Spicy Tea for Cinco de Mayo!

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Contrary to popular belief, the 5th of May does not celebrate Mexican Independence Day (that's in September). Rather, it's the celebration of victory over the French in a battle. And, it's more celebrated in the US than in Mexico - thanks, I'm sure, to the marketing machine.

The DH decided to have an impromptu fiesta tonight, so he's been cooking and cleaning all day. (And playing air guitar as he vacuums and sings to Aerosmith. It's quite entertaining!)

My contribution is Persimmon Pudding for dessert, and Ginger Peach Tea, the sun-tea variety. I like to spice up the tea by slicing, then crushing fresh ginger and adding it to the water as it steeps.

Bunnies in our garden!

We've got a family of baby bunnies in our garden! They're welcome, as long as they don't eat my strawberries that are starting to grow!! I think the DH and I saw the "weaning ceremony" on Monday. We were walking out about 7:30 am for a run, and the mamma bunny was pushing one of the bunnies away from her. Another bunny tried to nurse, and the mamma bunny was not allowing it. Later that day, I snapped the shot of this little one. There were 3 total. There are two girls and one boy (I'm just making this up!). I named them: Bonnie, Bennie, and Bunny. The DH added the last name of "Foo Foo" from the children's song that, while annoyingly catchy, is not-so-kind if you pay attention to the words.

These photos are of Bunny Foo Foo. :-)

Cafe et Crepe and Moroccan Mint Tea

I spent about 2.5 hours working from the Cafe et Crepe (a coffeehouse and crepery) in my home town today. (For local folks, it's the one near the post office and fire house downtown.) I really enjoyed it! The place had free wireless internet, and it wasn't too crowded. It had good light from lots of windows.

I spent $12 on lunch (including tip), which is a little more than I usually spend on a quick lunch for myself. (The DH thought that was rather much for "just flour and water.") However, the meal was good and plenty of it! I had the Spinach Blanc crepe (spinach, garlic and swiss cheese) and a nice pot of "Algerian" tea. The rest of the menu was a little light on the tea offerings, but it did include steamers and hot chocolate as non-coffee choices.

The "Algerian" tea hit the spot. You might also know this as Moroccan Mint tea. Basically, it's a green tea base (usually gunpowder) mixed with mint and heavily sugared. Sometimes it includes subtle spices, my favorite being clove.

Here is my recipe for Moroccan Mint tea. I prefer to use fresh mint, when it's in season.

A handful (~1 cup loosely packed) of fresh mint sprigs, plus a few extra for garnish
3 teaspoons green tea (traditionally, gunpowder green)
3 tablespoons sugar
4 cups water
4-5 whole cloves to taste (lightly crushed or whole - not ground)

This isn't a precise recipe, so taste and adjust to suit your preferences. Also, I should preface this by saying I prefer mine pretty minty....so that drives how I concoct this brew.

Add the mint leaves and cloves into the water and bring to a boil. Let boil for ~2 minutes to get a good mint base. (Once it starts to boil, bring it down to a rolling simmer.)

After the mint base is ready, bring the heat down so that the water is barely boiling and add the sugar and tea. Cook for another 1-3 minutes, depending on how strong you like the tea flavor.

Pour through a filter into a teapot or teacups and serve. Small glass cups are traditional, but be careful! They get very hot and, if there is a crack already, the hot liquid can pop the glass open. Garnish with remaining sprigs of mint. Enjoy!

A Beautiful Tea Party!

Happy May Day! I hope your day includes flowers. May is so fragrant around here! I have lovely white and purple lilacs on my work desk. On the kitchen table is a spicy-smelling iris. Outside, scents of honeysuckle just starting to bloom are drifting my way. :-)

I had the chance to attend a beautiful tea party yesterday! It couldn't have been a more perfect day - rainy and chilly! Perfect for sitting inside with friends (and making new ones) and enjoying tea and wonderful food!

