Tea with a friend

Before we begin today, I wanted to say I think I'm doing something wrong in loading my photos. Even though they now fit completely into the middle section of the blog as Egmont suggested (see previous post), I see they won't enlarge. So, I have to go back to the drawing board. No sense clicking to enlarge today. They won't be any bigger than this!

Now back to Tea, which is what we'll be doing today. In addition to drinking tea with Kimmie and the girls listed on her sidebar, Wendy and I headed over to my friend Billie to see her new home yesterday.


Wendy was very excited, because she had never met Billie.

The sun was in our eyes as we drove into her driveway. Technically, I drove and Wendy sat on my shoulder.


I kept snapping photos, still unable to see her through my viewfinder.


Wow, here she is, even standing under her house number. How did I ever miss her?


I was shocked when I walked into her house and saw all new furniture. Everything was new, except for a few of her special knick knacks. Even the lamps, the TV, simply everything!


The only lighting in the room was the small lamp and the window. I was surprised that my photo turned out as good as it did.


The new dining room set was all ready for company. The new curio cabinet in the back holds

Billie's precious Hummels. I think she's been collecting them for over 40 years and has many. I only captured the top portion in this photo. The photo of the bottom portion of the cabinet didn't turn out, even though I took several shots. There was simply too much diffused light. If you look closely in the back, you can see Billie in the mirror and me (mostly my arthritic deformed hand) to her left in the photo.


These are her new Hummel dolls she placed in a new curio cabinet.


As we entered her new kitchen, I was taken by all the light.


It was coming from the glass block windows under the cabinet. I immediately fell in love with the design of the kitchen.


Glass blocks were everywhere and so was light.


Billie went from a house with five baths to a house with ONE bath. Not sure how she'll manage.

This is the only photo that turned out halfway decent in her guest bedroom. The light from the glass block windows was brutal. The cabinet behind her houses her sewing machine, which we inspected and opened later in the day.

One thing I failed to mention about Billie is her love of rocking horses. Just like me, she loves them. But, unlike me, Billie also collects carousel horses and regular horses in addition to rocking horses. I'm a bit more selective. Love this door stop, though.

Walking into Billie's master bedroom was like walking into a garden. This is a beautiful room with a fireplace

and a stunning view of the garden and river.


Of course, I was taken by the rocking horses rather than the view.


I loved this latest addition. Billie also collects nutcrackers, so this one made me smile. She said she bought it recently while she and her Lady Shriner group were in Missouri.

One of my favorites has always been this frosted glass music box rocking horse that actually rocks and plays music when wound up. She's the only other person I know who has ever collected rocking horses.


Bille's former house had three levels and four decks.


This is her back patio, so she really downsized.


The river view is lovely, but panning from right to left,


as you can see by these photos,


the river is nearly non-existent. This is the Arkansas River that flows out of the Colorado River and continues to the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe the water dried up because it didn't want to go to the gulf. Or maybe (and probably more reasonably) it's because this has been one of the driest years on record in Kansas. You can probably see where the riverbank normally is. We could have a flash flood and it wouldn't fill this river.

Although it looks like the river is flowing well in this photo, it is down at least two feet. Billie said the previous owners left the garden and she just recently tilled everything under. The bench on the right

might look like wood, but it is solid concrete. The bench has a horse, rose, and a W for Billie's last name.

We walked around a lot more, I snapped more photos, saw more of the grounds, the extra "garage" that will hold a motor home, boat, etc. on the opposite side of the attached 2 car garage, saw the mud room, and


scared the cat into hiding. I wonder if she thinks I can't see her!

Then it was back to the kitchen to pick out our choice of Constant Comment Tea by Bigalow, the only kind Billie will drink.

Billie had green and I had black. Both were infused with orange peel and spices. And look at the lovely informal mugs she served the tea in. I was so tickled, I had to inspect the mug while my tea cooled a bit. Of course I asked for the packages. You know they will show up in my art!

As we sipped our tea, we talked about sewing, journals, Hummels, horses, mutual friends, and other topics of interest. I think we talked for about four hours and thoroughly enjoyed the day. And as if that isn't enough, I will be gone all day today, too. Seems like I haven't been home for weeks!

Today I'm featuring one of the regular Tuesday Tea participants: Christen of Christen's Creations. Christen is an artist and a teacher. Her embroidery, beading, and fiber patterns have been widely published in National and International magazines. She is not only a Tea Tuesday participant, she is also part of the Project Dress-up 2010. You will find links to her patterns, jewelry, and supplies on her blog, Christen's Creations. Her blog is a real joy to read. Be sure to say hi to her today.