Okay, let me THINK: Of course, there's TEA, my beverage of choice. I love it all -- black, green, oolong, and herbal, and I'll take it loose or bagged. I've never developed a taste for coffee (gasp!), but offer me a good cuppa and I'll be your friend forever. I find the whole ritual of taking tea soothing, inspiring, and uplifting, and love all the accoutrements associated with it -- teapots, tea cups and saucers in all colors, shapes, and sizes, cozies, cannisters, infusers and tiny spoons. Is there anything more wonderful than a full-out afternoon tea, with tiny tartlets, scones, Victoria sponge and Battenburg cakes, fingertip sandwiches, and biscuits? As the British would say, "it's so civilized." And it really is.
#8 in an ongoing series of posts celebrating the alphabet
from bjensen2008's photostream
Awhile ago, poet extraordinaire, Julie Larios, gifted me with the letter "T" on a Poetry Friday when I posted about James Taylor.
So now, I'm sharing some of the things I love that begin with T, the most commonly used consonant in our alphabet, and the second most common letter in the English language, after "e."
from Laura Hartrich's photostream
from I Say!'s photostream
TEDDY BEARS: Oh, you already knew that? ☺I do like to read about, collect, and write about them. A good way to judge someone's character: if they notice a teddy when they enter a room, this means they have a good heart and are in touch with their essential selves. One needn't be childish, but child-like is a good quality, for sure. Where would we all be without Pooh and Paddington?
photo by Waterloo Station
TAPIOCA: Yum!! Vanilla tapioca pudding is definitely squeal-worthy. Love the chewy little bumps:
photo by whitesugarfairy
Actually, lots of my favorite foods begin with T, like TEMPURA (shrimp, please):
photo by avyxyz
and TOAST (especially cinnamon or with jam):
photo by Marco Varinga
and TARTS! Oh, for beautiful fruit encased in a flaky crust, and the smooth creamy filling. Ever since that dastardly knave stole those tarts from the Queen of Hearts, I've been quite possessive of any tart that comes my way. Mine, I tell you, all mine!!
photo by Igotmebabe
TRAINS: I've long been fascinated by them, especially old steam locomotives. This could be because, 1) I'm married to a civil engineer, who was designing a railroad in north Africa when I first met him, 2) there were no passenger trains in Hawai'i when I was growing up, so I viewed them as the stuff of romance and fantasy; only people in the movies got to ride on trains, and, 3) when I moved to England after graduating from college, I rode my first surface and underground trains, and was thrilled to discover they were just as fun and fascinating as I thought they might be. You see so much more without the stress of driving and traffic, or airplane turbulence -- and what about those dining cars?!
photo by MarkyBon
Remember A Hole is to Dig by Ruth Krauss and Maurice Sendak, a sweet little collection of definitions? One of them, "A hat is to wear on a train," prompted me to purchase a fuschia hat for my first trip on Amtrak to New York City. When we got to Penn Station, I felt like I had totally, finally, joyously, arrived! I like acting things out from books, don't you?
TRUMAN: Capote, that is. He wrote my favorite short story of all time, A Christmas Memory, and inspired the main character in my picture book, Truman's Aunt Farm. He said, "To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the inner music that words make."
by max basili
TIFFANY'S: Because of Truman and Audrey Hepburn and "Moon River," and the whole idea of having breakfast in a famous jewelry store, I have come to believe, as Holly Golightly said, "Nothing bad could ever happen at Tiffany's." I will keep searching for rings in CrackerJack boxes, and forever think of New York as the city of infinite possibilities. Does your heart quicken at the sight of a little torquoise box wrapped with white satin ribbbon? Do you tear up when seeing that yellow cab in the pouring rain, and Holly crying out, "CAT!?" It's all there.
from CONNIE's photostream
THEATRE: I think the very first live theatre performance I ever saw was "Manjiro's Journey," on a 7th grade school field trip. That hooked me for life. I'm especially partial to musicals, and while living in London, enjoyed some fabulous plays in the West End -- The King and I, My Fair Lady, Jesus Christ Superstar, Oliver, A Chorus Line, Annie, and Cats, to name a few. The exchange rate was great, too -- I can't believe that back in the early 80's, ticket prices for full-scale musical productions were only $15 for good seats! Can't beat that, for seeing Yul Brynner himself as The King, and Rex Harrison as Professor Higgins.
photo of Theatre Royal, Drury Lane by stagedoor
TIMEPIECES: Clocks and watches are intriguing (especially the haunted ones that work backwards)! Many are beautiful pieces of art, and they all have a practical purpose. Oh, those little gears and wheels and pieces working together with such precision, keeping track of the seconds and minutes and hours of our days. Amazing! What would we do without our alarm clocks? The beauty of old grandfather clocks chiming every hour on the hour, the family heirloom mantle clock, Big Ben, the gold clock with the glass globe and three little balls that rotated one way, then the other. Tick tock, tick tock. I collect character wristwatches, and should own stock in battery companies. At least I'm usually on time for appointments!
TOKYO: A shopper's paradise, vegetable sandwiches, bullet trains, bowing, sushi and somen, the only place in the world where I feel TALL!
photo by /\tus
Well, Julie certainly gave me a letter that suits me to a T, since I could go on and on -- tales and tunes, tortillas, telephones, television, tomatoes, twilight, trunks, tulips, titles, To Kill a Mockingbird, teachers, tolerance, Tin Man, taverns, and tableware (don't get me started on how much I love to set the table)! And there's typewriters and travel and tuxedos and tête-à-têtes. And I can't forget TAKE OUT!
photo by Swell Dame
Okay, I'll stop. I'll be happy to give you a letter, if you like.