This particular tea party was hosted by the woman who made the cake I raved about in a previous blog. She is an incredible cook! Our menu included:

• Three teas: Angel's Dream, Decaf Black Currant, and Alpine Flowers. The first two are from Serendipity Teas. The last one is from Republic of Tea.
• Finger sandwiches: Egg salad, chicken salad, cheese puffs with avocado, cucumber dill, and asparagus with prosciutto. (I hope I'm not forgetting any - I'm going on memory!)
• Scones: Orange scones with homeade blueberry jam and Devonshire cream.
• Desserts: Oh, my! She made her own petit fors! Plus, we had teapot chocolates, raspberry cream puffs, fresh fruit tartlets, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and madeleines.

As party favors, this creative hostess used handkerchiefs (many vintage) to wrap up samples of tea and a small teacup/saucer candle. The packaging was as lovely as the gift itself!

:-) Yummy and lovely!

My friend does this tea party each year to thank her women friends for their involvement in her life. I was honored to be included this year. I know how much work goes into creating one of these things - hours and hours and hours and then some more! Thank you for your gracious hosting!

Tea at PF Chang's

My Mom, Sister and I spent last weekend in St. Louis. It was our yearly "girls' weekend." I look forward to these every year! This was #4. While there, we had dinner (and tea) at PF Chang's. I was rather surprised and pleased at the quality of tea at PF Chang's. We shared a pot of White Tangerine tea. They brought the tea in a cast-iron pot. I didn't get a look at the tea leaves, because the tea was pre-steeped. However, someone knew what she was doing; the tea was just right. They had a number of tea options. I wish I had been a little less impulsive and paid more attention to the choices. :-)

We all enjoyed the tea. It was light with just a hint of fruit. No bitterness. A lovely cup, served in a lovely teapot. There was enough tea in the pot for each of us to have 2 cups of tea, plus a little extra. (The cups are the small, handleless type.)

Here's a photo of the family outside of PF Chang's.

A Friday Flower

The DH (dear husband) says I should call this my "Tea and Flower" blog! :-)

No apologies from me, tho. I love flowers and plants - they are our children!

This is the first iris we've had blooming. It just popped out this morning. I've been watching it slowly grow from fat leaf to flower bud to full blossom.

St. Louis Zoo Photos

No tea news in this post, but some fun photos from a recent trip to the St. Louis Zoo with my mom and sis.















Me with my hand on a (fake) cobra. I really don't like snakes. Silly as it seems, this was a big deal. >-)















I love elephants!




















This is my favorite photo! This giraffe would eat grass out of kids' hands. It had a really long, black tongue, but I didn't get a shot of that.















This polar bear is splashing around. He or she was sooooo very playful! First, the bear dove into the water. Then it started play with the balls. It would float on its back and toss the ball into the air, then catch it. If bears can be show offs, this one was!

Happy Birthday to the Queen!

Today, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, turns 80 years old. Happy Birthday to The Queen!

This website has all kinds of information about The Queen's life and her birthday celebration. You can even send a personalized birthday greeting to The Queen!

I find it interesting that, while today is her actual birthday, her "official" birthday is celebrated in June - and not always on the same day. This year's official birthday will be June 17th.

My favorite part of the website is the decade-by-decade look at The Queen's life.

I'll be celebrating with a cup of tea, appropriately Imperial Oolong.

Kitchen Angels and Whole Wheat Shortbread

My kitchen angel was with me yesterday!
I decided (last minute) to make some shortbread cookies for a meeting with a friend. Well, I hadn't planned ahead and we were out of white flour (we don't usually buy it). So, I just made them with whole-wheat. I also sprinkled in some lavender, for the heck of it. You know what? I was pleasantly surprised - it worked pretty well! The photo below shows the dough after it's been "bopped" out of the shortbread mold, and one read to be bopped.

When I do this again for general consumption, I will probably go 1/2 and 1/2 on the whole wheat and white flour. For the DH and me, we're used to the heartiness of whole wheat, so I'd leave it the same.

