A Month of Thanksgiving~Afternoon Tea, Read Alouds, and Glazed Cinnamon Scones

It's a perfect respite in the latter part of the day. It's a way to take a breath, slow down, savor the season and the children God has given you. Make a pot of tea, bake some scones, and read together.

We don't do tea time with our read aloud every day, but it's one of my goals this year to make it a regular part of our week. There is something about enjoying tea with others and stories, too, that knit hearts together and make strong memories to last for years to come.

Edith Schaeffer said this about reading aloud to our children:

"Reading together is one of the most important factors in a growing family relationship. Reading aloud is a kind of 'core' for the unity of a family."

And George Grant reminds us:

"Silent reading is a fairly modern innovation. As late as the eighteenth century, it was thought that the best way to truly appreciate the classics was to read them aloud--all the better to relish the beauty of the words, the music of the composition, and the architecture of the ideas."

Now, please don't imagine a scene where the children are quietly lined up on the couch after having QUIETLY sipped their tea and enjoyed their scones. There is a season in life for that, perhaps when all of your children are over a certain age, but in our house, tea time and read aloud are usually an adventure. And you don't have to always connect these two. Have tea. Read aloud. Just do it.

Just don't assume that it will always go smoothly. No, no, no. I don't do this because it's easy or because all of our children cooperate. I do it because it is good, and it's a way to bless our family and serve our children and celebrate His goodness. In fact, most of the things I do in a day that are worthwhile, that have lasting benefits, are challenging, accompanied by many interruptions.

Right now we're reading through The Chronicles of Narnia, and yesterday we enjoyed these scones.

Glazed Cinnamon Scones

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter
1 egg, separated
3 T. honey
1/3 c. buttermilk

Topping:
2 T. turbinado or regular sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1-3 tsp. half and half (or milk)--enough to make glaze
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Separate the egg white and yolk, saving the egg white for brushing on unbaked scones.

In a separate bowl, mix egg yolk, honey, and buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Form dough into a ball on a floured surface and roll or pat out to half an inch in thickness. Cut into triangles or simply use biscuit cutters. Transfer to buttered baking sheet (stoneware is great!). Whisk egg white until frothy and then brush over tops of scones. Mix 2 T. of turbinado or regular sugar with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle over egg-white-topped scones. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Mix together glaze ingredients and drizzle over baked scones.

Praise God for the joy of hearing "May I have another cup of tea and another scone?" and "Please! Read another chapter!" May you know this joy, too!

With love,
Trisha


***recipe from Crystal Paine of Money Saving Mom, with minor changes
***for our family, I double the recipe