February - 3 o'clock to 5 o'clock - Time for Tea #aliceinwonderland #teatime #fairy #madhatter #marchhare

A fairy tea break

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​The English fairies in Meadow Sweet Grove carry the tradition of taking their tea at 4 o'clock every day.  It provides a nice break in their busy days and a chance to catch up with their fellow fairies.  It's a very social time and the fairies take turns sipping tea with the other fairies and woodland creatures who live in the Grove.  Some take their whole evening meal at this time, some just have a tea or coffee, and still others like to have a small sweet with their tea.

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Vintage Kaiser Plate Romantica - Made in West Germany

​A plate with a pretty, funky or unusual pattern is always fun to set out with some cookies, small pastries, chockies or savouries for guests.  Whether you prefer a matching dinnerware set or a simple set with no pattern at all - tea time provides an opportunity to showcase a character plate.  It doesn't have to match anything else because it is set out on its own as a single serving dish with goodies whilst sharing a cup of tea or coffee with a friend.

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A Mad Tea-Party, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - illustration by Sir John Tenniel

I always remember coming home for tea after school.  My Dad would stop work to take a tea break around 4 o'clock - and then continue work for a couple hours before dinner.  It wasn't until some years later that I realized that not everyone followed this tradition.  But I suppose since my Great-Grandfather was British, it was just too entrenched in my family's routine (and too yummy!) not to continue.  Good things tend to last.  Just be wary of how long you spend at tea time.  Remember the Mad Hatter, March Hare and Dormouse?  Forever stuck at tea time ... maybe some things are best in small doses!

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Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017