Listening to the one whispering my name, Her name is "Fall"
©Photography by ~CCThis week amidst the election, the craziness our world is in, and the woes of the economy; it was still a great week! I think it was Robert Schuller that said, "Tough times don't last, Tough people do!". I believe that tough people do last; but I've got to admit that the only reason I have is because of the GRACE of GOD! Maybe you could testify to that too.
My husband kicked off November last Saturday by treating me to a Surprise date in Clarksville, GA. He took me to my new most favorite tea house, The Baron York, owned by a lovely lady named Dea. What a great boost to the week! The drive is an hour long, but the mountains and the foliage made the trip seem like it was only ten minutes. Not only did we enjoy our time relaxing and dining at The Baron York listening to classical music and sipping tea, but we also visited the local antique and consignment shops. At the end of the day we took the drive back still in awe of all the colorful trees and I knew I had to somehow escape back out through the week to meet with them again. Their visits are always much too short; don't you agree? If your weeks are like mine, my lunch hours from work often become lunch hours indoors. Something inside my head kept whispering..."grab your camera and come find me". I listened to my inner voice; grabbed my camera, keys, and shortly after found myself driving down the road looking for "The One". I had to find "Her", the one picturesque tree worthy of pulling off the side of the road, getting out of the car, and risking my life standing along side of the highway snapping away. It felt great putting into practice what I blogged about last week. Instead of just "doing", I was experiencing "being". I was in the moment, and it felt gloriously right. Colorful fall leaves astound me; and as nature always does, increases my faith and love for my Heavenly Father. I wrote later that day in an email to a friend that God had some phenomenal colors on his paintbrush that day; referring to the tree photographed in this blog. Then today I continued "being"...and hosted an intimate Birthday Tea in my home for a five year old little girl named Amari, her mother Nicki, and her seven year old brother Daniel. I greeted them at the door with hugs and sat them at their table. A vignette of porcelain dolls having their own tea party using my own childhood blue and white tea set was the centerpiece for the table. Seating each of them in their chair as if in a fine restaurant, I told them I'd be their hostess for the afternoon. The menu included P&B Butterfly sandwiches, ( I learned about these from The Baron York tea house) Tuna Fish Salad Butterfly sandwiches, mini carrots, Gardetto's Snack Mix, a pot of freshly brewed English Breakfast tea for Mom and homemade Hot Cocoa for the children. For dessert I served them freshly baked Chocolate Chip Banana Scones, Devonshire Cream with Vanilla Honey Curd, and Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods. Of course I played a dual role as their private photographer so we could capture the moments of the day as a permanent memory for Amari. My favorite part of the day was remaining in the kitchen in between pouring more tea or hot cocoa, or serving the courses. I heard the three of them quietly talking, laughing together, and enjoying their special time. They were making memories as a family, and I was helping to make this one special. I wouldn't have traded the moment of serving them today for anything else. It was great this week to detach from the external things going on beyond my control. It was great to just Stay In The Day. By driving and taking all the fall colors in, it somehow helped to bring more beauty inside today when this special family entered my home. What could be more perfect but to have colorful fall leaves and two tea parties in one week? Ask my friend Lya, she would agree.......it's been a perfect week! Falling more in love with "Fall" and Staying In The Day with you... ~CC
My husband kicked off November last Saturday by treating me to a Surprise date in Clarksville, GA. He took me to my new most favorite tea house, The Baron York, owned by a lovely lady named Dea. What a great boost to the week! The drive is an hour long, but the mountains and the foliage made the trip seem like it was only ten minutes. Not only did we enjoy our time relaxing and dining at The Baron York listening to classical music and sipping tea, but we also visited the local antique and consignment shops. At the end of the day we took the drive back still in awe of all the colorful trees and I knew I had to somehow escape back out through the week to meet with them again. Their visits are always much too short; don't you agree? If your weeks are like mine, my lunch hours from work often become lunch hours indoors. Something inside my head kept whispering..."grab your camera and come find me". I listened to my inner voice; grabbed my camera, keys, and shortly after found myself driving down the road looking for "The One". I had to find "Her", the one picturesque tree worthy of pulling off the side of the road, getting out of the car, and risking my life standing along side of the highway snapping away. It felt great putting into practice what I blogged about last week. Instead of just "doing", I was experiencing "being". I was in the moment, and it felt gloriously right. Colorful fall leaves astound me; and as nature always does, increases my faith and love for my Heavenly Father. I wrote later that day in an email to a friend that God had some phenomenal colors on his paintbrush that day; referring to the tree photographed in this blog. Then today I continued "being"...and hosted an intimate Birthday Tea in my home for a five year old little girl named Amari, her mother Nicki, and her seven year old brother Daniel. I greeted them at the door with hugs and sat them at their table. A vignette of porcelain dolls having their own tea party using my own childhood blue and white tea set was the centerpiece for the table. Seating each of them in their chair as if in a fine restaurant, I told them I'd be their hostess for the afternoon. The menu included P&B Butterfly sandwiches, ( I learned about these from The Baron York tea house) Tuna Fish Salad Butterfly sandwiches, mini carrots, Gardetto's Snack Mix, a pot of freshly brewed English Breakfast tea for Mom and homemade Hot Cocoa for the children. For dessert I served them freshly baked Chocolate Chip Banana Scones, Devonshire Cream with Vanilla Honey Curd, and Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods. Of course I played a dual role as their private photographer so we could capture the moments of the day as a permanent memory for Amari. My favorite part of the day was remaining in the kitchen in between pouring more tea or hot cocoa, or serving the courses. I heard the three of them quietly talking, laughing together, and enjoying their special time. They were making memories as a family, and I was helping to make this one special. I wouldn't have traded the moment of serving them today for anything else. It was great this week to detach from the external things going on beyond my control. It was great to just Stay In The Day. By driving and taking all the fall colors in, it somehow helped to bring more beauty inside today when this special family entered my home. What could be more perfect but to have colorful fall leaves and two tea parties in one week? Ask my friend Lya, she would agree.......it's been a perfect week! Falling more in love with "Fall" and Staying In The Day with you... ~CC
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