A Holiday Weekend

With the Coronavirus forcing work layoffs and quarantines for two months, a long weekend isn't as appreciated as it normally would be, yet Memorial Day weekend kicks-off the summer season even though summer doesn't officially begin until June 20th. Everyone looks forward to warmer temperatures and outdoor activities which hopefully we'll all be able to enjoy soon.

Warm weather has been slow arriving in Michigan. We only had one day in April that reached the 7o's, and the next day it was back down to 55 degrees.  And so far, May has only had six days in the 70's. Today it's 62 degrees and overcast, but it looks like we may finally see 80 degree temps on Sunday and into next week.   The grass is green and everybody's in the mood for planting flowers.  

My hubby and I went to a large nursery yesterday, along with a lot of other people.  Even though very busy, social distancing and wearing masks was still enforced.  It was great to see the vast array of beautiful annual flowers available for sale.  We bought red geraniums for the front porch planter, and planted them today.

If the weather decides to take a nosedive and a frost warning is issued [like it did a couple of weeks ago], the porch will protect them.

We love hanging the American flag outside.

Unbeknownst to me, our daughter-in-law and granddaughter both went shopping for plants yesterday too - in other parts of the state.  Samantha had success and was able to buy her flowers, but Tiffany said her nursery was sparse.  She posted the photo below on Facebook and said it reminded her of the toilet paper aisle at the grocery store.  ;-)  

This would normally be the weekend of my city's annual garage sale, held in the City Hall parking structure, but the virus has nixed it this year.   

In my last post I mentioned that Adagio Teas sent me some Masters Teas to sample and review.

Since I'm partial to green teas right now, I decided to try the Shincha Genmaicha tea first.

I loved this tea!  In fact, after sampling it I ordered some.  Genmaicha is a classic Japanese tea, but what makes this masters premium tea so special is that it was just harvested last month, so it's very fresh.

Before I looked at any descriptions or read any reviews, I wanted to smell and taste the tea on my own first.  The dry aroma was very distinct. The smell of the roasted rice was definitely prominent, along with a light grassy smell.

It's a very smooth, delicate tasting tea, with no overpowering vegetal taste.  The roasted rice produces a nutty taste.  I could drink this tea all day long!

The website description:  The fine roasted and puffed rice [which resembles popped corn] balances perfectly with the tender young leaves.  The nuttiness of the rice enhances the soft taste of the tea, with a hint of crispness in the finish.

The tea produces a light green liquor, and the infused leaf is visible above.  I highly recommend this tea.

Shizuoka, Japan where it is grown, is the largest tea producing region in Japan.  Green tea plantations date back to 1241.

I read an article this morning stating green teas have higher levels of some compounds that scientists believe have positive effects on mental health.  It has been found to improve brain function in healthy people.  According to many studies green tea can impact the brain in three ways: reduce anxiety; cognition by benefiting memory and attention; and brain function, specifically memory.  

That being said, I'm off to make myself another cup of green tea!

Be safe and stay well!