A Perfect Day To Take A Break

Time to take a break from whatever you are doing.   At least it’s time for me to take a break.  Hope you can join me 

 It is a beautiful day here in North Carolina, perfect for sitting  on our front porch.  So I just made a pot of tea to take outside and I picked some zinnias.  Did I show you how big the zinnias are in my garden?

 The plant is almost 3 feet in diameter and it is part of the garden right beside our back door.  Every time I leave or come home I am greeted by all this color.  I am thrilled to have flowers blooming because the deer eat almost everything else!

 Just in case you weren’t able to join me I have a book to read.  I love books by Maeve Binchey.  She writes a good story and I love how she develops the characters.  I’m always looking for suggestions of books to read, so if you have a suggestion please leave me a comment.  I am also reading The Power of a Half Hour by Tommy Barnett, which  is also a good book  about how  how valuable only half an hour can be.

Did I tell you about the great bargain I got in wicker furniture? I spray painted it black and put it on our deck.

 It looks nice but it’s not waterproof so has to be covered when it rains and it’s constantly covered with pine needles that keep falling. I don’t have anywhere else to put it so I’ll probably end up putting it on Craig’s List.  If you live in the Charlotte area and could pick it up, you can have it all  for $45.

 Well I hope that you are enjoying your day.  I really need to get back to work now.  Hope you’ll come back and visit again soon.
Rhondi xo

A Beautiful Spring Morning Time For Tea

It is a beautiful spring morning, time for tea  here in Charlotte.  It has been rainy and overcast a lot in the last couple of days so the sunshine is very welcome. My hellebores are blooming profusely so I picked a bunch to bring inside.  I've discovered that if you don't cut the stems short they will start to droop very quickly.

 As I was cutting them I thought that it  was mild enough outside to have tea on the deck: first tea outside this spring!

 A cup for me and one for you too  in case you have time to stop awhile.

                             Got oatmeal raisin cookies for us too ( store bought but still pretty tasty!)

You'll need a warm sweater or fleece, but it feels so good to be outside in the sunshine enjoying the sound of the birds and smelling the fresh spring air.

Thanks for stopping by.  I enjoyed our visit.

 Rhondi

Come For Tea

The dogwood are in bloom.  It is a beautiful morning.

We need to celebrate the beauty.  So I've made a pot of tea and set the table on our deck.

Aren't the dogwood beautiful?

I hope you have time for a visit.  I made some banana muffins with chocolate chips in them :)

It's  another beautiful spring day here in North Carolina, made by God just for us, so I am going to take a little time to enjoy it before I start my work day.  I hope you have time to stay a little while and enjoy it with me.

For those of you who are still waiting for spring, be patient.  It's on its way!!

Rhondi xo



Thanksgiving # 4

I was going to plant my pansies today but I'll have to do it another day because it's raining.  It's one of those nice gentle rains that sounds so comforting when you're sleeping and the window is open.  I made my Gran's oatmeal cookies, so I hope you have time to stay for a visit and have a cup of tea and a cookie ( or two)

Let's use the red dotted teapot.  It looks so nice on my black tole tray.

A cup for you and a cup for me.  The flowers are from my garden.

I'll pour yours first.

And one for me.

Now let me tell you what I am thankful for today.  Last week we flew to Texas.  I have this habit of fiddling with my ring and as we were walking down the hallway at the airport I suddenly realized the diamond in my ring was gone.  I had just gone to the restroom a couple of minutes earlier and recalled having banged my hand against the door in the stall as I closed it .  So I rushed back hoping that's where it had fallen out.  I wasn't sure exactly which stall I had used, so I randomly picked one and there was my diamond lying on the floor!  It is a very tiny diamond from the engagement ring my husband gave me when we were just college students and had no money, so I was surprised I was even able to see it.   It symbolzes 43 years of marriage and I am very thankful I found it.

Thanks for stopping by today and making a dull day cheerful!

Rhondi xo

Stop By For A Visit

I was thinking about you as I ate my breakfast this morning.    Typical breakfast for me is a cup of tea and non fat yogurt with some fresh fruit and granola sprinkled on the top.  As I was planning my day I wondering what your plans for your day were.

This is my favorite mug and I just love it.  It's got a chip on the rim and I should probably throw it out.  I have lots of other ones but this is my favorite. 

I love a cup of hot tea. It is just so soothing and relaxing.

I love mornings too, the air is still, the busyness of the day has not begun yet.  There is  time to think, pray and plan for the day.  Then the birds begin to chirp as it gets light and then we go for a walk.

Every day has the potential for something good to happen.

I wonder what today will bring?

I will be working from home this morning so if you have time to stop by for a chat I'll have the coffee pot on and the tea ready to pour.  Now that I am working full time, I miss having the time to chat with you!

Rhondi xo

Tea Cup Tuesday

Hello dear friends.  I apologize for such a long time since my last post.  My camera broke and I've been working, so I haven't had the time or the tools to blog about anything.

I miss talking to you!

