The Cue, a Pause, a Blessing

Victorian Violets teapot, sugar, & creamer.
Hammersley, Made in England

The Sisterhood of Quilters publishes a column called Girlfriend Wisdom. I always enjoy their perspective. Today when I picked up a Country Register magazine and read the column, I realized that their advice went with my day. Listen to this...

"Did you ever wish you had a Peaceful Pause Button? A button that would simply pause all the actions that surround your busy day. Errand running, chasing children, cleaning and cooking, working, working, working. If you had an imaginary Peaceful Pause Button that would de-stress your day, how would it work? What lifts your spirit and stirs your soul?"

Violets Tea Towel
Painted by my mom

They suggested that you think of a word and use that word to cue into mentally pausing during stressful moments during the day. Good idea, but better yet, what about actually taking time to pause. A break from daily routine and doing something that's calm, quiet, and special can do wonders for a person! Tea breaks are good for this. Best are tea breaks with a friend! Add a little window shopping to the mix and you're set to go!

Teacup marked JAPAN
The other teacup is Colclough China,
Made in Longton, England

Since it was Karleen's birthday, the decision was made to take a pause-day; a day away from chores and routine. We started with a tea break on the porch, enjoying cups of white blueberry tea. From Fujian, China, this Adagio tea is very fragrant and deliciously soft. Homemade cinnamon rolls and smoked almonds added energy for the day.

After visiting some of our favorite shops and looking for summer sandals, quilt supplies, vintage ware, and assorted plants and flowers, we took a break for lunch.

Chilled carafes of spearmint water refreshed us while we waited for a pot of Assam tea.

Our shared lunch tray

We decided to share a Mediterranean platter for lunch. It was filled with mixed nuts, assorted salty olives, hummus and dips, pasta salad, crusty bread, crackers, and cheeses.

Chocolate with peanut butter frosting

And since it was a birthday, we walked down the street after eating and enjoyed cupcakes from that sweet little shop I'd found with Dad and Alma last week. The shop carries cupcakes for everyone with options for vegan, gluten-free, and every taste bud.

Searching for a Picasso petunia 

The day ended by another stop for plants and flowers. With a car filled with an assortment of cosmos, petunias, million bells, and more, we stopped one more place before arriving back home. It was to the home of a quilt guild friend. What a sweet little cottage she has. It is surrounded by a fence to contain a friendly dog and happy chickens. An abundance of lilies line the parameter, filled with buds and ready to burst forth in blossom at any time! Some kind of exercise gadget sits on the front porch, and it was appropriately covered with a colorful quilt made just for it! She invited us inside for a chat before we headed home.

A pause. A birthday. A friendship. God's gifts are abundant. How special it is to take a pause so that one can stop and appreciate each and every one. Today, the chores will be a bit easier as a result. Plus, there are flats of plants to get into the ground which is another kind of reprieve. Blessings.