Espresso with French Macarons

Still winter, even if we don't have the extreme cold here in the South...

What picks us up better than a cup of Espresso?

Got these Espresso cups years ago from dear Friend Engracia...

So here they are being used for some Espresso and French Macarons!

It is already a bonus when there is light and even better, some sunshine!

Found just enough fragrant daffodils in our garden for filling a tiny silver vase...

On a lacquered tray, a gift received while I was in Japan.

My tiny Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet demitasse spoons are the right size for these espresso cups - IF sugar is needed.

Found these yummy French Macarons at Costco and they were excellent!

Have not yet made my own...

Also gathered some of our special pink Camellias while I was in the garden.

A close up of their special vase with just 3 pipes that hold each flower.
It is the Camellia Japonica Debutante

My perfect lacquered tray from Japan.

with the reflection of the kitchen lamp in it and my hands...

These Espresso cups are YAMASEN JAPAN, gift from a dear friend Engracia.

Wishing you stay cozy during these winter days!

For the southern hemisphere, enjoy your summer.

Thanks for your visit and comment.

HAPPY EASTER 2018

Already for quite a while I had the photos...

So, here I will use them for wishing all my readers a HAPPY EASTER 2018!

Yes, one of my sewing creations, quilted and padded place mats with matching napkins.

Photo got made on Sunday, March 20 of 2005

Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet silverware and for dessert the Bridal Rose by Alvin in sterling silver.
Fragrant daffodils...

Used here in a table setting for a dear friend on her birthday in 2007

Same as the 1st photo but now with flash light.

Those picture frames are always lovely for individual use at table.

Round silver napkin rings we had made in Indonesia.

Wishing you a HAPPY EASTER WEEKEND!

Fragrant Hosta Guacamole

We have had quite some rain this summer and one of the shade plants that just LOVE plenty of rain is the Hosta. We got a variety of fragrant ones.

This is our Fragrant Hosta Guacamole

We obtained this one from Waysidegardens.com but they no longer have this to offer.

Color changes with the light from the sun.

So many new buds at the top...

Here you see the entire Hosta Guacamole plant.

Love its seersucker-like leaves with the dark edging.

This is a clipping that we saved from Wayside Gardens catalog when we ordered it.
At present, our other favorite garden plants supplier White Flower Gardens is listing it.

Are you enjoying some fragrant Hostas in your garden?

Thanks for your visit and comment.

Related link:

{Our Fragrant Hosta Flowers} | previous post by me

Southern Summer & Gardenia Delight

Southern Summer & Gardenia Delight go hand in hand!

Nothing is more lovely when we see our Gardenias blooming again.

Here in the South, it is already quite hot in May!

Husband Pieter did bring me this romantic vase with Gardenias in Mid May...

Just placed it on the shelf in my office, in front of a brass plate.

Wish I could share the perfume!

Thanks for your visit and comment.

Happy Sunny Days

Did you miss me?

Well, I've been away for 7 days, on a trip to Miami, Florida for visiting three sets of friends.

A lot of driving for me but I needed to be back for choir rehearsal by Tuesday at 5:30 PM and I was home at 2:45 PM.

Sharing with you some more fresh garden flowers...

Photo is from Sunday with fresh azaleas and fragrant daffodils, 3 varieties in the multiple vases.

Yes, the trip to Florida, all the way down to Miami was a lot of driving for me as I'm doing it all solo.

Pieter my elderly husband remains in the passenger seat.

A total of 2,606 km because Florida is such a LONG State, looking on the USA map like an appendix.

But so glad it all worked out and we had meaningful visits with dear friends.

Three couples that used to live here in Dublin, Georgia before they moved away.

BUT we always managed to visit each other; either them driving up north once in awhile or we driving down south.

The days prior to departure we had these white Camellias and I made this photo on February 19.

Not enough light in fact to make a decent photo...

Tried another window sill, showing also the blooming white pansies in the fiberglass window boxes from Flower Framers of Cincinnati.

Teacup with chocolate on the side and a vase with Ehrlicheer daffodils on February 19.

So you know I'm alive and well and will visit you soon.

We did have some very chilly mornings on Friday and Saturday!

33.8 °F or 1°C

Thanks for your visit and wishing you a happy 1st week of March!

Green Tea in Mandalay Chartreuse by Mason's

By now you know my love for fine china, tea and fragrant flowers...

All the ingredients come together for some BLISS in winter time!

Green Tea in Mandalay Chartreuse by Mason's just click the link to see items in this pattern at Replacements Ltd.

Presented on a hand crochted DMC thread table topper, a gift from a dear friend.

The Daffodils are the 1939 Sweetness, an heirloom variety that is highly fragrant.

