The Ladies Grey and Wallis and Edward

I guess I've been on a British kick lately.
Last night, I talked the DH into watching the Wallis and Edward DVD with me.  I enjoyed it (speaking only for myself here).  That's not a part of history (British and American) I'm much acquainted with, so it was interesting and educational.  (I find the British monarchy a historical curiosity and at the same time ridiculous.)

I also just finished the book, The Sisters Who Would Be Queen.  The book was well researched and showed that love, religious strife and ambition played as much a role in the 1500s as they do today.  Set among the time prior to and during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, it tells the story of the Grey sisters who also had claims to the throne. I read it like a novel!

What are your favorite British works, either novels or historical pieces?

Fisher Fair Scone

Fisher Fair Scones

I had not heard of Fisher Fair Scones until I picked up the mix from my local grocer's aisle and read the info on the side of the box.  Apparently Fisher scones have been served at fairs and festivals in the NW since 1915.  Any of my NW friends out there have stories to tell about these?  I'd love to hear them!

The boxed mix turned out well.  All it took was the mix, some water and some extra flour for the hand work.  (Warning:  These make sticky dough!)  The scones were light and fluffy and sweet.  If you want to whip them up from scratch, check out the original 1930's recipe (from Labour of Love's blog).

What I'm Up To...

Enjoying some time exploring Oregon with Mom

A New Lunch Bag

Even though I'm no longer living in a college town, fall seems like a new start to me.  I've had fun donating school supplies to a local drive.  And I wanted (and needed) a new lunch bag.  I whipped this one up from a pattern in this book.  I love the way it works and the size. You can see below that I was able to carry a sandwich, cheese stick, yogurt and container of granola.

The way the bag works is cool - the handles allow you to tie it off and secure everything snugly.  This works great for my bike commute. 

Now for those of you with a focus on details, you might notice my raw edges are showing.  I messed up.  Nonetheless, it works fine!

Wildness in the City

The DH and I recently discovered a forgotten nursery, a wild spot in the midst of the city!  Roses escaping...reaching for the sky, the sun, the rain.  Up, up, out, out!  I love this bit of wildness in the city! A forgotten place of beauty that delights me.

Boxes and Tins of Tea

Boxes and tins of tea are so pretty and colorful!  I keep an eye open for the interesting ones.  Here are a few I've found...

Two spellings for tea, depending on which side of the tin you show. 
From Turkuaz in my beloved B-town.

An overwhelming number of choices at an Asian market

A marketing/art department with a sense of humor.
Found along the Oregon coast.

Tea Explorations

I've been having lots of fun exploring new (and old) teas lately! 

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to try some unusual matcha-styled (powdered) teas with Lindsey, of Vee Tea.  She's had special training in the preparation of matcha, and I loved watching her whisk up the fine powder to a froth.  These teas were non-traditional matchas, in that they were chosen for their high antioxidant levels and made into powder.  The thought is the powdered tea will offer even more health benefit when a person ingests the whole leaf.  I'm not able to comment on the validity of this claim, but I find it an interesting concept.  One of the teas, a white, made a lovely froth and silver-green color (reminding me of a silver artemesia plant).

We started with a high-quality matcha, Matcha Hekisui, then progressed to the non-traditional ones.  Here is Lindsey whisking up the first matcha.

The powdered white tea, after whisking

Today we had a puerh sampling session.  We tasted two special varieties, one packed in a bamboo stalk and the other in a pomelo rind.  These are the "old" teas I referenced above because puerh tea is aged.  It was fascinating to loosen the brick-like tea from its container and then notice the aroma of the dry leaf, the wet leaf and the flavor differences both within the same tea at different brew lengths, and between the teas.

Tea will continue to be a life-long study and passion.  There is so much to learn and explore.

A Temporary?? Pleasure

I recently had a very nice lunch at a local antique store/cafe near me.  When I shared my pleasure with the server, she let me know that there was a good chance the place would close in January.  My heart sank. 

