National Hot Tea Month is January

 

I just had to share this sweet spoon I bought, which is designed so it fits in a loose tea container and scoops it out neatly. Plus the heart shape appealed to me. I am trying a new tea from Plum Deluxe Tea, called Creme Brulee Grey Black Tea. It is quite delicious. With my order of the heart tea spoon and tea from Plum Deluxe Tea Company they sent me a sample of Coconut a la Creme Black Tea which I look forward to trying. The new spoon makes my tea drinking more of a special ritual. Do you have any coffee or tea ritual additions?

Billy Blue Eyes commented he avoids flavored teas and I usually do. In an earlier post I featured some of my favorite black teas, all loose leaf teas and also a delicious green tea from Vahdam "Himalayan Pearls Green Tea". The package says 100 per cent Indian teas and Vahdam also has tasty black teas. I like their Assam Exotic Summer Black Tea FTGFOP1.

Thanksgiving List, good things at my home

 

The first photo is of my son Lane and Bounce chilling out together in front of my fireplace.

Above is my friend Terry on my patio, we are enjoying an in person visit. So wonderful.

The sun catching my red smoke bush a few days ago. It is in front of my Pride of Madeira, both were planted as small plants in June 2018 in my front yard. The Madeira bush is already five feet high and wide.

This pillow case was purchased by me this month, the mice and books are so cute, I think. I already had the pillow that the decorative case fits on, and this is on one of my living room sofas, where I sit and read.

Bounce gives the mice and books pillow his seal of approval.

These are my favorite teas, which arrived in November, all are refills except the Ahmad Tea, which is new to me. Vadham, Plum Deluxe and Taylors of Harrogate all produce fabulous teas.

We sing in church, and I sing at home and while walking: Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my blog friends, world wide. Here in the USA we celebrate this on November 26 this year. Are you creating lists of things you give thanks for?

Nice surprises in September

I had some nice surprises and also joined a new group in September. One nice surprise occurred as I was standing in line to buy two tickets to a local Follies show when a lady walked up and handed me two free tickets. How cool is that! I have attended the yearly Follies song and dance show for five years or so and it was founded 50 years ago.
Two of my friends sing and dance in it so that makes it extra fun. The auditions and rehearsals are very thorough. The song and dance numbers included "Pretty Woman", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "Don't Be Cruel", "What Now My Love", "Love Me Tender", "Inka Dinka", "I Gotta Be Me" and many more for a total of forty songs.
All that and we had free seats.
I went to a fund raiser tea on Saturday, Sept. 22 and it was very lively. Some of us, including me, wore hats and one lady looked like a regal Victorian lady in her hat and clothes. Here are some photos of the food tables. There were about 8 tables of food including the traditional cucumber sandwiches and scones and in the first table you can see the delicious home made lemon curd.

The above two photos show friendship and companionship. The fundraiser is for a group that takes home bound seniors out for afternoons of fun and lunch. It allows care givers to have 5 or 6 hours off from their work of caring.
The new group I joined is one for widows that just formed at our church and was created by two widows. We had our first meeting on Sunday which featured a delicious free lunch in the church coffee house and eleven ladies got to know each other a bit. The theme for the group will be that we need not do this life alone. Amen to that. The ages ranged from 60 to 85. I didn't know any of the gals beforehand so I pushed myself to go and am glad I did.
We are looking for a name for the group, do you have any ideas? I suggested "Wild wacky widows" and another gal suggested "Wild wonderful widows." We want to convey widows and upbeat fun times. Ideas for a name welcome.

Earl Grey Tea, Favorite Tea Cup and Fun Tea Quotes

This tea cup, a gift from a friend, is lovely inside and out.

This is the same tea cup, plus my current favorite tea, Double Bergamot Earl Grey. I like Earl Grey and sought out the double bergamot, the flavoring made from a special type of orange. Most Citrus bergamia is grown in the province of Reggio in southern Italy, and also in Cote d'Ivoire for the essential oil. Earl Grey tea was first advertised in London in the 1880s, and first appeared in England in the 1820s.
Here are some quotes about tea.
"What would the world do without tea? - how did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea." Sydney Smith
 "Stands the Church clock at ten to three? And is there honey still for tea?" Rupert Brooke
And one I like that is quite famous or infamous " Mr. Churchill, if you were my husband, I would poison your tea!" "And if you were my wife I would drink it!" Winston Churchill
Tea, an important beverage!
And yes, I like coffee too, which I grind fresh from coffee beans.
Do you have a favorite tea or tea cup?
I am praying for safety for all the people in the Houston area where the flooding is, and for the homes and the animals, and for recovery. Think cooling prayers for much of California as a few days of high heat has reached even me on the coast and inland and to the south is terribly hot.

Herbs for tea, writing articles and Cherries Jubilee

Here is a photo I took of herbs I grew to make tea with, and a tea set on our patio.

I think it is peppermint on the left, chocolate mint in the center and lemon verbena on the right. I didn't have any ideas of what to post so looked through my photos and found this one.
I've been busy with writing these past few days and sent three article queries to parenting magazines. Now I wait to see if they want the articles.
I hope your Easter celebrations were enjoyed. At Easter at our house we even had Cherries Jubilee for dessert, where the fun touch is you add a tiny bit of brandy or rum, and light it with a match so pretty blue flames appear. I had never had that before and I loved the flames. Quite dramatic.