Susan Branch Zoom Tea Party with Titcomb's Bookshop

 

Was it a Christmas Tea in honor of Susan Branch's new Christmas Book? Or a tea party celebration in honor of my birthday? Hmmmm

I was hoping to make it a Christmas Tea. But I got very involved in a pantry escapade that I will blog later and Sunday snuck up on me.  I was going to make Christmas cookies and snacks, but again time slipped away. 

Somewhat impressive? Ah, but the true story.

Maybe not as impressive as it looks?

Chicken Salad from the grocery deli on white bread, crab salad from the grocery deli on toast and leftover coleslaw from my daughter. 

My assistant chef decided she wanted to make a baloney sandwich with mayonnaise and some Ritz crackers instead. 

Lemon cake courtesy of Pepperidge Farms refrigerator cake, Chocolate cake courtesy of my daughter in law, an exquisite cake baker and berry mini muffins from a 99 cent mix. 

The lovely Susan Branch, sharing some family pictures at the beginning of her book talk. 

The lovely owners of Titcomb's Bookshop who encouraged Mr. Joe B. Hall to make an appearance, too! 

Behind the scenes: The piles of home school materials and a large boxes that my grandchildren were using to create a playhouse. 

Dressed to party! My granddaughter wore her coat and dress from the Nutcracker Ballet last December to join me on my special birthday. Can you guess which one? 

Susan Branch Booked for Lunch Zoom

 I thought I better blog my experience at the Susan Branch Booked for Lunch zoom meeting in August before the Susan Branch zoom meeting in September! 

The zoom meeting was facilitated by the Duxbury Senior Center who partners monthly with the Duxbury Free Library, both in Massachusetts, to invite an author to speak in person at their facility. Those who participate can pick up a lunch at a nearby caterer to bring along. 

Due to the pandemic, the Booked for Lunch event with Susan Branch shifted to a zoom meeting! This meant I could participate from Ohio! I quickly became one of the first 1200 to register. The event was so popular, it was repeated a second day. My only disappointment was that I could not pick up a boxed lunch at the caterer. 

I served a quick lunch to my four grandchildren, youngest daughter and husband and shooed them out the door to the play yard for sixty minutes.  Earlier I had prepared my own special lunch treats, grabbed some jewelry (since this is my first dinner with anyone outside my house since February), my grandmother's hat, my mother's tea plate set and got ready to log on! 

Cucumber Sandwiches on buttered bread, Rosemary Chicken Salad in pastry cups, Ham and Swiss on party rye. Fudge Brownies, Lemon Loaf and Mixed Berry Mini Muffins.

My gramma's hat, My new Harney & Sons Iced Tea Pitcher with Wild Orchid Teas (Toledo), "Ginger, Orange, Peach White Tea, and my mother's tea cup snack set.

It's her! Susan Branch, my favorite author! I have met her in person twice. This was almost as good. Savories and sweets on the left, tea on the right.

This is how Susan writes her books, all hand lettered with drawings and photos - just like the journal you would keep if you were that talented, too!

Susan walked us through her trip to the English Countryside, starting on the cruise over the Atlantic to get there. It was like listening to a friend, hearing some of the same stories (because I have read and reread her books) and learning some new tidbits. And all the other girl friends participated, too, using the small chat window at the bottom. It was like an intimate, gigantic party with twelve hundred of your best friends!

And because you can't do all that baking and sandwich making just for yourself, I made carryout boxes for my nearest next door neighbors and dropped them off on their porches! 

I am super excited for this month's tea party for a few reasons. First, it really is a tea party! Susan is encouraging us to have our tea and tea cups ready for the zoom tea party. Second, it is a Christmas party - Susan has just published a new book about her Christmases as a child in the late 1950's in California with her large family!  I might even have to bake some Christmas cookies to go with my tea. Third, it is the weekend of my birthday and I am planning my own birthday party to go with it. I even have decorations for my own self!  I will share those details in the tea party post. 

The details for this months tea, sponsored by Titcomb's Bookstore in East Sandwich, Massachusetts, are available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-tea-with-susan-branch-tickets-115414109709