On a warm and sunny morning, listening to sweet tones of birdsong, to the crackle of jackdaws in the chimneystack, to the crunch of gravel beneath my sandals; keeping alert for wasplike Syrphidae hanging flickering and bees buzzing at eye level; I carried out weeding and deadheading, and righted a few fallen owls.
This afternoon Frances, Jacqueline and Elizabeth visited for tea. Because our guests were all old ladies, albeit rather younger than me, Jackie thought it fitting to provide rindless, crustless, cucumber sandwiches and some of egg mayonnaise to accompany the Setley Ridge Dorset Apple Cake provided by Elizabeth, with large dollops of extra thick clotted cream.
My sister Jacqueline, little pinky suitably extended, enjoys a sandwich,
while Jackie flourishes a plate of cake.
Ellie and her parents came out to join us in the patio, but could not stay in the bright sunshine and needed to return to the sitting room. Our great-granddaughter is now able to wave a hand in greeting with a creditable attempt at saying “hello”. Here Jackie does likewise, but it
was a bit overwhelming for the little girl to reciprocate.
She was more comfortable in the sitting room.
Elizabeth, Frances, Jackie, and I conversed for several hours, reminiscing over shared and unshared memories.
This evening, after the sisters had returned to Elizabeth’s, the rest of us dined on a variety of pizzas with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Moerbei.
The company is inviting.
Looks like a lot of fun
Thank you very much, Mimi
You are welcome Derrick
Looks like the perfect afternoon, to me!
Thank you very much, Dale
You are very welcome!
Very beautiful photos today, Derrick, great company and the cake sounds delicious! ❤️????????❤️
Thank you very much, John
You’re always welcome my friend. ????☺️
Sounds like a wonderful and telling day.
Thank you very much, Pat
Loved these portraits (and your first paragraph)
Thank you very much, Susan. I’m pleased you liked both
I must remember to avoid reading your posts before I have had my own supper! I am now really famished and dinner is two hours away.
Thank you so much, Elizabeth
What a lovely garden tea party! And wonderful portraits, too.
I laughed at your phrase about righting fallen owls, even though I know they are statues. 🙂
Thank you so much, Merril 🙂
I’d never heard of it but it looks really delicious????
It is – flavoured with cinnamon. Thanks a lot, Luisa
I’m sure it is!
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Thank you so much, Luisa
NB Those are hearts!
Well done, Luisa
A wonderful time spent with beautiful ladies (and sweet little Ellie!), eating yummy foods in a lovely setting, and making great memories!
Your descriptive opening paragraph is beautiful, too!
(“…righted a few fallen owls”…Oh, good!!!)
(((HUGS)))
PS…Sprinkle these comments liberally with smiley faces and hearts!!!
Beautiful photos, Derrick!
Thank you very much, Jill. I hope you are both well
Jackie’s plate of cake looks SO good!!
It was, Liz. Thank you very much
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Your opening paragraph about the morning is a lovely poem. It looks like everyone had a nice, relaxing afternoon.
Thanks very much, JoAnna. I am pleased you liked that
Wow yummmy!!
Thank you very much, Kerri
Sandwiches with the crusts off! That is proper posh.
Yep.Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
Excellent. I was just wondering if I would use my last cucumber for making tzatziki but now I have no need to think. Sandwiches it is.
Excellent. Thanks a lot, John
A gathering over delicious food sounds like a wonderful afternoon, Derrick and Jackie. Enjoy the time remembering, and sharing.
I am not sure I have ever had a cucumber sandwich. We grew cucumbers here, and will have to try making one in late summer.
Best on soft white bread with butter, in my opinion 🙂
The variety we grow is an old heirloom called Edmonson, a dual purpose pickling and slicing cuke. If I pick it on the smaller side, it should be good thin sliced in a sandwich. 🙂
I just looked up that variety. For sure it would do the trick. Of course, whichever you use should preferably be peeled (often in a salad I either don’t peel, or only partially peel).
Our supermarkets stock several varieties: a stubby green, continental or telegraph, Lebanese, and a Queensland developed one called “Qukes”. It’s a sweet baby cucumber good for children’s lunchboxes that can be eaten whole or as sticks.
What I rarely see these days is the light-green apple cucumber of my childhood – I guess because of its short shelf-life and need for perfect cold storage.
Thank you very much from us both, Lavinia. Cucumber sandwiches are so traditional on such occasions
A lovely day, with heartwarming insights. Thank you for sharing Derrick ????
Thank you very much, Val
Just the right amount of sun this time of year and an outdoor teatime sounds – and looks! – like a perfect afternoon treat!
Thank you very much, Doug
Tell Jackie to hang on to that hat. She looks fabulous in it. This is such a British post! Tea hats and cucumber sandwiches. Love it. And a shot of a baby is always a gift. What a precious little one. You are so lucky.
Thank you so much, Judy. Jackie kept her hat on with a pin
Hmm…we started with your sister Jaqueline, but she has disappeared by the end of the post. Did you bury her in the garden?
🙂 I’ll go and look, Gwen. Thanks very much
Maybe she’s under the rose bushes. With a pinkie extended…
🙂
Well, the old ladies certainly can’t complain about the care taken with the catering arrangements!
Thank you very much, John
That’s how many of us picture ‘having tea’ in England – women in large hats conversing in a British garden. What a beautiful day for all of you!
Thank you so much, GP
That baby is so cute! Sounds like a wonderful gathering filled with delicious food and good conversation. Also, nice weather. Who could ask for anything more?
Thank you so much, Laurie. Everything worked out
Do you happen to have Borage in your garden? When I met the plant, a friend made sure I knew it was a ‘tea party in a plant.’ It’s entirely edible. The leaves taste like cucumber, while the flowers are sweet, just like your cake.
Response from Jackie, Linda: She has put it in salads, floated the flowers in drinks, and it self seeds all round the garden. Thanks very much.
British cucumber sandwiches, that’s something I never forgot and make to this day -but on gluten free bread.
Thanks very much, Bridget
Looks delicious and like a good day.
Thanks very much, Andy. I hope you are relaxing now
I am. It’s been a great few days.
Lovely afternoon, so British.
Thank you very much, Dolly
You are very welcome, Derrick.
It’s nice to entertain outdoors as the weather becomes more reliable.
Yes – that day’s weather was perfect. Thank you very much, Alys
Sounds like a lovely afternoon, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Barbara
That cake sounds scrumptious
It was – cinnamon flavoured. Thanks very much, Sheree