several years ago I caved in and joined Facebook after resisting for quite a long time…
for me it was a chance to be in closer touch with family that lived far away but little did I know just how fun and exciting it would actually become…
I have made some lovely friends from all around the globe and one of them is Eugenia from Athens, Greece who creates and shares a lot of wonderful digital art with stories and thought provoking text and more…
she surprised me by telling me she wanted to send me something…
in what seemed like no time at all her package loaded with beautiful Greek postage stamps arrived in our mailbox…
such a treat to open this box that traveled over 5,000 miles (8,000 Kilometers) with Eugenia’s lovely note and thoughtful gifts…
delicious and delicate herbal tea made with precious Greek Red Saffron (crocus sativus) like nothing I have ever had before…
without leaving our back porch I was transported across the miles enjoying this special cup of tea and friendship in a beautiful cup and saucer Eugenia sent me carefully wrapped in bubble wrap which worked like a charm…
Eugenia explained in her sweet note how the olive tree is an integral element of Greek culture and especially connected to her ancient city of Athens…
a beautiful embossed olive tree is on both sides of the cup which to me always represents extra fine craftsmanship…
Eugenia wrote this about the significance of the olive tree: “… it was this gift offered by Goddess Athena to the inhabitants of the city, who in honor and gratitude named their city after her“.
I couldn’t resist putting the used tea bag onto some card stock to let the rest of the beautiful saffron soak into the paper and of course I will be saving the pretty tea bag papers to use in the future (I already stamped part of a Tim Holtz stamp on one in the fourth photo from the top)…
joining Elizabeth and Bleubeard for T today so very grateful for Eugenia’s beautiful cup of kindness overflowing with generosity and friendship from a place I have always dreamed of visiting ~♥~
Magpie's Nest ~*~ Patty Szymkowicz 
Like you I love the internet, it is very comforting, reliable, full of knowledge and friends from far away places
Bridget #1
LikeLike
As usual Patty, very beautiful especially the friendship which comes from these connections…thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
Oh Patty it makes me feel happy that you got such a lovely mail. The teacup looks so nice, it’s very special. The kind of tea must be very yummy, right for relaxing moments on your porch. I wish you your dream of visiting Greece comes true some time.By the way, you have some animals in your mailbox, take a look in it. 🙂
Dearest Greetings
Sabine
LikeLike
Oh, that tea cup! And to know it came from a friend so far away is priceless.
LikeLike
What a very thoughtful gift pkg. from far away-esp. a place you wish to visit (which I do too!) Your new and special tea cup and saucer is so beautiful as is the symbolism of it. Of course you’ll be creating something gorgeous with the tea stained papers and bags:) Happy T day!
LikeLike
Patty, dear, that cup is so wonderful with the embossed olive tree ,and the lovely light green of spring. What a lovely gift of kindness and friendship. The tea must have been so wonderful,too, and isen`t it great that we can use the rest of it, too,- on papers or cloth !!
I have been to beautiful Greece twize in my life and enjoyed it very much, maybe you can one day go ,too !!
Hugs from Dorthe- XXOO
LikeLike
What a most beautiful and thoughtful gift of kindness from Eugenia! And a very beautiful post from you Patty- thank you for sharing your joy!
LikeLike
I have never seen a cup embossed so beautifully! I was lucky enough to visit Athens as well as a few other cities, and the islands of Mykonos and Crete! They were all breathtakingly beautiful and the people filled with a real joy!
LikeLike
How sweet a gift! really gorgeous cup, and the Greek postage is nearly as fabulous! love that you are going to use the tea bags in your art…thanks for sharing. Have a beautiful T day!
LikeLike
The joys of internet friends are many. What a special cup and saucer. I’ll bet the tea was good too.
Darla
LikeLike
How wonderful and that cup is perfect. I bet the tea tastes so good. xox
LikeLike
What a wonderful gift from Greece you have received! And you have put the lovely things so gorgeously on this post to present them for our delight, thank you. I’ve had a pleasure to visit Greece several times as it’s very popular holiday place for North-Europeans. Enjoy delicious tea and feel the magic Greece atmosphere!
Hugs 🙂
LikeLike
How wonderful that you received a taste of Greece and a gorgeous ‘traveling” tea cup. I was fortunate enough to visit Greece many years ago and the brilliant blue color of the sea and sky and the antiquities are what linger in my mind. You would love it.
LikeLike
What a joy to have found a friend on Facebook. Although it still won’t get me to join, I am delighted that you have found joy and other like-minded artists.
That cup is gorgeous beyond words. I can see the flecks of saffron left in the tea bag you stamped, too. You must be in heaven to have found a friend who was so generous with her gifts from a land I can only dream about visiting.
Thanks for sharing your gifts from Greece with us for T this week. BTW, I said ONE post for next week, only because I didn’t want so many words, we could never get through all the posts. I didn’t say you couldn’t share photos from more than one post (GRIN) because I know you are a person of few words and many photos.