I had a delicious lunch (sandwich, soup, heavenly marionberry scone with cream, well-made English Breakfast loose tea and milk and sugar).  I was excited about making this a regular thing.  It's very close to where I live.  I don't know the drivers for the closure, could be a victim of the economy...could be the owner has inspiring plans elsewhere.  Selfishly, I hope it stays open, but I know that my desires might not be for the greater good.  Nonetheless, I can hope and enjoy it while it's here! 

Note:  I'm leaving the restaurant nameless in case it remains open!  At that point I will celebrate and share the name!

Public Art, Tea Themed

I love public art!  Imagine my happiness when I found this gem in Portland, near PGE Park.  So cool!

1000 Layer Cracker

On a recent Trader Joe's shopping excursion, these "1000 layer crackers" caught my attention.  According to the package, they've been enjoyed in China for ages.

While there may not actually be 1000 layers, these are very delicious and simple crackers.  In fact, I was super impressed by the short ingredients list: wheat flour, palm oil, sugar, sesame, salt.

I really, really liked the sweet-salty-sesame mix of the crackers, and the texture was also fantastic.  However, each cracker is wrapped individually in plastic.  Excessive.  I probably won't buy them again because of that.  Dang it.

What Is Cobbler to You?

Blackberry Cobbler, Dear Hubby Style

What is cobbler to you?  To me, it's made in a rectangular pan, pie crust on bottom and top (the more the better; we fight for the corners!), and fruit filling in between.

To the DH, it's fruit on bottom with a biscuit topping that allows room for the fruit filling to bubble up.

Both are delicious.  Which style is yours?  (See Poll at right.)

Chocolate and Orchids and Poems

These chocolates and the orchid came from some sweethearts. Thank you, my circle of friends!I thought the poems fit well and hope you enjoy both the visuals and the poetry.

Cocoa, divine
by Dorean Malandra-Dara

O sweet divinity

dark lusciousness of a time put off

guide me through the tides of crimson rushes

there is none finer that I may know

than perhaps a dip into the passions

that ethyr knows not

my dark love

bind the curse by one and two and three

rid the pain from thee

as i indulge in your flavorful essence

once more.

just an indulgence here and there

but once a month thou art my saviour

dedicated to consume and devour

until all pain has been curbed

and lust dissolved.

Woman as Orchid
by Isolde

People say that Orchids are hard to care for,
An urban legend that swirls around those bright
Beautiful red blue orange pink yellow dark light
Flowers goddesses that
Lean and lounge sensually from every
Elite doorstep, every corporate hallway
And are so often looked past in florist's windows because
A vicious reputation precedes them.
Yet my orchids grow, wild and fair
With hardly a care from my almost-
Green hands, reaching, floating,
Dripping down their own stems
Filling the world of my room with
Such an effortless exotic grace and Pop.

Orchids are women, a female flower
Undeniably
Then women are orchids as well?

Women are lush, curved, open and pinked
Sometimes blooming, sometimes waiting
Catching the sunlight as it dapples in
White yellow spots on our shiny leaves,
Stems and buds.

People say that women can be hard to care for,
An urban legend that swirls around our
Long hair and pointed shoes,
Every day goddesses that
Lean and lounge and work and play
And hurt and cry and love and laugh
And try and fail and try and win and
Hope and pray and want and need and
Walk past you, day in and day out
Searching for a place or a way to set down
Our own roots, our own strength
In a world that sighs and says
"they are pretty, but too much work...I'll take
A peace lily instead."

Harney & Sons Tea Tasting: Bancha

Bancha tea is an everyday green consumed widely in Japan.  Bancha comes from the same plant as Sencha tea, however it is picked in a later harvest.  This later harvest makes for a lower-grade tea.  Even within Bancha, there are a number of grades.

Bancha is made with both leaf and twig, which you can see in the picture above.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this tea.  I prefer smooth teas.  Ones that are what I can only describe as "metallic" are not among my regulars.  However, I liked this tea just fine.  I drank several cups.  Mine came from Harney & Sons.  Not sure of the grade.

The wet leaf plumps up.  I steeped for 2 min at 175 degrees.

As Harney described, the liquor is bright yellow. 

All in all, this was a flavorful tea.  To read another review, check out Angela's.

