Winterling Tea…

Winterling is the name of the German China that my parents used every day for years and years and years…


the gold rubbed off the edges of some of the plates…even with them never having been in a dishwasher…

my Mom never owned a dishwasher…which here in the states might be considered unusual…

we had some of our best mother and daughter conversations washing up the dishes each evening…

the tea cups are still in fair condition because coffee mugs were most often used…

the blue step stool was made for me by Mr Magpie many years ago…

my Mutti was going to paint it for me…

she did paint it with my favorite daisies and her special flower touches …

she took a real shine to it … finding it came in handy…we told her to hang on to it…

it was in her pantry and used pretty much every day as my Mom was a short little lady…

my favorite Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme tastes especially good steeped with such sweet memories…

for more tea stories and sharing visit Kimmie’s Art in Red Wagons…

“Flowers really do intoxicate me.” ~ Vita Sackville-West

Happy April…Happy Spring (or Fall)…Happy Happy Everything…

29 responses to “Winterling Tea…

  1. I have my Grandmothers china and my Moms.
    tea only tastes good in real china. Love the stool too!
    Hugs, Amy

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  2. My grandmother’s cups were used every day and the gold on her dishes and saucers is spotty, too. Like your mother, I don’t have a dishwasher, so washing dishes is something I have enjoyed forever. I like putting my hands in the freshly made suds.

    I also like that step stool. I probably would use it, too, since I am also very short. I bet it holds lots of memories, even ones you aren’t familiar with.

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  3. oh… your memories of your Mum are so very sweet. I can feel the love in this post dear one, and that last photo of the cup with the wee bird and its head bowed is just the sweetest. xoxoxoxx

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  4. Such a beautiful walk “down memory lane” with your Mutti’s things.

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  5. What lovely memories Patty. My Mum is a short lady too and gets called LittleNan by my children who both tower over her. I love your Mother’s china and her adopted footstool too. Happy Spring to you and yours. Pen x

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  6. Sorry, sorry, sorry dear… I feel like the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland lately… I’m late, I’m late, I’m running out of time – too much work to do and no time to visit blogs. I’ll make it up to you next month, I promise! For now, Spring is in the air and I hope you’re doing better/well. Love ya!

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  7. memories made of love, such a sweet tea post Patty
    xo Dymphie

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  8. Beautiful teacup, gorgeous flowers and lovely memories.
    I chuckle at your “short little lady” description of your mother.
    Good things come in small packages. 🙂
    I wish my forsythia looked like yours- our bush barely bloomed this year.

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  9. Beautiful memories indeed! I’d love to see a picture of your mutti. And..that teacup is gorgeous…you know I love that sweet bird.

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  10. Your little cup is so pretty with a bird too 🙂
    The spring flowers are gorgeous. I love the little stool, doubling as a ‘stand’ 🙂
    Tea seems to invoke the memories…

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  11. What a wonderful post, dear Patty… I can feel the love 🙂
    Happy Spring!
    Gaby xo

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  12. How beautiful I love the china I am currently looking for TC&S with little birds on.

    The washing up actually sounds like fun in your house (we have never had a dish washer) and the gold plate of the cups/plates I use are coming off to, I didn’t think it would with hand washing.

    You have a wonderful day

    love dawn xx

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  13. I too have some of my German Grandmother’s china and her tea pot she received as a wedding gift. I also have my mother’s tea pots and several cups. I have my Southern Grandmother’s little brown tea pot. What lovely memories you post brought up. Thank you, hugs!

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  14. o my…so sweet are these memories…your pink blossoms against the blue stool make my heart sing…xoxo

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  15. Charming and delightful conversation during tea today. That blue is such a pretty background for the yellow and salmon pink. The end of the post teacup is especially beautiful. I love my tea times with you Patty!
    I’m going to go brew a cup right now! Blessings ~**

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  16. Such lovely memories Patty. ….and the pink blossom is adorable.
    Hugs
    Linda xx

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  17. Beautiful tea set. Thanks for sharing your memories with us today….

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  18. More than most of my dishes are hand washed – too vintage to trust the dishwasher!!! This is a lovely set!!! I made it to tea, late, but here!! Drop by if you get a chance.

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  19. What a lovely posting Patty, and such sweet memories everytime you use or just glance at her china. I see a sweet little smile on your face thinking of it. Thank you for sharing.

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  20. Amy McDonald

    me and step stools are friends because I am like basically a dwarfy-wimp. I can’t reach anydamnthing and have to stand on stuff all of the time. Sometimes I do grab a stepstool, sometimes I just climb.
    One of these days I will get hurt…

    I am super happy to hear that you are an earl grey girl.

    See, after the whole wheatgrass thing, I figured we liked the same stuff.

    Like your tags.
    Xx,
    Amy

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  21. such a beautiful post patty.

    you know, i think we have many similar thoughts. the other day, i was thinking how much i love washing dishes by hand. i know no one would believe this, because i have a dishwasher that i can and do use. but it goes back to the same thing… some of my best memories are of me in the kitchen with mom, soapy hands and wet tea towels, and the best conversations. if we ever had a party, all the ladies would gather in the kitchen helping out to scrape, wash, dry and put away… and laugh and chat.

    and so, as if almost on cue, my dishwasher died a few days ago. my son and i washed dishes by hand, and we had a blast. he actually asked to do it again last night, but the dishwasher was fixed and loaded by this point. we’ll make a point of washing by hand again soon…

    and here i’ve written a book. thanks for the tea… 🙂

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  22. beautiful china patty, and beautiful blossoms! we are having our first sunny day in what seems like for ev er….maybe the buds will come up now.
    love love the smashed tins! what a fun idea!

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  23. A truly beautiful tea post. My seeds arrived today…you made the package extra special. Thank you. oxo

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  24. A beautiful post Patty …. Your mother’s china is so so special! I love the bird! I’m so happy to see everyone taking tea today …. I will catch up later on this week 🙂

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  25. I’m a day late for your beautiful tea, Patty. Washing and drying dishes has wonderful memories for me too. My beloved Grandmother taught me to sing and pray at the kitchen sink. Later in my life, as a new wife and step-mother, my husband and I stood at the sink – washed and dryed the dishes – and talked about life. ((sigh!)) Such beautiful memories! Thank you, My Friend, for this lovely post! Hugs, Terri xoxo

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  26. Beautiful post, Patty. From the gorgeous presentation in photos to the heartwarming stories. Cost me a few tears…very touching memories you’ve shared. My mom is a little bit of a thing too and never owned a dishwasher either! Lots of memories myself of those days by the sink. My older sister and I still laugh about the “chick fights” we’d have during dish time!

    And that little blue stool…..oh my. Beyond precious. Xo, Sue

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  27. The blue step stool is simply gorgeous and makes such a perfect setting for your photot

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  28. This is lovely, Patty. I love the story of the stool — it must be all the more meaningful for you with such a backstory. Everything abuot the post is lovely, including that beautiful china. It makes me smile.

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  29. Pingback: what’s up buttercup… | Magpie's Nest ~*~ Patty Szymkowicz

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts here...it means a lot to me and I appreciate your visit very much oxo