Tuesday's Tea of the Week

This morning I enjoyed a cup of Harney's Valentine Blend.

Yes, Cranberry Autumn may seem more appropriate for the day, but the Valentine Blend was what sounded good as I was rummaging around the tea cupboard today. It's "a romantic brew joining chocolate tea and rosebuds". Yes, the first time I read the description I thought it sounded like an odd combination, but I am glad I tried it anyway. The flavors are subtle and blend well together. It's a lovely color and the aroma is quite delightful. And since tea, chocolate and roses are some of my favorite things, it's nice to see them partnering in such a delicious beverage.
What's in your cup today?

Peace in the Home

A common comment made by those visiting our home is about how peaceful it is. It is a very peaceful nesting place. It doesn't just happen though. Yes, lighting the candles and playing beautiful classical music all day and evening do help, but it is more than that.

I think the peace in our home has been made possible by three distinct things. The first, is undoubtably the peace in our hearts. We love Jesus and trust in Him. This helps us to serve and love one another. This creates peace.

The second thing stems from my discovery of Flylady a few years ago. Yes, we had peace in our hearts, and much love, but the house itself was usually a mess. Learning how to adapt Flylady's system to my life brought many things into balance in addition to cleaning up the place.

Finally, the third thing comes from a decision my husband and I made before we were married seven years ago. We do not watch television. At all. It is not a part of our lives. I am so glad. It has freed up so much: so much time, so much money, so much greed, and so much space in the Family Room.

This decision has been so freeing. We both love to read and spend a lot of our evenings happily reading at home. I am constantly told by others that they don't have time to read. Ok. They may not. People have different responsibilities. I like reading, so I make time to do it.

It is always interesting how many people feel compelled to tell me, upon learning of our choice not to view, that they do not watch "much" television. Ok. They may not. I do not care. My choosing not to have television is not so I can judge others who do.

I do not usually bring up the subject myself, as it tends to weird out those around me. I am often asked by others if I have seen this show, or that commercial. I just say no, if pressed, I will say that we don't watch television. My own family will still ask. That's ok. The answer is still no.

I don't miss it. In fact, I find it horribly annoying when I am out shopping, eating, or at someone else's house and the television is on. It's awful. It's noisy, stops intelligent discourse, and is incredibly distracting.

I also find that there is very little that is not offensive. Even if the programming itself is fine, the constant commercials are terrible. Yes, the programs may be very well-written, but one evening's viewing at a family member's had me in tears. The show was not-so-subtlely promoting all types of "activities" that the people watching it would not participate in, or condone if asked, but they sat they absorbing the content without question.

I should stop now before I climb any higher on my soapbox. Back to peace in the home. Obviously, just cleaning up the place and turning off the television will help, but don't neglect the peace of mind found in Jesus. Sharing His love with those who come into your home brings peace as well. Have a lovely Sunday.

Shamrock Shelf

This teapot was a gift from my stepmother for a birthday. The teacup is one I bought for my grandmother years ago. It was returned to me after she passed away. The beautiful plate was my other grandmother's. My mother gave it to me about a year ago. The vintage calling card was one of about one hundred my Sweetheart has given to me. They are scattered throughout our home.

Hannah's Teacup

This teacup was a gift from a student. She was as beautiful as this cup. I always think of her sweet spirit whenever I see this cup.

Mary's Teacup

This teacup was a gift given to me at a Christmas Tea I hosted at home. It was the giver's great aunt's cup. It's lovely, isn't it? I'm not sure how she parted with it!

Sunday's Song

Clay and Water
by Margaret Becker

These days are passing over me
At the speed of light
And sanding here in their shadows
I'm silenced at the sight
Like water on the wind I sense the change to come
All that I've held in like teardrops run

I am clay and I am water
Falling forward in this order
While the world spins 'round so fast
Slowly I'm becoming who I am

Nothing ever stays the same
The wheel will always turn
I feel the fire in the change
But somehow it doesn't burn
Like a beggar blessed I stumble in the Grace
Reaching out my hand for what awaits

I am clay and I am water
Falling forward in this order
While the world spins 'round so fast
Slowly I'm becoming who I am

