Each year, when the kids visit Nana and Papa in June, a group of us girls celebrate Sarah's birthday at The Garden Gate Tea Room, a tradition that began with her 5th birthday when we lived in Mount Dora, Florida.
At The Garden Gate, celebrating her 11th birthday
From left to right, me, Sarah, Nana's neighbor, Connie, and Nana, all sipping on Sarah's favorite, raspberry tea. Nana has celebrated every year with us, and this is Connie's third year. The first year, one of Sarah's little friends, Abby, and her mom were with us, and two years ago, Aunt Jenn joined us. Next year, we hope both Connie and Aunt Jenn can celebrate with us!
This is Sarah's favorite table at The Garden Gate, and since it's her birthday, we let her sit on the comfy sofa to enjoy her afternoon tea.
The first course of our tea consisted of a garden salad drizzled with a citrus dressing and a cheese souffle.
I forgot to take a picture of the second course (I was too busy enjoying it) which was raspberry sorbet. Our third course, above, were tea sandwiches that were unbelievably yummy! There was Sarah's favorite, peanut butter and grape jelly, along with asparagus sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, walnut/cream cheese sandwiches, and curried chicken salad sandwiches.
When our fourth course came, it was the moment that Sarah had been waiting for -- dessert! There were homemade scones with strawberry cream, cream puff swans filled with strawberry cream, cream puffs filled with vanilla cream, petit fours, eclairs and chocolate covered strawberries.
After that incredible dessert display, the sweet ladies in the kitchen brought Sarah an ice cream sundae with a candle on it. After gorging herself on pastries, she was only able to take a few bites!
Sarah with Karen, whose mind The Garden Gate was born from, who is a sweet and gentle kindred sister in Christ. While Karen was sitting with us, she shared the history of the house that is now known as The Garden Gate. It once belonged to a doctor who ran his practice from the house, and then he and his wife turned it into a maternity home for unwed mothers. Many of the babies were born right in the house. As the babies have grown up, they have returned to the house where they were born, as have their birth mothers, and Karen has witnessed some very sweet reunions. Knowing the history of the house endears The Garden Gate all the more to me, as I was born to an unwed mother, and I hope that there were those who reached out to her in her shame the way this doctor and his wife reached out to the young mothers who came to them.
Sarah opening a gift from Karen -- a beautiful teapot charm!
Karen's sweet staff gave Sarah this teapot night light.
Sarah standing next to a pair of doves in the courtyard of The Garden Gate.
This courtyard is one of the most tranquil places I know to enjoy lunch with someone special. Tom and I spent several afternoons here while we lived in Mount Dora.
The courtyard
The courtyard
The Garden Gate Gift Shop - a place that us girls love to browse and visit in -- we've been known to purchase a tea cup or two!
Tom pulled the trailer down for him and I to stay in while we were visiting my parents (the kids wanted us at Nana and Papa's as little as possible). As we were driving to my parents' this evening, we were delighted with a double rainbow in front of us.
This was the most brilliant rainbow I have ever seen! Unfortunately, this picture doesn't do it justice!
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