Linderhof


Gardening, Cooking and Decorating on the Prairie of Kansas


Welcome to Linderhof, our 1920's home on the prairie, where there's usually something in the oven, flowers in the garden for tabletops and herbs in the garden for cooking. Where, when company comes, the teapot is always on and there are cookies and cakes to share in the larder.

Monday, July 23, 2012

The Poets Come To Tea

Never say there isn't anything to do in our little town on the prairie -- sometimes there is too much to do!!!

Thursday, I had company for lunch -- six guests and then I rushed off to the Willa and Danny Ellis Fine Arts Center at the Fort Scott Community College for we were having a very special treat that afternoon.

A poetry reading by well known American poet, George Wallace and British poet, Geraldine Green.   It was a grand hour as wonderful poem after poem was read by those two -- he read selections by Walt Whitman, our own Gordon Parks, Langston Hughes, Allen Ginsberg, Henry David Thoreau, Carl Sandburg and John Steinbeck while Geraldine read selections by  Emily Dickinson, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou and Vachal Lindsey.   

Time passed all too quickly -- the hour flew by . . . but time has a way of doing that when you're totally entertained!

After the reading, I bought one of Geraldine's books, got her autograph and since she is British, invited her, her husband Geoff and George to tea.

Photo by Angelique McNaughton, Fort Scott Tribune

With the promise of cake and a pot of P G Tips tea (we haven't had a good cup of tea since we left Britain, Geraldine told me), they decided tea at Linderhof would be terrific.

I left a bit before they and headed home so I could quickly set the tea table . . .


The tea tray on the coffee table in the living room

In the living room because there was soft squishy chairs and the breakfast room with the afternoon sun (and temperatures in the ripple digit) was not as comfortable as the east facing living room.

All the necessities for tea on a tray

Blue and white Spode, of course.     Tea pot, cups and saucers and tea plates.    Napkins and some English forks I picked up over here.   I use them for desserts as well as tea.    All brought in on the wicker tray.

As every girl needs a little black dress in her closet, every girl needs a loaf cake in the freezer.

An emergency loaf of banana cake

This one was banana and it thawed in a jiffy!    Thick slices went well with the cups of P G Tips.  

We talked and visited and that time passed all too quickly as well.     And they soon said goodbye.  

It was quite a day at Linderhof from a luncheon for 6 to a poetry reading to a tea for 4.      Never let anyone tell you that there is nothing to do in small towns.

Linderhof's doors are always open to Geraldine, Geoff and George and we hope that if they are ever back in our world, that they come not for tea but for dinner!

It is Tuesday and I'm sharing my Poets Tea with Sandi at Rose Chintz College for Tea Time Tuesday.

13 comments:

william said...

Martha, wait, let me get this straight, you had 6 guests for lunch and then happened to go out and invite more people over for tea that same afternoon? You are incredible!!! What a hostess!

Francie

Deb said...

You are the Queen of entertaining. What a fun day that would have been. I agree that a freezer MUST have a loaf-cake in it. ;-) Did I mention I love your blog...yes I do.

Deb said...

Oh, I forgot to mention Martha that I have a loaf recipe on my blog that you may be interested in. It's just called The Loaf. Deb

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

Martha, what a lovely hostess you are! I haven't had a loaf cake in my freezer for a while but I do try to keep cookies and muffins in there, just in case.
Your afternoon with the poets sounds divine to me. I love poetry and I'm sure your guests enjoyed themselves very much at your tea table. I'm always happy to see your beautiful Spode.
Thank you for sharing this with us today and have yourself a splendid week!

Blessings,
Sandi

Pondside said...

I'm stunned. What a day! I want to live in a small town too!

Pamela Gordon said...

Wow, you had a very 'entertaining' day, so to speak. That was very spur of the moment and you did very well getting a lovely tea on for your guests. I'm visiting from Sandi's. Have a wonderful week. Pamela

Antiques And Teacups said...

How fun! Not only the reading, etc but having a nice tea with them. PG Tips hooray! Love your comment about the little black dress and loaf of banana bread! LOL!
Ruth

Tea Party said...

Oh, I love the server your loaf cake is sitting on!

What a wonderful and interesting day you have had!

What was the POEM by John Steinbeck?

Thank you!

On Crooked Creek said...

Martha,
You are such an asset to your community! I know how precious Tea @ Linderhof can be...and I'm sure your guest were impressed by your hospitality!What a refreshment in the heat of the Prairie to have Tea and relax after a reading of poetry! Thank you for always be the best hostess!!!
Fondly,
Pat

Snap said...

Wow! What a marvelous day you had. You are quite the hostess. Lovely Spode teaset -- can't beat blue and white or Spode! Happy Tea Day!

podso said...

It sounds like a wonderful day, and you are well prepared for the unexpected. PG Tips--I still have a bit of a stash from our days in England and it is always my comfort tea. I know it's rather everyday there, but I just love the flavor, so it is special to me!

Cass @ That Old House said...

I am awed.
You are definitely the Rock Star of Hostessing.

See you! :-)
Cass

Ruthie Miller said...

I bet they enjoyed their tea in the ever lovely Blue Spode. It looks so pretty on that tray. Fund day, for sure.
Ruthie from:http://www.ladybstimefortea.blogspot.com/
(makes me want to go and read a poem :) )