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Sunday, April 22, 2012

Tuesday Cuppa Tea Happy Birthday Shakespeare!

Welcome to Tuesday Cuppa Tea!  I am joining the other blogs listed at the bottom of the post. The linky is there too, so you can join in!



Please join me in wishing William Shakespeare Happy 448th Birthday on April 23!  Amazing! The most read, memorized, published and produced playwright in history! Now that's someone to celebrate! There are yearly celebrations with parades, special presentations and picnics, but this year will be bigger as it joins with Festival 2012 which has been joined with Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Here is a website with all the festivities:
Shakespeare's birthday celebration 2012


In honour of Shakespeare's birthday I have a Shakespeare's Country blue ironstone transferware cup and saucer by Ridgway, England from the 1950s.




The design includes Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare is buried and his swwetheart Anne Hathaway's cottage which is just a bit along the river Avon in Stratford-Upon-Avon.



That is quintessential Stratford. We have to pass through Stratford each time we go to the various family homes in the Midlands. Stratford is at the top of the Cotswolds. We could go the motorway route, but it is too stressy  for us as well as missing all the gorgeous villages on the way up from London. Yes...it takes a lot longer, but we usually make the trip in 2-3 days using only A and B roads and avoiding the motorways, stopping at favorite places, like Lower Slaughter. 



The one thing that we don't like, is the A422, I think, has to go through the center of Stratford and crosses a humpback bridge that is a real bottleneck. We try to avoid going through on weekends when Stratford is packed.





This is the Queen's Head pub in Stratford where we have stopped for lunch.


This is the Royal Shakespeare Theater in Stratford which is a wonderful year round venue. We have seen Judi Dench and other famous actors at work here. The tour is fun too!



I thought this sign was fun, and certainly shows you the options. All the major Shakespeare sites are quite walkable.


Above is a favorite...Harvard House, the founder of Harvard University who emigrated to escape religious prosecution.

Just outside Stratford is the Bancroft Boat Basin on The Avon River where several canals cross the river. We love canals, and often stop here with a picnic lunch before heading through Stratford.



Here is Shakespeare's grave and monument in Holy Trinity Church.




And here is a decorative Leonardo teapot we have in the shop that is so cute! For more on the cup and saucer or teapot at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.




So... I raise a cup of Ty-Phoo...a Midlands tea, to William Shakespeare! Happy Birthday!

My honey's favorite...but then he's a midlands guy! Roots for Aston Villa!


Have a great day visiting the other blogs, and enjoy a cuppa tea for Will!




Monday Marketplace
Terri~  http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday
Trisha~  http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/ 
Tea Party Tuesday
Teatime Tuesday
Kathy~  http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com
Victoria - A Return to Loveliness
Martha~  http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday 
Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Friends Sharing Tea Wednesday
Tea With Friends
Celia ~ http://attitudeivlife.blogspot.com/  Afternoon Tea
Wanda Lee ~ http://theplumedpen.blogspot.ca Tuesday Teatime 
What’s It Wednesday
Thursday Tea Things And Talk
Teacup Thursday
Vintage Thingie Thursday

28 comments:

  1. Oh! Love this, Ruth! I plumb forgot it was Shakespeare's birthday this week - it's my daughter's birthday, too, which I've been thinking about celebrating. My apologies to the Bard! Great pictures - wish I was there - and LOVE the pot! So clever!!
    Joy!
    Kathy

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  2. Oh I so like that blue and white teacup.
    I grew up in the Midlands and spent some happy times in Stratford Upon Avon, including dressing up in the actors clothes in the Foyer of the Theatre. Lovely memories. Thank you xx

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  3. Hi Ruth, I love the blue transferware! I enjoyed seeing Stratford as well. How fortunate you have been to enjoy travels in England! I've been there, but only to London for 3 days and I desperately want to go back. Loved London and want to see the rest.
    Hugs and blessings, Beth

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  4. Ehat a fun and interesting post. I loved all the pictures. I am featuring a blue and white Ridgeway teacup as well today. thank you for hosting and have a wonderful day!

