Our very talented Dorothy wrote a poem, that I apparently and accidentally missed, but never fear, I’ll post it here! I think it’s wonderful, and even though May is gone, she’s not forgotten!
A Silly Ode To May
(don’t tell Hallmark)
by Dorothy in PA and the World @ 2023
Dear May
we bid you fond adieu
and all the joy
we shared with you
sunlight strolls
in the park
sitting on the porch
at dark
a respite
from the harshest weather
from coat and boots
and scarf and sweater
we remember now
the days of old
when we dance ‘round
the merry maypole
we know that you
will come once more
when April rains
cease to pour
we wave you on
and make a cheer
until we see you
here next year
Not only is Dorothy talented at writing, she LOVES to take tea to the next level and you’ll get a sneak peek at her latest Tea Party outing… commentary by Dorothy!
AN AFTERNOON TEA ON WORLD DOLL DAY
Central Penn Doll Collectors Club celebrated World Doll Day at an Afternoon Tea hosted by Priscilla Centrapenn, the club mascot. The event was held at Sweet Remembrances, one of the few remaining authentic tearooms in Central Pennsylvania.
The four-course meal began with a salad, followed by delicious sandwiches, delectable scones, and delightful pastries. The tea selections were varied and the teapots were constantly refilled.
I am attaching seven photos. The first photo shows Priscilla and some of her guests at her own special tea table. Four of her guests were Doll Prize Dolls that were given away in a drawing.
If you click on the pictures they will enlarge.
The second photo shows the four Doll Prize Dolls as they stood waiting to see with whom they would be going home.
The third photo shows the table at which I sat. The fourth photo shows another table.
The fifth photo shows one of the meal courses. Yum! (Dorothy, that look delicious!!!)
The sixth photo shows three little dolls who decided to have their own tea party at their Mamas’ table.
The seventh photo is a close up of Priscilla has she smiled at the success of her Afternoon Tea party.
I didn’t take a photo of the speaker. Duh! She was the former proprietor of a different tearoom. She talked about the history of Afternoon Tea. She also talked about the difference between Afternoon Tea and High Tea.
Afternoon Tea is an elegant meal served between 1 and 3 pm with lovely sandwiches, scones, pastries, and tea. In the home, it can be served on a low coffee table height table with comfortable chairs.
High Tea is a dinner-time meal originally served after 5 pm in working class families as adults returned from their day in the field or factory. High Tea consists usually of meat, potatoes, vegetables, bread, pies, and, of course tea. It may be compared to supper. High Tea is served at a “regular” height kitchen or diningroom table. High Tea may sound “classy” but, in fact, it’s just dinner.
I also didn’t take a picture of the proprietor of Sweet Remembrances receiving the doll we gave to her. It’s a good thing I was the Chair of the tea and not the photographer because I would have been fired (laugh).
Other club members did take photos. I just don’t have access to them yet.
Everyone who attended received a fascinator and a little gift bag with goodies. We drew names to see who would win the centerpieces. They were tables that our committee members made (not me, of course) with darling little dolly tea sets on top.
It was a lovely tea event. The guests all stated that they had a wonderful time. Priscilla especially enjoyed herself. She just couldn’t stop smiling.
Thank you VERY much, Dorothy, for sharing your Tea Party with us! It was very pretty and I bet everyone really did enjoy themselves! If you happen to get any more pictures from other ladies who attended, we would be happy to see them! :o) Thanks for the lesson on Afternoon vs. High Tea too!
Tomorrow, I’ll be letting you know about something Susette suggested… start looking for your favorite outdoor flower/garden pictures or your favorite vase of flowers…
Wasn’t that fun?
See you tomorrow!
Blessings, Jeanne
Dorothy, thank you so much for sharing your poem as well as your pictures. That tea looked wonderful! I loved seeing all the pretty cups and saucers; my mom used to collect those (I have a few, but not very many). The dolly tea table centerpieces were such fun! Did any of your girls go with you to the tea party? I’m sure there would have been some argument as to whose turn it was to go!! (laugh)
Now, what’s up next?! Flower pictures??? Hmmm….
Dear Charlotte, thank you for your kind words. The Committee (not me – the non-crafter) made the tea tables. The Committee folks had accumulated the tea sets from somewhere so they didn’t cost anything.
I didn’t take any dolls to tea with me as I usually do because I knew I would be moving around the room seeing to the needs of the guests. The next tea for my tea club will be in July. I will definitely take a doll with me then.
Dorothy, you are always saying you have no talent, but you are a wonderful poet! Now THAT is something to be proud of!
Your pictures of the tea were wonderful, and I love how they put a tiny little tea party setting at the center of each table. How charming! I love the beautifully decorated teacups and place settings, along with the lacy tableclothes, that covered flowered linens!
And the food! How beautifully everything was displayed, and was that American Girl Addy on the card for your table?
I too, just learned the difference between Afternoon and High Tea! Thank you for sending these pictures and the poem to Jeanne! It’s always nice to see how others celebrate their dolls!
