The Finish Line

To the best of my knowledge, I've blogged every day in November! Wahoo! And I only had to cheat with fluff content a couple of times. Participating in National Blog Posting Month was much more challenging than I anticipated. I'm a frequent blogger by my nature, so I thought it would be no big deal. What I realized is that the days I don't blog are as important as the days I do! They give me ideas and passion to write more. So now I will return to my frequent - but not every day - blogging. I hope you come back!

A special thanks to those of you who visited, and especially those who left comments!

Consciously Gifting

I'm trying to be very conscious about how I give gifts for the holidays this year. I'm trying to minimize the obligatory gift-giving and, when I do give gifts, I'm trying to put a lot of thought and time into the selection. I'm also trying to make my holiday as "green" as possible. What tips and ideas can you offer? Here are my plans.

#1 - Limit the number of gifts I give. There are a handful of gifts I give out of habit - not because I really want to. I'm letting go of these in favor of offering my heartfelt well-wishes. I'm also letting GO of the associated guilt.

#2 - Give donations. I started this for b-day gifts last year and felt really good about it! I like to give to Heifer International. Instead of giving my new niece a bunch of plastic toys, I'm giving a donation to her college fund.

#3 - Give experiences. I really like this one because it can fit any budget, inspires creativity and is what people want most from us - our time. Last year I gave the DH (dear hubby) gift certificates for a walk in the woods, a homemade treat, etc. He loved them!

#4 - Give homemade gifts that people will really like. For example, I made homemade blueberry jam this year and a few folks will be seeing it for Xmas.

#5 - When I do want to purchase something special (and I'm cutting back on this with the items above), I try to give from people I know or artists I can connect with. Examples:
-Chocolates from two local chocolate stores. I've met the owners and the money stays local.
-Handmade items direct from artists. Here are some of my favorite options:

• Glass hearts and other items from Enchanted Moon Studios. Thank you, Cindy, for following your passion!
• Gorgeous, one-of-a-kind jewelry from Junque Revival. I have a necklace from Jes and it's one of my absolute favorites.
• Mixed media prints from Kelly Rae.

#6 - Give TEA!

#7 - Buying absolutely no wrapping materials - zip, nada, nothing, zero, zilch! Recycling existing materials in creative ways to wrap fabulous presents. (I even have some wrapping I saved from pretty gifts last year!)

If you have any suggestions to offer, I'd love to hear them!

Long Spout Tea Pouring

Check out this interesting article about pouring tea from a long-spout kettle. (Thanks to Tea Guy Speaks for the reference.)

Photo from article

While you're at it, here are a few other interesting tidbits I've found recently...

* A new variation on tea and toast. Note: I think "pud" refers to "pudding, " a generic way of referring to dessert in Britain. (From Tea Guy Speaks)

* Crack-me-up teapots. (From Morning Coffee & Afternoon Tea)

* Knitting Tea Cozies - with a reference to a tea quilting pattern (from Tea with Friends)

* Voice your etiquette pet peeves. (From Tea Party Girl)

Tiny Asian Tea Set

This beautiful, tiny Asian tea set came in the mail to me recently. It was an unexpected gift and I was delighted! Look at how lovely the hand painted scene is. I've seen lots of small European-style tea sets, but never one like this. Thank you!

A Grandmother's Gift

The day was perfect for tea! Chilly, rainy and gray. Three friends joined A at her lovely home, nestled in the woods on the outskirts of town. We watched the rain and the leaves fall while we sat snugly in her beautiful home.

This was a special tea party because we used china that had been passed from A's grandmother to her mother and now to her. It's beautiful china, but the true specialness is in the love and memories that come along with it.

I spent Thanksgiving in a quiet way this year, which is the antidote to my recently very busy schedule. And I also missed being with family and friends (both near and far). I stumbled across this poem today (author unknown) and thought it echoed my sentiments well.

I wish we could sit down together
And have a cup of tea
But since we can’t
When you have this one
I hope you’ll think of me.

I had the honor today of sharing a cup of tea and treats with friends. I'll blog more about that tomorrow, but I just wanted to say "thank you" to A for opening her home and time to me!

Tuba Santas

I'm sipping a cup of Royal Star tea (a souvenir from my Tea in London trip) and thinking how perfectly timed these extra few days away from work have been! I needed a break!