I will live
From my heart
And I will catch the lines of love as they come
Back to You
I know they'll lead
And into You
I know I'll lean

I am clay and I am water
Falling forward in this order
While the world spins 'round so fast
Slowly I'm becoming who I am

Picture: Thomas J. Abercrombie, AllPosters.com

A Short History of Tea by Me

Rumors and tales abound concerning the origin of tea. The most commonly held belief is that the Emperor Shen Nung discovered tea in China back in 2737 B.C. He was outside in his garden one day while his servants were boiling water for him to safely drink, when some leaves blew into the pot of boiling water. The leaves added aroma and flavor. He drank it-enjoying its taste and declaring it to have medicinal properties. In fact, tea was often considered a medicine. For centuries it was available from apothecaries for medicinal use and not as just a beverage to be enjoyed.

Some of the brands of English tea that we are familiar with are named with names that show the medicinal roots like Typhoo and PG Tips. Typhoo was the Chinese word for Doctor and the PG of PG Tips stood for “Pre-gestive” to aid in digestion. In fact, tea is good for health, but more about that later.

Tea has often been imbibed with many different qualities as William Gladstone says:

“If you are cold, tea will warm you-
If you are heated, it will cool you-
If you are depressed,
It will cheer you-
If you are excited, it will calm you.”

Tea arrived in England from China in the 1600’s from Dutch Traders. Along the way it grew in popularity fueled by the monarchs including Queen Anne and Queen Victoria. In fact, during Queen Victoria’s reign the East India Company of London controlled the world’s supply of tea.

But it was Anna, Duchess of Bedford, who is credited with beginning the ceremony we know as Afternoon Tea. During her day lunch was served at noon, but dinner did not occur until 8 or 9 pm. Anna began to have a “sinking feeling” during the long afternoons. She asked her cook to make her a pot of tea and some small snacks to enjoy with it. She liked this afternoon tea break so much that she began to invite other ladies over to join her. They would meet in her boudoir. Now, we often think of the boudoir as a bedroom, but it used to be more of a quiet sitting room where women would make their plans and run their households from.

News about her tea parties grew and other women of the upper classes began having teas of their own. The tradition has continued to this day. Afternoon teas began to inspire dress styles as well.

Tea grew in popularity as more of the English were able to afford it. The coffeehouses were the men’s domain and women did not enter them. Eventually, a woman did open a tearoom and it became acceptable for women to meet there, even unchaperoned.

Tea made it to America in 1660 having been introduced by Dutch colonists. The American colonists loved their tea and consumed vast quantities of it. Over time, England taxed tea considerably for the Colonists. It was these constant taxations without representation that the colonists grew to resent, resulting ultimately in the famous Boston Tea Party. What a party that was! It is estimated that the angry colonists, dressed as Indians, dumped $238 million dollars worth of tea into the Boston Harbor on that December day. Colonists ultimately gave up their love of tea, choosing coffee instead to boycott the unfair taxes.

However, two notable tea inventions did occur in America. It was an American who began selling samples of tea in small silk bags. His costumers began to brew the tea while still in the fabric bags and thus, the tea bag was born. Also, at the St. Louis World’s Fair another tea salesman was having difficulty in selling hot tea because of the warm weather. He decided to serve the brewed tea over ice, and Americans often drink their tea iced to this day.

Pumpkin Madeleines

Pumpkin Madeleines

2 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
10 Tbl melted butter
1 cup flour
2 Tbl pumpkin pulp (canned or fresh, cooked & mashed)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
dash of salt

Beat eggs and sugar for about 5 minutes until light & fluffy. Beat 1 cup flour into the egg mixture at low speed. Slowly beat in butter. Beat in remaining ingredients until well-blended. Let stand at room temperature for one hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray the madeleine molds with cooking spray. Fill prepared molds with batter, using about 1 1/2 tablespoons for each. Do not spread batter out in molds, it will spread as they bake. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans at once and cool on a rack. Madeleines are best eaten within a few hours of baking. Or, wrap and freeze for up to eight weeks. Yield: about 20 madeleines.

Recipe from Victoria Magazine, October 1988

Medeleines famed appearance in literature comes from Marcel Proust in Remembrance of Things Past wherein he immortalized the little shell-shaped cookie.