Dear Linda, thanks for your comments. I do enjoy planning events and, of course, taking tea is my favorite thing to do. I guess these things are skills. I just think that if it were the late 1800s and I was on a wagon train, the folks would kick me off because I didn’t have any “valuable” skills (laugh).
Yes, that was an Addy image. We used doll images instead of numbers for table identification.
I really enjoyed reading your poem and seeing all the beautiful tea party pictures, Dorothy! Thank you very much for sharing! It is neat you had the “Addy table.” Such nice prizes, too. I bet everyone had a lovely time!
Dear Karen, thanks for liking my poem. I just have this thing about May. I don’t know why.
We didn’t have a ton of doll prizes (I was saying doll prizes instead of door prizes and confusing our club members but I kind of liked that title).
At our regular luncheon, usually held in a hotel, we have tons of door prizes and other surprises. We just couldn’t have too many this time because the tearoom is small.
Loved the Ode to May! 🙂
I think I’m getting it. Afternoon tea is Lovely Low Lunch and High Tea is after work, supper/dinner. Got it. Tea sounds so grown up. 🙂
The table decorations/gifts/prizes add so much to the atmosphere of chicness. 🙂 And of course, the china was fascinating. The floral patterns have always been my favorite. So endearing.
Thanks so much Dorothy, for sharing your day with us. It looks like it was also a Dolly’s Delight. 🙂
Flower photos sound like a lot of fun. Next to china and dolls, they are my favorites. 🙂
Dear Joy, thanks for your comments on the poem. I enjoy writing poetry.
Here in the US, some people call Afternoon Tea, High Tea, because that’s what some tearoom owners do as they think it makes things sound classy. But elegant tea, like we had at our event, is Afternoon Tea.
What a fun afternoon you had Dorothy! The tables, dolls and food all looked amazing. Thanks for telling me the difference between the teas. I certainly had never heard it explained. I always assumed High Tea would be the fancy one.
Your May poem is lovely. June is acting more like May this year.
Flower pics will be fun Jeanne…will send you some.
Dear Kathie, thanks for your sweet words. We did have fun. The women on my Committee were the same ones I worked with when I planned our luncheon two years ago. We work well together. And since most of us on the Committee are part of my tea club that meets monthly, it was a breeze to plan this event.
I am glad you liked the poem. I miss May already.
What a lovely “Ode to May”, I loved your poem, Dorothy! What I delightful time you must have had at you Afternoon Tea. I do know the difference being educated by Tea Time magazine back at its premier issue. The tea tables look so pretty and the food must have been delicious. I also noticed Addy on the place card at your table. Love the tiny tea tables for the dolls. Thank you so much for sharing!
Dear Laura, thank you for your comments. I am glad you liked my poem.
We did have a delightful time. About 1/4 of the guests had never taken tea before. I think we got some converts (smile).
Here’s a story for you. Our mascot doll, Priscilla, came to us two years ago from a lady in Ohio! She found our club information on our website and mailed the doll to us. It was her childhood doll and she wanted it to have a good home.
The doll was in poor shape. She had a missing arm.
We found a replacement arm cleaned her up and one of the club members adopted her and named her Priscilla. She now has more dresses that most of our members (laugh). Her new Mama made the beautiful dress she is wearing.
We reached out to the original owner but we never heard back from her. She got her wish though. Priscilla has a good home.
Dear Jeanne, thanks for sharing my poem and the tea information. It is wonderful to be in fellowship (or sistership) with this marvelous group of women you have invited into you home. I am proud to share a place on the sofa with them.
Dorothy, thank you so much for sharing your poem and all those wonderful pictures of the tea event. I always enjoy seeing what other doll collectors do to celebrate being together and especially when food is involved, ha ha. I appreciated your explanation about the different types of teas since I always thought high tea was something really fancy, so thanks for clearing that up!
Dear Terri, thanks for your nice words. I am happy to contribute here. Most of the time I just “sit things out” being a non-crafter, non-sewer, non-cook (laugh). It is nice to be able to share what I do. And I agree with you about food. That just makes everything even more special.
Dorothy you are so fortunate to be able to attend such a lovely affair. Your pictures are great. I love Priscilla’s surname. Took me a minute but I got it. The table settings were absolutely lovely and the food looks scrumptious. I have a friend on the Isle of Scalpay in Scotland and she always mentions what they had for tea (she just calls it that). I learned quickly that it was the equivalent of what we call supper because it was pretty substantial. Unless she is entertaining or being entertained, she doesn’t do a regular afternoon tea because it would be just for her. Her husband is a fisherman and so isn’t home all the time. Her girls are grown and gone and she lives on an island where people are pretty spread out, but she used to work at one of the hotels on the Isle of Harris and served afternoon tea regularly to locals and tourists. Great poem. I loved it. I miss May too. May in PA was an amazing month so I understand your love for the month. I always wanted to get married in May but then I moved to Texas and got married in January. My attendants wore velvet, long sleeved dresses. It was over 80 degrees on January 19th.
Thanks, Jeanne, for posting Dorothy’s wonderful pictures and her great poem.