Five Secrets to Contentment | Monday's Meditations

Secret 1: Love People, Not Money nor Possessions

Secret 2: Resist to Compare Yourself with Others

Secret 3: Maintain an Appreciative Attitude

Secret 4: Choose Your Friends Wisely

Secret 5: Satisfy Your Spiritual Need

The Tea Party | Tea Time Tuesdays

The Tea Party

~Jessica Nelson North

"I had a little tea party

This afternoon at three.

'Twas very small-

Three guests in all-

Just I, myself and me.

Myself ate all the sandwiches,

While I drank up the tea;

'Twas also I who ate the pie

And passed the cake to me."

A Walk Through Time | An Afternoon Walk {Part 3}

It was a warm day yet it feels cold because of the wind that was blowing relentlessly.  Then when the clouds became too heavy that afternoon, it let go some of it's weight and showered some cool, refreshing raindrops on us.  Ah, for the n'th time, dear Gayle would wittingly say "We are not that sweet that we would melt."  She would chuckle and give me a wink.  "Right?" she would ask, "Right!" was my affirmation with a thumbs up.  Dear, lovely Gayle has Alzheimer's disease.

Royal York and Royal Albert Tea Cup | Second Chance {Part 2}

The birds are gleefully singing in the rain today, as if the sound of the raindrops falling on fresh green leaves were music accompanying the sweet songs of the little singers.  A lovely chorus lingers in the air in this quiet, otherwise gloomy day... April showers this year seem to have extended over to June.  I guess it's a perfect time to sit and sip some warm tea while I try to write about my collection of pretty little tea cups.  

Day Dreaming | An Afternoon Walk to an Antique Shop {Part 1}

Notice the "Sorry We're Closed" sign on the bottom left of the photo?  I feel sad because it seems like this store is perpetually closed (everytime I have the chance to go there at least, it's closed *sad face*).  Wishing I could go in, I stared at the goods displayed on their window. It gave me the idea of snapping photos.  Aren't these goodies so pretty?  If only I could have touched them, haha! So I did a little click here and there, at least I have something to take home with me.  {And it worked out well for sharing in my blog! Yippee!}

This adventure wasn't planned at all.  My 75 year old friend whom I regularly visit was specially restless today.  So I though a nice long walk would ease her giving her a nice adventure for the day.  To change our usual walk-along-the-lake route, I thought of going the other way and see "what trouble we can get into," as she calls it... "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" is another of her favorite expressions.

We visited four shops today... after staring at the windows of Leon's Antique shop, we went inside the French cafe just beside it.

In my spare time {or mostly my head just spares the time anytime}, I dream about having my own tea room or a cafe.  My family had been in the food service for many years now {back in the Philippines.}  I enjoyed the few times I helped in wedding plannings and being a waitress at receptions before I went away to work abroad.  Hmm, maybe that's why I enjoy entertaining at our home often (I use that as an excuse too for collecting tea cups and the like, haha!)... Hence yes, a cafe or tea room would be so nice.

Every aspect of this cafe was so pleasing to me.  They used reclaimed wood for their tables and mix-matched old chairs.  On one wall was a reclaimed french door turned into a wall mirror, lovely... on the other, the whole wall was turned into a chalkboard where they write their daily specials.  The waitress prepared our bill on an old sewing machine table turned into desk.  Before this, I would have dismissed these things to be old and shabby. Nothing changed much except that I now think it's shabby chic {Shall I say, now I realize what that truly means, lol}.  I decide to save our white wine empties in the future and use them to serve water at dinners just like they do in this french cafe. That way, I can scratch off water pitchers in my shopping list, haha!  Of course, while I sit there enjoying my masala chai tea with my friend, the combination of the antiquish decorations and shabby chicness makes my mind drift into my own "imaginary cafe"...

La Louche in the Winter, image from LaLouche.ca

How about you?
What do you mostly dream about?

Coming up, more on the other antique shops my friend and I visited on our small antique-hopping afternoon walk.

See you soon!  I hope you have a nice day...
xoxo, Maya

This post is a part of a three part series on my
Antique Shop Hopping for a Lovely Afternoon Walk:

Day Dreaming | An Afternoon Walk to an Antique Shop {Part 1 - this post}

Royal York and Royal Albert Tea Cup | Second Chance {Part 2}
A Walk Through Time | An Afternoon Walk to Michael Carbyn Antiques {Part 3}

Linking this post to:
Mosaic Monday by Lavender Cottage
Making Memories Mondays by Three Kids and a Fish

Rose Chintz Cottage: Tea Time Tuesday

Antiques and Tea Cups: Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Bernideen's Tea in the Garden on Friend's Sharing Tea
Totally Terrific Tuesday on Live Randomly Simply

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Stechcol Bone China from Gracie {Maine USA Shopping Trip}

Going to TJ Maxx is one of my highlights the last time I went to Maine.  That's why I was looking forward to visiting it again on this weekend trip that hubby and I took.  This store made me feel like a girl in a candy store, this is my kind of toy-store :-)  As always, I bee-line into the kitchen and living-room area whenever I go to the stores.  Imagine the prince's face, his feelings, when he saw Cinderella come down the stairs with her super elegant ballroom gown?  I think I felt like that when I saw these tea-cups.  My oh my!!!! It's crazy, I know!

