It’s a cloudy but warm Saturday. Rain is forecast, so I whipped up some cinnamon scone dough last night from a recipe I saw in the latest issue of Tea Time Magazine. Then I baked them this morning. I really should do that more often! What a nice treat to have freshly baked scones this morning with all the hard work already done.
The setting for today’s tea was going to be outside on the deck by the pond fountain. I was in a London-kind-of-mood this morning. I grabbed my London skyline teacup and saucer. I didn’t buy this cup IN London, but it’s from England. I love the outline of all the well-known landmarks and streets on both pieces. They’re a lovely little reminder of our 5-day trip to the city in 2012.
I used my Union Jack flag tray and chose my favorite tea from Fortnum & Mason. A VERY London institution. The white teapot added a cosmopolitan touch.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much in bloom at the moment in the garden, but some wee pink and white flowers and a sprig of globe basil made a delicate bouquet.
As I was gathering all my items, I suddenly realized there was a sad connection to many of them.
My late sister’s beautiful garden fairy holds court over the garden patch beside our pond fountain. Dori succumbed to a ruptured brain aneurysm in 2012 while Dave and I were in London. We learned of her rupture at the end of our five day trip to London and just before starting the rest of our trip north to Scotland.
We had already delayed this trip (our delayed honeymoon) to England & Scotland by a year due to my own continuing brain aneurysm issues and it was a struggle for the rest of my family to know what to do and when to let us know about Dori while we were in England.
It was heartbreaking & shocking to learn of the news. It was heartbreaking to decide to cut our trip short and immediately fly home. And it was heartbreaking to lose her a few weeks later.
So it was fitting and poignant that my London tea was held in front of Dori’s garden fairy on what is closing in on the 9th anniversary of her passing in late May, 2012.
She loved her garden fairies and I’m glad I have one here in Maine to keep watch over me and remind me of the joy Dori had when setting them out in her own garden in NY.
Our trip to London will always be bittersweet with that last memory there, but we had a terrific time and we know Dori was very excited we were finally on that trip.
Perhaps a return visit to London is needed to cleanse our souls. Oh, and to stop and visit Fortnum & Mason this time! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, Dave.
Tea, Travel & Brain Aneurysm Awareness 