As I celebrate the "official launch" of my blog with this post, I begin to think about all the "newness" that seems to be budding at this time of year. Yes, January signals the "New Year", but spring seems to offer a chance for renewal, growth, fresh beginnings, and so much more.
Just the other day as I was thinking about this being a "new spring", I also thought about the phrase "out with the old, in with the new". I then thought about how much of the "old" we often love and are not ready to let go of so I decided I would share a little about the "old" that I love. And, instead of the above phrase I decided I would think of it this way..."In with the new, savor the old!" For some reason, I really had my tea room on my mind and just what a beautiful place it is. Although the tea room is closed now (my online shoppe is open), it is always "open" in my heart, and I think it is still "open" in the hearts of so many that used to visit it. Funny, how you can take something old and brush off the dust, add a few coats of paint, string up fresh linens, and so on and then, amazingly there is something so beautiful that is created. But, it is not because of all the newness...when we redid my great-grandmother's home in preparation of opening it as a tea room, I like to think that we just brushed off the dust, and although we did so much work...well, it was the old that was shining beneath all the new that truly made it sparkle! My favorite thing about the tea room is that no matter how many teatimes we served, well,... it was always still Mamie's (my great-grandmother's) house. It was always said that it was as though she was "ahead of her time"...creating things and doing things that had not been heard of or thought of yet...almost as if she was this little queen introducing newness to those around her. She was "crowned" "Woman of the Year" one year, and that picture still hangs in the tea room, her home, to this day.
I adored my time with her when I was a little girl, and I adore my memories of those moments even more today. She would let me stand beside her and mix up "my recipe" which just happened to be water, flour, and such while she mixed up the real recipe. There are some memories that are so vivid in my heart and mind, and these truly are. I do not even have to close my eyes to see her looking down at me with that smile on her face. What a treat to get to be so close to her! She was so creative and not ever slowing down for anything. I see now that my creative juices go a long way back in the line of "girls" in the family! My mom and granny definitely have the creative flair in their bones, and I think back to Mamie's life, and I see just where it started. They used to say that Pop, my great-grandfather, would say he did not ever know where he would find the bed when he came home because Mamie would get a creative flair and decide that she needed to rearrange the bedroom or the living room or that she needed to sew new curtains for the dining room. Her mind just did not ever stop. She was always doing for others and so busy taking care of so many. Even in her last days she was asking us if we would take care of all the children. We all looked at each other and said, "She just does not know how to rest." She created such beauty in her life...whether it was in her garden, doing needlework with her fingers, baking in the kitchen, or just being a good listener to so many that needed her. I think if I could choose to have one more day with someone, it would be her. I would want to tell her so much, share so much with her, and then, just LISTEN to all the advice and knowledge she could share with me. I think she would love to see her creative juices still
working...see how they have flowed from one girl to the next. I think she does know this and sees this. When her rose bloomed on the day of the tea room opening and had not bloomed in so long prior to that...well, I knew she was looking down at me that day...I knew she was smiling!
So, take time for a cuppa tea today,...and "savor the old"! I just bet your heart will be left with a feeling of warmth and renewal!
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