“Pinkies Up” would have been a fitting call to the Garden Club ladies to begin the elegant tea held Wednesday afternoon at Cheney Mansion.  The 100 year old Cheney looked beautiful inside and outside.  The much younger attendees looked splendid and cheerfully chatted with friends, admired the garden’s latest additions, and enjoyed a tea on par with the Drake Hotel, in my humble opinion.

On behalf of the tea participants, thank you Barbara Graham and Sue Milojevic for the beautiful tea and flower arrangements.  Thank you Poppy and Charlie for the gorgeous surroundings at Cheney Mansion.

Afternoon tea is a time honored tradition credited to Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, who in 1830 asked to be served tea and light refreshments in the afternoon; perhaps to ward off a growling stomach before dinner at 9:00 p.m.  Anna so enjoyed this break in her day that she began to invite her friends for tea and refreshments and served them in the garden or the library on inclement days.

High tea, which sounds more refiined, was actually a meal that usually included meat or fish and was served around 6 p.m. for working class people.  Some say high tea also refers to the high tables in the pubs where the patrons would stand to eat and drink.

The tradition continues at the historic Cheney Mansion with the Garden Club’s fifth annual afternoon tea on Wednesday, June 5 at 1:30 p.m.  The RSVP’S have been tallied, the savories and tea ordered, the table settings and flowers planned.  We look forward to pouring tea for our friends and enjoying a stroll around the gardens.   Barbara and her committee have done all they can to prepare for this event, now we can only hope mother nature cooperates with nice weather.