Tea at the Adolphus - Dallas, TX

Two friends and I recently had tea at the Adolphus in Dallas, TX. If you ever find yourself in Dallas, I highly recommend the Adolphus for tea! The tea is served in the beautiful hotel lobby.

Friends at tea (I'm in the middle)

My favorite part, aside from the company of my friends, was the Tea Captain. She is knowledgeable about Afternoon Tea and the teas being served. The teas are presented on a cart, in silver tins. A larger urn keeps the water piping hot. The Tea Captain pours loose tea leaves into a paper filter and steeps in the pot. She returns to remove the filter and pour the first cup. It was a marvelous tea experience - one I won't soon forget! We each picked a tea, one for each course. We chose: Green Passion Fruit, Organic Darjeeling, and Caramel Pear (a dessert tea). They were all very delicious!

Tea Captain at the Adolphus
Also notice the beautiful tapestry in the background

The food was wonderful! We started with shortbread cookies. Then we moved to the assortment of finger sandwiches. Next came the scones with cream and raspberry jam (below). Desserts were a wonderful selection of small sweets. We ended with an assortment of truffles. My favorite was the champagne and white chocolate.








Scones, jam and cream, and desserts

Here is a photo of some of the Adolphus architecture.










As we were leaving the hotel, we found a picture of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, from a state visit a few years ago. It's fun to think the Queen might have had tea in the same room as I did! :-)

Opera

Over many cups of tea in the past few weeks, I'd been studying up on the opera Carmen by Bizet. I attended my first Opera performance last Friday. Fortunately, my neighbor went with me. She's just completed her master's degree in Opera and I've had the privilege of hearing her at two recitals.

I was prepared, as I knew the story and I had listened to the music several times. Still, it didn't prepare me for the full experience. I walked away with a few thoughts:

1 - Carmen is an enticing and fatalistic story of a manipulative (but likeable) Gypsy woman and the men she seduces. I learned that in its time, the opera was considered scandalous. In fact, Bizet didn't live to see the opera's success. A shame!

2 - I was in the balcony and I had absolutely NO trouble hearing the performers, even tho there was a live symphony. It is really amazing how well the performers' voices project. This is one of the main differences between opera and musical theater. In musical theater, both the musicians and the singers are amplified. Not in opera.

3 - It was an interesting experience to have the setting of the opera be in Spain, listen to French singing, and read the text in English! (The opera house projected the words in English above the stage. This is done very subtly, but is a big help.)

4 - I'm very grateful to my friend who educated me on the history of the opera, the cast, the musical elements, etc. I think going to an opera prepared is a smart thing. :-)

5 - Was Carmen a heroine, standing for women's independence? Was she conniving, selfish and shallow? Was she all of these things? These are the questions I left with.

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On an unrelated note, notice that I changed my template. The other one was messed up with the sidebar and I couldn't find the problem in the coding. So, I swapped. This one reminded me of spring and green tea.

You gotta watch this!

Drink some organic tea and enjoy! This is a must-see! >-)

http://www.storewars.org/flash/index.html

Hail!

I've heard the phrase "golf-ball-sized hail" but saw it for myself last Friday, 4/7. One of these is a real golf ball. The others are hail. Can you tell the difference? The hail broke through the plastic door handle on my car.

Junk Food and Schools

The good thing about tea is that it's an alternative to drinking water and it does not have added sugar! (Unless you're adding it, of course.)

On that note...yeah to IL for passing a law that bans junk from food being sold in schools. Too bad high schools got around this.

In our society, it's OK to risk the health of our children because schools get subsidized by selling candy in vending machines!! Does this strike anyone else as insane? Childhood obesity is soaring, and that's a really important health concern! Kids that are overweight are much less likely to be active, healthy adults. An estimate I saw in a recent Time magazine predicted over 60% of our children would turn into obese adults. And most children aren't overweight because of health problems. Nope. It's because of bad nutritional habits and a lack of exercise.

I know that educational leaders need every penny they can get - but let's not continue putting them in the position to endanger the health of children in the process of getting it! Let's fund education the way it should be. Let's cut spending on other things - like war - and redirect it to our own crisis.

