Oriental Beauty Tea, unfurling in its own sweet time I'm struggling with control right now.  Well, that I don't have it.  And this ...

In front of Mt. Hood, from the Japanese Garden Sunshine, 75 degrees, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, tea picnic, shopping, dinner out....all ...

Just because they're pretty and I live in the city of the rose... These two shots came from a rose the DH brought me last week.

I visited the International Rose Test Garden yesterday, and it was heaven!  The roses are coming into the first flush (bloom), and the color...

I've been waiting for this strawberry, the first from our garden, for several weeks.  The blossoms came, then the little green baby fru...

Matcha - High in caffeine because you ingest the entire leaf I'd like to share with you this informative post on About.com:  Factors i...

Eat.  Ride the bike (Up, up, up the mountain). Eat. Put my feet up. Eat. Do the dishes. Sleep. Eat. Ride the bike (Long). Eat.  Do laundry ...

There's a new Teavana in town. I had the chance to visit it last night.  These stores are fun for me because they do a great job with ...

Tweed Ride, San Luis Obispo I was walking down the street in San Luis Obispo, CA a few weeks ago.  I looked behind me for a moment, and cau...

Perfectly sliced berries in a strawberry shortcake Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite treats!  Nothing says early summer to me like...

The DH's braised leeks Leeks are a new crop for us.  They like long, mild growing seasons which we have plenty of around here.  We feas...

I chose the title of this blog post deliberately... practicing joy .  Because sometimes we just have to make ourselves practice something t...

I'm happy to be participating in Sew, Mama, Sew!'s latest giveaway day.  Spring is so special, for so many reasons - even with the...

Circle of Friends I've been tracking moments of joy this year, and one thing's for sure...there are joyful moments each day when we...

Woodland Hyacinth If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft, And from thy slender store two loaves alone to thee are left, Sell one, and wit...

Just a quick note about a couple of Giveaways... Pop over to This Good Life and support her first blog giveaway.  It's tea-themed!  T...

Josh Chamberlain, making a refreshing and like-no-other iced tea On a fine, fine spring day last weekend I shared several cups of tea with ...

Photo by Mitra Kanten, cherry blossom floating in agar agar So many times I have mentioned feeling really fortunate here in Portlan...

My new spring dress My friend CO Tea Lover gave me this great pattern for Christmas, and encouraged me to up my sewing game.  With the prom...

Happy Earth Day!  (And happy birthday to Esme!) Photo taken by Voyager I, 1977 Today, as we sip our tea, let's think about its impa...