Tea on Tuesday

It's Tuesday, and tea time again - what to talk about, what to talk about...........................hhmmmm.

Guess I'll just show pics.

Here's a new rooisbos tea I'll be trying - smells lovely! African Autumn - a perfect title for the season.

I am sitting at my fall decorated dining room table (new runner and mats courtesy of my daughter), looking out the window at "my" deer. There were 14 of them here the other morning.I was worried, not having seen them around- there was a neighbor and others, illegally killing them for a time. Bow hunting season is now upon us, and fortunately, I think the deer are fully aware of that. They avoid my husband's tree stand, but have started showing up again, out front,  at the crack of early, to graze and play. This photo was taken with the telephoto- they are about 900 feet away, at the beginning of our driveway, behind the church. The first morning of bow season, my brother, who was visiting, took an early morning walk, and ran into several deer. The last one, he came face to face with - they calmly contemplated each other for a while- then he spoke to her - and told her, that he should be the last human that she comes in contact with - because today is the beginning of hunting season. Apparently, she took heed, and spread the word to her friends and family!

I picked what it probably the last harvest from my garden- and turned it into my breakfast today, along with some locally laid eggs, and a hunk of wonderful bread left over from brunch at Panera's yesterday!

And Tea on Tuesday wouldn't be complete, without showing some fab thrift store tea finds (thanks, Linda!)

A violet theme chocolate(?) pot with matching cup, a lovely teapot (who cares if the lid is cracked!) another china cup and matching plate for the collection, and this vintage lily of the valley plate- my favorite flower!

As always, we welcome anyone to join us for Tea on Tuesdays - just read, or comment, or write a post of your own on your blog. Visit Kimmie and see links to other ToT participants on her sidebar.

Tea on Tuesday

JANUARY IS
HOT TEA MONTH!

"The Tea Association of the USA spearheaded national Hot Tea Month in the early 90's. It is an effort to celebrate tea and promote the health benefits of this wonderful beverage.

January is the height of the dreaded "cold and flu season". Published research from the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard University indicates that theanine, an ingredient found naturally in tea, supports the immune system. A cup of tea contains an average of 20-25 mg of theanine. Drinking tea throughout the day may strengthen the immune system which is something important to do during the cold and flu season. Drinking five cups of black tea a day for two to four weeks boosted the body's immune defense system by four times, according to the results of a human clinical trial. According to this study, the data suggests that drinking black tea boosts the body's natural resistance to infection.* While drinking tea may not keep you from getting sick this season, it can help your odds of staying healthy. So why not do something good for your body while having a hot beverage...help stay healthy this cold and flu season and drink your tea every day! www.TeaUSA.org "


The above excerpt was forwarded to me in an email. I wasn't aware that January was National Tea Month!! Susan from Over a Cup of Tea, is also holding a class later in the month, in Broadway,Va, discussing and tasting the 4 teas from the plant camellia sinensis: white, green, oolong, and black. I signed up - and will report back what I learn!! If you live in the area, and want to join, the class is limited to 12 participants.

Right now, to celebrate National Tea Month, I am warming myself over a fragrant cup of Twinings African Rooibos red tea. I always pronounced it 'rooey-boe'- Twinings informs me that it is pronounced 'roy-boss'!

This red tea comes from the Cedarberg Mts in central S. Africa. The rooibos plant leaves are harvested in the summer, fermented, and dried in the sun, til the leaves turn a deep mahogany red. Very yummy, and caffeine free too!!

Today's photo is a thrift shop trash rescue- a beautiful vintage eggshell porcelain teacup was tossed due to hairline cracks. I brought it home, amazed that it survived the donation box, the trash, and the ride home to my house, with no new chips or cracks!!! The hairline cracks are old and on the inside, rendering the cup useless for tea, but no ruining its appearance from the outside.

My friend Teresa, sent me some lovely cherry blossom fabric from Japan, which was perfect for this cup. I took a curtain tie back (purchased from the thrift store), cut it, and superglued it around the edge of the cup, sewed the fabric around some polyfil, and VOILA!-the teacup is resurrected as a pin cushion!! This one of a kind pin cushion will be in my Etsy store tomorrow!

Be sure to visit Patty and Kimmie for more participants of Tea on Tuesday! And, please, join us again!!!!!

Oh, and a PS - Be still my heart- I just found out that Waterford Crystal makes a crystal teapot with infuser!!! That will DEFINITELY be on my Christmas list for next year!!!!!!