Reference article: http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/03/17/schools.junk.food.ap/index.html

Tea and Cake

Two things for you on this Friday......

First, watch this very cute green tea commercial. (Found this link on Cup of Tea and a Blog.)

Second, check out this gorgeous cake! I had tea with a friend on Wednesday, and she surprised me with this beautiful sweet treat. She's quite the baker and I see why people love to have her cakes for special occasions! Not only is the cake beautiful, but it's also delicious. Three layers, two white and one chocolate, with strawberries and whipped cream in between. Chocolate ganache icing. Yummm!!! Thank you!

Management Observations for Tech Companies

A very interesting blog post for those of you in the corporate/tech world. It compares management 1.0 vs 2.0. Let's just say I feel the pain in my little quadrant of the corporate world. And, let me also say, I'm SOOOO grateful to have left cubes behind!

Now, to turn the tables, as I read through the comments, I saw a comparison of employees in 1.0 vs 2.0-style companies. Hmm...how do I compare to that?

It's no great secret that I prefer a collaborative, less hierarchical style. I really think the "command and control" management style is pretty antiquated. I play the game because I want the paycheck, but in my heart I place very little value in management. (And, let me say, I even like my boss! It's not personal - it's the system.)

I highly value my colleagues and what they do to get the job done. Management doesn't control that - we support each other and that's enough. In fact, management often gets in the way.

Somehow I've landed in one of the best tech companies on earth (long live the King!) and yet its management style is very old. I fear this is a "mission-critical" matter that gets little attention.

Sorry, this post is not related to tea and I couldn't come up with a good analogy this morning. That's because I'm drinking hot water with lemon - if I'd had tea, I might be more creative. >-)

I found the article that prompted this diatribe from the Wanderings blog.

Tea Jokes

These are pretty witty! To see the entire list (I think it's worth it), go to: http://www.thesnooze.com/comedypaper/tea.html

What does a teapot say to it's lover?
O, dajarling!

Who is the teapot's favorite actress?
Tea Leoni.

Why did the tea bag have to do it's laundry?
Because it was stained.

What is a baby teapots favorite game?
Pekoe-boo.

Thanks to Tea Lover Denise for the info.

Interesting Quote about Tea and Coffee

I'd like to read your thoughts on this one...make a comment and tell me your reaction.

From The Sex Life of Food
by Bunny Crumpacker

"Coffee is strong and direct; tea is refined.
Coffee is potent; tea is romantic.
Coffee is noisy and obstreperous; tea is quiet and subtle.
Coffee is nouveau rich; tea is old money."

The quote sits well with me.
Happy FRIDAY!!!

Small is better...

When it comes to houses (and so many other things!). I really dislike the American infatuation with "big is better." Grab a cup of tea and read this article, sent to me by NM Tea Lover.

http://realestate.msn.com/loans/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=353659&GT1=7929

Enjoy,
Stephanie

A Birthday Snow

Snow on my birthday...it's happened before (though rarely). However, I never remember this much. We had 3 inches when I woke this morning, and it's been snowing ever since. I like snow, so it's a welcome gift from Mother Nature! One of my favorite things about snow is the hush it brings. Cars move more slowly, and the snow muffles the sound.

Ironically, we had our first daffodil bloom outside yesteray. >-) The DH brought it inside where it's happily blooming on my desk.

Here is a lovely poem by Rumi (13th century Persian poet). A friend shared this with me as a birthday wish. I think it offers profound lessons.


The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
As an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Daffodil Days

I spent this morning volunteering for the American Cancer Society's "Daffodil Days" campaign. I delivered daffodils to businesses all over town. It's a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

I chose this volunteer work for three reasons: 1 - To celebrate spring and my birthday (tomorrow). 2 - To celebrate the life of my father. (He died of cancer in 1986, when he was only 40.) 3 - I believe in the work of the ACS.

It was a fun morning! The yellow daffodils contrasted nicely with the gray sky and chilly temps.

