Gratefully, our family has been spared severe sickness this winter. When I hear of the flus and fevers ravaging other communities while we were hardly touched with illness, I feel blessed indeed!

We are, however, coming down with fever. Spring fever that is. Dappling sunshine and 70ish temperatures beg us to be outdoors.   This weather has teased us with pleasantries of summer. With this sort of malady comes the mood for outdoor parties…. fire up the grill and bring on the sweet tea! But common sense tells us to “hold our horses“; I dare say we will have a cold snap or two yet.

And so it is, I’ve been dreaming of a tea party. This one would be served in our grainbin gazebo. In that respect, it will be some time before I accomplish it, since the weather and wind must comply, along with my schedule. I  certainly don’t get half the dreams accomplished that enter my head, but if I can put into action one-fourth of them, I’ll call it good. 

It’s always a great idea to connect with friends. But it takes intentionality on both parties to connect on heart levels. Hosting a tea party is one way to interact and learn to know people better outside of the “after church small talk.”

Tea parties are not something I do often, but always find it to be a blessing! It is work, for sure, but the benefits of giving and good conversations are worth it. I also love seeing friends enjoy the benefits of my labors.  It is like therapy for me to decorate. And yet another big percentage of the enjoyment is searching for recipes and decor. Musing on what delicacies to put on the menu and how to improve the aesthetics of my table without breaking the grocery or time budget. Now don’t get me wrong here- I’m not advocating wild, exotic menus! It’s fun to dream, of course, but I’m well aquainted with reality, which tends to keep me on ground level. Making doable foods look delectable is more like it. Something like crepes with fruit glaze, avocado toast, or yogurt parfaits. Even serving soup is fine! It is better to keep the food simple and enjoy your friends than to have such high ideals you never get around to hosting.

Here’s a few tea party pictures to get you inspired. 

I hosted this for my prayer partners group a little over a year ago. This was extremely simple, yet fresh and spring-like. The flowers weren’t exactly what I wanted, but it was what I found and made do. The candles and runner were things I had on hand.

It was a chilly evening, so I served Zuppa Toscana soup, artisan sourdough, individual toss salads, and punch. It was nothing fancy and time-consuming like cheesecake or scones, but that is always fun if you’re up to the challenge!

I used the recipe in Hope’s Table. It’s a simple chicken broth/ground sausage base with diced potatoes, seasonings, cream and kale. Hearty and filling and definitely one of our favorites!

The punch was simply one cup Countrytime pink lemonade mix, one 48 ounce pineapple juice and one 2 liter Sprite or 7-Up. Stir together for a beautiful and refreshing drink!

The following tea party I hosted one year in September or October. I served fresh grapes, avocodo toast with bacon & cheese, crepes with a raspberry sauce and pumpkin scones. I’ve not made scones much at all, so did a practice run the night before. They were drool worthy! So I made another batch, formed and cut them, then refrigerated overnight. The next morning, I could pop them in the oven for quick, yummy goodness!

This next party was not one I hosted or helped with. Last October, I was invited to this backyard party, ate delicious food and completely enjoyed the evening!

Renita Plank hosted this in her backyard underneath their lovely pergola. Credits to her and Jolene Miller for this rustic and gorgeous party. And yes, they told us to wear white or ivory dresses!

They had put down a tarp of sorts and then set up the pallet table on that, with pillows for seating. Dried flowers/weeds and random lanterns scattered down the center, turned this into a delightful scene!

They made these huge bread bowls for serving the broccoli cheese soup in. We also ate veggies and dip and skewers with basil, tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese. Then scones and coffee for dessert. The drink was a mixture of apple juice and Sprite/7-Up. I’ve also made this drink a few times. If I recall correctly, I mixed 1 can apple juice concentrate to one 2 liter Ginger Ale. Sprite or 7-Up works too. This is such a simple, but over the top delicious drink! Not that I’m a soda drinker, but you can always get the sugar free soda versions to cut back on sugar! 🤫

How are you feeling by now? Are you too plagued with spring fever? Get yourself a big bouquet of daffodils or tulips. While you’re savoring their beauty on your table, share them with friends! Throw on a cheerful tablecloth, get out your pretty dishes, bake some muffins, brew the coffee and have somebody over. It doesn’t require perfection at all! A willing spirit will do. And you just might find it therapeutic to arrange those flowers and candles. To garnish the muffins and serve tea in China cups.  I definitely hope you find the therapeutic benefits of heart to heart chatting with friends! 🤍