Indian Summer ???

I had a friend come for coffee today, it was so dark I had to put the lamps on, and definitely a little 'nippy' so the central heating went on, and candles were lit for effect, so there is no Indian Summer here.

I do love it when visitors come and the house is all cleaned, and the flowers are arranged.

And then afterwards, when they have left and the house is empty and still, clean and sweet smelling....bliss! And my kind visitor brought me a present too, how thoughtful, a lovely miniature rose. I am blessed today! How do you feel about having visitors? Does it stress you out, or do you take it in your stride?

 I would have absolutely hated it, in days gone by, had I been a Society Lady
and people just called in to take a nosey at my house and eat all I had to offer, but then I suppose one had servants to keep the place in order and make and serve the food, and it was an amusement. I once saw in a magazine a brilliant hand painted sign warning people not to stare in at the windows, but to ring for the servant. Can you imagine?

Thank you all so very much for your most touching messages on my last post, it is lovely to be back. Wishing you all a very happy weekend, love Linda xx

{How to Make a Heart Using Coffee Art

{How to Make a Heart Using Coffee Art

I admit it, hands up, I am guilty......I am addicted to coffee. I started drinking coffee when I was about 11 or 12, in a tea-drinking country, I was quite an oddity! When I was 18, I didn't drink alcohol, I much preferred to have a coffee, but in those days, you couldn't get coffee in pubs and if you did, it was either a filter coffee that had been keeping warm for hours on end, or that hideous instant stuff! Nowadays, it's a different matter, coffee culture abounds, and I for one am sooo happy about it. I remember my first visit to France, the coffee....mmmm, dark brown and fragrant with hot milk served separately in a little jug.. I had died and gone to heaven! Then my first trip to Italy...oh my goodness, the hotel, which had a bit of a Maffioso atmosphere, had the most fantastic coffee machine I had ever seen ,all copper and brass, gleaming  magnificence! The coffee it produced, has never been matched, smooth, rich with a perfect crema on top!

Now , the foam atop your cappucino is manipulated into incredible shapes and pictures, and labelled as 'art'. Check out the link above to watch the artist at work, it is a joy to watch. I love trying and buying different coffee's, I love the smell, the cups and saucers, the beans themselves, coffee cake, ice-cream, machines and equipment, I just love it all! I have only recently discovered the sheer heaven that is, espresso poured over ice-cream, if you haven't tried it, I highly recommend you do.

At home, I make my coffee in a stove top espresso maker, like the one in the above picture and think it makes a really good coffee. I would like to get, at some time, one of the new machines, which use capsules (although I don't like the wasteful packaging element ). Perhaps, by the time I get one, they will have sorted that out!

I would adore an antique silver coffee pot , like this. How special would coffee time be then!

Notice the Irish coffee, all ginger hair and tipsy...how rude!!

Look at this little fellow, you wouldn't want to drink it!

Gorgeous blue and white (Spode, I think).

Aren't these little cuties from Riviera Maison fab?



I would love to get my hands on some of these coffee coloured coffee cups.

So 'slip me a slug from that wonderful mug' and plant me in this chair, looking out at that gorgeous view and you won't get a peep out of me. Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone, love Linda x

                                                              Images are from here and here.