Ironically, on these first "official" days of Spring, we might be getting snow! Cheers!

An Irish Blessing

May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain,
tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you,
those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire.

Tea Guide

The Tea Guide is an excellent resource for your travels. Look up the city you'll be visiting, and see if it has a tea room. I use this all the time and love it! If you know of a tea room that is missing you can submit it. Also, you can post reviews.

http://www.teaguide.net/

Great Swing Music

Some great swing music at this blog: Paul and Nat's Music Blog

Drink some sassy tea and give these tunes a listen!
Thanks to Paul and Natalie, our swing dance instructors, for this music.

The DH (dear hubby) and I have been fine tuning and learning new steps for East-coast swing. We're also loving the new dance we're attempting, Lindy Hop. Paul and Natalie are incredible dancers!

Happy Birthday and Cheers to the Irish!

Happy Birthday to NM Tea Lover!

I'm sitting in my office, finally awake on this Monday afternoon. It was raining sheets here this morning, and I was having trouble getting the fog to lift from my brain. Now, I'm finally in a nice work rhythm. Just "taking 10" for my tea break and to write in the blog a bit.

Drinking a heavenly tea - Vanilla Silver Needles (white). It's one of the teas I got in my tea club from Imperial Tea Court. (Thanks, Mom!) The tea is very good. Very delicate and the vanilla aroma is heavenly. I'm also listening to Cian, an Irish band. I picked up the CD in Ireland a few years ago. Per capita, the Irish drink more tea than anyone else on this planet. I recall when I traveled to Ireland a few years ago, seeing a list of "steps" to make a cup of tea in the company cafe where I was working. I thought it was interesting, but my Irish colleagues were a little miffed. The statement was something on the order, "As if we don't know how to make a proper cup of tea in Ireland."

I'm in the Irish mood, I suppose, with St. Pat's Day just around the corner. It was in Ireland where I had my first formal afternoon tea. It was in a fancy hotel, after I had spent the day roaming around Dublin. It is a special memory...including the part about my not-so-elegant exit from the hotel. :-) I was exiting in one of those huge revolving doors. I was so happy to be there and had just had tea! I was half way to heaven, and I was bouncing my way along. I swung my big shopping bag as I walked - and it lodged in the revolving door, not only trapping me, but also those parties opposite. It took a while for maintenance to come and let us out. No, I will never forget my first afternoon tea experience!

I've been reading a fun series of books by Nora Roberts. The books are a trilogy: Jewels of the Sun, Tears of the Moon, and Heart of the Sea. No classic novels here - just pure escape reading. A fun story about an Irish family and how each of them, in turn, falls in love. A little magic thrown in, lush descriptions of the Irish coast, and lots of tea. Perfect for a quick read and escape over the weekend.

The rain has subsided and I see blue sky. It's windy today. March has definitely come in like a lion around here! The DH just walked in, returning from his job. He brought me three crocus for my desk. One white, one purple, and one yellow. Life is good.

Jerry Garcia Teas

Any tea-drinking dead heads out there?

News article: http://articles.news.aol.com/music/article.adp?id=20060223093409990007&cid=525

Republic of Tea site: http://www.republicoftea.com/pages/jgarcia.asp

A cozy little cosy

No matter how you spell it (both are correct), this tea cozy is one of my favorites! That's because it was made with love from a very talented friend. Also included, but not shown, is a handle mit that insulates my hand from the heat. Plus, the cosy matches a quilt I have in the same pattern (made by the same talented person). This tea cozy replicates one we saw last year at the gift store of the Empress Hotel in Vancouver, B.C.














I call this pattern of tea cozy the "I'm a little teapot" version, after the song, because you can see the teapot's handle and spout. This type is convenient because you don't need to remove the cosy before pouring. The other common pattern (I call it "dome") fits over the entire teapot. You simply remove the cozy before pouring. Either way, tea cozies are handy tools to keep around, especially if you make a pot for yourself and drink it slowly. I find that tea cosies keep the tea warm for up to an hour.