Do you enjoy a daily tea ritual?

Related links:
{Daffodils in a Vase on a Dark Day...} | previous post by me showing Mandalay Chartreuse by Mason's
{USEFUL TIP: Peppermint Tea for Anti Bloating} | previous post by me showing Mandalay Chartreuse china
{TIP New Purpose for Cigarette Holder} | previous post by me showing Mandalay Chartreuse items
{Fragrant Paperwhite Narcissus flowers in early December} | previous post with Manday Chartreuse vase

Christie's Mandalay by Masons

Heavenly Fragrance of our 1934 Ehrlicheer Daffodils

Every year it is such a joy to fill a vase or two with our heavenly fragrant 1934 Ehrlicheer Daffodils!

This photo is taken on Saturday, February 4. 

Inside our veranda on a side table...

The fullness of these heirloom daffodils is like a dream!

The silver Christofle frame is holding this photo from both of us, taken on November 13, 1987

Yes, like heirloom daffodils, such photos too are rapidly becoming heirloom pieces!

Wearing both Burberry; Pieter a woolen tie and I wear the woolen skirt and a silk scarf in a matching Burberry plaid.

Thanks for visiting!

Enjoy your week and hope you got some fresh flowers too.

Related links: 

{Ehrlicheer & Sweetness Daffodils on my Birthday} | previous post by me
{Our Ehrlicheer, 1934 - Richly Fragrant Daffodils} | previous post by me
{Hot Chocolate Tastes Better From an Orange Cup} | previous post by me

Tea Time and Spring Flowers

One of the our daily highlights is having Afternoon Tea

Yesterday afternoon with fresh cut Fragrant Daffodils from our garden with fresh Camellias.
On my side table with the beautiful Hand Crocheted Lace topper.
A gift from dear Susan from the blog: Ava Grace's Closet and you ought to visit this sweet blogger friend!
My other dear blogger friend Celia M. High Heeled Life & Resilientista would very much approve of this Self Care Moment!

Healthy Living and Relaxing with Green Tea, Mixed unsalted Nuts, Seaweed (Costco) and Rice Cake from Whole Foods Market.

A close up of that healthy portion...

Believe it or not, two of our feline brothers LOVE each a piece of Seaweed and Bandido-boy also eats one or two Cashews!
In reply to blogger friend Jim from The Road to Parnassus I have added these photos from the type of Green Tea used...

Organic Green Tea
A Blend of Sencha & Matcha

My photos got taken with very dark weather so that's maybe the reason the tea looks strong...
Having fresh flowers is one thing but the lack of sunshine for good photography is often another!

Thanks for visiting!

Related post:

{My Rice Cakes FIT in this Dutch Rusk Tin} | previous post showing you my Rice Cakes...
{Meaningful GIFT from The Fairmont Empress Victoria} | previous post showing you the table topper...

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{Our 2016 Jasmine Sambac - Jasmine Grand Duke of Tuscany}

Every year it is such a great pleasure to see the first bloom on our Jasmine Sambac - Jasmine Grand Duke of Tuscany.

On July 15, we had this very big one!

So full and creamy with a greenish center still.

Now turning this beauty around, on the teak lounger on the balcony for the best light...

Loved its full green leaves.

We are turning full circle and each sight has a different 'face'...

Love this too, more open.

Sure enough this greenish center is my favorite view.

Hope you enjoyed our special Jasmine Sambac - Jasmine Grand Duke of Tuscany as much as we did!

Thanks for your visit.

Related links:
{Jasminum Sambac - Jasmine Grand Duke of Tuscany} | previous post by me
{Late Summer Jasmine} - previous post by me

{King Crab Legs from Costco}

When we had to go back and forth to Costco several times for husband Pieter's hearing aid test and adjustments, I had spotted their great King Crab Legs and we brought some home...

A previous supper for friends, I completely forgot to take pictures...
So here we are for an Al Fresco Supper on our Balcony!
Complete with Crab
This was the evening before we left for Florida...
June 26

Those legs were really huge

Haha, having to bring everything to the balcony and avoiding that one of our felines would slip out... was quite a task!
We even had an Oriental Lily 'Belgrado' in a small Baccarat vase.

Something is missing...

Something missing was not the utensils for cracking those crab legs... like our Rösle Nut & Seafood Cracker and the Lobster Picks from Italy.

Snapping away with my iPhone 6 Plus I still did not notice...

Oh my goodness I forgot the Diablo Sauce! Click link for recipe.
Here it is straight from the fridge and not looking good for the photo.


BUT it was a delicious and simple meal.

Do you also love crab meat?

Thanks for your visit!