There are friends who say "Come visit anytime," and there are friends who say "Come visit anytime" and really mean it, and my friends Kathy and John fall into that second category. So I am spending a few days at their home in Statesboro, a Georgia town located about an hour from Savannah, and when I ran by Publix for a few things I needed yesterday, I was passing by the tea aisle when I spotted these Twinings pods that I knew I could use in their Keurig since I don't have one in my own kitchen. Peach tea is my go-to flavor when there's a new tea to try. I've had so many peach-flavored teas ..read more

My friend Beth Y. sent me the loveliest note and gift last week, and I was so very touched. She said she'd had me on her mind and in her prayers, and she happened to be visiting her son in Birmingham, Alabama, when she went to an art show in nearby Hoover and saw these pieces by a friend. This one made her think of me! Specifically, the line about God's mercies being new every morning struck her as something appropriate to share with me, and I so agree. That's a message that is always spot-on, isn't it? The detail on this piece was so fun to check out, like the "beads" that make the tea ..read more

  Well, I think perhaps I’m ready to get back to blogging, but first, I just wanted to say a huge thanks to those of you who have sent cards, texted, messaged, or commented about Alex’s passing on April 10 (or as I like to refer to it, his “moving to Heaven,” as I believe that is a more accurate statement of things). Alex had been living—and living pretty well—with reduced heart function for years, but about two years ago, in the summer of 2022, I nearly lost him. His heart function dipped, and he went into cardiogenic shock and spent several weeks in the hospital, finally coming home ..read more

Friends, my husband's hospital stay ended with him moving to Heaven, and while I'm very, very sad for me, I'm overjoyed for him and know I'll see him again. Just wanted you to know it'll be a while longer before I'm blogging again, but so many of you have become true friends over the years that I wanted you to know. Please remember me in your prayers! Here's his obituary: https://www.mckoon.com/obituaries/Alex-Mcrae/#!/TributeWall ..read more

Friends, my husband, Alex, is in the hospital, so I'll be taking a blog break for a bit. Hope to be back here again soon ..read more

On Monday, my friend Kathy, who often texts shopping alerts, notified me that Bath & Body Works had a teacup-shaped fragrance plug, and I hightailed it over to my local shop to see if they had it. They did! Now, I've never had a fragrance plug and don't even know how the things work, so for the first time in my life, I actually *asked* for a B&BW employee to help me with something. (Back when stores used to offer customer service, B&BW was known for having a dozen of their employees assault you with fragrance samples and sales announcements the moment you walked in the store. I ..read more

Honestly, I can't remember the last time I was inspired to purchase a magazine full of nothing but recipes, but when I saw the lavender madeleines on the cover of Spring Baking the other day, I had to get it! This magazine definitely met my rule of "must have at least three things that immediately catch my eye." First up: these Phyllo Apple Roses. I've seen rose-shaped treats like this before, but this recipe sounded quite doable, so I'm going to give them a try soon. And Two-Bite Lemon Tarts? If those aren't designed for a tea tray, I don't know what is. Are you a fan of honey? I am ..read more

Here's an oldie but goodie—an old advertising label from the Great Overland and Pacific Tea Co., and it's one of my favorite vintage Easter images because of the cross, so central to the Easter message for those of us who are followers of Christ. I hope you all have a very Good Friday and a blessed Easter weekend ..read more

On Saturday, Alex and I made a brief stop in Eufaula, Alabama. It's just about two hours south of Newnan, and I was surprised to see how "pink" the town was with all of the azaleas already in bloom! We also did a little shopping at the downtown stores, including Superior Pecans & Gifts, where I bought some tasty Cinnamon Spiced Pecans as well as some Skirted Soldier teas from a female-veteran-owned company! I got the "Colonel" and "Battle Buddy" blends. I've tried only one so far, and I was amused that each package is said to contain "two preloaded tea bags." Ha! The Colonel blend ..read more

Since my husband's birthday is March 21, he is rather annoyed that the first day of spring was March 19 this year instead of on his birthday as it often is. Actually, he didn't quite acknowledge yesterday as the first day of spring, but I did, because I like for spring to arrive as soon as possible. Also, it's the day I first pull out my Welbeck chintz tea wares each year! This spring, I've added a vintage Easter tablecloth from a local antique mall, so it's quite sunny-looking in my little dining room. I will always love chintz teacups, and I can't imagine a more appropriate pattern for s ..read more