Do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy?

I am drinking jasmine tea and in a contemplative mood on this rainy Sunday afternoon. My thoughts...

There comes a time in most close relationships where this question becomes important:

Do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy?

I've had to grapple with this question today. The DH (dear husband), marvelous as he is, sometimes does things that make no sense to me. In fact, sometimes I get pretty frustrated and angry. Not helping matters any is my fondness for being right.

But in being right, I actually lose a lot. I lose a sense of the other person's perspective. I lose my ability to listen and be patient. I lose my ability to be quiet and humble. And I lose the bigger picture. Like - does this really, really matter? Probably not. Too often, I react quickly, forget this question, and then regret my response. If only I could pause and ponder this question before I responded. I would choose happy. Being right doesn't live up to its reputation.

Peace,
Stephanie

Tea Storage and Spring Organization

Work's been a little crazy for me lately. (Long hours and intense deadlines). But, I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's Spring! So my spirits are revived. In addition, when my work life feels out of control, I often look to cleaning and organizing around home to help me feel stable. I'm being serious! I like to clean!

Related to this, I have been inspired to reorganize my personal tea cabinet. I saw this cabinet (photo below) in January. It belongs to a good friend in NM, and it was the nudge I needed to get serious about my personal tea storage. I like this cabinet because everything is labeled and easy to find.



















My personal tea cabinet is a mix of loose sample bags (stored in ziplock bags) and tea tins that aren't well labeled. (The teas for my business are much more orderly.) Every now and then, I go in and straighten what's there, but it's a slippery slope - literally - b/c those bags just slip and slide. Well, in a moment of desperation, I told the DH (dear husband) that for Valentine's Day, I wanted him to reorganize my tea cabinet. He's a Virgo, and this is a great assignment for him. He has been in the research phase, and last night he suggested using Bell canning jars to store the tea. He provided a list of shapes, sizes, and prices, and this weekend I'll go inspect them myself. Organization is not far away! (For those of you who know the DH, you won't be surprised that the Valentine's present required periods of contemplation and research.)

I will post soon on important considerations to make when storing tea. For now, I've got to get to work so that I don't get further behind! Happy weekend.

Early Spring Flowers

One of my favorite experiences in life is the anticipation and then discovery of the first flowers of Spring! Ours came about 2 weeks ago. Today, the DH (dear husband) and I went for a noon-time walk and found several floral treasures. Within about 3 weeks (I'm hoping), some daffodils will be in bloom. A few are usually showing their splendor for my birthday. >-)

I came home and had a cup of black tea with a lot of milk and sugar to celebrate! I'm also like the Victorian ladies in that I enjoy keeping notes in my journal regarding what flowers are in bloom over the course of the seasons. Enjoy the photo tour.














Crocus in my yard



















Aconites amidst the fall leaves















A slow and happy bee in an early spring feast















Squirrel was definitely interested in eating and not worried about me.



















Pretty setting on the IU campus. The small white dots in the foreground are snowdrops.
















Close up of snowdrops.

Art & Etiquette of the British Afternoon Tea Class in Midwest

I held my first Art and Etiquette of the British Afternoon Tea class in the Midwest this past Saturday. It was great fun!

I developed this class for the Continuing Education program at the University of New Mexico. When we moved to the Midwest, I worked with the local Continuing Ed group to offer the class here.

My group of 18 students seemed to have a lovely time. I asked students to bring their favorite teacup/saucer or mug. Many of them shared stories about the history of their cup, or loved teaware at home.
The tea class covered the differences between types of tea, how tea is processed, history of tea, tea etiquette, how to make a great pot of tea, and tea appreciation. I will be offering the class again in the fall.

Many thanks to the students for enriching the afternoon!

(Unfortunately, I was so busy, I forgot to take any photos!)