There are lots of tea related memes on Tuesday so I decided to join a couple:

 Tea Cup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations and  Martha's Favorites  and Tea For Two at The Plumed Pen and Tea Time Tuesday at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor

Here are just a couple of teacups which you may have seen before. The first three were $1 each  from Goodwill. 

Any of you who have visited me before will know that this blue and white teacup comes from my dainty blue tea set by Shelley.  I've had it since before I was married and would have to say that it is my most treasured possession.

I miss you.  My new camera is on it's way so I'll be back soon.  Do you have time to stay for a cup of tea?  I'll put the kettle on...

Rhondi xo

A Good Book and a Lazy Afternoon

I'm sorry I haven't written for awhile.  First I had problems with downloading photos and finally figured out that I had exceeded my quota and had to purchase more space.

Then we had the most wonderful surprise!  Our two married sons and their families who live in Texas and Massachusetts decided to come and visit at the same time!  So we had a house full of adult kids and grandkids all week.  It was so great to have everyone together. There was constant laughter, playing, eating ,going on outings, eating, swimming, did I say eating?

But now they are gone.  The house is quiet.  It's Sunday.  We've been to church and I plan to spend the rest of the day relaxing, lounging around and reading a book.  It's fun to share books and I loved reading aloud to the grands.

I have a wonderful book to read.  It's about solving the mystery of a little girl who gets put on a ship in England  headed for Australia and told not to tell anyone her name. 

Are you like me?  When I have a book I'm enjoying I am like a dog with a bone.  I just can't put it down.  This is a good one.

I've made a pot of tea.

I'm going to relax in my favorite chaise.

Enjoy my book and tea

and be totally lazy

Yes...It's a good thing to do on a hot Sunday afternoon in August.

Rhondi  xo

I Miss You!

Hi

I have missed you!  Since I started working again, there has been no time to post or visit you.  So this afternoon I am taking a short break.

I've made some tea and taken it out to the front porch and I am going to relax for a little while.  So what have you been doing the last 2 weeks?  It's hard to believe I've only been back in real estate for 2 weeks and I'm so excited because I got my first listing on the weekend!  I am really enjoying connecting with past clients, looking at houses and talking about houses.

Just a minute, while I go and  get another cup and I hope you can visit for awhile.  Help yourself to a chocolate covered digestive cookie.  They are delicious.

Now, did you know that  if you are going to sell your home or buy another one, even though I don't do real estate where you live, I can refer you to a great realtor there and I will get a referral fee from the firm that you use?  It doesn't cost you anything, but benefits both me and the realtor I refer you to.  So if you or anyone you know needs a realtor and doesn't know of a good one, please contact me and I will connect you.  Or if you've heard of a good one but never personally done business with them, you can tell me who it is.  I call their firm and tell them I have a client for them.  It's very simple. 

I've hardly looked at my house, no fluffing, puttering or re-arranging going on right now, so these are photos from a previous post.  Hope you don't mind.

So my dear friends, I miss you!

Rhondi xo

Brownies and Tea

Hi

I was hoping you'd stop by today because I wanted to share an idea with you.  Come on in the kitchen.  I have just started to  make  something yummy to have with tea.  Please say you have time to stay for a cup of tea....

I am making my Mom's recipe for butterscotch brownies.  Here is my old well used recipe card.

My recipes all live in this little house my talented sister painted many years ago.

Isn't it cute?

A few of the things I need.

The ingredients go in my KitchenAid mixer. Did I ever tell you that I got it at a yard sale a long time ago for only $15? That was a deal!

Mix them all up.

Put them in a greased pan and pop it in the oven for 25 minutes.

They come out looking golden and just a little bit brown around the edges.

While we are waiting for them to cool a little bit I'll get out the tray for tea.  I thought we'd use mugs today and the blue willow teapot and creamer I got at a consignment shop that Fifi told me about when I was  in Florida this past year.

I have this little plate with our initial on it, which I think is probably restaurant or hotel ware.  I'll put the brownies on it.

Let's sit at the table by the window in my studio.  I'm still very happy that I painted it white.

Everything is ready!

I'll pour you a cup.

Oh I should have asked you if you take milk!  I just automatically put the milk in first just like my English aunt taught me :)

Please take a brownie while they are still warm.  They are so good.  I used to make these all the time and forgot how good they are and how easy to whip up in a hurry.

Now here is what I wanted to talk to you about.  You know how much I like to drink tea and serve tea whenever you come to visit.  Well I am going to have a tea party every Tuesday and I want you to be the first one to know about it. You are my special honored guest. 

Every Tuesday I will have tea ready, and you are invited.  Also I'd love it some of  you would have tea parties too and link up with mine.  Please spread the word.

I've made this button for you to copy and use and I'll put it on my sidebar.

Thanks for stopping by. You brought some sunshine into a very dreary day here in North Carolina.   I wish you really were here  to eat some of these brownies.  I'm eating too many of them!!

Rhondi xo

PS For those of you who prefer coffee, I'll make sure I also have coffee for you next Tuesday!!