Cherries in 3 Steps

Step 1:  Find an abandoned cherry tree and pick a lot!  (A mix of red and black cherries shown.)

Step 2:  Make this simple cherry syrup.  I used honey.

Step 3:  Serve with ice cream and live in the moment.

Tea Chai Te

One of the best parts about being new in town is the chance to explore all the tea spots!  I am so grateful for a diversity of tea establishments.  Wonderful though my Midwestern town was, it lacked a good tea shop.

Here there are several and last week I visited Tea Chai Te.  This place has a fabulous balcony, and since the summers here are pleasant and not humid, the balcony is a great perch from which to people-watch.  It looks over trendy 23rd Avenue.  The DH enjoyed a bubble tea (surprisingly, not too sweet) and whiled the time away as I visited with a new tea friend.

People-watching porch

I had a hard time choosing from among the many tea choices.  I settled on an oolong and a bowl of vegan stew. Both were good.  The environment inside is relaxing and cozy, with vintage furniture and a casual feeling.  Perfect for a long chat, which mine was.  My companion and I got to know one another and discussed the tea industry for nearly two hours.  How time flies with good company and tea!  

Smelling wall

I'm certain I'll be back.  Next time I hope to try the shop's kombucha.  Tea Chai Te also sells kombucha starter kits, along with a variety of teapots, cups, and loose leaf teas and tisanes.

Tayberries

I'd never heard of Tayberries until I found them recently at my local Farmer's Market.  According to Wikipedia, the tayberry is a cross between a blackberry and a red raspberry.  I found the flavor to be, surprisingly, a bit of both.  I was skeptical that I would find both flavors, but I did.  Note this:  "Unfortunately, Tayberries do not pick easily by hand and cannot be machine harvested and so they have never become a widely grown berry crop."  That explains why I'd never seen them before!

If you get a chance to try a tayberry, please do!  I recommend eating them just as they are.

Can't Get Enough Of...

The Chinese Classical Garden and Teahouse!

Pictured here with Sweetcakes. I'm so glad we got to spend time together in this very special place.  She and Esme gave me a gift membership. 

We enjoyed the gongfu tea ceremony with a Wuyi oolong tea.

Grandpa and Green Plums

The DH (dear hubby) found a couple of abandoned fruit trees recently.  We've been enjoying foraged cherries, red plums and green plums. Have you heard of green plums?  I had not, and they are spectacular!  Sweet and fleshy. 

Plums make me think of my grandparents' farm in the summer.  They always grew plums - red and dark purple.  I ate many a plum straight from the tree and spent the afternoon with sticky chin and stained shirt. Grandma and Grandpa had an ongoing friendly debate about the best care for the plum trees, and forecasts of the harvest.  Grandma's plum jelly is among my favorites!

I would like to write Grandpa a letter and tell him about these green plums.  I would like to share with him my adventures in this foreign land, so similar and yet so different from my home.  Grandpa passed away last week and I miss him.  He taught me to enjoy life slowly, respectfully and simply. 

Off for a few days

Hi, All - I'll be off for a few more days.  Thanks,
stephanie

Premium Steap Citrus Herbal

It's turned sunny, dry and warm with cool overtones in my new home in the Pacific Northwest.  Translation = heaven!  When the weather is so fine, I crave a refreshing brew, and the one that fits the bill this time is a tisane from Premium Steap. 

I am enjoying the Orange Grapefruit blend.  The dry mix is lovely to see and smell!  It includes orange, grapefruit, eucalyptus, hibiscus, lemongrass, bits of tangerine, and blackberry leaves. 

I've brought this into the office and am enjoying it regularly. Thanks to Sweetcakes for introducing me to this tisane.  She served it at a tea party, and I've been hooked ever since.

If you enjoy citrus, I think you will enjoy this tea!  I let it steep for 10 minutes because I like it tart.  I think it would also be tasty with honey.  I'm pretty sure it will be splendid over ice.

Solstice Circles

Last December I sat with a circle of women on the solstice and we wrote together.  That circle formed again last night, and while I wasn't there in person, I was there in spirit. 

