Touch of Class

                        Touch Of Class

                      A Touch Of Class

    It was “A Touch of Class.”   An Afternoon Tea with Ivy Tech was a fundraising event  for the school that our club ladies delighted in.
   High Tea at the Savoy in London, no; this was better.  No travel expenses, a table of friends and all the service and food delicacies you could imagine.
   Round tables for eight were elaborately decorated by those at that table.  They brought their centerpiece , china and all the decorations.

   Some of the ladies  wore stylish hats; fit to be seen at the Derby.
   Waiters were notables from the area, the city mayor, the county sheriff, a retired pastor,  the campus president, bankers and attorneys.  They were handsome in white shirts and bow ties. They had done this service before and they were capable servers.  .

   A harpist provided soothing background music.
   The piece de resistance was, of course, the food.  The tea was hot.   My words can hardly do it justice.
  The centerpieces   were outstanding.  Experienced and talented women had spent time and energy with these accomplishments.
   Reluctantly we came home; wondering, what’s for dinner?  What do I have for a centerpiece for my humble kitchen table?

Having Fun

                                 Having Fun
   How we have fun is different for each of us.  You may find riding a motorcycle fun, but it would scare me to death.  Watching an old movie I saw Tom Cruse and Carmen Diaz on a motorcycle run with the bulls.
That was fun.
   But what I enjoy most is having friends in; serving them tea with something I’ve baked.   This week I did just that.

   The conversation was mostly light. The tea was from Savannah; I baked the French macaroons; and we had fun.
   The macaroons were more than I bargained for.  The recipe came from King Arthur Flour, and I doubt if I ever bake them again.
  The highlight of the outing came when I gave each of the ladies a bouquet to take home.  One said she was going to share hers with a sick friend.  The other was pleased that  the closed buds of iris would last for days.
   To be able to share my flowers was fun.
   Today I planted a row of zinnias and cosmos.  In September when bouquets may be scarce, hopefully I’ll have something to share.  My row garden space has gotten smaller and smaller.  But there was room for a row of zinnias
   I hope you can find a spot for a row of flowers that will bring you joy in sharing.  Sharing is so much fun.
   .

Peonies

                                        Peonies
            Sales have been high for liniment at the Bath Store.  Folks were saying the garden club girls needed it after pattin’ themselves on the back with the success of their big plant sale.
   The women might have been happy but the husbands complained they bought and brought home more stuff than they took.
   The object of the plant sale for the ladies is to thin out and get rid of perennials you don’t need, but there is always something else that you do need.  (Me included.)

   Which reminds me of the coral peony blooming now.  A few years ago  I saw a picture of it in a garden catalog and knew I needed it.  Peonies are one of my favorites. Grandpa used to call them pinys.  But he knew how to grow them.

   There was a time when we grew them to have them bloom for Decoration Day (Memorial Day).  It was the custom to take fresh cut flowers from your garden to decorate the graves of loved ones.  Some folk put the flowers in water in mason jars.  Others covered coffee cans with aluminum foil for their container.  The flowers didn’t last long, kinda like life.
   But the climate has changed.  Peonies and maybe iris are long-gone by Memorial Day.   One is left to scrounge round for roses  or lilies to take to the cemetery.
   Give me the live ones any day over plastic flowers. I know it’s a matter of preference.  But doesn’t everyone love a peony?