I got 5 different colors (2 of the pink set)

Lavender Rose Tea Cup and Saucer by Royal Albert

What is more desirable than a lovely, sunny afternoon, beautiful bouquet of fragrant lilies and a nice cup of tea on a pretty little tea cup? None, except the company of a true friend, right?

Isn't this Lavender Rose Tea Cup and Saucer from Royal Albert just pretty?  I learned just now that this tea cup shape is called Montrose... :-)  I hope you are having a great day.

My Tea Cup Collection:

Old Country Roses Tea Pot Set 

Old Country Roses Tea Cup and Saucer Set

Sunshine, Friends and Laughter | Tea For One

A Happy Anniversary Gift | Jardin Secret Tea Pot Set

Katie Alice Tea For One

Stechcol Bone China Tea Cups from Gracie

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Old Country Roses Tea Cups {Made in England, Made in Indonesia}

Earlier, I posted about my Royal Albert Old Country Roses Tea Pot Set and I mentioned I would love my one and only Old Country Roses Tea Cup to have a partner to complete a tea for two... Wishes do come true.

Now I have two sets of tea cups from this classic, never fading design from Royal Albert.  I bought one from an estate liquidation on e-bay ($32.00 Cad) while the other one was bought from Home Sense ($16.99 Cad) {Canadian Department Store} just recently. Can you guess which one is the new, which one is the old?

If you said that the one at the bottom is the new one and the one on top is the antique, you are right.  Notice the difference in the gold gilding and the hues of the floral decorations?  In person, the difference is quite observable.  The antique tea cup was made in England, newer productions of this line is now being made in Indonesia.  I'm guessing that's where this tea cup was made as there was no mention of "made in..." on the bottom stamp.  Nevertheless, they are equally pretty.  And unless you stare meticulously at their every detail like I did, I bet no one could tell the difference.  At least my hubby says so, lol....

There is a very informative article on e-bay about How to Buy Royal Albert Old Country Roses, I read about his discussion regarding the back stamps and how it can tell where the items are made.  That's how I guess my newer tea cup is made in Indonesia...

I would love to read about your Tea Cup Collection.  Please do comment the link below so I could visit your blog as well.

xoxo, Maya

Related Post:

Old Country Roses Tea Pot Set 

My Tea Cup Collection:

Sunshine, Friends and Laughter | Tea For One

A Happy Anniversary Gift | Jardin Secret Tea Pot Set

 Stechcol Bone China from Gracie

Katie Alice Tea for One Gift Set 
Royal Albert Lavender Rose Tea Cup and Saucer

Instagram | Facebook | Etsy | YouTube | Pinterest

Tea For One Gift Set | My Hutch and Buffet

I wonder what it would be like 

to live in a world where it was always June. 

~ LM Montgomery - Anne of the Island

Katie Alice Tea For One Gift Set 

The Highland Fling Collection

 

"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage."

Catherine Douzel

"Perhaps it is with drinking tea that I most of all enjoy 

the sense of leisure."

George Gissing

Hubby and I were invited to a brother and sister's home for lunch one day after he finished delivering a Bible Based talk in their congregation.  The food was so delicious, you can tell she put a lot of care and time on them, you can also tell she was really an excellent cook.  Company was very much enjoyable too.  I met new friends and learned about them, hubby and I learned about wood fireplaces and how to maintain them (we have a new wood fireplace in the house, so yay!)... We heard not only encouraging experiences but also funny mishaps and misadventures.  Including the story of how he caught the racoon that was rampaging his little garden and his efforts to transfer the vicious little thing far far away as he doesn't have the heart to kill it.  It was so refreshing to learn how they dealt with their troubles in the past and how it helped them and their children have very happy lives today (They had 9 children, all doing well right now)... Oh, my tummy was full but more so, my heart was overflowing with good feelings.

At dessert time, she served a delicious pie.  She served percolated coffee from what looked like a silver coffee pot.  Then for those who asked for tea, she handed us a pretty glass cup and a small tea pot of our own.  A wooden box that looked liked a book contained tea bags, different flavors, all in very pretty colorful packages.  It was amazing!  I thought I was in a beautiful tea-room or somewhere else awesome.  As if that wasn't enough, they even gave us home made preserves and fresh veggies to take home.