The Cookie
Many years had elapsed during which nothing of Combray, save what was comprised in the theatre and the drama of my going to bed there, had any existence for me, when one day in winter, on my return home, my mother, seeing that I was cold, offered me some tea, a thing I did not ordinarily take. I declined at first, and then, for no particular reason, changed my mind. She sent for one of those squat, plump little cakes called "petites madeleines," which look as though they had been moulded in the fluted valve of a scallop shell.

And soon, mechanically, dispirited after a dreary day with the prospect of a depressing morrow, I raised to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had soaked a morsel of the cake. No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, something isolated, detached, with no suggestion of its origin.

And at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory - this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence; or rather this essence was not in me it was me.

I had ceased now to feel mediocre, contingent, mortal. Whence could it have come to me, this all-powerful joy? I sensed that it was connected with the taste of the tea and the cake, but that it infinitely transcended those savours, could, no, indeed, be of the same nature. Whence did it come? What did it mean? How could I seize and apprehend it?

I drink a second mouthful, in which I find nothing more than in the first, then a third, which gives me rather less than the second. It is time to stop; the potion is losing it magic. It is plain that the truth I am seeking lies not in the cup but in myself. The drink has called it into being, but does not know it, and can only repeat indefinitely, with a progressive diminution of strength, the same message which I cannot interpret, though I hope at least to be able to call it forth again and to find it there presently, intact and at my disposal, for my final enlightenment. I put down the cup and examine my own mind. It alone can discover the truth.

But how: What an abyss of uncertainty, whenever the mind feels overtaken by itself; when it, the seeker, is at the same time the dark region through which it must go seeking and where all its equipment will avail it nothing. Seek? More than that: create. It is face to face with something which does not yet exist, to which it alone can give reality and substance, which it alone can bring into the light of day.
And I begin to ask myself what it could have been, this unremembered state which brought with it no logical proof, but the indisputable evidence, of its felicity, its reality, and in whose presence other states of consciousness melted and vanished. I decide to attempt to make it reappear. I retrace my thoughts to the moment at which I drank the first spoonful of tea. I rediscover the same state, illuminated by no fresh light. I ask my mind to make one further effort, to bring back once more the fleeting sensation. And so that nothing may interrupt it in its course I shut out every obstacle, every extraneous idea, I stop my ears and inhibit all attention against the sound from the next room. And then, feeling that my mind is tiring itself without having any success to report, I compel it for a change to enjoy the distraction which I have just denied it, to think of other things, to rest refresh itself before making a final effort. And then for the second time I clear an empty space in front of it; I place in position before my mind's eye the still recent taste of that first mouthful, and I feel something start within me, something that leaves its resting-place and attempts to rise, something that has been embedded like an anchor at a great depth; I do not know yet what it is, but I can feel it mounting slowly; I can measure the resistance, I can hear the echo of great spaces traversed.
Undoubtedly what is thus palpitating in the depths of my being must be the image, the visual memory which, being linked to that taste, is trying to follow it into my conscious mind. But its struggles are too far off, too confused and chaotic; scarcely can I perceive the neutral glow into which the elusive whirling medley of stirred-up colours is fused, and I cannot distinguish its form, cannot invite it, as the one possible interpreter, to translate for me the evidence of its contemporary, its inseparable paramour, the taste, cannot ask it to inform me what special circumstance is in question, from what period in my past life.

Ahh, the power of a cookie! Isn't it amazing how tastes and smells can transport our memories?

A Nice Cup of Tea

I'll post more on tea later from my own writings. Until then, I hope you enjoy what Mr. Orwell wrote on tea sixty years ago. ~Kimberly

"A Nice Cup of Tea"

by George Orwell
Originally published: Evening Standard, 12 January 1946.


If you look up 'tea' in the first cookery book that comes to hand you will probably find that it is unmentioned; or at most you will find a few lines of sketchy instructions which give no ruling on several of the most important points.

This is curious, not only because tea is one of the mainstays of civilization in this country, as well as in Eire, Australia and New Zealand, but because the best manner of making it is the subject of violent disputes.

