Tea Rose

“Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company.”

~ Author Unknown

Greetings All,

I just wanted to formally introduce a new blog created by my sisters and I called Radiant Daughters, and we would love for you to check it out! We are greatly looking forward to sharing our hearts and hopefully encouraging you in the Lord to live radiantly for Jesus. We are so excited about this journey!

So check us out and be blessed… to God be the glory!

Yesterday we celebrated Valentines Day with a glorious tea! It was simply lovely – we had raspberry tea with strawberry banana crepes, which were absolutely delicious!

 Well, I hope you have enjoyed these pictures of our Valentines Tea! Wish you all could have joined us!

Daddy was actually out of town on Valentines day but returned home later in the evening… so look at what he sent us ladies! Mom received a dozen beautiful roses and each of us sisters received a white rose with the message: “To my sweet little Valentines”. Awwww!

Like the unfolding of a rose, our hearts are developing in the tender hands of God; unfolding slowly into womanhood. This process is delicate and of the utmost importance, requiring diligent protection and faithful guardianship from the world’s bitter frost and deadly diseases. To ensure a maiden’s heart survives and blooms in the fullness of life and beauty, she must be hidden in the Living God, her Savior Jesus Christ, entrusting her heart to the Maker of the rose and the Author of her very life.

Ah yes… my secret to a good pot of tea! (well it won’t be a secret now!)

First thing I do, as you can see in the photo above, I fill my tea kettle with fresh, cold water. If you have water left over in your kettle from another batch, pour it out and fill it up with fresh water. By making sure that the water is fresh and cold you are preparing for a great pot of tea!

Next, turn on the heat! If you do not have a kettle, I would encourage you to invest in one – they are so helpful in whistling when your water is boiling (and plus they look so cute on your stove!).

This next step is a secret not many tea-makers know (or remember). When your water is finished boiling, pour a little of it in your clean teapot and swirl the hot water around to gently heat up the teapot. This will not only prepare your teapot and prevent harmful cracks or breaks, but also will keep your tea hot for longer periods of time.

After you pour out the hot water to warm your teapot, place your selected teabags inside your teapot and fill with boiling water. The tea used here is my favorite – English Breakfast.

And let it steep! Steeping times vary from tea to tea, so you can check the back of the teabag for specific times or test the tea every minute or so for the desired flavor. For this tea (English Breakfast) I let it steep for about 4-5 minutes. Try no to forget the time (like I usually do) or your tea will taste bitter and loose it’s original great flavor.

Remove the teabags after the desired time has passed and stir your tea.

And there we have the perfect pot of tea, ready to enjoy alone or in the company of friends.

I hope this was helpful and that you make a perfect pot of tea soon!

(Thank you Carley for your assistance in taking the great pictures used above!)

For those of you wanting the recipe to Carley’s scones she made at our last tea party – we actually use a mix on account of my Mom’s and my food allergies. We love this mix… it makes really yummy scones.

We usually put cranberries and raisins in the batter for added flavor. It’s a great idea to make more than enough scones so you can freeze some for later!

Today my sister’s and I awoke to a very foggy and rainy morning. So with the perfect backdrop, we created a “Rainy Day Tea Party”. It was a lovely tea, complete with scones, jam, cute little sugar cubes and hot English Breakfast tea – my favorite!

Here I pour the tea using my favorite teapot from a set Mom and Dad got me for my graduation… isn’t it beautiful? Carley made her famous scones that were delicious as always – she is a wonderful baker.

To the right is me greatly enjoying my tea – and of course the delightful company! My sisters are my favorite people to have tea with… they always make it interesting and fun. (Oh… as you can see I got my hair cut short! It has taken my awhile to get used to it, but I think it is growing on me (get it).)

 And below is Courtney and Carley enjoying themselves as usual! It is always so hard for us to stay composed while having tea… we usually burst into laughter before too long!

They both look about ready to laugh!

I am so thankful for my sweet sisters… they bear through all my tea parties with a grin and giggles. I don’t think they would like tea if it wasn’t for me; they are so gracious.

Well, this was our rainy day tea! I hope you enjoyed and are inspired to have your own tea moments – and share them with your siblings! They bring such delight and fun.