Cardinals and teatime~

I have never seen a wild Cardinal as we do not have them in California. But they are so often pictured on Christmas cards and winter scenes that they are one of my favorite images. Some day I hope to vacation and see one! According to the National Geographic website, the birds are monogamous and the females sing as do the males. Here is the territory of the Northern Cardinal~
                     
                            

I have a dainty glass teapot and cups with winter branches and cardinals on them. I display them right after Thanksgiving and leave them out until Valentine's Day. Here is the size relation of an adult male Cardinal to a standard teacup~

                           
                            
This set greets me every day when I go into the living room~

It was a gift from a friend. I do not know the manufacturer. The set is handpainted and has golden trim and handles.

 
The branches are brown with red berries and green leaves. Little drifts of snow sparkle on the cups.

And these Cardinals will have to do until I take a trip outside California and see one for myself!

A day and then a week passed by:
  The redbird hanging from the sill
Sang not; and all were wondering why
It was so still—
When one bright morning, loud and clear,
Its whistle smote my drowsy ear,
Ten times repeated, till the sound
Filled every echoing niche around;
And all things earliest loved by me,—
The bird, the brook, the flower, the tree,—
Came back again, as thus I heard
    The cardinal bird.

When maple orchards towered aloft,
  And spicewood bushes spread below,
Where skies were blue, and winds were soft,
I could but go—
For, opening through a wildering haze,
Appeared my restless childhood's days;
And truant feet and loitering mood
Soon found me in the same old wood
(Illusion's hour but seldom brings
So much the very form of things)
Where first I sought, and saw, and heard
    The cardinal bird.

by W. D. Gallagher

For more information on these bright red birds visit this site:                     

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_cardinal/id/ac

This pretty Winter scene hangs in the guest bathroom of our home~





I am sharing this post with~
Marthas Favorites
Terri at Artful Affirmations
Sandi's Rose Chintz Cottage

National Hot Tea Month~

There is a great deal of poetry and fine   sentiment in a chest of tea. Ralph W.Emerson

My introduction to tea was not by a grandmother or aunt, but rather a school friend who gave me a pretty beaker with an infuser and matching lid.  Something like this~

I would spend time with her on weekend slumber parties, and she and her mom were the first tea drinkers I knew. I immediately liked that tea is a relaxing ritual...waiting for the water to boil...waiting for the tea to steep. On the other hand, coffee tends to be a grab, gulp and go beverage.

Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company.  ~Author Unknown

There is a wealth of online information about tea and it's benefits. Studies have shown that drinking cups of black or green tea daily can boost one's immune system...a perk during flu season! It is also good for dental hygiene and has cancer fighting properties.

Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary.  ~Chinese Proverb

ALL tea comes from ONE plant: Camellia Sinensis~
Tea becomes 'black', 'green' 'oolong' or 'white' by how it is processed, or not processed.

There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.  ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

If you enjoy hot drinks made from herbs, such as chamomile (below) or mint, they are properly known as 'tisanes', not tea, although the majority of the populace does not know this fact and calls them herbal 'teas'.

I will be sharing more tea facts all month in honor of National Tea Month. Have a tea-ish question?

Look what I made today~ First up is a card I made using my new Cuttlebug and Ten Second Studio metal. I sanded the metal after it came out of the Cuttlebug.

Next, my friend Patty sent me a blog post she saw that showed a textured bag...and she was right, I did say, "I can do that too!" I ran downstairs, grabbed a lunchbag, and went straight back to my Cuttlebug~

 Unembellished, for now. Here is a close-up!

Date Day~

My husband and I decided to visit the charming area of Old Towne Orange, with it's central Plaza Park, which has been a gathering place for residents and visitors for more than a century. This area has the largest Registered Historic District in California. It is a popular location for film and tv production too. There are antique shops, art galleries, an Army Navy Store, boutiques & restaurants. We started off by going into Tea Leaf Cottage on Glassell.

Lots of linens, dishes, jewelry and home decor to be discovered here. I found a chair I liked and it had a pillow on it with the perfect sentiment!

