Welcome to my Garden Party

The House in the Roses is hosting a "Show Me Your Garden" Party to celebrate the beginning of Summer. Since we're on the "wrong" side of the globe and there ain't no summer at the moment in this part of the land Down Under, plus I have posted quite regularly on my garden in my blog and you probably have seen my garden featured in Cielo's blog in "Garden of the Month" in May, I decided to participate anyway by showing you this afternoon tea which was held in my garden and has been in the pipeline for a while. I call it "You're Special" Afternoon Tea, it's a special afternoon I set aside for my children and I to have afternoon tea together. It all started last year and I can see it's already becoming part of our family tradition which they greatly appreciate as we plan to continue having it every year. So no, I haven't misread "Show Me Your Garden" Party, I just made it more like "Show Me Your Garden Party"! Yes, different emphasis. Sorry if you came expecting to see my garden, I apologise for not showing my garden as such, but please make yourself comfortable and do go through my garden in the sidebar labelled "My Garden". I wouldn't like you to be disappointed at all.Last year around this time of the year, while I was cooking and baking away, it dawned on me that my kids were getting older and how time just slipped by oh-so-quickly. I really wanted to spend even more time doing things and making good memories with them. So this idea came to me that I'd surprise them with an afternoon tea when they got home from school (this way I had time to prepare in their absence) not just the normal afternoon tea that we have everyday, but a more special, table-nicely-set-up, drinking-from-nice-cups, yummy-homemade-treats-to-eat type afternoon tea, for no other reason than to tell them they are "Very Special" to me. I also handwrote invitations and gave them to each of my little guests as they came in the house. So as you can imagine, the little guests were more than thrilled to join me.
Last year's Afternoon Tea, indoorsThis year in this month we've had quite a few rainy days, so I'd been waiting for a nice fine day when I'll be free to make all the preparation since I decided to have it in the garden. Here you can see these photos were taken just before the garden party, during the preparation, before the "guests" arrived. It was a beautiful day, we had a ball, let me tell you, it was a real blast. I'll remember the look on their faces forever when I announced the surprise, it was such a pleasure to watch. Of course we gobbled all the goodies up with glee, the kids are always extra hungry just after school. Please bear in mind though my kids are at that age they appreciate things like this with me, this idea wouldn't have worked if it wasn't age-appropriate and if I had to try and keep them from spilling drinks or breaking cups all that time. So don't despair if your kids don't like Afternoon Tea with Mum, simply do something else that will suit you. The key is to spend time together doing something different to make good memories and of course, have lots of fun.After this one, I'll be having grown-ups' tea with my most valuable antiques -- my old friends!!!!! It'll be a real treat for me to get together with my old friends who've been through thick and thin, the test of time and circumstances with me, not fair-weather friends, but true and honest friends, I'm excited and we'll be sure to chat up a storm...........

Did you know? **The Most Valuable Antiques are Old Friends** (Authour Unknown)
So there, all you antiques collectors out there, I hope you've collected a few of those most valuable antiques over the years.

Now let's go inside and pop those roses in a vase before they wilt away...........Thanks for visiting me, I really enjoyed having you here, feel free to visit often. You can click on all images to view larger pictures. Also be sure to go to Cielo's blog to take a tour and visit all other charming gardens linked, I'm sure you'll be inspired. Have a lovely weekend, my Blogville pals! Till next time.