Day One of No Facebook...

It never ceases to amaze me that I go for weeks at a time with no substantial private messages and the day I decide to take a month off I got FOUR!  LOL  That means I went on FB but I did not do anything more than find a video my daughter asked for and answer the four private messages.  

I also spent a few minutes looking for a way to get the private messages without actually going on FB and I figured it out!  Woohoo!!!  You simply go to www.messenger.com and sign in and then you can add notifications to your PC and voila... no more FB checking!  

I did spend some time on Pinterest and Instagram today looking at some bullet journal stuff to inspire me as I am jump starting my BuJo daily use.  

Other stuff I got done today (Feb. 1st) include but are not limited to...

Two loads of laundry

Menu planning

Reading

Sam's Club run

Some writing including edits on a book review

Started Leviticus (finished Genesis and Exodus in January)

Started gathering stuff for a birthday box for the girlie

Answered a bunch of e-mail

Oh, I discovered a new tea I really like, too...

No one else is off FB in my house so I did have the question..... "Did you see what (insert random poster's name here) posted?"  To which I answered.... "Nope.... and I won't until March."  LOL

I did decide that I will continue to send Instagram posts to FB but I don't have to go there to do that.  I had a request for happy posts from afar so that is my solution.  LOL

February 2nd will contain WAY less computer tasks as I go to work and then have the afternoon set aside for reading and dinner prep... there will be lasagna.  I miss my girlie. (she loves lasagna)

So, that is what is happening from my little corner of the world today... boring... simple.... I loved every minute of it!

Photo credit link

New Tea

I love tea.  Some of you may have read my series on tea here on the blog.  I am always in search of new teas to try.  I discovered Rooibos tea a few years ago but have not really had much of it over the years.  I was shopping in the local grocery store and found that Twinings has started selling it.  I have had a sore throat for about two weeks on and off and I have read that it is great for treating sore throats.  It is also suppose to be a mild anti-inflammatory so it helps with arthritis and other inflammation in the body.  I am really just starting to learn more about it and I am glad I found it today in the grocery store.  

Want to learn more about Rooibos Tea yourself?  Check this out!

Thinking Outside the Cup

Tea can be used for more than a good cuppa...

It can be used for medicinal applications, household cleaning, cosmetic use and even for healing and soothing Pink Eye.  We used Chamomile tea to heal a case of Pink Eye a few months ago.  We used the tea as an eye wash and the bags to sooth the swelling and puffiness.  

As I did a few searches I came across some great links I thought you might like... some of them overlap a little but are still useful links.

49 Uses for Tea

22 Ways to Use Tea for Beauty, Home and Garden

How about using tea to cook and bake?

TeaChef.com

Cooking with Tea

Sally's Place Recipes Using Tea

10 Ways to Cook With Tea

Mighty Leaf Recipes Using Tea

Tea Forte - Cooking With Tea

The Tea Spot

Do you have any recipes or ideas using tea you would like to share?  

Feel free to leave a comment or link to share it with us.  

Tea Time for 2013

I started taking tea a few weeks ago.... or taking a tea break.  

Every afternoon sometime between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm I start up the tea kettle, put a teabag in one of my favorite mugs (beaker) and then take that tea and sit down.  I sit and savor tea while relaxing and on some days I even take a longer break for a bit of a movie or an episode of Downton Abbey.  

I love this time each day.... I am even anticipating it now.  

My body has taken to missing it when I don't have it... which happens on days that I am cooking for clients sometimes.  I am even keeping teabags in my  purse so that I have one when I am out and about and can find time to get some hot water.  

It might become necessary, at some point, to make an emergency tea kit!  LOL

Here are so links to encourage us to take time each day to sit down and take a break.  

The benefits of taking tea are real...

Bring Back Afternoon Tea

Starting a Daily Tea Ritual

Take Some Time for Tea

What about Elevenses?

Elevenses: a vital part of our workday

Elevenses and Tea Time Recipes

Where to find tea...

You can start with your local grocery store or a tea store but if you have trouble finding just what you are looking for you can always check online.  Here are some of my favorites and some recommendations from friends taken from a quick survey I did on Facebook a few days ago.  Mint seems to be the flavor of choice for many people, too.  You can buy your mint in the form of mint infused black tea or peppermint caffeine free made from mint leaves.  Fruit teas seem to be pretty popular among my friends, too.  They are certainly yummy and can be served over ice in the summer for a nice refreshing treat.  

Click on one of the links below to head to their website or you can look them up on places like Amazon.com to see if you can order from the grocery section.  

www.ahmadtea.com

www.arborteas.com

www.assamteacompany.com

www.adagio.com

www.stashtea.com

www.twinings.com/ or www.twiningsusa.com/

www.barrystea.com/

www.bluemoontea.com

http://bewleys.com/

www.teavana.com/

www.republicoftea.com

http://carringtontea.com/

www.teadog.com/

www.tealaden.com/

http://americanteacompany.com

www.nativeamericantea.com/

www.celestialseasonings.com/

http://www.tazo.com/

http://www.bigelowtea.com/

http://www.redbushtea.com/

http://www.t-wetea.com/

http://yamamotoyama.com/

So, did I leave your favorite off the list?  Please share your favorite tea sources and I will add them.  Also, feel free to share your favorite flavor with us.  

