A Real English Tea

Reading a new British mystery series (by Elizabeth Duncan) and also reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society have made me reminisce about our spring in England.      We ate often at our home, Blue Row, and one day we invited Mary who we met at a church charity tea to tea in the garden at Blue Row.      First published in May 2011.

It's been unusually cool and dry here in our part of England. But Thursday the sun came out and it warmed up a bit.

On Sunday, at the tea at the church at The Great Tews we met Mary, who lives in our village. "At the bottom of the hill and up a lane, I live in Hilltop" she said. She's a dear and so we found Hilltop and invited her to Blue Row for afternoon tea.

And with the warmer weather and a bit of sun, we decided to have tea in the garden!

Our table is rustic but the cloth is delicate and lacy -- a remembrance of England and one that's been used while I'm here!

Flowers, a proper tea pot and matching cups, saucers and tea plates set the table.

In the back garden which looks is behind Blue Row.

Flowers, of course, these doing double duty -- for our tea table and then for the dresser in Daughter Sarah and her Andy's room as a warming welcome when they arrive.

And the menu -- a proper Afternoon Tea

Cucumber sandwiches made the traditional British Way -- with butter, sliced cucumber, salt and pepper -- no mayonnaise and no cream cheese! Mary pronounced them "brilliant"!

And after sandwiches . . .

Scones with cream and jam. Real clotted cream. Would there be anything else here in England? It is truly addictive!!!

And for the sweets . . .

Lemon drizzle cake that reminds me of my lemon yogurt cake. Not made by me but made by Jane of Grange Farm up the way a bit. It was very good!

And for a treat . . .

Bakewell tarts that we bought in Stow that morning -- they are as tasty to eat as they are to look at!!!

The birds didn't seem to mind us being in their garden and we got to know Mary better. She's a lovely lady and it was fun to chat with her.

It's Thursday and I'm sharing my English tea in the garden of Blue Row with Susan at Between Naps On the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.