Today I enjoyed one of my (new) favorite holiday traditions - the Tuba Santas! This is a group of tuba players from Indiana University. The group plays Christmas carols and raises money for charity. The sounds of the tubas are fantastic! It's such a jovial instrument. Harvey Phillips (on the left in the photo) is the founder of the Tuba Santas, and it's a delight to hear him sing "Santa Wants a Tuba for Christmas." Here is more about the Tuba Christmas organization.


















There is so much for me to fret over in the "holiday" season. I can easily get overwhelmed by the busyness, the expectations, the consumerism. And then there are such sweet things, like the Tuba Santas. They give me a very old-fashioned experience as Harvey talks about good will and giving to those less fortunate and praying for world peace. I long for the world to have this kind of Christmas experience - one where the emphasis is on family (by birth and by choice) and sharing with those in need, not the newest toy to hit the stores or the 4:00 am store openings.

I've enjoyed and been encouraged by Tea Party Girl's suggestions for reclaiming the holiday experience for ourselves. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, another holiday or simply the return of the light to the northern hemisphere....may it be meaningful for you!

Canopy of Lights

Image from downtownbloomington.com

It's finally cold here in the Midwest! (I think I've said that twice before, then it kept warming up!) I think this might really be winter. Tonight, I am looking forward to the canopy of lights, a celebration in which the courthouse square is lit with holiday lights. Carolers abound, the mayor speaks (and everyone wishes he'd hurry), girl scout troops sell hot chocolate. It's great fun! Tonight will be wonderfully chilly.

Here's a nice winter and tea quote for this festive Friday:

"Surely everyone is aware of the divine pleasures which attend a wintry fireside: candles at four o'clock, warm hearth rugs, tea, a fair tea-maker, shutters closed, curtains flowing in ample draperies to the floor, whilst the wind and rain are raging audibly without."

-- Thomas De Quincey

A Local Thanksgiving Dinner

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have some friends that are celebrating today with a Thanksgiving dinner that is as local as possible. The turkey is from a local farm. The vegetables are from a local CSA (community-supported agriculture) farm and the farmer's market. It's a marvelous thing. They are truly eating with the season and with bounty of the immediate area.

Food that is grown within your region (and thus picked at ripeness) and not subjected to long-distant transport is more nutritious, better for the environment, and in support of your neighbors.

People like my friends who strive to live simply and consciously inspire me!

Teasmade

A "teasmade" is an interesting tea device popular in the 1960s and 70s, tho its history can be traced to Victorian times. A teasmade is a combo alarm clock and automatic tea maker. Enjoy your piping hot tea first thing, without having to leave the comfort of bed!

Photo from teasmade.com

Photo from ebay.com

Teasmades are quite collectible. Check out teasmade.com or ebay.com to see the extent of their popularity. I don't own one, tho I am keeping my eye open for any that may appear in the local antique mall.

If you have a teasmade, please tell us about it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Buy Nothing Day

I plan to post soon on the topic of the politics of tea (per a reader question). In the mean time, I encourage you to join me in celebrating Buy Nothing Day. It's Friday, Nov 23, the day after Thanksgiving - traditionally, the busiest shopping day of the year.

Join me in this "consumer fast!"

Tea Tastings and Tea Parties

Hello, All! I've had some very enlightening comments on my previous post about a tea tasting that I did recently! The enlightening part is that the phrase "tea tasting" is being interpreted to mean"tea party" while the two are quite different. Here's my attempt to explain the differences.

Tea Party - Traditional British-style afternoon tea, often with three courses (savories, breads, sweets). Brought into fame by Anna, the Duchess of Bedford. This can be a very fancy affair, but it can also be a very humble and simple event. Both varieties - and all those in between - are lovely. I've written before about hoping more men in the US will learn to enjoy this experience, as they do in Europe.

Tea Tasting - Very much like a wine tasting. The emphasis is on the tea itself - the variety, where and how it is grown and processed, the look, flavor, aroma, body, finish. I don't serve food during the tea tasting so that it does not interfere with the tea. These are unfrilly events - I tend to use glass teapots (to showcase the steeping leaf) and handleless cups. This is the type of event I blogged about yesterday. I find tea tastings to be a great way to introduce men to the joys of tea because tea tastings are unfrilly and unpretentious.

Tea Tasting

I recently had the fun privilege of hosting a birthday tea tasting for two lovely women and their friends. 14 eager learners joined us to try 5 different teas. We tasted a white, green, oolong, black, and pu-erh (left to right below, showing the steeped leaves).

What I particularly enjoyed was this group's great explanations of the tea flavors and aromas. I asked them to put aside judgement in favor of using descriptive terms. They came up with some great ones! In addition, I was very impressed that there were as many men in attendance as women. I am inspired!

