12 Days of Christmas: An Early Winter Christmas Tea in the Garden (Day 3)

Welcome, friends! Welcome to our backyard where I’ve set up a little tea for us in the garden…

My inspiration for this ethereal Christmas tea table began here with our Iceberg roses. They were just beginning to bloom as we drove off to South Dakota. (If you haven’t seen the photo retrospective post I put up of the beautiful countryside as we drove, you can find that here.)

They weren’t bothered a bit by the few freezing mornings we’ve had, but have kept right on blooming. This little fellow flew into my ear and I had to pick him off. Guess he was trying to find somewhere warm, lol!

The beginnings of our tea table ~ finding a small plant to use as our bouquet pulled from the front porch. 🙂

.

We begin our Early Winter Tea

Besides the cream and blush roses, our tea table was also inspired by the two new Pioneer Woman pressed tea mugs… OMGosh! I had to have these. Mr. Ethereal and I were shopping for a baking pan at Walmart in Sioux Falls for our son for an early Christmas present, something to bake a baked yam soufflé recipe he got from a friend. Anyway, I found these creamware mugs and I fell in-love…

I also bought a coordinating set of three stacked baking pans with lids which have the same design. Can’t wait to use them!

Our tea wouldn’t be complete without small pillows for comfortable back support, so two embroidered pillows came out of doors.

This is the original pillow I bought at JC Penny over 30 years ago. Then when I was down in Austin visiting our daughter one time, I found the Santa and little girl at a thrift shop or an antique store. I was over the moon to find another of these vintage pillows as they were well-made, velvet backed, and no one has them anymore. Love them both!

.

Let’s tea!!!

Our table is set with my first set of china ~ Villeroy & Boch’s Botanica salad/dessert plates, the two new Pioneer Woman creamware mugs, a little Watkins teapot, a cupcake pedestal plate, and an adorable Christmas chicken potholder!

I found this potholder at Buc-Ees earlier in the season. I don’t know about y’all, but I have to literally put on blinders when I go in there.

Usually I get gas at our Denton Buc-Ees and DON’T go inside because I know I will find something either for a gift or to add to my collection of china pieces. 😉

I’ve taken photos with my camera (as seen here) and with my big Canon camera with a wide-angle lens. So fun to use both cameras!!

Really, the Canon can dial down the light (or dial it up) so one sees finer detail, which I love. This shot is overblown but it’s still pretty. 😉

Love the play of light on the table! I wish you could join me here in the garden… We could have a nice chat. <3

Setting this table for a late afternoon tea is racing the sunlight as it was rapidly going down and the shadows were creeping across, as you can see here. The reds are truer with the canon than with my iPhone 12, which is now “old technology.” Amazing how fast things are changing! I can’t keep up, how about you?

Plus, you know how crazy it is to keep yourself out of photos with waning sunlight! I kept seeing myself in the viewer. 😉

Slightly different angle with the light turned down one click…

The muffins I made a month ago or so and froze. I try to have a little baked goods on hand in case someone stops by.

Our son and grandson plus my daughter decided to make the trip south and north to come see us just after Christmas, which is a happy surprise. I think our son needs a mini vacation as much as I did; I know I really loved driving up to see him.

Don’t know what all we will do, yet, but they may enjoy a couple of these muffins. I know I will be baking more, too. Yum!

Maybe go see the Christmas lights at one of the arboretums in Dallas or Fort Worth. I hear those are really pretty!

And we are at the end of my photos, friends! I am so glad you were able to visit and share in this tea with me through the magic of the internet. 🙂

.

Happy tea to you,