When I look through my own recipe for the perfect cup of tea, I find no fewer than eleven outstanding points. On perhaps two of them there would be pretty general agreement, but at least four others are acutely controversial. Here are my own eleven rules, every one of which I regard as golden:

First of all, one should use Indian or Ceylonese tea. China tea has virtues which are not to be despised nowadays - it is economical, and one can drink it without milk - but there is not much stimulation in it. One does not feel wiser, braver or more optimistic after drinking it. Anyone who has used that comforting phrase 'a nice cup of tea' invariably means Indian tea.

Secondly, tea should be made in small quantities - that is, in a teapot. Tea out of an urn is always tasteless, while army tea, made in a cauldron, tastes of grease and whitewash. The teapot should be made of china or earthenware. Silver or Britanniaware teapots produce inferior tea and enamel pots are worse; though curiously enough a pewter teapot (a rarity nowadays) is not so bad.

Thirdly, the pot should be warmed beforehand. This is better done by placing it on the hob than by the usual method of swilling it out with hot water.

Fourthly, the tea should be strong. For a pot holding a quart, if you are going to fill it nearly to the brim, six heaped teaspoons would be about right. In a time of rationing, this is not an idea that can be realized on every day of the week, but I maintain that one strong cup of tea is better than twenty weak ones. All true tea lovers not only like their tea strong, but like it a little stronger with each year that passes - a fact which is recognized in the extra ration issued to old-age pensioners.

Fifthly, the tea should be put straight into the pot. No strainers, muslin bags or other devices to imprison the tea. In some countries teapots are fitted with little dangling baskets under the spout to catch the stray leaves, which are supposed to be harmful. Actually one can swallow tea-leaves in considerable quantities without ill effect, and if the tea is not loose in the pot it never infuses properly.

Sixthly, one should take the teapot to the kettle and not the other way about. The water should be actually boiling at the moment of impact, which means that one should keep it on the flame while one pours. Some people add that one should only use water that has been freshly brought to the boil, but I have never noticed that it makes any difference.

Seventhly, after making the tea, one should stir it, or better, give the pot a good shake, afterwards allowing the leaves to settle.

Eighthly, one should drink out of a good breakfast cup - that is, the cylindrical type of cup, not the flat, shallow type. The breakfast cup holds more, and with the other kind one's tea is always half cold before one has well started on it.

Ninthly, one should pour the cream off the milk before using it for tea. Milk that is too creamy always gives tea a sickly taste.

Tenthly, one should pour tea into the cup first. This is one of the most controversial points of all; indeed in every family in Britain there are probably two schools of thought on the subject. The milk-first school can bring forward some fairly strong arguments, but I maintain that my own argument is unanswerable. This is that, by putting the tea in first and stirring as one pours, one can exactly regulate the amount of milk whereas one is liable to put in too much milk if one does it the other way round.

Lastly, tea - unless one is drinking it in the Russian style - should be drunk without sugar. I know very well that I am in a minority here. But still, how can you call yourself a true tealover if you destroy the flavour of your tea by putting sugar in it? It would be equally reasonable to put in pepper or salt. Tea is meant to be bitter, just as beer is meant to be bitter. If you sweeten it, you are no longer tasting the tea, you are merely tasting the sugar; you could make a very similar drink by dissolving sugar in plain hot water.

Some people would answer that they don't like tea in itself, that they only drink it in order to be warmed and stimulated, and they need sugar to take the taste away. To those misguided people I would say: Try drinking tea without sugar for, say, a fortnight and it is very unlikely that you will ever want to ruin your tea by sweetening it again.

These are not the only controversial points to arise in connexion with tea drinking, but they are sufficient to show how subtilized the whole business has become. There is also the mysterious social etiquette surrounding the teapot (why is it considered vulgar to drink out of your saucer, for instance?) and much might be written about the subsidiary uses of tealeaves, such as telling fortunes, predicting the arrival of visitors, feeding rabbits, healing burns and sweeping the carpet. It is worth paying attention to such details as warming the pot and using water that is really boiling, so as to make quite sure of wringing out of one's ration the twenty good, strong cups of that two ounces, properly handled, ought to represent.