Smirnoff's Raw "Tea"

The DH (dear hubby) and I were strolling through the grocery store today when he said, "Oh - there's something I want to show you!" He took me down the beverage aisle and proudly pointed out a new tea product - Smirnoff's Raw Tea. (The DH is always on the lookout for tea products.)

From the product website (which you must be 21 to enter), there are apparently 2 varieties - East coast and West coast. All we saw today was the West coast variety, which is ironic, given that I live east of the Mississippi! Both varieties are malt beverages. If you want a good laugh, check out the videos on the website! That's all I say.

After a very short deliberation in which we considered trying some, we agreed we could live without the experience. Neither of us imagined we'd care for it, then we'd be stuck with the six-pack. If you give this a try, I'd love to hear your reaction!

Teas on Sale

In honor of Thanksgiving, and my being incredibly grateful for tea and the way of tea, I am running a sale on a few of my tea favorites. These are teas that are seasonally inclined and ones that I think will blend nicely with a Thanksgiving dinner.

If you are interested in purchasing a tea, send an e-mail to stephw7@sbcglobal.net. Thanks!

Photo from corbis.com

Serve before dinner
Pumpkin Spice - Breathe in the wonderful aroma of pumpkin pie spices and watch your guests relax as they dream of treats to come. Normally $2/oz - on sale for $1.75/oz.

Serve with dinner
Ice Wine - One of my favorites! This black tea is scented and flavored with Canadian Ice Wine. Works well with some of the heavy foods of Thanksgiving. Normally $2/oz - on sale for $1.75/oz.

Serve with dessert
Chai - Black tea flavored with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and a secret spice. Normally $2.75/oz - on sale for $2.25/oz.

OR, for the traditionalist or those who prefer a decaf...
Earl Grey Decaf - A traditional tea (flavored with bergamot) in the decaf variety. Normally $2.75/oz. - on sale for $2.25/oz.

The Wailin' Jennys

I blogged about the Wailin' Jennys way back in March, but that was a long time ago and I have several new readers, so I thought I'd take the chance to sing their praises (hee hee) once more. Here is the group's wikipedia entry.

The Wailin Jennys are a Canadian girl band. They sing folkish stuff. I heard them at Lotus Fest a few years ago. They are incredible! They write most of their own stuff, play many different instruments each, and have the most hauntingly beautiful harmonies I've heard since Wilson Phillips (yes, that dates me!).

Hear their song One Voice here. This song moves me to tears. It's so beautiful, so metaphorical.
Today is one of those days where I listen to this song over and over and over.

The 40 Days CD won a Juno award (the Canadian version of a Grammy).

Speaking Out Loud

Tonight I am reading a piece that I've been working on for my Women Writing for (a) Change class. It's a public "readaround." I'm excited and a little nervous.

It's funny, really, because I do a lot of public speaking for my job. Sometimes I speak to very large audiences. I don't generally get nervous there. But this is different - these are my words, my stories. Personal and important to me.

The good news is that the writing class is structured to provide a safe and supportive environment. I'm looking forward to this -- and to the treats and goodies that will be at the reception when we're done! :-)

Curbing the Clothes Collection

I like clothes and have the tendency to collect them. (Shoes, too.) Some would say it's an addiction. I've been working over the past several years to learn new behaviors and to stop this clothes-hoarding tendency.

My clothes collecting came to a head when I had my first job out of grad school. Three things merged to make clothes shopping and hoarding a very fun - but very bad - habit:

• I had money in my pocket
• I needed clothes of the professional type (I had to wear a suit)
• I lived across the street from a Marshall's (like a TJ Maxx, to those of you East of the Mississippi)

In addition, I was still lugging around clothes and shoes from my college (even high school!) days. My closet was a mess! Clothes were crammed together, sometimes 2-3 on a hanger, shoes spilled out of the closet, etc. I'm generally a neat person, and this was a source of stress for me. Plus, I couldn't possibly wear everything I had, and that was another source of stress.


What my closet used to look like
Photo from corbis.com

Over the past 10 years (yes, it's taken 10!), I've learned some strategies to curb my inner clothes hog. I'll share them below. But here's the real magic of this work: I feel so much BETTER with fewer clothes, fewer shoes. Seriously! When I open my closet, there is breathing space - I can easily see my clothes, and I see things I like. I continue to struggle with the wanting, but I am happy with my progress and continue to work toward a closet like the one here. (OK, this may be a wee bit extreme, but you get the idea.)



