It’s been over three years since my girls have joined me for tea at Serendipity Farmhouse – three very long and trying years that need to be put far behind us. (See our posts here, here, and here.) After many recent texts, emails, and phone calls, it became clear that the time to restore our family tradition was finally here. The girls missed me, they missed each other, and they missed chatting over a hot cup of tea.
No, we weren’t ready for the formality and lengthy preparations needed for a high tea such as we had in August 2019. After all, we have grown to be more mature. For some, that means there has been growth in knowledge and confidence, and for me, that means perhaps a growth in the wisdom of age. – There is now a new SFH reality: no longer was I to be the only host and provider, my daughters and granddaughters now wanted to prepare the treats and take a more active part in planning – it was time for Granny to have more time to sit with the girls and share in all that makes our tea time a golden time for making memories.
To be sure, I still had to put on my apron and make sure the grand SFH dining room was clean and ready. Likewise, the soon-to-be-world-famous SFH Test 
Kitchen had to be immaculate. Usually, my dearest friend Nancy would have been here to help with these tasks, but unavoidable circumstances made that impossible this year. So, Hubby voluntarily came out of his “tea time hiding place” and did a great job cleaning and arranging cups, pots, and kettles. Despite all his efforts, Nancy was sorely missed.
Mr. Monte is no longer a young cat. Rather, he has gotten much older and set in his ways over the last three years. The sudden, unannounced arrival of nine happy, chatty young ladies was not necessarily to his liking. In fact, he took the whole event rather poorly. Let’s just say Mr. Monte’s actions were not how you would describe a cat overflowing with hospitality and a welcoming spirit. Needless to say, but I’ll say it anyway, Mr. Monte was asked to retire to the upstairs office for the duration of the tea.
Daughters and granddaughters outdid themselves preparing the finest of foods to accompany our tea. None of their masterpieces were from box mixes. No, I say it quite proudly, my girls did it all from scratch, with great creativity and delightfully tasting results. See below some of their creations.
Beyond the excellent teas and the finest of edible treats, there was the joy of being together again.
It was so very wonderful to see my daughters, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters all together again. How everyone has grown and become so much more in every way. It reminds me of two verses from Ecclesiastes: [1] All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven. … [15] That which hath been made, the same continueth: the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.
And this past week saw the restoration of a beautiful family tradition – Saturday, January 7th, was “A Time for Tea.”
Girls, thank you for coming to Serendipity Farmhouse and sharing a cup of tea with me!
It took a while. Factually, it took over eight years of planning, saving, and waiting for the soon-to-be-world-famous Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen renovation to be complete. And finally, we are just about there. The unofficial reopening for the SFH TK was on Monday when the final piece of decor, a red utensil cannister arrived. Now, all that remains is a blessing of the kitchen by our pastor. From that point forward, the SFH TK will once again be ready to welcome children, grandchildren, and friends for adventures in the culinary arts and the world of fine cuisine.
The earliest picture we have of the kitchen was taken circa 2000. It reflects features commonly found in kitchens going back to the 1970s. Note the stainless-steel sink, Formica countertops, and wallpaper. Not quite as visible is the linoleum tile flooring.
To my 23,417 feline followers, especially my many cat cousins residing in Virginia and Ohio, instinct is a very strong and protective force for us felines. It ensures our survival as a species and guides us through unexpected encounters with the harsh realities of life. In essence, our feline instincts are the basis of our predatorial dominance. In conjunction with our innate cognitive superiority, our instincts have enabled us to interpret human behavior and fashion it to our personal designs. If there is any doubt that my statements are not correct, I offer you my total and uncontested control over Blondie, Ol’ Fuzz Face, and the entire Serendipity Farmhouse establishment as supporting evidence.
Good grief! I tried to sleep through all this, but their romantic chatter kept disturbing my sleep. Wouldn’t it ever stop? A cat has to have his naps to stay fit and alert.
To my 23,416 feline followers, especially my many cat cousins residing in Virginia and Ohio, good news need not have a long story behind it. The truly memorable events in life, the events that fill your heart with joy, are seldom planned or expected. As Blondie and Ol’ Fuzz Face are often heard to say, “One must always be on the watch for ‘serendipity’.”
SFH has other measures for determining the arrival of Spring. We can now see that all 33 cloves of garlic planted in late-Autumn have now emerged from their Winter rest. – – There is still some good in this world!