Saturday, March 1, 2014

A Gift Of The Heart

Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers for me through the loss of my dear cousin.  There are no words to express what your love and support have meant to me during this time.  In the rush of everyday life – and in the times when the road is rough – if we look, we can always find a bright spot.  A place to stop and breathe and see things from a different perspective.  A week ago today I had such an experience – a time to step out of the reality of ‘now’ and step back into something sweet.  Shortly before the end of last year a dear friend of mine bought me a ticket for tea at a place I love.  You’ve seen this place many times here before.  It’s a place where time seems to stand still and the reality and rush of life outside its borders almost ceases to be!  That place is Historic Deepwood Estate in Salem, Oregon.  Just a short drive from my home.
Deepwood Tea 1Photos were taken on my cell phone (or borrowed from Deepwood’s Facebook page) so the quality is not quite the same as with my camera but I think you will see just a bit of the time we shared at Deepwood's Downton Abbey Tea.  Some of those attending were dressed in period costume from the era seen on television.  Some were dressed in their Sunday best and others were fairly casual.  Dress was not the focus, although it was hard to miss the wonderful finery present there.  Guests were seated in the formal dining room. . .Deepwood Tea 17In the parlor. . . Deepwood Tea 16
And a family celebrating the mother’s birthday was seated together in the living room. We were greeted at the door by the butler, Bailey, (seen in the background below) and tea was served by the housemaids.Deepwood Tea 15 I was seated at this table in the parlor. (You can see where I sat - my purse is on my chair.)
Deepwood Tea 2  The food was delicious.  The tea – delightful! 
Deepwood Tea Collage On the menu: 
Double Gloucester Cheese and Onion Scone
Leek and Potato Soup
~~~~~~~
Wild Mushroom and Fontina Tart
Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad
Chicken Curry Tea Sandwich
~~~~~~~
Apple Charlotte with
Earl Grey Anglaise
Chocolate Eclair
Strawberry Rose Meringues
~~~~~~~
Black Tea with Rose Petals
 
My cup and saucer were breathtakingly beautiful!
Deepwood Tea 6Conversations around the tables included introductions and discussions about tea and things we love to collect.  Other topics were discussed and time went too fast.  It wasn’t long before it was time to go.  The ‘butler’ led tours of the mansion to anyone who was interested.  Deepwood Tea Collage 2The gift my friend gave me was more than time for tea.  It was a gift from her heart to mine.  When it was scheduled there was no way to know how much I would need this time away.  It was a day to step away from the cares and pressures of the last three months of care for my dear, little mother and the recent sudden loss of my dear cousin.  It was a day to relax and smile and realize – again – the importance of time taken to step away from the cares of life.  It was a day to treasure a precious gift given from the heart of a true friend who understood that the meaning would go much deeper than fine food and tea.  It was truly a gift of the heart!  A gift I will always treasure.

13 comments:

  1. What a wonderful place. Your friend is a special person and so are you.
    Hugs,
    Penny

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Adrienne! Oh, what a special time for you and I'm so glad you were able to get away and enjoy yourself. What a lovely place to celebrate 'tea'!
    You in my prayers,sweet friend,
    Shelia ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm so glad you were able to enjoy a small break in the middle of all your stress. Love to you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm so sorry about the death of your cousin, Dear. That was such a nice elegant gift from your friend. Thanks for sharing those beautiful pictures. Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Adrienne! So glad you popped by and you should make some pincushions as they as so easy and it would take your mind off things for a while. Or at least make you feel productive! :)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. So sorry to hear about your cousin. Praying for comfort and peace. So sweet for you to be able to enjoy a tea time away! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  7. This place looks sensational! Your cup and saucer are gorgeous. Greetings from Montreal, Canada.

    ReplyDelete
  8. My sincere condolences on the passing of your cousin.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a fun excursion! It was just what you needed to rejuvenate your spirits!

    ReplyDelete
  10. what a beautiful and peaceful place to enjoy the day...it was a very thoughtful gift.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a sweet gift! It looks lovely. Hugs and prayers for you, dear friend. ~Angela~

    ReplyDelete
  12. Stopping by to spend a few minutes on your blog as I can get so behind on visiting. So sorry for your great loss of someone so dear. I do enjoy your posts and photos on fb and seeing the sweet little ones in your life :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a lovely time this must have been.
    I am so glad you have a friend that gifted you this special time.
    love, bj

    ReplyDelete

I am grateful that you stopped by to visit me. Your kind and gracious comments are appreciated and treasured.