I find it fitting that I sat in another circle of women last night, this one focused on tea.  I can't imagine it was a coincidence that this gift was given to me on the solstice!

This concept of circles, people meeting equally, sharing equally, is a very powerful one.  I associate it with women's things, tho it's not limited to that.  (Men are invited to the tea ceremony I experienced, for example.) 

What circles of women are present in your life?

The Original Rose Garden

If you've ever been to Portland, you likely know about the International Rose Test Garden.  Fewer people know about the original rose garden, still glorious as a neighborhood park.  Yesterday I strolled through that original rose garden (thank you, Marilyn!)  I'm very lucky to have locals taking me under their wings and showing me hidden treasures of this vibrant community.

Next time I'm here, I'll pack my journal and a thermos of tea.  It's that kind of place; it invites you to linger.

Sewing Inspiration

Sew, Mama, Sew is having a Make It, Wear It theme this month.  It includes lots of useful tips and tricks, perfect for where I am in my sewing experience.  I'm starting to get excited about it, as I've just unpacked the sewing machine!  Now, if I could just find the thread...

Things I'm Learning From This Move

• The kindness of strangers is wonderful!  We've felt that first-hand as a stranger helped to move us in, up 3 flights of stairs!
• Most of us from "back East" have no idea what the climate of the Pacific Northwest is really like!
• The skies are very dramatic and ever-changing.  It's not just grey.
• Grass green is a very intense color!
• Walking to work has been a true blessing.
• Downsizing is great!!  (From 1800 sq ft to 1400 at the last place to 1100 now).
• Color is important to me.  In a sea of brown boxes, this red teapot and teacup (a pretty gift from Sweetcakes) give me a happy place to rest my eyes.
• Skype is great.  If you have family or friends far away, give it a try!  It's free (but you need a webcam).
• It's fun to think about using spaces in creative ways.
• I need to be gentle with myself during this time of transition.  It's OK that it's taking me longer than I expected to be/feel settled.
• I'm not currently able to blog as frequently as I used to.  We'll see how it goes once I get into a normal routine, and I'll do the best I can.

The Office Tea Situation

I'd grade it an A-.  It's pretty darned good, given the fact that it's in an office setting.  I wouldn't expect loose teas or cups and saucers.

Benefits:

• Wide selection of FREE bagged Stash teas (the company HQ is nearby).
• A hot water spigot that displays the temperature.
• Packets of honey and lemon.

I can work with this!  Once my teas arrive (this week, thank goodness as my move stash is depleted), I will take my own tea in to work.  The water (since I can see the temp) is plenty hot for both black and green teas (if I cool it a bit for the green).  That's a nice surprise!  

I will look forward to sharing my teas with my colleagues! 

How do you wrangle up tea in your work area?

*Image from Microsoft Images

Ephemeral

I like this picture, because it plays with perception and permanence.  It's ephemeral, yet it lasts.  What is the foreground?  What is a reflection?  I like its depth and its not-quite-clearness.  It also represents how I feel right now.  In a transitional space.  Not quite here or there.  No quite grounded.  To borrow a phrase from a friend, I'm working on establishing my "new normal."

This transition has been both harder and easier than I imagined, both extremes in ways that I did not anticipate.  It's taken longer to reground myself.  I'm grieving the losses from this move.  Yet it's been shockingly easy to adjust to the back-to-the-office routine.  Life without a car has been no trouble (even fun!). 

It's a big mish-mash of stuff.  I ask myself:  What is the foreground? What is a reflection? I try to mine this depth and see into the not-quite-clearness.

Tea Zone

I had my first tea outing in the Northwest over the weekend, to The Tea Zone.  And while I've been here before, this time felt different because I knew I'd be back!  The Tea Zone is a casual and hip place to grab a really good cup of tea, lunch, or a tea-cocktail.

I was lucky to be able to try a 1st flush Darjeeling.  1st flush refers to the first picking season of the year.  I was surprised at how green it tasted, in a pleasant way.  I was also thrilled to learn that the owners have a personal relationship with the tea producer for the one I chose. 

Lots more tea stuff to see and explore, and this was a good start!