Teacup Tuesday

It’s a bit late, I know, but it’s still Tuesday! I’m drinking a hot cup of Lapsang souchong as I write.

We order lots of tea from Upton Tea Imports; they’re located in Holliston, Massachusetts, but we shop online at www.uptontea.com (no we don’t get paid for referrals!). My husband discovered them years ago and we’ve stuck with them for three reasons. First, their tea is superb; second, their service is top-notch: they nearly always deliver within two days; and third, they let you personalize each tea bag or tin with a sticker on which they print your message.

Our friends have enjoyed various gifts of these teas especially because of this feature, which allows my husband to exercise his humor. 

Can you see the labels on these examples?

My husband, Tim, ordered these. I especially love how he customized the label on the middle packet, which is an East Frisian Blend; it reads: “Riddle of the Sands.” His inspiration? Erskine Childers’ 1903 espionage novel of the same name, which takes place in the Frisian Islands of Germany. He labeled his Summer Tea Blend in the spirit of the season: “Dr. T., King of the Weber,” since he is our grill-meister. You get the idea.  

Oh and here’s a bonus: typically, Upton slips a free sample into each order!

Who is your favorite tea supplier?

Mondays seem so full of promise, don't they?

It’s Monday. Maybe because I’m retired, Mondays are mostly quiet, a bit of a break from the flurry of activity weekends usually bring. It’s a great day to map out my week so I can be ready for a bit of entertaining next Saturday...nothing big, but still, I want everything sparkling and tidy. Ok, maybe tidy will have to do.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love it to sparkle too, it’s just that I can’t envision getting it all done because I ache from weeding and mulching and the thought of so much more left to do. Sometimes I wonder if I really look like a tortoise as I plod and crawl across each garden, tugging a straggling weed here or preening a plant there, shaking out mulch stuck between leaf and stem. I sure seem to move like one. I'm oh-so-grateful that Tim and my son, Alan, spent the day with me Saturday concentrating on this daunting chore.

Perhaps next year our schedule—and Mother Nature’s too—will be more conducive to early mulching chores, so we can finish long before our perennials sprout. You see, we traveled to Sorrento, Italy in April this year. It was worth the slip in our garden maintenance, of course, but we’re paying the price now with weeds run amok. That’s why this morning I’m drinking Lapsang souchong tea: its smoky, hearty flavor seems to promise extra strength for the gardening tasks that await. Ever try it?

Note to self: Hurry and finish essential gardening chores: quilting projects await!

This is an appliquéd frog square from the “Infrognito” quilt I made and donated to our community
college raffle (2013). It's also my “Inspiration” to begin another for Tim, who really wanted that one; 

but that, my friends, is a story for another day.

Do you sew or quilt?

A beautiful day to celebrate

June 8, 2014

Since I’ll be baking a cake while my readers grab their morning cup of hot tea (or alternative), today's blog is very short. I'll tell you what the cake is for in a moment. 

I read where it’s a good idea for a blogger to stick to one theme. Would it fit the criteria if I say my theme is what matters most to me in life? 

First and foremost, that would be my husband, whose birthday it is today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIMOTHY! Yes, I'm making him an angel-food cake and spending the day enjoying his company, unplugged from the electronic world.

The other love of my life is my son, Alan. He’s a civil engineer and will be visiting us later. It doesn't seem quite fair to say so little about him compared to my next family member, but there'll be other blogs.

Last but not least is our dog, Julius Caesar. He’s a blue-dappled mini-Dachshund, though his front legs are suspiciously long for a purebred. We used to say he was tiny but mighty, except now he’s, well, just mighty. His breed has a strong hunger drive.

Our Caesar loves to snuggle or burrow in his blankets, and he loves wearing sweaters or jackets. Nothing better to keep you on a routine than a dog, and so he can’t understand why Mommy is stuck to the desk chair all the time, especially if he wants to take an extra walk. He loves us with all his heart and we love him just as much. 

Here are some photos of our little guy…

March 3, 2007 – 5 months old

February 10, 2010 – 3 yrs, 4 mos

April 2, 2011 – 5 yrs, 6 mos

Christmas 2013 – 7 years 

What pets do you have? I love hearing what people name their pets, don't you?

Iris season is upon us!

Good morning, everyone. 

Fortunately, rain soaked our yards and gardens for the past two days. And that means our irises are blooming like crazy! Their cascade of colors from May through June delight my senses. This year their color is especially welcome because we were forced to say.... 

...Farewell Redbud!

Sadly, this favorite tree of our bird visitors didn't survive Old Man Winter. The deer also responded to the harsh conditions by nibbling several of my husband’s miniature specimen evergreens to the nubs. Our pink azalea didn’t escape their notice either: it barely blossomed, but seems to be thriving all the same. As you can see from last year’s photo, their combined pinks lit up the green slope behind them. 

Redbud and Azalea, spring 2013

Hello Irises!

Irises are perfect for Ikebana arrangements because they love to be in water. Our “Cat’s Eyes,” which are SDB (standard dwarf bearded) irises, just finished blooming. This year's blooms were prolific but fleeting, so I missed my chance for a group photo. Luckily “Among Friends,” which are MTB (miniature tall bearded) irises, are in full glory. Here are a few pictures.

“Cat’s Eyes”

 "Among Friends"

"Among Friends," en masse

Some of the Siberians have awakened and we love their graceful stature. I'll keep you posted on the march of irises through June. Although they require a lot of work, gardens reward one’s patience. And gardens offer a tranquil place to enjoy a cup of tea!

Tomorrow is mulch day. Too bad the masseuse will be closed when we finish! 

What kind of irises do you grow? Wouldn't it be fun to swap some this summer? 

Welcome to my blog

Tea seems like such a welcoming topic to introduce myself and my blog. If you were visiting me in my home, I would invite you to join me for a lovely cuppa. Nothing quite settles me into my thoughts like a hot cup of home-brewed tea. I love to start my morning with at least one. Whenever I can’t seem to focus on a task at hand, or feel a chill coming on, or am just plain indecisive but need to make a choice, I put the kettle over for tea.

I first enjoyed real tea-parties back in the 1950’s with my great-grandmother from England, and I came to think of sweet tea with milk as a cure for practically anything that ails me. That reminds me of an old saying that went something like this: “In time of troubles, drink tea.”

My sweetener of choice is Stevia, but honey is another favorite. I prefer to save my calories for a side treat, like a scone or fruit-filled pastry.

Tea fads come and go but in our home, we have an assortment of greens, blacks, and blends that suit nearly any mood: smoky for those cold days when something more substantial is in order, spicy to jazz up a blah afternoon, green to clear one’s mind, and so forth. I could go on about tea but will save other tea notions to lace throughout future blogs.

Are you a tea drinker, too? I’d love to hear what your favorite hot drink is.

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