LikeLike
Isn’t it just wonderful to connect with friends all over the world! She really sent you a beautiful cup and saucer. Thank you so much for sharing with us…… Hugs! deb
LikeLike
Happy T-Day Patty!
WOW! that cup is just gorgeous! What a wonderful gift.
I’m on FB too, but mostly to see pictures of the GKs that are in San Diego, but look me up and say hi! But you will have to use my real name to find me…..LOL
Thanks for the earlier visit.
LikeLike
Wonderful sharing!
This is what world peace looks like!
LikeLike
Wonderful gift and pictures, liebe Patty.
LikeLike
Oh Patty – what fabulous gifts from Greece ! Lovely from your dear friend ..and lovely and beautiful how you presented this all to usl.. wonderful post, I even have some little tears near my eyeballs just now!
friendship and love … and yes – kindness …
I believe in the magic of kindness!
♥♥♥
Susi
LikeLike
Oh my, what a lovely friend–I love Greece–she has sent you a beautiful gift! the tree is so gorgeous, but I love what the tea stains and bags look like 🙂 and the saying is perfect! Happy Tea day, enjoy 🙂
LikeLike
I am a lover of the internet too, I have met some really wonderful people through cyber space and traveled to their country this way too, hopefully one day I might get to see some of them in person. I really love that tea cup what a stunning cup and saucer and such a wonderful gift, one I am sure you will treasure for a long, long time.
Happy Tuesday
Hugs Eliza
LikeLike
Hello Patty, Happy T Day!! This made me tear up reading it, so very happy for you. I just love getting snailmail like this from another part of the world. I have been blessed with such wonderful blog friends and even IG friends. A dear friend surprised me this past Christmas with the most beautiful table skirt, surprised the heck out of me and I love it and still have it out just to keep her warm thoughts next to me.
What a perfect gift for you too, looks and sounds good. That cup is gorgeous my friend, love the color.
Thank you for sharing this happy and thoughtful post with us.
Have a great week!
LikeLike
How wonderful Patty!….and what a thoughtful and precious gift. That is an exquisite cup.
LikeLike
Hello dear Patty
How lovely to receive such a beautiful parcel from Greece.
I can imagine your excitement at finding the very special cup.
The saffron tea sounds wonderful – would that be the most expensive tea in the world???
I haven’t done much blogging or even blog hopping as I’m back working – oh how I enjoyed those languid days of armchair travel when I could flit about the world visiting my bloggy friends on my computer!!!
Time is of the essence now though, but I will get back to it one day soon.
Enjoy your summer and store plenty of those Vitamins D & E for for future months!!
Much love
Shane x
LikeLike
Oh, how lovely! Friendship makes the world a smaller and more beautiful place! This post filled my heart with joy! A gorgeous cup; beautiful tea and love from across the seas: who could wish for more? Thank you for all you share with us, Patty. Knowing you through Facebook and your blog has enriched my life and – no doubt – the lives of so many who love beauty! Julie Ann xxxx
LikeLike
Beautiful post Patty!! How wonderful to receive such a lovely gift. Not to mention your beautiful friendship with Eugenia. Warms the heart 🙂 ~Sophia
LikeLike
Some of the facebook community is fun Your gift is precious so thoughtful of her to sent it all the way from Greece
Happy T day
LikeLike
Oh what a lovely post! And what a lovely friendship!
LikeLike
What a sweet, sweet package from so far away. So fun!!!
LikeLike
How nice! What a sweet gift! People are kind everywhere!
LikeLike
What a lovely, thoughtful gift. I am on facebook for the same reason, family being far away. But I really don’t look very often. you have found a wonderful friend!
LikeLike
Happy T-Day!
What a wonderful story about a friendship. Gorgeous cup and tea. So nice to see how you used the tea bag. Can’t wait to see what you come out of it! Thanks for sharing!
LikeLike
How beautiful dear Patty…. love the idea of saffron tea… and just gorgeous on the cardstock as well… and how sweet is the teacup….. love the stamps too…. what a darling and heartfelt gift…
Jenny X
LikeLike
How lovely! These are such wonderful gifts!
We brought back some saffron from Turkey, I must look into using it in tea – maybe our Turkish tea that we also brought home.
Alison xxx
LikeLike
Oh this all looks so good and delicate. What beautiful and special gifts, a real surprise for you! thanks for sharing all of this!
Hugs
Kat
LikeLike
A lovely blogpost about Eugenia and friendship with your wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing your gift with us.
LikeLike
Those postage stamps are gorgeous!
Rinda
LikeLike
It never ceases to amaze me how generous some people are! I’m sure you will think of your friend every time you enjoy tea from your new cup.
LikeLike
I was a late starter to both online and then things like FB and even blogs compared to so many. It has opened up new worlds and friends around the world, so many of whom are the most kind and generous of people. Clearly, you have discovered that, too. What a treasure to have such a delightful surprise!
LikeLike
Pingback: I like coffee … I like tea … I Love flowers Oh Yes indeed! | Magpie's Nest ~*~ Patty Szymkowicz