A Postal Surprise

Last Friday [3/24], I received a surprise envelope in the mail.  It was from a thoughtful, tea-lovin' lady in Georgia who reads my blog and seldom lets a post go by without leaving a comment.

I eagerly opened the envelope and found a package of beautiful tea-themed note cards inside.

~ There are five watercolor note cards per package. ~

Contact information is on the back of the note cards.  Joy [the sweet lady who sent them to me] didn't ask me to blog about how to obtain them, but if you're like me, you're always looking for pretty tea-themed note cards, so I'm providing it.

I contacted the artist, Helen Riley Sturgeon, and she told me they are $10 plus shipping. They come plain [teapot only] or with "tea wisdom" [as shown].  Joy and Helen attend the same church.

[Photo of artist used by permission]

Thank you for your thoughtful gift, Joy!

Tiffany's Baby Shower

Saturday, March 25th, was my granddaughter Tiffany's baby shower. The gift was purchased well in advance, wrapped, and waiting for the shower to arrive.

Only seven weeks until little Evelyn Rose [Evie] arrives, and Tiffany looks great with just a little baby bump right in front.

My daughter and John's mom and sisters gave the shower, and the decorations were so cute. My contribution was the cake [purchased from a bakery, not made by me].

I took several family photos before the shower began.  Left: Tiffany and John.  Right: my daughter, Lori, and my granddaughters, Tiffany and Marissa.

Left: My girls and me. Right: Daughter-in-law, Samantha, and my granddaughters, Isabella and Ellie, and Tiffany.

Left: Izzy and Ellie. Right: Daughter-in-law, Sharon, and granddaughter, Brooke, and Tiffany.

Tiffany was the first girl great-grandchild for my mother, so she always felt especially close to her. Tiff was very fond of her too, and Evie's middle name was my mom's middle name. At Tiffany's birth my mother made her a pink sweater set to wear home from the hospital, and a beautiful baby afghan.  Lori kept them in pristine condition all these years, even though she did use them for Tiffany, and gave them to her at the shower.  It gave my mom a presence at the shower, and brought tears to Tiffany's eyes. 

We were asked to bring a book for Evie, so I gave her the Disney tea party book [below].  I promise to do my part to teach Evie about tea!  ;-)

It was a lovely shower and Evie received many beautiful gifts.

England's Motto and Philosophy

Yesterday I received an e-mail from a dear friend who lives in Michigan, but is from England.  Her mother and sister still live there.  

Her sister e-mailed her the link to a METRO NEWS article that was published yesterday, and she sent it to me.  [Click on Metro News above for actual article.]

The headline reads: Fake tube message speaks for whole country after terror attack, says MP.

The message was left on a London Underground public notice board following Wednesday's attacks.

Despite being a fake [not written by authorized station personnel], the sign which emerged on the Internet yesterday has been praised as a 'wonderful tribute' by Prime Minister Theresa May. And Tory MP Simon Hoare said 'whoever wrote it speaks for the whole country.'

My friend said, 'In times of adversity nothing can beat a good cup of tea!'  Amen to that!

May God comfort those who lost loved ones in Wednesday's attack.   Raising my teacup in tribute to the victims, our Mother Country, England, and the restorative beverage of tea.

Tea Time and Lunch

I had a morning doctor appointment today, and when I returned it was time for lunch, so I decided to try the third and final tea I received from Adagio Tea - Keemun Rhapsody. Lunch at my computer desk isn't the most elegant place to eat, but I was home alone, and decided to multi-task.

Keemun falls in the category of robust, full-bodied tea, but I found this tea very smooth and palatable without the addition of milk or sugar.   It would be great for starting the day,  but was just as lovely at mid-day.

This black tea is from the Anhui Province of China.  I ordered the 0.8 oz./23g sample bag for $8, that yields 10 cups.

The long, dark brown, slender processed tea leaves have an earthy smell before steeping.

The steeped leaves yield a bright coppery/brown color, with a delicious mild and smooth, smoky flavor that isn't the least bit overpowering like Lapsang Souchong. The slight taste of cocoa reminded me a bit of the Golden Monkey tea I sampled yesterday.

The infused leaf is pictured below. I tried giving it a second infusion, but found it too weak. Multiple infusions weren't in the description.

While I was in the waiting room at the Dr.'s office this morning I came across an article about the antioxidant properties of dark chocolate.  I've always preferred milk chocolate to dark chocolate, despite the fact that it lacks health benefits.  When I stopped at the produce market on my way home, a display of dark chocolate candy bars were positioned right in front of the check-out lane. They were 70% cocoa [the minimum requirement for antioxidant properties], so I decided to treat myself.  At .75 cents a bar I figured it wouldn't be much of a loss if I didn't like it.  To my surprise, I liked it. Could it be that it paired well with the chocolatey notes in the Keemun?