Pumpkin

Well, we went to the doctor's on Wednesday hoping the cast would be removed. It wasn't. Next Wednesday when we go back they will remove the cast, x-ray and then determine if they will recast him, or if he's healed. I am sure praying that he'll be healed.
Since we can't go anywhere, I think I'll try to have our own special tea time this afternoon at home. Maybe next week we'll get to The House of Commons and the Savory Spice Shop a few doors down.

There is still a lot of snow lying around after our mini-blizzard yesterday here in Denver. Some parts of the state were absolutely buried (24") whereas most of our area only had a little (4"). It looks a bit like a winter wonderland with the roofs and grass covered with snow.

Tea Catalogs!

Here's some links for Tea Catalogs I found:

Stash Catalogs

SpecialTeas

Republic of Tea

The Tea Guys

Celestial Seasonings did not have a mail-order catalog, but will send you a free tea sample, if requested. Also, they have an extensive on-line catalog.

I tried not to include catalogs from really weird companies (and they are out there), but I noticed when I posted the Stash link they had something called a chankra center. You'll have to decide yourself on that. Also, I am not familiar with The Tea Guys. It seems to be harder and harder to find businesses in general that we can support. (I'm not saying don't support these at all, I am likewise not endorsing everything on the various websites.)

Picture: Richard Boyer's Afternoon Tea, courtesy of Allposters.com

Autumn Roses

"Where you tend a rose, a thistle cannot grow."

~Ben Weatherstaff, The Secret Garden.

Carnival of Beauty: The Beauty of Forgiveness

This week's Carnival of Beauty is on the topic: The Beauty of Forgiveness. The hostess is Julie Blair Lane. The Carnival listings are posted on Wednesday. I am writing and posting this now because everything seems to be working. (I missed out last week because of internet/blogger issues.)

There have been quite a variety of topics in this Carnival, but so very few are as important as this one. The Beauty of Forgiveness is amazing. Whether we look at it from the perspective of forgiving others, or from being the one who needs to be forgiven, this is a subject we all must face. Looking for the beauty in forgiveness required a different perspective than just talking about it, or begging for it.

Forgiveness is so important that the Lord included it in His prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us". We can only receive forgiveness in the measure of which we forgive. We want God to forgive us and we often plead with others to forgive us, but are we as hasty to forgive those around us?

The Beauty of Forgiveness is found in the image of its definition. I heard a sermon once on forgiveness. The pastor said that forgiveness had the definition of untying something. I picture it this way: someone hurts us, by accident or design, and the pain caused ties us to that person. We are bound to hi or her and each further thing he or she does may cause the ropes that bind us to dig in further and further causing more pain and anguish. We are left to react to every little movement that person may make. It is though the ropes tighten more and more, cutting deeper and deeper. Left alone, the wounds from the ropes will fester and grow worse. By offering forgiveness, we untie ourselves from them.

We are not saying that what someone did was fine. We are not saying that what he or she did didn't hurt. It did. We are saying that we will no longer be controlled and bound to that person, or the pain. We will be set free.

The Beauty of Forgiveness to me is that its power lies, not in what the other person does, but in what I chose to do. The one who hurt me may not even know what he or she did. He may not realize what happened. She may never ask for forgiveness. He may have already passed away. I may never see her again. It does not matter.

My forgiveness is not based on intent or apologies, or as the case often is, the lack thereof. It is based on the fact that I chose to forgive, knowing that I desire to be forgiven by God Himself for my sins against Him. Who am I to hold a grudge knowing what He gave that I might be forgiven? Why would I wish to remain bound to the pain?

Forgiveness sets me free.

And that, is beautiful.

My Boys

I took this picture about two months ago.

It is one of my absolute favorites.

I am so blessed.

These two bring me such great joy!

I love you guys.

