Afternoon Tea

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. ~C.S. Lewis

As I find myself with more and more time to do those things that truly bring me pleasure, I look forward to afternoon tea. Sometimes with shortbread biscuits. Sometimes with scones. Sometimes simply the tea. But always with the beautiful crockery I have been gifted and inherited.

I find that as I age, I am drawn to more genteel activity, and those things that I truly savor. Tea time being one of those things.

There is something about sitting on the covered porch in the afternoon and sipping a cup of soothing tea while reading a good book. If I'm lucky, someone will drop by and share a cup with me, which is why the tray always carries two cups. A linen napkin covers the biscuits and the creamer or lemon wedges. (One really must know which to add, cream or lemon, to which tea!) I occasionally add sugar, but that is rare these days. I prefer the taste of the tea itself.  There's enough sweet in the biscuits or jam for the scones.

Sometimes I simply sit back on my seat and allow the warm summer air to flow over me as I feel myself drift away into a day dream of an era gone by, and I am transported back to a large manor house surrounded by rolling fields. Am I in America? England? Ireland? Scotland? I do not know. But it's tea time. And it's a warm day and I sit in a garden walled in by beautiful roses. There I read, or write in my diary.

When company has arrived, I dare not allow myself such luxury as day dreaming. Instead, I relish the conversation as we share our tea. I can see that she/he is nervous about the china cup and saucer and would rather have tea in a heavy mug instead, for here, today, that is what most people use. 

We speak of the fine weather, and the gentle breeze that helps keep the mountain area cooler than at lower altitudes. 

We talk of the flowers in bloom. And if my body will allow me we will cut a bouquet of flowers for them to take home with them.

Once they leave, I gather the tray and make my way back into the house. And I am transported back to the 21st century. The dishes must be washed up. And before long dinner must be started. My husband comes out of his office and  lets me know he has finished with his computer for a while. He thinks he will take a nap before dinner.

I fill the sink with hot soapy water and wash up the tea things. I dry them carefully and put them away. Left over biscuits or scones are wrapped carefully for tomorrow at tea time. 

The tea pot placed back upon the shelf, I am fully back to this day and time. Where deadlines are to be met. And writing to be done. And housework that must be finished before days end. Already, I am waiting for tomorrow and my journey into afternoon tea once more.