A Victorian Tea To Remember

I can remember, not too many years ago, when tea houses where very popular in this area.
We still had the antique mall at that time, and since we worked it ourselves, we had a hands on experience with both customers and sellers.
Tea pots, tea cups, linens and lace were so popular.
Magazines filled with how to articles, of how to have a Victorian Tea at home.
Although I am only nine years older than my niece, I have always had a motherly type love for her.
I had not seen her for a few years, and out of the blue, she called and said, hey, let's have tea.
Well, that's a fabulous idea, I replied...be here at 1 on Friday.
So, I opened my cupboards to choose the linens and such to entertain my niece for our tea.
We also exchange a little gift when we have our teas, and much to my delight, when she arrived, she had not forgotten, because yes indeed, she had a little gift for me, as I had one for her.
Nothing expensive, instead a little token , a little memento to cherish the time of our tea.
A Victorian Tea is not just sitting at the table having tea, instead, it's a cherished event.
The attention given to the table setting, the selection of the tea, and what little treat such as scones is also special indeed.
We sat all afternoon, long after the tea was cold. It was wonderful, so special, and many stories were told,
If you love someone, and yet, seldom see them, have them over for a Victorian tea.
Have the table set pretty with ribbons and lace...have a little gift for them to take home to cherish as a remembrance of the event.
My husband took the photos you see, but, was not interested in partaking some tea, LOL.
He could not understand what the fuss was about, after all, my niece and I was only having tea.
But, after she left, he looked at my smiling face, and I knew he finally understood, the special thing about, a Victoriana Tea.

The Christmas Gift Grandfather's Voice from 1960's

I was very young when my Grandfather passed away in the 1960's.
But, I remember him so clearly.
My family has hearing problems, it's hereditary, passed from one generation to the next.
So, although I knew of this recording of my Grandfather's voice that was recorded in the 1960's before he passed away, I could never hear the recording enough to understand his words.
The little cassette tape of my grandfather's voice, is an interview for the local newspaper at the time, about the changes to wildlife in that area.
My brother asked me to find someone to change the cassette to a CD, so it can be kept for our future generations.
We called our grandfather PapPaw.
PapPaw's recorded voice was sent to Washington state to a small family owned business named, Media Locks.
PapPaw would have loved the idea of his recording being sent so far away.
The CD arrived today.
Like a child ready for a wonderful treat, I put my headphones on and listened to my Grandfather's voice.
It was the voice I knew so well, and I could hear the voices of the several generations since his passing, having that same old time twang.
PapPaw's recording is 40 minutes long. He loved to talk, strange to say that, when one of my most typed words on the net is, " I love to talk , always have ".
This voice, so raw, so country, brought back the memories of how people once talked.
The phrases that are no longer a part of today's language.
This morning, is my Christmas, thanks to that reporter all those years ago, giving my grandfather a copy of the interview.
To you who reads this blog, we are here but once, record your voice for your future generations.
They say, a picture is worth a thousand words, but it's the voice, the voice most really do take for granted.
May you heed my words so someday, 60 years from your recording, someone sits and listens to your words...your words spoken during your world, your era.
If you do this, you will be giving the most precious gift of all.
Here's wishing everyone on this planet we call Earth, a wonderful peaceful holiday.
Best wishes, Linda