Why we enjoy the High Tea...

Here is our third in our series of stories from our 3rd annual High Tea. The two posts prior to this are also about the high tea. Stay tuned for more in the September tidings.

Today are two stories from Penny Powell and Barbara Theiss who hosted a table together.

Penny Powell writes:

I look forward to our High Tea every year and hope it stays a Good Sam tradition for many years to come so I can one day share it with my granddaughter, Alex.    

What I love about the event is that it makes us feel pampered for a few hours, it's an occasion to dress-up, our selves and our tables, relax and catch-up with old friends as well as make new friends.  

It also gives me an opportunity to use and share with others the beautiful bone china tea cups I display in my china cabinet but never use.  My adoptive mother collected English bone china cups & saucers, sugar and cream sets.  When she died in 1978, she left several dozen collectable pieces that I never, ever thought I'd use. Growing up I was very disinterested in her collection and thought it as an odd hobby; not "my cup of tea." Since her death, however, I have come to see the beauty in each piece and  love the memories some of the pieces have for me.

(c) Savoring the Sweet Life

Barbara Theiss writes:

I love participating in our beautiful Women's Tea!  I am always struck by the number of generations enjoying themselves together!  This year there was even a table of little girls; our 6 year old Sophia was one of them. She had a ball!  Our good hearted men serving the delicious food was like icing on the cake. 

Penny and I enjoyed combining our family heirlooms at our table. My contributions included my Grandmother' s Rosenthal china, some crystal bowls from my husband' s mother and some from my mother, and the napkin rings. They came from my collection that I have acquired from antique stores in my travels.  They are all at least 80 years old, some over 120 years old, and I love to imagine who used them and in what type of a setting.

These photos are all used with permission from the photographers from Savoring the Sweet Life who attended the feast. The photo of Penny and Barb was taken by Ruth Lim, our roving reporter.