Family Tea Party with Blue Willow China

As a celebration for the launch of my sister's new Day Spa, I hosted a tea party (at the spa) with my Mom, Sister, and special friends. In planning for this party, I asked if I could use some of my Mom's china. I had suggested her white Pfaltzgraff, but she instead suggested her Blue Willow. I was excited by that opportunity, because the Blue Willow china is lovely! I was even more delighted when Mom started digging in her cupboard and pulled out pieces I didn't even know she still had! I was aware of the cups and saucers, but she also had luncheon and dinner plates, and a creamer and sugar. :-) I remember these items sitting on the built-in shelves of my childhood home, but had just assumed they didn't make it through the years. This blue willow china is what my mother received (from my grandmother) when she married my father.

Blue willow china was inpired by a beautiful story about forlorn lovers.

We had a lovely celebration for my sister! We enjoyed three sandwiches: cream cheese and olive, cucumber and butter, and dried fruit with cream cheese. We savored chunks of muenster cheese. We ate blueberry scones with devonshire cream and lemon curd. We finished with chocolate brownies and tart grapes. All of this we enjoyed with Black Pearl tea. Fun! Thanks to Mom, Sis and friends for joining me!

We also started a little girl on her journey as a tea party fan! When it was time to leave, she insisted the tea party was "not over!" She also ate several sandwiches and two scones! You go, girl!

Sweet memories!

Bragging Rights of a Big Sister

As a big sister, I hold the unique privilege of being able to dish out lots of unsolicited advice on how my younger sister should run her life. (In reality, I'm really working hard not to do this!) At the same time, I also claim the right to be the third-most-proud person in the world of the little sis's accomplishments. (Spots #1 and #2 reserved by Mom and husband.) Right now, I'll claim this bragging right...

My sister just opened Practical Magic day spa in Salem, IL. It's in a beautiful old home, which is listed in the National Historic Register. The downstairs contains the reception area and a salon. Massages can also be performed downstairs. Upstairs holds three very large massage rooms and an office. The staff of Practical Magic have done a terrific job of decorating the place. It's tasteful and luxurious and calming. It's one of those spaces I just don't want to leave.

The house is a *perfect* setting for a tea-party! We've already had one; a little celebration yesterday. Photos to come in a separate post.

If you're in the South-Central IL area, stop by! The day spa is just a hop off of Interstate 57. Phone 618-548-1322. Here are some photos:

Finding Two Teas I've Mentioned

I've had questions about how to find two teas I've mentioned....

Black Pearl is a blend of black tea, jasmine tea, and vanilla. You can find it online at Serendipity Teas or at the St. James tearoom in Albuquerque, NM.

Picasso Soiree is a black tea flavored/scented like caramel and cream. You can find it at the St. James tearoom in Albuquerque, NM.

Victorian Manor Tea Room

I had the chance over this past weekend to visit the Victorian Manor Tea Room in Orange, CA. I was happy to be visiting with a friend and colleague! Here are a few photos...if you're ever in the area, it's definitely worth the stop.

The day was warm. The 80s temps felt heavenly compared to my 40-degree Midwest weather! Here is my friend standing in one of the arched entrance areas.


















The tea room is a historic home in "Old Orange." Lovely grounds surrounded the wrap-around porch. Here, I'm standing in the gazebo.













The menu was very full - scone, soup, several finger sandwiches, fruit and veggies, truffles, and an assortment of desserts!

548 Cups of Tea

That's how many the DH (dear husband) and I served at the recent Chocolate Festival. Well, to be accurate, it's how many cups the DH brewed and served. He was the work horse. I just stood there and talked to people. I have fun at these kinds of things. I enjoy talking to people about tea. I had samples of the dry leaf for people to look at and smell, and we gave out small cups of Chocolate Mint tea. Folks seemed to really respond to the sensory experiences (visual/smell/taste).

The Chocolate Festival is a fundraiser for Options for Better Living.

Here are a few photos...

















Me preparing to play hostess while the DH does all the work!

The DH ready for the masses!