I browsed through some ephemera and saw vintage 'Merit Cards' with students and teachers names on them. Next, we headed over to Jalapenos for Mexican food. This place was hopping at 12:30. We placed our order at the counter, then found a comfy booth to sit and enjoy our food, salsa and beverages. The clientele was a happy mix of businessmen, college students, and couples.

We headed up the block to the intersection of Glassell Street and Chapman Avenue; here is the 'Circle', around which motorists pass the central fountain dedicated in 1937. We walked over to the fountain and sat in the sun to people watch and enjoy the weather...it was gorgeous out!

Refreshed, we continued south on Glassell to Paris In A Cup. I defy you to walk past this shop! It is charming on the outside, but wait until you get inside!

Yes, you read right...the window says Tea Salon, Market, and Chocolates! There are toile covered tables with umbrellas out front, and a doormat at the entrance that says Bonjour. Let's go inside!

My sweet, accomodating husband gave me plenty of time to look around and asked if there was anything I wanted to buy. There was SO much to see, and I knew I would be heading home with some delicious tea as soon as I saw the selection.

The owner has small clear jars with removable lids so you can see and smell the tea before purchasing. I chose Harney and Son's new PARIS which is a fruity black tea with vanilla and caramel, and a hint of bergamont. They also carry Kousmichoff teas; I love drinking Kusmi Troika in the afternoon. If you have yet to try loose leaf tea you are missing out! There is something for everybody, and it is simple to prepare a good 'cuppa'. Don't settle for tea 'crumbs' in bags dunked in lukewarm water...blech! Full afternoon tea and lunch is served in the elegant Tea Room here. I plan to return with my daughter for a gracious teatime experience, but for now we were full. So, I spoke with the cashier and asked to take photos of their charming gift and home decor displays. There are adorable Eiffel Tower themed items, soaps, candles, books, and chocolates.

Loved the necklaces and pins! Reasonable prices and unique gifts~

Everything was displayed so nicely~

I loved the chic paper napkins with the Eiffel Tower on them. Wouldn't those be nice for a casual brunch where you serve Quiche Lorraine?

Imagine the aroma! Mmmm, chocolate! Considering I had been a good girl and walked 4 miles the day before with my friend Stephanie, I did not want to undo the good we had done. So, I admired the view but grabbed my husband's hand and headed back to the car. It was a fun day.

Be Brave and Go Loose!

I am surprised at how many tea drinkers have never tried the 'good stuff,' and make their daily cuppa from inferior tea bag tea. It is not complicated, difficult or expensive to drink quality tea and the difference is amazing! It amounts to under a dollar per cup to drink the finest teas in the world~ Tea purveyors are happy to send you samples so you can try the tea before you buy. Coffee afficionados savor fresh roasted beans, not freeze dried instant, and tea drinkers can experience tea fit for The Queen! Companies like Harney & Sons print brewing instructions  on their websites. On my sidebar I have a list of Tea Vendors which sell great tea and are reliable. Here is a site that gives you  'brewing 101'  info, and includes short videos on the many ways to steep fresh tea leaves. Be a 'loose' woman, not a 'bag lady'!!

January is Hot Tea Month~

Perfect timing too, since January is also the month of renewed fitness goals! Tea is good for you in so many ways. Research findings have reported that drinking black tea may improve the body’s defenses and quicken the response to bacteria and viruses – giving people more of a reason to brew themselves a hot cup of tea in celebration of National Hot Tea Month. Green tea is chock full of flavonoids. Good stuff. And tea preparation is not rocket science! Just buy quality loose tea and add hot water.  There are a variety of infuser baskets and Tea Sacks which make steeping up a delicious cuppa easy as 1-2-3: Tea + hot water + steeping time. Keep in mind, the darker the leaf the hotter the water. Black tea can stand boiling temps, but green tea brews up better with water just under the boil. Most online companies will send out samples for you to try. Inexpensive teabags are to quality tea what instant coffee is to fresh ground beans...do yourself a favor and buy the good stuff! The best part of teatime is the chance to s-l-o-w down, inhale the fragrant steam, enjoy a moment of reflection, or connect with a friend or loved one. Hold the warm cup in your hands and join in the cozy tradition shared by people around the world~ Teatime!