Thursday Tea Things And Talk, Shelley Rose And Red Daisy, Tea Delectables For All Seasons Book

Good morning and welcome to my meme Thursday Tea Things And Talk. I am joining the other lovely blog parties listed at the bottom of the post.

I dearly love this Shelley, England pattern called Rose And Red Daisy. It is so evocative of lazy days in the garden with tea in hand and a book. The shape is called Dainty. Shelley made about 50 different shapes, but this has has the longest appeal to people with it's feminine and elegant ruffle effect. So pretty! The pattern was made from the 1907, but this teacup was made between 1940 and 1966 when the pottery closed. Shelley china, which is bone china...yes, actually with a content of bones...is extremely light, delicate and yet strong. Lovely! Available at Time Was Antiques. Just click on the photos.

I like to bring out this vintage tea book on a seasonal basis because it is so clever! The book is by artist and tea enthusiast Maryjo Koch, published in 1995, and is called Delectables For All Seasons.  The book is a compendium of delightful and fanciful drawings, tea lore and recipes all illustrated with her wonderful drawings! There is a companion book for coffee, but...not for me!

"Tea, Heav'ns delight, and Nature's truest wealth, 

that pleasing physic, and pledge of health:

The stateman's councellor, the virgin's love, 

the Muse's nectar, the drink of love."

A Poem Upon Tea, Peter Antoine Motteux 1712

 Tea is actually in the Camellia family and in China is believed to have a mystical, and royal heritage that was pronounced by the first emperor to taste it as a Golden Elixir, Divine in origin. Who am I to argue????

 Chinese proverb: "Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one"

As always, each season has a fanciful teapot. The one for spring is made up of violets and primroses with a twig handle a tea leaf spout  and is surrounded by a blue ribbon that says: 

"To see a hillside white with dogwood bloom is to know a particular ecstasy of beauty,

But to walk the gray winter woods and find the buds which will ressurrect that beauty in another spring is to partake of continuity."

Hal Borland, The New York Times Nov. 28, 1948

Have a wonderful day! We are mostly sunny and actually feeling like spring! We are driving to our neighboring town Port Angeles, WA to see the Holland America ship Oosterdam come to town on it's way to the Alaska season. It has come from Hawaii. We only get about 2 of the big cruise ships a year, so this is always fun.

Enjoy the blog parties listed below, and I'd be honored if you would like to join the meme for Thursday Tea Things And Talk!

Miss Spenser ~ http://missspensersblog.blogspot.com/

Teacup Thursday

Coloradolady  ~ http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Vintage Thingie Thursday

 

Tea On The Titanic, Titanic Commemorations

The Whiye Star Line Titanic was the most opulent ship afloat when it sailed away from Ireland on her maiden voyage only to hit an iceberg and sink in 1912.  I am joining Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage for her Tea On The Titanic, and Tuesday Cuppa Tea with Antiques And Teacups

These photos were taken by passenger Father S.M. Browne and found on various Titanic sites, I don't know if he survived or not.

The Titanic was one of 3 sister ships: The Olympic, the Titanic and the Britannic. They were designed by Harland & Wolff of Belfast.

I don't have any Titanic memorabilia to share, but I do have a silver plated tea strainer dating to the 1930s from her last sister ship, the Britannic, that was launched in 1929 and used as a passenger ship between Southampton, England and New York until she was decommissioned in 1960. The tea strainer is available at Time Was Antiques. Just click the photos for more information.

 

A postcard I have of the Britannic:

 As it is the centennial of that horrific disaster, there are many commemorations. The Fred Olsen Cruise Line cruise ship The Balmoral left April 8th following the exact route of Titanic carrying the same number of passengers, 1309, and serving as much as is possible, the same menus, with many of the passengers in period dress. The passengers include many family members of Titanic passengers.  The ship will rendezvous with an Azmara cruise ship for special services at the Titanic site. The Fred Olsen line is operated by Harland & Wolff.

Elsewhere, in conjunction with the Titanic commemoration, The Titanic Museum opened in Belfaast, Ireland on the site of Harland & Wolff's docks were Titanic was built. The museum opened on March 31st and is sold out with timed entrance into June. The museum itself is a facinating design of ship prows. Here is a photo from the BBC of the opening night fireworks:

When we were last in Southampton, England to sail home from the UK on the Cunard Queen Mary 2, we visited the memorial to the band that went down with Titanic, as most of the members were from the city and area around Southampton. It was such a sad thing.

On the voyage across, the Captain, Commodore Warwick, let us know when we passed over the Titanic and we had a minute of silence. Cunard is actually descended from the White Star line.

I have added some links here to the Titanic Museum website and others with fabulous resources. One, Titanic Stories, has a day by day interactive view of Titanic's voyage with dramatized portrayals of various passengers, accurately portrayed from historical documents.