Lovely Jonquils

...."So lovely, that country in May. - All lacy with dogwood, literally flooded with jonquils! That was the spring I had the craze for jonquils. Jonquils became an absolute obsession. Mother said, 'Honey, there's no more room for jonquils.' And still I kept on bringing in more jonquils. Whenever, wherever I saw them, I'd say, "Stop! Stop! I see jonquils! I made the young men help me gather the jonquils! It was a joke, Amanda and her jonquils! Finally there were no more vases to hold them, every available space was filled with jonquils. No vases to hold them? All right, I'll hold them myself - And then I - [She stops in front of the picture.] met your father! Malaria fever and jonquils and then - this - boy...."

Amanda (Mother), Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

I played Laura (the daughter) in the Glass Menagerie as a Sr. in high school. I remember this scene so well. It was played by my best friend. Performing in this role had a profound effect on me. I recall the feeling of total abandon to my character.

I have always loved all varieties of daffidils - jonquils, narcissis, etc. My stepfather brings to my mother old fashioned ones that have double heads. They're more green than yellow. They're ready usually by late March....around my birthday. Perhaps that's why I love daffodils so much!















Right now I am sipping ginger tea (tisane) and breathing the super-sweet aroma of the jonquils sitting on my work desk. We "forced" these. The bulbs lived in the fridge from the fall - Jan 2. They started blooming in the last week and the aroma is heavenly!

A Cup of Tea in Tribute

Two women that I admire deeply passed away this past week.
Civil rights leader Coretta Scott King and feminist pioneer Betty Friedan.

I admire Coretta Scott King for her work in racial and economic justice. She founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, which worked to remove what Scott King believed to be sources of violence: hunger, unemployment, voting rights, and racism.

I admire Betty Friedan for raising awareness that women can, indeed must, be fulfilled beyond their husbands and children. Friedan's book, The Feminine Mystique, is credited for beginning the feminist movement. As a woman who is happily choosing not to have children, I owe a lot to Friedan for her controversial and rebellious thinking in 1963!

Happy First Day of Spring!

Happy first day of spring! This may sound a little early for you, but the DH and I celebrate on Feb 1st. It's at this time of year that the northern hemisphere gains more solar energy than it loses; that marks a significant change for me. In addition, crocus, daffodils, and hyacinths are pushing up through the earth. It is spring!

We celebrate by having fresh flowers in the house. I'm lucky this year to have home-grown flowers. We've got beautiful geraniums that have been blooming all winter, and the last amaryllis flower. We've got daffodils that we're forcing to bloom. We should see the first yellow blossoms in the next few weeks. We'll buy a few more flowers this afternoon, to really celebrate!

I'm also drinking Ice Wine tea as a special treat. It's become one of my all-time favorites.

It's a mixed blessing for me today. I always look forward to this turning of the calendar. And yet, it is hard for me to filter out the noise of our times. Let me just say this, I am extremely disappointed in the leadership of our country. There is no "winning" to war.

I got Phished, but all is well...

Be careful out there. I avoided a very clever Phishing scam this morning. (Phishing is when someone attempts to get your personal information by sending an official-looking e-mail. It's fraud.)
This one was targeted at my Pay Pal account. The phishing note indicated that I had added an additional e-mail to my account. I had not done this, so I clicked on the link that said, "If this is incorrect, click here." Well, when I went to that link, the system demanded that I "update" my credit card information. That seemed very suspicious to me. The system looked identical to Pay Pals, except that it wouldn't let me go anywhere else on the page until I entered my credit card info. That was my tip-off. I called Pay Pal. It was a scam. I am very grateful I didn't supply my info. I went back into my real Pay Pal account, removed all my credit card info, and changed my password.

Professional institutions (banks, online businesses, etc.) should never ask for your account details (password, credit card, etc.) via e-mail. Never give out this private info via e-mail!

This scam was a little more sophisticated because it actually took me to a website that looked identical to Pay Pal's. If you are at a website that is asking for your private information and it just doesn't "feel" safe to you, trust your gut. If you have any doubt whatsoever, give the institution a call before entering your info. It's better to be safe than sorry! These phishing scams can be very convincing.

If any one else has internet safety recommendations, please share them!