Wild Violets Tea Garden Cafe, Hulmeville, PA

My friend C. by an old horse hitching post.

I love the tall windows.

The high ceilings and weatherboard walls.

C's teatime plate, scone with strawberry jam.

My teatime plate, scone with lemon curd.

Our table.

My friend C and I had a wonderful tea at "Wild Violets Tea Garden Cafe" in Hulmeville.  It was just what we needed to sit chat and have girl talk.  We hadn't got together for a while because of our schedules and distance.

The tearoom is in an old building, with a French style; which also houses a couple of antique shops.

The owner made you feel very welcome and our sandwiches were delicious and fresh, plus we enjoyed our traditional tea scone.  C had Shannon River Tea and I had Fresian.  My tea had a slightly smokey taste and it was a good pot of tea.

Afterwards we visited the antique shops, and I bought something I couldn't resist.  I will show you this another day. 

Christy

The New American Farm Cookbook

One of the three cook books I found at the Hospital yard sale.  I like the colour pictures and sketches throughout the book, and the recipes looked pretty good too.

Another New York best seller I gave to a friend because I knew she would love it, with all the full colour pictures, didn't take a photo of that.

Christy

Silver Cake Tier

Last Friday I went to my very favourite Yard Sale at the State Hospital.  They hold it twice a year in Spring and Autumn.  It's in an old building that has lots of rooms, so different rooms hold different things.  Kitchen items, china and glassware, linens, books, outdoor, stationery, clothes, shoes, bags, children and so on.

This item is one thing I found for $2.00,  hubby cleaned it up.  I love/hate silver, because every time you want to use it you have to clean it. So hopefully I'll have a tea party and use it, I'm thinking of doing so.  This piece has been ensconced in plastic wrap.  I'll post a few other things I got over the next week or so.

Christy

Rushes and Reeds in my Garden

Temporama Pattern, Canonsburg Pottery, Pennsylvania

After posting about the Canonsburg Pottery, I thought let me see what the set looked like.  I love the coffee pot and covered sugar bowl.  I'll keep an eye out for pieces.

Christy

#2 Alaska Quilt Square

This is the second week of the American States Quilt Squares.  If you would like a PDF of this please contact me at lilbitbrit_007@msn.com

Christy

Best Chocolate Fudge Recipe

• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 13 oz evaporated milk
• Place in large pan and bring to full rolling boil for 8 minutes, stirring constantly
• Keep heat as low as possible while still boiling

• Place in large mixing bowl:
• 18 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 7 oz jar of marshmallow cream
• 2 cubes of butter
• 2 teasps vanilla

• Pour sugar and milk over the ingredients in the bowl
• Stir until smooth and add 3 cups chopped nuts
• Pour into large cookie sheet
• When cool cut into small squares

• Make sure you use a thick pan
• Spray a thin coating of oil into pan, it will help to keep the mixture from sticking

Christy

Colours of a Pennsylvania Autumn

Hubby will dust the Hutch

Hubby has volunteered to dust the Romanian hutch, well it's really more than that, oiling all the wood.  Hence the photos to know where to return the china to, or it will not all fit back.  We bought this hutch or Welsh dresser as I've known them named.  Hutch is what they're called in the States. A hutch is where we always kept the rabbits.  In any case we bought this piece quite a few years ago, for a very good price.  It was made in Romanian and I think the finials at the top belie that origin.

All my china has a story or a memory.  For instance the covered cheese dish was given to me by my mum, but it was grandma's originally.  On the top shelf center is a platter Portmerion, bought as a wedding present by my grandmother.  I love the set of corn dishes found at the thrift shop and from France.  Also the very sixties looking dinner plate, the circle of shapes in pale blue and sage green. I only have one, but it is from Canonsburg Pottery in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.  The pottery was founded in 1900 and was sold in a bankruptcy sale in 1978.  I would love a whole service in that pattern, Temporama.

I honestly could go on an on, oh! I do love the hand painted eastern bluebird plates, another thrift shop find, first shelve up each end.  And I have to mention the thatched cottage tea set on the top shelf, from Ireland.  Well us girls love our china.

Christy

Linda, Lavender Ridge Go Giveaway

Linda at Lavender Ridge also is having a Accuquilt Go Giveaway, see it here.

So if you quilt and would love this quilt cutter giveaway "Have a Go."


Christy

Weaver's Orchard Shop Produce

On the pie plate stand are Shoofly Pies, very Pennsylvania Dutch.

I tried maple walnut fudge.

Ever since I went to the orchard shop last weekend, I've been thinking of making fudge.  Fudge is easy to make and soo good.  I always made it as a child, along with peppermint creams, toffee and coconut ice.

Christy