For now, to Julie and to you, I'll say, "Thanks!"
photo by quillynilly
Ta Ta !!
"Wake at dawn with a winged heart, and give thanks for another day of loving."
~ Kahlil Gibran
See more alphabetica here.
Certified authentic alphabetica, handmade especially for you with love and tippy top thanks.
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: thankful thursday, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 26 - 36 of 36
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: alphabetica, taste of summer, thankful thursday, Add a tag
Blog: studio lolo (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: studio lolo, thankful thursday, Add a tag
This next surprise is from Marianne in the Netherlands. The photo isn't too clear, but it's a watercolor Moleskin journal for my trip back home, one of her wonderful mandala stickers, and a very touching ATC card that has an "Inutshuk" on it. The back of the card says "You're on the right path" and goes on to wish me a safe journey and many sunsets and sunrises. Bless you, Marianne! You are so, so dear to me.
Last, but not least for this week's post is a needlepoint from Soulbrush, one of my dearest friends on the blogs.
The amazing thing about this gift is that she did this twenty years ago and has been saving it for "that special someone." I'm just so blown away by this gesture of love and friendship. I'll find a special place in my new home for this and will think of her always when I admire it.
Thank you SB, you're that 'special someone' to me as well!
Blog: Kate's Book Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: thankful thursday, Add a tag
For apple pie, but mostly because my mom is here to make it.
For family and turkey and after-dinner plans -- a traditional Thanksgiving basketball game with the neighbors and then this...
I hope your Thanksgiving is warm and wonderful, too!
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: thankful thursday, Add a tag
"Oh, no! You can't be out of soup!" ~ Jama, a day old
Thanks so much for wishing my dad a Happy Birthday on Monday!
He was tickled pink, and contrary to his comment about being shy, he loves the occasional limelight :)!
One reason we're so much alike in temperament is that we're both Scorpios, and today I'm celebrating my 50-something, 40-ish, 39th, 25th birthday.
Geez. Bring on the Geritol. Okay, most of you don't even know what Geritol is, right? It's not easy being wrinkled.
Today, I am thankful for YOU!!
Thanks for your warmth, support, and slurping!
To celebrate, I'm off on a grand adventure this weekend. I'll tell you all about it when I get back.
Hint: I'll be going here, but gathering no moss.
Blog: Monday Artday (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: treasure, Add a tag
Hey, gang. I drew all day just so I could catch up. How'm I doin'?
Blog: Monday Artday (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: treasure, DNA, Add a tag
Blog: Monday Artday (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: treasure, weekly challenge, zhm, Add a tag
Blog: Monday Artday (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: treasure, Add a tag
Blog: Monday Artday (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: treasure, josh pincus, weekly challenge, Add a tag
The current challenge word on Monday Artday is "treasure".
Alfonso Bedoya, a Mexican actor, starred in 77 movies in his career. His most famous role was "Gold Hat" the leader of the Mexican banditos in pursuit of Fred C. Dobbs in "The Treasure of Sierra Madre". In this role, he uttered one of the most famous (and often parodied) lines in Hollywood history. Trying to convince Dobbs (as played by Humphrey Bogart) that he and his gang are federales, Dobbs asks for credentials. Bedoya answers ""Badges!? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!!" That quote was chosen as #36 on the American Film Institute list of the top 100 Greatest Movie Quotes.
After years of drinking destroyed his health, Bedoya died in 1957 at the age of 53.
A Hollywood treasure.
Blog: Monday Artday (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: treasure, dudadaze, Add a tag
treasure - (trezh-ur) verb. to regard or treat as precious; cherish
Blog: Ginger Pixels (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: children's art, undersea, Winston the Wonderhound, fortune, mermaid, camera, treasure, Add a tag
©Ginger*:)
These little kids are either going to make their fortune with that treasure chest, or one of them will notice the mermaid just behind them and start taking pictures!
Aw Laurel...That is so sweet..you are truly blessed with friends.
Smiles,
Sonia ;)
What treasured gifts! You are indeed very, very blessed!
Truly truly wonderful and thoughtful gifts. They brought tears to my eyes.
And you so deserve them. Nice things happen to nice people.
Happy Thankful Thursday. We all have so much to be thankful for.
such lovely surprises and tokens to send you on your way across the country to your new place. blessings to you.
all of these lovegifts are terrific but:
THAT'S NEEDLEPOINT?
NO SIR!
WOWIE...
xoxo
i love you lots and lots.xxxxx
Congrats to you Lolo.
Your thankful Thursday are so beautiful and powerful!
I hope you will receive more and more to come:)
(Thank you for your prayers!)
Wow! You get some great mail!!
Wow! Another mailbox full of gifts - how fantastic - lucky Laurel!
Wow all those mailboxes!
Lovely things from renee and the crossstitch from SOul!!!! Amazing.
Glad you liked your things and you ARE special to me as well!!!!
love u
>M<
PS I posted a picture of the heron with the crow.
How wonderful!
Beautiful gifts! You have such wonderful friends:)
So very wonderful! I love how blog friends just keep loving and being so kind. You received some treasures, what a blessing.
Laurel they are all so adorable.
What fantastic works by your friends.
And as far as soulbrush saving it for someone special I think that she made the right choice because you are incredible.
Love Renee xoxox
What goes around comes around...Kudoes! Well deserved!