“Refreshed, it’s a great word, isn’t it?” (Give Me One Summer)
Hello again, everyone. I have returned from three weeks in Sweden with my resilience refilled, my optimism boosted.
A day in Sweden doesn’t get too far along before someone suggests, “Shall we take a little fika?” Fika can be as small as a demitasse cup of coffee and a cookie, or offer a mouthwatering collection of sandwiches and sweet treats. It can be taken inside, outside, in the woods or on an island, but fika always signals a pause in the day, time to look around and relax, time to enjoy each other’s company or your own.
In the spirit of fika, I’d like this year’s Emilie Loring Tea to be a time of carefree relaxation, in any setting that you choose.
Emilie Loring’s birthday is this Friday, September 5. If that works for you, great! If you’d like more time to set your scene and invite friends over, then please take it. I’ll begin collecting photos whenever you send them, with our “official” tea time set for Saturday, September 13th, at 4:00 p.m. your local time.
Enjoy your tea/coffee/punch however you like and please take photos to share. Send them to me at:
contact@pattibender.com
I will begin publishing shortly after tea-time and continue throughout the day and into the next.
As always, it’s nice to evoke Emilie Loring in some way–use your imagination! And tell us a little about your tea, so we can appreciate it with you.
The Emilie Loring Collection 
Gorgeous photos, wonderful spirit of relaxation and friendship. Thank you for sharing your family with us. BTW: You and Siv look very much alike!
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Dear Patti,
Welcome back from your vacation in Sweden! What lovely photos from your trip! Thank you for sharing these. Looking forward to joining the annual Emilie Loring tea, thank you for the invitation and also for posting a few photos from the EL tea that my mother Val and I enjoyed:) Such happy memories! Best, Kate
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Yes, I missed Val, Linda, and Tuulikki afresh when I looked through past photos from the tea. Their participation was a constant lift.
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This is the first time I have ever seen dinner plates used as a border for a flower garden. (Dahlia garden photo) What a great idea for using old plates!
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I liked it, too, especially for plates beyond use at the table because of cracks or chips. Some have such pretty edges—a little daintiness and fond memory for the garden.
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Aloha! Thank you for the invitation. I have a new teapot and matching cup. Perfect time to use it. A September Tea. Lovely! Thank you for sharing the idea of Fika. A new thought. Happy you had a wonderful vacation. Aloha nui, P
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Can’t wait to see your new teapot and cup! I’m going to make a treat from my new Swedish cookbook.
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