Tea Thoughts

I was just over at Kelli's House (on-line) when she was apparently over here visiting! She commented on the Tea Thoughts posting asking about Tea Catalogs. There are actually quite a few companies that have mail-order catalogs. Even more have wonderful web sites with on-line ordering.
We actually buy our everyday tea on-line in bulk. We drink probably one or two pots of Ashby's Earl Grey tea a day. We've found it's a lot cheaper to buy a few big bags at a time. This is our day in and day out tea. We buy the regular tea and decaffeinate it ourselves because it is a lot cheaper that way. We've found this to be our favorite Earl Grey after trying a multitude of brands. We buy it in the loose-leaf form, not in teabags to get the best quality. The flavor is worth the few extra minutes it takes to brew a proper pot versus a teabag tossed in a mug and nuked for a minute.
Tea bags are ok in a pinch and I know they are convenient, but really, it's like a home cooked meal versus McDonald's. Some things are just worth the effort.
Tea is a passion of mine. I have an entire kitchen cupboard devoted to tea and tea things. My home is decorated with tea pots and tea cups as well as all sorts of tea accoutrements. I love to have people over for tea and to speak on tea as well.
In fact, I enjoy sharing about the history and etiquette of tea to churches and at bed and breakfasts as well as tea rooms. I had a side business B.P. (Before Pumpkin) where I would dress in vintage clothing and give presentations on tea. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. Maybe I'll do it again someday.
I'll look around for a few links to tea catalogs tomorrow and see about posting them. I need to sign off for now. Maybe I'll post more on tea itself over the next few days if people are interested. Thanks for visiting!

By the way, here's a link to the Harney and Sons Catalog. You can request a catalog to be mailed to you.

Picture: "Express Yourself", courtesy of Allposters.com (Wow! I can't believe it actually posted!)

Really, I'll Stop Soon...

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times... You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you're carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

What Season Are You?

Ok, I'm on a Roll...

You Are Impressionism

You think the world is quite beautiful, especially if you look at it in new and interesting ways. You tend to focus on color and movement in art. For you, seeing the big picture is much more important than recording every little detail. You can find inspiration anywhere... especially from nature.

What Art Movement Are You?

We'll see if this works...Kind of random

You Are a Chocolate Chip Cookie

Traditional and conservative, most people find you comforting.You're friendly and easy to get to know. This makes you very popular - without even trying!

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

Blogger Issues

I am having trouble getting Blogger to post pictures. It says they are uploaded, but nothing appears...
Alas, we'll try again tomorrow. I've tried posting from jpegs and urls to no avail. I've also tried from several computers. Any suggestions? Please comment.

Good Morning!

I just wanted to share a verse that was in my Bible study yesterday. In our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) leadership meetings we are going through He Speaks to Me by Priscilla Shirer. We do the workbook pages on our own at home and then gather to watch a lesson on DVD. Since I have not been able to attend the meetings, our coordinator was kind enough to drop the DVDs off for me to watch, along with a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Thank you Melissa! (I love those lattes! Good thing I can't leave the house, I suppose, or I'd be drinking too many of them.)

Side note: I did a Beth Moore Bible study with a group of ladies at church in the weeks before Pumpkin was born. I find it an interesting way of having a Bible study. It is definitely a product of our media-saturated culture that we gather together to watch someone else teaching other people. She was a fine teacher, as is Priscilla, but I find myself wondering: is there not anybody in the church that can teach? Must we only be taught by professionals?

Have any of you experienced this? Am I being too weird about this? I personally find that it really stilts any meaningful dialogue about Scripture. The pre-printed questions to discuss are often only knowledge-based questions without any depth. I find I want more.
Anyway, back the verse I sat down to write about before I distracted myself...It's actually a series of verses from Colossians 3:1-15......


"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."



I struggle with anger and patience. These verses remind me that I must rely on GOD to help me. I cannot do it in my own strength like I've been trying. Just like I get dressed each morning and put on new clothing, I must clothe myself in His power and strength. I must, over all these good things (compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience) put on love. Then there will be unity and peace. I am consciously going to do this knowing that He gives the power needed. Amen.