I ate 1/3 of the bar [which figured out to 87 calories], and will make the other 2/3's last for two more days.

This concludes my review of the three teas from Adagio Tea.  I highly recommend all three, and will be ordering more.  Thank you, Adagio Tea!

As I close today's post I want to share a quote I saw on Facebook.  It's too relevant and thought-provoking not to share.

Those who died yesterday

had plans for this morning.

And those who died this morning

had plans for tonight.

Don't take life for granted!

Tea and Toast

I played yesterday instead of blogging.  I drove down to the city of Wyandotte where I grew up to meet-up with five girlfriends I graduated from high school with.  But I'm back to blogging today.

I love the quote "Bread and water can easily become tea and toast."  I'm not having scones or cookies with my tea these days, but buttered toast points [Smart Spread not butter] was perfect with the second Adagio Tea that I sampled today - Golden Monkey.

This is an 0.8 oz. [23g] sample bag that will make 10 cups of tea.  The price is $6.

The tea has received 1,172 reviews so it's definitely been ordered by a lot of people.  The website stated Golden Monkey's leaves are said to resemble monkey paws, hence its name. It originated from the Fujian Province of China.

Notice the dried golden strands of tea mixed among the black.  The dry leaf gave a very good earthy/fruity aroma when I opened the bag. 

The unflavored black tea has a chocolatey/cocoa and savory rye flavor profile [according to my taste buds].  The description also said roasted apples, but I didn't taste apples even though I smelled a fruity aroma in the dry leaf.  The tea is very smooth with no bitterness.  I would classify it as a semi full-bodied tea, because it's not an in-your-face robust tea as some unflavored black teas can be.  It was delicious without the addition of sugar or honey. I highly recommend this tea and will order more.  The website said it yields multiple infusions which is uncharacteristic of many black teas. I'm anxious to try steeping the leaves more than once.

   

~ Infused tea leaves ~

Happy First Day of Spring!

It's 42 degrees with gray skies on this first day of spring in Michigan.  There's no snow on the ground, so I'm happy!

My girlfriend brought me a beautiful spring bouquet [which I just photographed moments ago] when she came to Bible study on March 7th, and I'm still enjoying it.  The only flowers that wilted and had to be removed were the day lilies.  It's perfect for sharing on this first day of spring.

I recently received an e-mail from Adagio Teas asking if I'd like to sample $25 worth of their teas to review on my blog.  I eagerly accepted.  The teas arrived in today's mail. Isn't it fun to receive packages in the mail!

The three teas I chose were:  Lemon Meringue Green Tea [3 oz.], Golden Monkey Black Tea [0.8 oz.], and Keemun Rhapsody Black Tea [0.8 oz.].

Since I'm trying to lose weight, and green tea is said to boost metabolism and aid with weight loss, I spent the largest portion of the gift card on their Lemon Meringue Green Tea. I am more than pleased with my choice.  It's absolutely delicious!  [Clicking on the name above will take you right to the page on Adagio's website where it can be found.]

When I opened the bag, the lemony aroma of the dry leaf was wonderful. 

~ Closer look at the dry leaf.  ~

~ Infused leaf. ~

The tea has a smooth, light lemony taste - not tart, nor does it have any grassy or vegetal notes. The wonderful aroma of the dry leaf carries over into the steeped cup.  This could almost be a dessert tea it's that good.   If someone thinks they don't like green tea, this is definitely the one to change their mind.  The package says: "Blended with green tea, and the natural flavors of lemon, vanilla, and cream.  It's the perfect springtime treat."   How fitting that it arrived on the first day of spring!

It received 77 favorable reviews, and was listed as a favorite on the page among Adagio's green teas.  The ingredients are:  Green tea, apple pieces, orange peels, natural lemon flavor, marigold flowers, natural vanilla flavor, and natural creme flavor. I will definitely be ordering more of this tea!  It's $8 for 3 oz. which figures out to .21 cents a cup, and since it's green tea it yields multiple steeps.  Thank you Adagio, for the privilege of reviewing this great tea!

Reviews of the other two black teas will be forthcoming.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I've put together some collages from past St. Patrick's Day posts.  I hope you enjoy them.   The china is mine as well as the tablescapes from past teas I've hosted.

 ~ My mom, aunt, and me in 2009 - Irish Sullivan sisters.  ~

~ Emerald Isle by Royal Albert in the Ancestral Series ~

"If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough!"