hubby and I were going together, the sand dunes were much higher and there were areas that were hidden from view to those walking along the pathway and the shore. We discovered a secret place which we had all to ourselves.


It was our own little hidden world which had been scooped out by nature among the sand dunes. We would spread a blanket and unpack the chocolate milk and butter tarts and watch the seagulls soar overhead. We loved to watch the big fluffy clouds drift by and pointed out animals and castles we saw forming shapes in those great billows of white.


Once in a while we would venture down there at sun set and watch the clouds until they looked like cotton candy. We would build a small fire and when the sky looked like black velvet, we would watch the old stars peeping out above us. It was there in our secret place that we giggled and talked for hours about our hopes and dreams and what our life together would be like. Ah, young love!

The years seem to have sprouted wings and flown by.... Three wonderful children and five precious grandchildren later, the landscape has changed considerably, just like our lives. 

Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone. ~ Anonymous

Over the years, a boardwalk has taken the place of the pathway and it snakes through the grass linking the little parking lot in the woods to the sand dunes. Our secret place hidden among the sand dunes has disappeared into the landscape and is no more.



It is rather sad. Although the old waves still lap upon the shore and the sand still stretches as far as the eye can see, our secret place has disappeared, just like our youth. 



Once your feet have touched the warm sun drenched sand of the seashore you will never be the same. ~ Patsy Gant


Tracadie / Watts Beach

But we have all those beautiful memories together! We carry them safely tucked within our hearts to be pulled out from time to time and savoured. Those are the times we remember those two young people so full of life with all their hopes and dreams ahead of them. 

Today, when we visit the north shore, we can still hear the laughter of that young couple off in the distance. And it is as though they had never left. 

Sharing this with -
Share Your Cup Thursday
Home Sweet Home

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

Monday 28 September 2015

Shades of Coral and Peach for Autumn's First Tea Time

Autumn... the year's last loveliest smile. ~ William Cullen Bryant


Happy Autumn dear friends and welcome to Tea Time! Autumn has arrived and with it the air is crisper and the leaves are beginning to put on a show of golds, reds, and oranges. It is not really my favourite time of year but I am going to embrace it and try to enjoy this new season.



I took this picture of a lighthouse the other evening just as the sun was setting. This is down at Victoria Park where Hubby and I take our coffee in the evening. 



I am always amazed at the colours of pink and coral that tint the sky at sunset. God is such an amazing artist! 

It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life. ~ PD James Victoria magazine

Is there any flower which exudes more romance than a rose? I love how the petals curl around one another as though each petal is giving the one next to it a hug.  



The fabric covered rose bowl was part of my mother's birthday bouquet and I decided to put it to use again. I looked for coral roses but there were none to be found so I opted for white.


The coral ribbon picks up on the china teacup. This teacup is Queen Anne made in England.



I love the coral pink colour which reminds me of the sunset. It is embellished with golden sheaves of wheat.

This cup and saucer is made by Royal Chelsea in England. It is dressed up in a pretty peach colour. 



What makes this set unique is the bouquet and swags of flowers inside the cup as well as the broken line of gold gilding around the rim of the cup and saucer.



I am using my Cream Lace teapot by Skye McGhie. I like how the light makes the pink depression glass stand appear peachy pink.  

Tea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage. Okakura Kakuzō

May I pour you a cuppa? My tea today is Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice. 



I made some cinnamon rolls for my hubby because he really loves them. There are plenty so please help yourself. Most of my recipes can be found on my sidebar under 'Search this Blog.'



My son, the nature lover, always called them 'snails' and still does. Whenever I make them I can't help but think of the little boy who renamed them 'snails' so many years ago.



The pretty plate adorned with pink, peach, and coral roses is Limoges made in France. Some of the petals on the roses are raised so it makes for a gorgeous plate! My Aunt Judy gave me this plate out of her collection a few years ago. 


Don't you agree that tea always tastes better in a china cup?

Thank you for coming to tea with me. 


Now, I'm going to have a nosh and peruse the newest Victoria magazine. It is a beautiful day here on the Island and I hope it is where you are too. 


When you have flowers, books, and tea, you are never alone. ~ Alexandra Stoddard




 I am joining the following parties as well~

A Return to Loveliness
 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Share Your Cup Thursday
 Home Sweet Home



 Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Monday 21 September 2015

Sunflowers and Playing with Transferware for Tea Time


Welcome to Tea Time dear friends! Can you feel Autumn coming? There are signs of it everywhere now here on our little Island although we have just had the most amazing run of warm sunny weather with record breaking temperatures. We have been lovin' it!

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather
And autumn’s best of cheer.

Helen Hunt Jackson, September, 1830-1885




Do you like my sunflowers? You will never guess where they came from. Yesterday Hubby and I were out driving around and we passed a small construction zone where a tidy little subdivision of duplexes was going up. As you turn into the subdivision, there is a large grassy slope covered in grass and of all things, sunflowers! Those big smiling flowers were there just begging me to bring some home. So, Hubby got out of the car and climbed a little bit of that hill and pulled out a big stem of them. He's the best, and super fit so he didn't mind!



And here they are, on my tea table bringing their sunshine and smiling faces to our tea time.



At first I had set my table with brown transferware and thought, it just looked flat. So I removed the brown and brought out my blue instead. Hope you enjoy! 


Tea is like a hug and a handshake; something about it warms friendships and inspires confidences. ~ Victoria magazine


It seems I have been sharing a lot of transferware lately. I love mixing and matching it because it seems to bring a little more personality to the table.



I like how each piece tells a story and some of the patterns date back quite a way. 

The Blue Willow pattern was popular in 18th century England, e.g. porcelain designed by Thomas Minton around 1790 and has been in use for over 200 years. The design was inspired by the china England imported from China during the late 18th century.  