The Titanic Museum In Belfast 

Titanic Stories

Titanica Exhibit - National Museums of Ireland

Thursday Tea Things And Talk, Union Jack Mug, History of Stay Calm And Carry On

Hello and welcome to Thursday Tea Things And Talk, and I am joining Vintage Thingie Thursday with Coloradolady and Miss Spenser's Teacup Thursday. Today I have a Dunoon, England bone china mug that is the Union Jack, or flag of Great Britain that I have in the shop Time Was Antiques.

This is one of my favorites, but then I'm prejudiced! It's the perfect size for a good cuppa in the morning. Sometimes my honey has coffee in it, but it's usually tea. PG tips is my favorite morning cuppa at the moment, rather mundane but its starts the day well. Green in the mid morning and back to a nice strong English black blend for afternoon tea. Lovely!

The reason I chose this as my Thursday Tea Things post was because of this:

 I know we have all seen this poster, and variations of it in the last few years, but I came across a YouTube video about the refinding of the poster and it's renaissance as a culture icon in 1999 which I have added below.  The poster was one of 3 designs from World War II. My husband and I were really interested in the video. Now that's vintage! Here is the video:

This is the version I have on my sidebar!

And please remember Sandi's Tea On The Titanic on April 15th:

 

Have fun visiting the other blog parties and have a cuppa and Keep Calm and Carry On!

 

Pink Saturday, Bunnies, Shelley Eggs and Kate and Will in Wax

This is rather a mixed Pink Saturday with How Sweet The Sound. The post is for Easter and seasonal themes. The first thing that comes to mind...after the real foundation of the season of the Easter resurrection of Jesus which is central to every Christian, or the Passover or Pesach deliverance to every Jew...is bunnies and eggs!

The only bunnies I seem to have left at the moment are these Wedgwood, England Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit dishes...a plate and a mug. I love the wonderful drawings. I didn't like the books when I was very small. I was so frightened for Peter in Mr. McGregor's garden, but fascinated by the drawings which I still love! So cute! Perfect for an Easter tea!

On an egg theme, I have a Shelley, England unusual plate in the Naples pattern that, frankly, I have always thought looked like Easter eggs to me. I can't figure out why it was named Naples. I've been there, and can see NO resemblance!!!

 Aren't they perfect Easter egg designs?????

In royal news, Madame Tussaud's unveiled the wax works images of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge yesterday as an early tribute in celebration of the couple's upcomoing 1st anniversary to huge crowds in London, New York and Amsterdam.

In London, the couple were depicted in their engagement announcement attire. I think they are really very good!

 
In Amsterdam, the couple are depicted in the attire they wore to a the London premier of the movie War Horse.

  
In New York, the couple are depicted in the attire they wore to a state dinner in Los Angeles.

So you can visit them the next time you are in any of those cities.
Here are links to 2 articles for more on Madame Tussauds and the Royal couple joining the galleries there.

The photos came from this article:
 Kate and William wax figures unveiled at Madame Tussauds

also:
 Happy anniversary, Kate and Wills! Madame Tussauds unveil waxworks of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to celebrate one year of marriage

Have a wonderful holiday weekend enjoying the season of hope, joy, deliverance and new life!

 
 

Thursday Tea Things And Talk, Shelley Teacup, Queen Elizabeth In York, Maundy Thursday

Welcome to Thursday Tea Things and Talk. I am joining Teacup Thursday with Miss Spenser and Vintage Thingie Thursday with Coloradolady. Today I want to share several things. It is Maundy Thursday, the day in the Christian calendar that commemorates the Last Supper.

 In honor of the color of Queen Elizabeth's hat in the photo below, I have a Shelley teacup with an aqua feather design. 

The pattern is called Serenity and was made by Shelley between 1940-1966 when the pottery closed and has platinum trim. The shape is Gainsborough, which is a favorite shape. So elegant!

Maundy Thursday has been traditionally celebrated in the UK by royalty giving our Maundy Money to deserving poor. This year Queen Elizabeth II was in York with Prince Philip and Princess Beatrice (she of the pretzel hat at her cousin Prince William's royal wedding to Kate Middleton almost a year ago) for the ceremony. The visit was also part of Queen Elizabeth;s Diamond Jubilee trips around the UK.

Beatrice, who is the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson is 5th in line for the throne.

In the royal Maundy money tradition dates to medieval times and originally had the monarch or a representative washing the feet of the poor. King George V changed the custom to the current one of the reigning monarch presenting red leather bags (or cases) of money to worthy elderly recipients...one male and female for every year of the monarch's life, so this year there were 86 men and 86 women. Normally the ceremony is done in London, but as Queen Elizabeth was in York on her Diamond Jubilee visit it was done there.

York minster from a 2005 visit

Below is a link to a video of giving the Maundy money and other photos of the York visit from the Daily Mail. Click on the Daily Mail name to go to the article and video or click this link to the video:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2125538/The-Queen-Bea-Royals-hand-money-pensioners-York-mark-Maundy-Thursday.html

I hope your preparations for Easter are going well. I want to also wish our Jewish friends a Pesach Shalom.