Red, White, and Blueberry

Welcome Friends! Did you know that June is National Iced Tea Month? I decided to take this week's tea party outside on the front porch. There are no fine bone china teacups and tea pots, no three tiered tray, and not even a lace tablecloth. To celebrate summer, I have a large pitcher of freshly steeped and iced blueberry green tea served in a Kerr's canning jar.

I recently purchased this color bowl from one of my favorite nurseries. I'll have to remember to take my camera with me the next time I visit.

To go along with our refreshing iced tea, I made some fresh blueberry streusel muffins. My kids could hardly wait for me to finish my photo shoot and sink their teeth into these wonderful treats. I will have the recipes for the muffins and the iced tea at the end of this post. I hope you give them a try.

And here's this week's tea trivia. Ice tea was invented in America by an Englishman who lived in Calcutta, India. Richard Blechynden was selling hot tea at the St. Louis 1904 World's Fair. No one was interested in drinking hot tea on a hot day, so he poured the tea over ice and served it in tall glasses. The rest is history. Now you know!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

1/2 C sugar

1/4 C softened butter

1 egg beatened

2-1/3 C flour

4 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 C milk

1 t vanilla extract

1-1/2 C fresh or frozen blueberries

Streusel:

1/2 C brown sugar

1/3 C flour

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 C butter

Directions

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix well. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating with milk. You may add more milk if the batter is too thick. Add vanilla extract, then fold in blueberries.

For streusel, cut butter into sugar, flour, and cinnamon until it becomes coarse crumbs.

Fill 12 muffin cups with batter. Top with streusel mixture.

Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 1 dozen muffins

Iced Blueberry Green Tea

1 C fresh or frozen blueberries

1 C sugar

1 C water

Juice of 1/2 lemon

8 C steeped green tea. You may use black tea or white tea.

In saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool. Strain syrup in a strainer, crushing the blueberries with a spoon. Squeeze lemon through strainer to catch seeds.

To steep tea, boil 8 cups of water and steep 8 bags of tea for 10 minutes. Remove bags and let tea cool.

In a large pitcher, combine blueberry syrup with tea and refrigerate until cold. Serve over ice.

I'll be joing a week's full of blog parties with the following hostesses

A Stroll Through Life

Lady Katherine Tea Parlor

The Plumed Pen

Artful Affirmations

Rose Chintz Cottage and Inspiration

Martha's Favorites

Between Naps on the Porch

Designs by Gollum

Thanks for visiting the Lace and Ivy Cottage.

Till next time,

Tea in the Hearth Room

Greetings, Tea Friends! It's my favorite day of the week, Tea Time Tuesday, when I have the pleasure of taking tea with all my friends in blogland. Today, let's have tea in the hearth room in front of the wood burning stove. Oh it's far too hot for a fire, it was about 100 degrees in SoCal today, but it's a cozy place to sit and relax.

I've taken out my birdie tea cup and teapot. Both were purchased from Home Goods, and though not old (I love old), they're some of my favorite pieces.

*I interrupt this blog post with some breaking news. We just had an earthquake here in SoCal. It's about 9:30 p.m., June 14. Well, it was more of a jolt, but just part of life here in California. Ok, the kids are back in their rooms. Let's return to the regularly scheduled program.*

Here are some closeups of the tea cup.






Thank you for stopping by the Lace and Ivy Cottage, where friends are always welcome for tea.

And as always, I leave you with another piece of tea trivia:

Did you know that the custom of tipping servers was created in England's tea gardens? Locked, wooden boxes were placed on tables inscribed with the letters t.i.p.s. to insure proper service. If you wanted to guarantee that your tea arrived hot from the kitchen, you would drop a coin in the box when seated. So, now you know!


Till next time,
I'm linking up with our gracious hostesses at:

Lady Katherine Tea Parlor
The Plumed Pen
Artful Affirmations
Rose Chintz Cottage and Inspirations
Martha's Favorites
A Stroll Through Life

Tea, Chocolate, and Roses

Welcome Tea Friends! I apologize for my absence, but it's been a whirlwind of activity here at the Lace and Ivy Cottage ever since we got back from my son's graduation in Dallas. I had four science fair projects due, our son came back for a short two week visit before he starts working back in Dallas, our other son came home after completing his first year at the university, and we're finally wrapping up the school year with the younger children. I haven't had an opportunity to wind down with a cup of tea in weeks! So, I'm so glad you stopped by today for a visit.

Let's step out to the sunroom on this sunny day in California and where I have tea set out for us.
I don't have any scones today, but I do have chocolate! What do you get when you add chocolate and roses to a simple cup of tea? Tranquili-tea!

Today's teacup is a thrift shop find. It's by Noritake.



The dessert plates and cake stand were a gift from a very thoughtful aunt.


This pretty tea pot was gifted to me by my cousin's MIL. She knew I loved tea, so she passed this on to me.



Before we end our visit, I'll leave you with an interesting piece of Tea Trivia:

What is the orange in Orange Pekoe? The Dutch royal family, the House of Orange, received this fine China tea from early Dutch traders. The name has nothing to do with the flavor or color of the tea, it was like stamping a seal of royal distinction on the exotic, new beverage.

Now you know!




Till next time,



I'm linking with our lovely tea hostesses at

Lady Katherine Tea Parlor
The Plumed Pen
Artful Affirmations
Rose Chintz Cottage and Inspiration
Martha's Favorites

UD Graduation

Hello friends, today I'm joining Heidi at Heart and Home for Gratitude Wednesday. I'd like to share with you a snapshot of our lives, past and present. On Sunday, May 16, 2010 our eldest son graduated Cum Laude from the University of Dallas. This is one of those monumental moments in life that just takes your breath away and makes you reflect on all of God's blessings in your life.


Have we actually come this far? By God's grace, Yes! Being a homeschooling mom, my children's education has been a priority in my life. And this day, I tasted the sweet fruits of my labor! To see one's child accomplish his goals and make his mark in this world is one of the most gratifying moments in a parent's life.


I know that the friends he's made will be lifelong ones, no matter which path each takes.




He and his lovely girlfriend share many memories of their college days, and now face a bright tomorrow with new chapters in their lives to fulfill.



Where has time gone? This was me and my hubby at my graduation day at UCLA 20 years ago.


I was a young bride and a young mom, and our son was 2 years old the day I graduated.





He was there the day I received my diploma...





and I was there when he received his.




My husband and I couldn't be prouder and more grateful for our son. The next 20 years promises to be filled with a day like this for each of our children. One down, 8 to go!

Thank you for stopping by the Lace and Ivy Cottage.

Till next time,