Every afternoon at half past three, I stop and have tea. Triple digits have been the norm for the past six weeks or so, inching up even higher and higher as the summer progresses. Yesterday, it was 108!
Tea is now taken iced! Even though we're inside and in air, we've usually been out and about enough that by the afternoon, hot tea seems hot!
And we've given up our beloved breakfast room for afternoon tea. It faces west and the afternoon sun comes in the windows with a vengeance!
Neither is tea taken on the front porch whether iced or hot -- even though it is on the east side of the house and with the ceiling fan going, it is still too hot to sit outside!
So inside I must come . . . .
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The living room which faces east is cool in the afternoon. |
A favorite wing chair, tea and a book. A wonderful afternoon respite.
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A book, tea and a nosh! |
The tea taken iced on a plate with two madeleins for my afternoon nosh.
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Madeleines go as well with iced tea as they do a pot of tea |
The tea, not my favorite Luizianne/Harney's Cinnamon, but rather a black iced tea brew from Roasterie, Kansas City's coffee company. The madeleines are orange rosemary made and taken to a "do" on Saturday. A few saved back for my afternoon tea. It's a Laura Calder recipe except I substituted orange zest for the lemon zest the recipe called for and added about a tablespoon of fresh rosemary.
The book, bought last weekend, Fannie's Last Supper. From America's Test Kitchen, Chris Kimball about his experience with creating a multi-course Victorian dinner ala Fannie Farmer.
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Blue and white, a plant and an oddity of Husband Jim's is a perfect tabletop |
The tea and the book are temporary, but the abalone shell (a new purchase this weekend as well -- Husband Jim loves the unusual and he got it for a great price) and the topiary are not. It's a myrtle topiary which badly needs a haircut. It's in a hand thrown pot I brought home from England. I bought it in April and it's August. It's the longest I've ever had one! I think I may have found the secret to growing myrtles -- water! I keep it well watered and always some water in the saucer. They're thirsty plants plus they are always in such small pots which may indicate the need for more than a normal amount of water.
It's Tuesday and I'm joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday and Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday.
19 comments:
Martha,
I agree, dear friend...it's too HOT!!! Not much one can do about it except, endure! How on earth did the Pioneer women survive on the Prairie??? Thank goodness for AC; however our air in the house is dry and stale! I am so~o~o ready for cooler weather and opening windows and doors, once again!!!
Fondly,
Pat
Hello Martha,
I was able to enjoy a cup of hot tea today but I think tomorrow, I will be joining you for the iced as we are getting above normal temps ourselves.
The little plant is so cute sitting on the table with your tea. Love the blue and white plate with the orange rosemary Madeleines on it. Charming tea! Thank you for coming by and having tea with me and try to stay cool.
Blessings,
Sandi
This is such a lovely setting for an afternoon respite. What a great habit you have of taking tea every afternoon!
In the morning, I have hot tea still. I recently got some Hot Cinnamon Spice from Harney and Sons. I read about it on your blog and it sounded good - I was not disappointed. Your madelines look and sound very, very good. Have a wonderful week, Martha. This weather is bound to break sooner or later!
blessings, Beth
In the morning, I have hot tea still. I recently got some Hot Cinnamon Spice from Harney and Sons. I read about it on your blog and it sounded good - I was not disappointed. Your madelines look and sound very, very good. Have a wonderful week, Martha. This weather is bound to break sooner or later!
blessings, Beth
Hi Martha, I'm like Beth, in the morning I always have a pot of hot tea, but the rest of the day, it's iced!! Your madelines sound wonderful...yum! Stay cool. You have it hotter than here in Dallas.
It is HOT! We call August UGHUST! Ice tea is definitely on the menu! Orange rosemary Madeleines -- yum! Happy Tea Day!
My goodness, that's hot! We have the marine layer in after 3 days in the 70s so we are in the 60s again. We are kind of fluctuating between hot and iced tea at the moment. LOve madelines with either, though also! Your setting looks so inviting!
Ruth
The first three hours of the day, I drink hot tea and switch then to iced. However since the weekend, I have been like you. I just start with the iced right off! Oh,it is so hot. I wilt just like the flowers and the leaves on the trees! Even inside I feel droopy. I don't want to cook or have the oven on...don't want to shop for groceries. Tonight we shut off one room and closed the front window drapes entirely... The worst part is hearing how long this is going to last!!!
Such a delightful read for this evening. I had to look up the book and put it on my wish list. Your afternoon tea sounds delightful with your wing chair, topiary, shell connecting the lines with iced tea and book.
We've been going through a pitcher of iced tea every day since it's been so hot, and we are Luzianne tea drinkers, too. Your madeleines look so delicious. Love your husband's abalone shell and your myrtle topiary. Wishing you cooler temps.
Babs
Iced tea is the thing! Love having a glass on a hot afternoon.
Oh my, 108. That's atrocious. Do you have much humidity to go with it? I hope it cools down, but the ice tea sounds wonderful on a hot afternoon.
That is terribly hot! I have only had hot tea about 2 times this summer as it's been very hot here too. Well, only in the mid-80's, but hot for us. I drink more iced tea in summer but it's always sweetened. The book sounds like an interesting read. Blessings, Pamela
I don't know how you're doing it - just the thought of 108 makes me feel weak.
HI!!
It is HOT there!!!
I am used to those temps...most people are NOT.......it rained for 4 hours here yesterday cooled off my patio to 78 degrees!!!!getting hot again though...and NO more rain for a week....I will miss the rain.....
I love your chair....LOVE ICE tea...try putting lemonade in your tea....an Arnold Palmer they are called...I drink them all day!!!
Enjoy
stay cool
hugs,
jamie
What a cozy interior! And yet it does look cool. Iced tea and water rarely leave my side in summer.
Hello Martha
I'd be sipping iced tea too if we had triple digits. Luckily for us it has only been in the upper 80's and I am still drinking tea in the afternoon in the comfort of the A/C.
I love madeleines and have 2 pans that make a large batch. The thought of some rosemary in them is appealing.
We're finally getting rain today, lots of thunder too but my rain barrels have been empty for weeks so I'm a happy gal!
Happy tea Tuesday.
Judith
OH this is such a lovely setting for some tea and cookies. You always do it up right. Thanks for joining the party. Hugs, Marty
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