It was about an hour and a half drive home which gave hubby and I the opportunity to talk about what exciting day we just had.

My Tea Cup Collection:

Old Country Roses Tea Pot Set 

Old Country Roses Tea Cup and Saucer Set

Sunshine, Friends and Laughter | Tea For One

A Happy Anniversary Gift | Jardin Secret Tea Pot Set

 Stechcol Bone China from Gracie

Katie Alice Tea for One Gift Set

Linking this post these blog parties:

Rose Chintz Cottage: Tea Time Tuesday

Antiques and Tea Cups: Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Bernideen's Tea in the Garden on Friend's Sharing Tea
Tea Cup Tuesday on Martha's Favorites
Totally Terrific Tuesday on Live Randomly Simply
Blog Hop by Clairejustine

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A Weekend Trip to Bar Harbor Maine, USA

The sun was shining so brightly and everywhere exudes a pleasantness I have been longing to feel.  We took a short weekend trip to Maine, for shopping mostly.  It was about 5 hours drive from where we are from in Canada.  Not too far away but what a difference it was in weather!  "April showers bring May flowers," so we hear.  So I should be thankful that we have been getting so much rain this spring.  Fundy National Park will be very lush I presume...  This though made me welcome the spring air and summer sun in Bar Harbor {Yes, can't miss this lovely place when you're traveling to Maine!}

The streets were bustling with people.  Lover's holding hands and walking about without any care in the world, content of being so close together.  Children happily run away from their parents as they enjoy rolling on the grass.  Then their were Asian tourist equipped with their cameras happily snapping away each angle, every story.  Oh, If only I was feeling a lot better, I would have been one of them.  My difficulty breathing because of a huge cough and cold did not dampen our enthusiasm for touring though It slowed us down a bit.

Hubby and I walked around the perimeter of the shopping areas, by the ocean to enjoy such great views and soothing salty air.  Then we sat by a restaurant over viewing the beach.  It was a lovely place to linger.  Please enjoy these scenery with me....

The first time I went through this border, I was in possession of a Philippine passport and I forgot to bring my Permanent Resident Card with it.  Ouch!  There was no problem leaving Canada for the States, I had a ten-year multi-entry tourist visa.  I only needed to pay some taxes and then I was through.  Getting back in was nerve racking once I realized I have forgotten my permanent resident card.  We were detained at customs for a time while the officers checked my residency.  Thank goodness for such advanced technology they were able to pull out my records.  After about an hour or so, I was allowed to enter Canada... Whew... I can't tell you how agonizing that was for hubby and my mother in law who were traveling with me.  I thought I was going to be deported back to the Philippines or left behind in the states while my hubby retrieves my permanent resident card at home.  The first sounded like an adventure to me and I didn't mind it much.  And normally, I am very excited to stay in a new place, but this time, I was very nervous.

This time, I am in possession with a Canadian passport.  I made it!!! That did not comfort my husband much, this part of our trip still stressed him out.  The officer took our passports, asked a few questions, then handed us back our passport to let us through.  I wonder if he could tell we were quite nervous as we tried to answer his questions in unison.  He's seeming disinterest in us was a relief! "Oh that wasn't too bad afterall," he sighed...  I guess that means our next trip to the States should be easy. {New York I might see you someday... *giggles*}

There are other fun things to do while in Maine.  We had a pleasant driving-tour on the Acadia National Park during my first visit, and that was really lovely. You can buy a CD for a tour-guide narrator from the guest information center, play it on your car device and follow his lead.  Yup, it sounded like we had a tourist guide with us telling us some history and other interesting things about the place and stops.  It was quite enjoyable.  Next time, I would love to do a whale-watching tour... For now, I thoroughly enjoyed the shopping.  Finally, I am able to buy curtains for my home, new clothes, and of course, some new tea cups... {Don't worry, hubby knows...lol}

Any exciting trips you have planned for this summer?
What was your most exciting trip ever?
Please do tell on the comments below.

 ***

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I am linking this post to:   Mosaic Monday  | Return to Loveliness  |  What To Do Weekends

A Happy Anniversary Gift Tea Pot Set | Hutch and Buffet

"Jardin Secret, Dora Papis"
- A happy anniversary gift.

How time goes by so fast... "Times flies," we hear quite often. Sometimes tomorrow comes slowly, as if a day we look forward to the most would never come... and then when we look back, there it is already, "Has it been that long?  It surely doesn't feel like it."  Oh dear! It is indeed, it's been eight years since I got married to a lovely man, it only felt like yesterday...