And who isn't charmed by the love story conveyed in the pattern?



The Enoch Wedgwood Royal Homes of Britain pattern has been around since the 1970's. I love the blue flower and scroll edge adorned with the castle in the center. 




And the 222 Fifth Blue Adelaide square plate. I love this vintage-inspired florals and birds on white porcelain plate. 




Lately, I have been hankering for some sticky date pudding with hot toffee sauce. I usually make this at Christmastime and at least one other time of the year. This is the time.



This pitcher filled with hot toffee sauce is yet another pattern in blue and white. It depicts some elegant ladies window shopping but I can't make out the mark, only that it is made in England. 

Would you like some pudding? 

Time spent in the company of a friend is like a golden moment in our day. ~ Ron Lessin


This pudding is such a treat with a cup of tea or coffee. Care to join me?

Steam rises from a cup of tea, 
and we are wrapped in history, 
inhaling ancient times and lands, 
comfort of ages in our hands. ~ Faith Greenbow





I love how the glow of the candle brings out the sparkle in the gold thread of Bernideen's table topper. I won this pretty topper in one of her giveaways several years ago.  

On that note, I will bid you a lovely day and may it be filled with plenty of sparkle!


Never lose an opportunity to see anything that is beautiful. It is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, every fair sky, every fair flower. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


Please join me by linking up below. I would love to see your teacups, coffee cups, teapots or coffee pots. A tea time recipe is always welcome as well as a visit to a Tea Shop or tablescape. 

Please be sure to link only tea or coffee related posts. Thank you.



I am joining the following parties as well~

 A Return to Loveliness
 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Share Your Cup Thursday
 Home Sweet Home



Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Monday 14 September 2015

A Little Aqua for a Late Summer Tea Time




Welcome to Tea Time dear friends!

Teapot is on, the cups are waiting,
Favourite chairs anticipating,

No matter what I have to do, 
My friend, there's always time for you. ~ Author unknown

Last weekend Hubby and I were up west to a lovely outdoor wedding. I forgot my camera so I had to borrow these. Congratulations Amanda and Terry! Amanda was our Sunday School teacher in Hubby's last church.



Isn't she beautiful!


We stopped at Simply Primitive on the way to the reception, you know the shop where I found my swan and the blue teacup I shared a few weeks ago? Well, I found something else I simply couldn't resist.


But first, I will tell you a little story....For most of my married life, I decorated with blue because I was surrounded by a flock of men; my hubby and boys. Peach was my accent colour. After the boys grew up and moved out, the blue went into the family room. Aqua/robin egg blue, peaches, and pinks took their place in the kitchen, dining, and living room. Hubby didn't mind a bit! 

For many years I used those colours because I really love them. Many of you will remember this french moire fabric chair. 



I have two of them and the cushion is the same fabric which was on the sofa.



Anyway, a few years ago, I tired of the decor and felt I needed a change. You know all about that, I'm sure. So I got two new wheat coloured recliner chairs which you have all seen and I am waiting to find the right sofa. 

Well, I discovered that I truly miss the aquas. I do believe it is genetic because my mother and my Auntie P always loved the aqua too. 

The decor I have in my living room just isn't me. The gold/beige is nice enough with red and green accents but it lacks the 'pretty' factor. And I like pretty. So, I am going to start incorporating the aquas back in again. 

When we down-size, hopefully next year, I intend to use these colours because they make me happy. 



Beginning with this pretty chair I found at Simply Primitive. I love the luscious aqua/robin egg blue. It's already distressed too so I don't have to do a thing to it. 

I usually have this little chair sitting in a nook as you enter the back door. Bunny sits on it to welcome you with his cushion tucked behind him. 



But we will switch out the gingham cushion for a Battenburg one because Bunny is joining me for tea in front of the window. Would you like to join us?

Serenity is a solitary cup of tea; pleasure is sharing it with another. ~ Victoria magazine

Sorry, the lighting is so very poor due to the cloudy weather. My pictures were very dark and I had to brighten them up so you could see them clearly. These are not my best pictures.



The other day was my oldest son's birthday and I made him a cake. A yellow cake layered with Shiriff lemon pie filling and whipped topping. Dollops of lemon decorated the top of the cake too. It was a lovely cake and my son and his family really enjoyed it. 



I had lemon filling left over so I also made some tarts. Sweet little lemon tarts for our tea today.

I had my heart set on having tea outside in the back yard in front of our trees, it is so pretty out there. But it has been cloudy and raining for days. So, once again, we will be having our tea indoors.... 


The aqua napkins are from a blogger friend. The inscription says, "well... Hello doily!" They match the vase and chair perfectly. Aren't they cute?

Our friendship is like a pot of tea...a special blend of you and me. ~ Unknown


I don't know the maker of the red transferware teapot as there is no name on the bottom.


Bunny's cup is a Vista demi-tasse made by Masons in England. 


And I am having tea in this teal Aynsley teacup also made in England. It appears to be blue but is really teal.



My lovely roses are rainbow roses we got from the grocery store.


Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud. ~ Maya Angelou


Once again, I apologize for the poor quality of lighting in the pictures.

Happiness is sharing tea with friends.




Thank you for joining me for tea on this rainy day. Do you have some tea wares, coffee wares, a tea time recipe, or a visit to a Tea Shop you would like to share with us? Please link up below and I will come and visit you. 

Please Note: I must ask that you only share tea or coffee related posts. I will have to delete those that do not apply to tea parties. Thank you for understanding!

Have a fabulous day friends!

Peace be to you, and peace be to your house,
and peace be to all that you have. ~ The Book of 1 Samuel


I am joining the following parties as well~

 A Return to Loveliness
 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Share Your Cup Thursday
Home Sweet Home


 Sharing from my heart~ Sandi