My love for tea...

I have been a tea lover for a very long time.  I love coffee, too, but I really love the relaxing almost medicinal way that tea effects me.  I have a tea for every occasion.  Here is a glimpse into my tea stuff...

 My favorite Stainless Steel Pot... makes about 3-4 cups of tea at one time.  

It needs a cozy, though.... I need to crochet one soon.

 This is a crocheted tea holder.  I made it in a few hours... a crochet basket is a cute way to display your tea when you have guests.  Easy to leaf through and choose one for after dinner enjoyment.

 a little tray to serve from... I have a few trays for this purpose.

 My tea ball for loose leaf tea.  

The little green cannister in the corner is a Japanese Matcha Tea Powder.

 This is a handy little tea strainer... I think this one came from Pampered Chef as a give-away from a party I attended.

 It is nice to have some fresh cinnamon and nutmeg to sprinkle into some of the herbal or black teas.

 My new favorite honey... from Nature Nate's in Frisco, Texas.

 This gorgeous little teapot came from my husband.  

He bought it for me in our first home.

 This is a little tea set Emily and I used to enjoy together.  

I will either pass it on to her or save it to use with my grandbabies someday.  

 My tea kettle... recently shined and used daily.

Some very cool magnets that used to live on my Meemaw's refrigerator... they now live on mine.  

I know they are over 50 years old.  I love the memories they hold for me.

So, now you know.... my love for tea has been a lifetime in the making.  LOL

The Perfect Cuppa...

Here is Cindi Bigelow from Bigelow Tea Company giving some great brewing tips!

 


Got loose leaf tea?  Here is a Mountain Rose Herb tutorial...

Same Leaves Different Process...

Black tea, green tea, Oolong tea and white tea all come from the same plant.  

The difference is in the process of preparation.  

Black tea is oxidized and fermented.  Black tea has a bitter taste.  

Green tea is not fermented but it is steamed and has a more grassy flavor.  

Oolong is only partially fermented.

With White tea the leaves are picked only twice a year at a very young stage just before the buds are beginning to open. 

The leaves are then partially fermented in a similar manner to the Oolong tea.

Some Links to Dig Deeper...

Processing of tea leaves

Tea Types

How Tea is Processed

Tea Processing

How Raw Tea Leaves are Processed Into Tea

Great Little Chart...

Enjoy a Cuppa...

I am trying to sneak in and pretend like I did not just take nearly two months off from blogging.  LOL

Life has just been so hectic and I have been planning, behind the scenes, things that I want to share with you for 2013.  I am currently reading a blogging about food book to help me make this place a place you will bookmark and come back to over and over again.  I want to share things you can use and learn from.  A food blog should be a place you can get great recipes and inspiration to go to your kitchen and create.  My ultimate goal is to bring people back to the dinner table and fellowship around good food, family and friends. If I am not useful then I am wasting my time and no one should waste time, right?!?!  So here we go!

January is National Hot Tea Month...

 I love hot tea in a plethora of varieties.

Around here we drink traditional blends, Chinese, Irish, English, etc...

and we drink herbal and fruit blends.

Over the next few days I will share some books, history, traditions and some favorite teas of mine.

I will also share stuff you need!  

LOL.... well, maybe not NEED 

but if you are a serious tea drinker you might enjoy these things. 

(like a favorite mug with a crocheted cozy like mine above)

Stay tuned for a week of Hot Tea and, maybe,

 more information and resources than you ever wanted!

Welcome to 2013... grab a cuppa and enjoy the ride!!!

Great Coffee...

While I was back home visiting family over Thanksgiving we made a little visit to a little coffee shop there. It was started by a guy I knew in high school named Brent Brown and his lovely wife. It is called Good Day Coffee + Books. If you are ever in the east Texas area... Kilgore, Texas specifically you should stop by. There is coffee and books and warm friendly faces to be had. Here is a bit of sneak peek...

The coffee counter... great service and something for everyone. The kiddos got hot chocolate, I got a Chai Latte and the boy got a Death by Breve. I can honestly say that I have never had a cup of coffee this good at Starbucks. I wish we had one of these down the road from our house. I would be there every day!

The quote above is a Groucho Marx quote that I have loved for a very long time...

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read."

They have WiFi, a children's book nook, lots of current best sellers and even a small book club nook to enjoy hot treats and hot discussion over the latest read.

So, here's to Brent and a great find tucked in a small cozy little town in east Texas. Don't pass it up if you are in the area. :)