A Blue and White Tea

I think sometime this year, my Granny’s dining room set turns 70 years old. She waited long and hard for it; she bought it (I think) at Buckner’s in Coffeyville, Kansas. Shortly after she bought it, Gramps traded her lovely two story Cape Cod town house for a country acreage that was a first class disaster! But I digress; my point is how many beloved meals have been served around that table including ones in my own home for thirty five years or so.

Family and friends have dispersed for various reasons, and I find fewer and fewer big meals are served there. I used to have a big dinner for my friends at Christmas, but those too have faded in number in the last decade. I always had spring teas on the deck; I had fire pit suppers in the fall. But all things get harder to do…no, harder to make happen.

It is VERY hot here this week, but the mornings are pleasant enough if out early. Yesterday I enjoyed myself so much on deck feeling that some things were caught up in my life while waiting on others to transpire. While I enjoyed the morning tea pot and book, I knew the afternoon was going to be a furnace! I was a little sad that another spring had gone by while I missed hosting a spring tea.

So I made an executive decision to have a tea party. I ran to Sonic for ice, stopped at Walmart for cookies, threw out the tablecloths, and fired off an email invite. Forget the cucumber sandwiches and tiny mint candies. This tea was simple but neat. Loads of cookies left. People come for something besides the food. Nine managed to make it. Tall blue glasses, icy with cinnamon orange tea accompanied by gentle conversation and hearty laughter made our day before the heat ratcheted up. Like sponges dropped in water, the ladies unfolded from cares of the world.

I just love deck teas so much! So we had a summer tea this year….maybe an autumn tea could be in our futures!