Mental Health Association Victorian Tea

Yesterday was our annual Victorian Tea for the MHA in Reno County (Mental Health Association). Grace Episcopal Church let us hold it in their facility and it was just perfect! I'm so thankful for their generosity.

I do all the cooking for it, other than the scones, which Nancy Murry makes for us every time. I just ate a leftover one and it was delicious. I hope all the things I made were good. I realized last night that I never sampled anything, other than as I was cooking.

Something new this time was trifle in individual punch cups. The church has snack trays and punch cups we could use, so that worked out great.




I had a volunteer who agreed to make table cloths for us, and I used fresh flowers on the tables. The theme was Lavendar and Lace. I also used some of the linens I've collected over the years. For some reason I seem to think it's my purpose in life to preserve such things. But, I just cannot imagine wanting to let go of embroidery or crochet work that had been done by my loved ones.

Some of the people who were there are friends, and some are people who come everytime. We also have new people everytime. Some of my regulars were occupied with the United Way workday on Saturday and couldn't come. I was really sorry to learn that was scheduled on the same day as our tea, but it's just the way it worked out. It was a nice group overall.




Teresa brought her granddaughters. That's Kylie sitting all prim and proper having tea with her grandma, and Kenzie is telling grandma a secret.

I really enjoy planning tea, and thinking through all the details, but it is a lot of work. I cannot imagine doing this for a living. It's great for a once a year fundraiser, and at the moment I'm all excited about doing it again. But I'll be happy to just think about it for a bit, and go to other people's teas.

In fact, I'm going to one in Arlington next month. This is one of my very favorite teas. They didn't have it last year and I really missed it. I generally attend the St. John's tea in November, but they're not having theirs this year. I am turning www.mhatea.com into a website for fundraiser teas in Kansas. Frankly, they're much nicer than the typical tea you get in a tea room - and no wonder - there's no way anyone could make money paying for all the labor that volunteers donate for us to put on tea.

Three of my board members, as well as Nancy, helped pour tea yesterday. We had multiple comments that the tea was hot, which they liked. And people loved it that their cups were always full. That's one of my big deals - keeping people's cups full.

Susan came, along with her friend Kathleen, who I met when we all went to tea in Hiawatha. I wish I could find other fundraiser teas to go to. Maybe as www.mhatea.com grows I'll learn about more.




I asked "Scarlett," who has attended our teas, as well as the St. John one, before, to regale us with some tales. She most graciously agreed to do so. I think the ladies all enjoyed her stories.

I think people are eager to have a reason to dress up a little bit and do something out of the ordinary. I'm always struck by how much people are enjoying just talking with each other. I think it's because we don't do it very much anymore. I almost hate to talk because I interrupt their conversation. But, people like to have a little program of some sort.

All in all I think everyone had a good time. Now I just have to get everything reorganized and then I can start thinking about another one.



















Because it is summer I was able to use some things from my garden for the tea, including some fresh herbs.

The Menu from the
Lavendar and Lace Tea
August 26, 2006

Cucumber Sandwich
Egg Salad with fresh royal pepper
Tuna Salad on Seven Grain Bread
Bacon - Basil Tomato Bites
Prosciutto and Rosemary on Carrot Chips
Calla Lily with Herb Filling

Traditional Scones and Clotted Cream
Pumpkin Bread

Butter Cake with Cherry Topping
English Berry Trifle
Chocolate Heaven
Lemon Tart
Sugar Cookie
Raisin Walnut Fudge Cookie
Frosted Petite Grapes