My dream closet
Photo from realsimple.com

My Strategies for Curbing the Clothes Collection

• Keep only clothes that I really like. This was a tough one for me because I had a tendency to save my favorite clothes and never wear them. They might wear out, of course! So they sat in my closet for special occasions only. Some pieces went out of style. I'm sure you can see the issue with this behavior. These days, I try to ensure I wear things I like and get rid of things I don't. Not an easy task, but one I continually strive toward.
  
• Continually cull the closet. I've given up hope that I'll be ready to let go of everything at one time. My process is more one of continual culling, continual letting go. Just last week, the DH (dear hubby) took a big box to the thrift store. The very next day, I had more items ready to go. I keep a thrift store box always near the closet, ready to fill and make other people happy for a good price.


• Avoid retail therapy. A lot of people shop to fulfill some other need or to relive stress. I could see this tendency in myself. I try to live a conscious life, and now I ask myself these questions before giving in to the pressure to go shopping: "What is the trigger for this shopping need? What else is going on here?" When I can deal with the real issue, the need to shop for clothes subsides.


• More goes out than comes in. When I do find something new (or recycled) I want to bring home, I find an item (or two) to release back into the clothes-recycling stream. No exceptions.


• Know my triggers. Target and sales racks. I love to sift through a sale rack and Target is like one big store of eye candy! To avoid this shopping sport, I avoid the sales rack and Target unless I am really looking for something specific or extremely committed to a major closet clean-out. This should also be a no exceptions rule, but it's probably the one I struggle with the most.
  
• Find alternatives to new stuff. I have had so much luck (and fun) recently shopping at thrift stores! For example, I recently found a brand new Express dress - in my exact size - for $5 at Goodwill. Original tags still on it. Sweet! This doesn't cut down on the amount of stuff I get, but it does cut down on the dollar amount I spend. And it cuts down on the contribution to consumerism, which I really dislike. If I find something at a thrift store, I hold myself to the rule of letting something else go.
  Another great way to get new clothes and recycle gently used ones is a clothing swap. I've attended several of these and have had an absolute blast! I spent zero dollars on clothes, gave away many more items than I came home with, and supported excellent causes (recycling; not spending/being a consumer; supporting a local thrift store; girl time).


• Refocus that energy! I realize that shopping is fun and a source of stress relief for me. I've found a great replacement for it! The public library! I can roam the stacks and find shiny and new books. I can check them out - and as many others as I want - take them home, and then take them back! I get that same "new thing" rush at no cost and no closet-cluttering, permanent ownership. Yahoo!

What are your secrets for managing your clothes addiction, if you have one?

Cookies and Milk

What is your favorite cookie for dunking into milk? Mine is definitely Chips Ahoy (original). I would never dunk homemade cookies - they're much too precious!

Over the weekend, the DH (dear hubby) brought home some whole milk from the food coop where he works. (It was the day of expiration, and they pull the milk from the shelves.) Another meeting I attended required cookies. Hmmmm....whole milk and leftover cookies? It had to be Chips Ahoy originals!

I can't remember ever having consumed whole milk before (tho I'm sure I had it as a kid). Like many of my generation, I grew up on 2% and switched to skim as an adult. This whole milk experience was fun! The plug in the top of the glass jar was delicious - sweet cream. I could have eaten all of it, but instead I mixed it in with the rest of the milk. There were little bits of cream floating around in the milk as I dunked my cookies. I ate way more than I should have!

Mmmmm......such an indulgence! What cookie would you choose to dunk?

Julius Meinl

OK, here is my last Chicago tea trip posting....

Outside Julius Meinl, face on right is of the friendly manager as he greeted us

My travel pals and I had dinner at Julius Meinl (3601 N. Southport) and it was fabulous! Julius Meinl is an Austrian coffee house (with over 100 teas, as well). A friend of ours from Austria recommended the restaurant and explained that this would be a very typical Austrian coffee-tea house experience. Julius Meinl offers an Afternoon Tea menu, but we opted for dinner. We were serenaded at dinner by the sounds of live classical guitar/flamenco music.

Our meals were very tasty! I had kasespatzle, Austrian pan-friend dumplings with onions, garlic and Austrian Emmentaler cheese. K had a cheese plate and A had traditional goulash. Each was delicious.

For dessert, we had esterhazy, six layers of hazelnut and cream. Oh, my! yum!

Esterhazy, with the Julius Meinl logo on the teacup

Visiting Julius Meinl was another highlight of the trip for me - do go if you get the chance!