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  5. Hi Ruth,
    the Leonardo tea pot is amazing. What a fun to play with that tea time. Thank you for all the interesting information about Shakespeare. The china looks also great.
    best greetings, Johanna

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  6. Such an interesting teapot and I do love the Shakespearean teacup! I love transferware as you know! Wonderful post, Ruth! Thank you for sharing.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  7. Hi Ruth!
    I love the Leonardo teapot and the blue transferware. Thank you for hosting and have a great week.
    ~Clara

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  8. Hello Ruth
    I like the blue transferware and your tribute to Shakespeare's birthday.
    Judith

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  9. Such an interesting post. I've always wanted to go to England and travel the country roads to see all the quaint Inns and homes. I've just started to collect transferware and get so excited when I come across a piece I can afford. I wish I would have collected them years ago! Thank you for sharing,
    Nancy

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  10. Loved the post. Last spring we lived in the village of Swerford -- halfway between Stratford and Oxford (more or less) -- we went into Stratford a lot to do our shopping. You brought back a lot of great memories!

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  11. Great post - great informatoon and great fun.I have a great Shakespeare Slam post full of how to create your own curses at http://departingthetext.blogspot.com
    Hope you visit too!
    Thanks for hosting, have a great week.

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  12. Very nice blue cup and so fitting in William Shakespeare's birthday. I like the Tudor style of the houses. Fun teapot. I wish you a great week! Zinnia

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  13. A great way to celebrate Shakespear's birthday ... with tea! I really like the Ridgeway ironstones and this one is perfect for the occasion. Happy Tea Day and thank you for hosting.

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  14. Lovely blog and very informative post. When I owned my tea shop our house tea was Yorkshire Gold and so many British customers would come for a "proper" cuppa. Americans are better known for making great coffee than tea...but we are getting there! When I was growing up the only time we had hot tea was when we were sick ... It took me a long time not to associate it only with being ill. Thanks for sharing. Blessings, Linda

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  15. I'm a big Shakespeare Fan ..Thanks for all the grand information... and your tea set is perfect for the birthday celebrations... Fabulous post....Hugs

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  16. Hello Ruth,
    I loved every bit of your fabulous post! I do love Shakespeare and so I really enjoyed what you have shared. I adore the tea cup set too. What a great set to have!
    Hugs,
    Terri

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  17. I'm so glad I found your blog via the weekly Tea Parties! I am now following you and look forward to reading more of your posts.

    Best wishes,
    Natasha in Oz

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  18. Thank you for sharing your English stomping grounds with us. I had no idea it was Shakespeare's Birthday. Love your transferware cup.

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  19. Charming post! Thank for visiting the other day. Best wishes.

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  20. WOnderful post, loved the info and photos! I have not been to England...but someday. I love Macbeth and have a book of Shakespeare's complete works. Thx for hosting~

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  21. THANK YOU for removing word verification!

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  22. How fun. I learned alot about Shakespeare. The tea cup and saucer are beautiful. The tea pot is so unique. Thanks for sharing!
    Hugs,
    Jann

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  23. What a great history lesson! I have never seen a tea pot like that. Really interesting. Happy VTT

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  24. Fantastic post! I am a big-time Shakespeare fan and I loved all the photos! Also the teapot. My husband would hate it but I'd love it on out kitchen shelf!

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  25. Thank you so much for your sweet comment on my blog, and I just love this post. I love Shakespeare and I have to tell you that while I am not one prone to much jealousy, I am TOTALLY jealous that you get to travel through Stratford on a regular occasion. I visited the UK in high school for a month and I have been homesick ever since (hello... that was 17 years ago!). Im a total anglophile and I loved my visit to Stratford, and thank you for posting this lovely tour and a remembrance of Shakespeare. Blessings!

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  26. Hi Ruth....so many pix to enjoy! I loved your post today. I dream of going to England someday!

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  27. Thanks for coming by and leaving a sweet comment. I hope you will come back soon.
    I didn't know about your linky party...glad to have it on my list now.
    Very interesting post...love Shakespeare, even if I don't always understand him. :)
    If I am not already, I will be following you.
    xo bj

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  28. What an amazingly lovely place! I'd love to be able to visit! I appreciate you taking us along and sharing with A Return to Loveliness,
    Kathy

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Thanks for visiting and we love to hear from you! We read every comment. If my husband's health permits, I love to visit andreply. Have a wonderful day and a cuppa tea always at hand! :)