Tea Thoughts

I sat down for a few minutes this morning to look at my new Harney & Sons Fine Tea Catalog. Sigh. I’ve already had a few cups of Earl Grey this morning and have moved on to Hazelnut Coffee with Pumpkin Pie Spice Cream. Good thing everything is decaf or I’d be bouncing off the walls by now!
As much as I love tea, I sure do enjoy the smell of coffee and the taste with plenty of cream and sugar. Sweetheart is amazed at how sweet I drink my coffee, especially in light of the fact that I drink my tea plain. The only tea I add anything to is Stash’s Chocolate Hazelnut Tea. (Maybe next week’s Tea of the Week!)
Anyway back to the Harney’s catalog. They’ve begun carrying Art Teas. A few other companies do as well. I had one once at a tea tasting class in Boulder, but I don’t remember the brand. It was so neat. Have you seen these?
They are best brewed in a glass teapot so that you can watch them bloom. They are made with green tea leaves handsewn with a variety of flowers. Some flowers appear to be chosen for color, others, like jasmine, for their flavor. When you take them out of the package they look like little dried green bundles and not attractive at all. When you steep them, the hot water causes them to unfurl and show their stuff. What an amazing idea! What patience the Chinese ladies must have to sew tea leaves together, oh my!
Many of us are like the art teas. We may not look like much on the outside, but put us in hot water and we bloom. Isn't it always the hard times that show what we are made of on the inside? We may not like "being in hot water", but it definitely reveals our true selves. Oh, that I may release beauty and wonder to those around me during the tough times instead of remaining and little shriveled up bundle who does no one any good. Wouldn't it be great to be a thing of beauty and delight to the Lord and others when we are being watched during trials? That is my prayer.

Random Thoughts in the Morning

My Sweetheart has been working many, long hours lately, but is home today. Yippee! This afternoon when Grandma gets off work to babysit Pumpkin Sweetheart and I are going to the Brass Armadillo. I am so excited!
For those of you who don't know, the Brass Armadillos are a chain of antique malls around the country. They are wonderful. Usually we'd pack up Pumpkin to go, but...maybe next time when he can sit. We each have our favorite booths to explore and just enjoy wandering through the aisles of treasures.
Some of my favorite things are from there like my butter churn and my bread box. (I'll post pictures later, until then we'll just have to do with the graphic from Allposters.com.) Yes, I do use the butter churn whenever I have leftover whipping cream. It's just the thing for my homemade breads. I also love having the bread box. It's so nice to have a place to put breads so they are not just laying on the counter. Of course, now that I think about it, I put last night's loaf on top of the box so that I'd remember we have it. The downside of the box being that I forget there is bread that I cannot see!
I've made most of our breads for quite some time now, like baguettes, rolls, pitas, english muffins, etc. I would occasionally buy a loaf for sandwiches because it was already sliced and I didn't have a recipe that worked well. Well, I decided the last loaf I bought would be the last loaf I'd buy. I think the recipe I used yesterday worked really well. Now, if only I could cut it straight! (Any suggestions are welcome.) It was an easy recipe that used molasses and all whole-wheat flour. I'll post it soon.
I am just buying bags of whole-wheat flour at the grocery store. I know some ladies use the grain mills. Do you have a grain mill? Is it worth it? I don't know where I'd buy the grain. If you've used one, please let me know your thoughts.

Blessed Assurance

Blessed Assurance

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love.

This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

Text: Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915
Music: Phoebe P. Knapp, 1839-1908

Additional Information From:
Cyber Hymnal




Fanny Crosby was probably the most prolific hymnist in history. Though blinded by an incompetent doctor at six weeks of age, she wrote over 8,000 hymns. About her blindness, she said:

It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.

In her lifetime, Fanny Crosby was one of the best known women in the United States. To this day, the vast majority of American hymnals contain her work.

I wasn't raised singing hymns by any means, but somewhere along the way I heard this one. I have loved it ever since. Pumpkin enjoys having it sung to him as well.


Shelley Jo remembers her grandmother singing this, and other Fanny Crosby hymns. Check out her story here.

Today

I just had company over this morning. A gal from MOPS stopped by just to visit. How nice it was. She had emailed yesterday to see if she could come over. I said certainly.

Since I knew she was coming over I mixed the dry ingredients for pumpkin bread and wheat bread last night. All I needed (kneaded?) to do this more was add the wet ingredients and put the loaves in the oven. I freshened up the house for a few minutes, putting on the Wyndam Hill Winter cd and lighting the Hazelnut Coffee candle in the dining room.

As the house filled with the scents of the candle and the baking bread, I put Pumpkin down for his nap and got myself ready. Just before she was to arrive I made a pot of tea. We just sat and visited having our tea and bread. What a refreshing time!

We did not know each other well, but really hit it off during the visit. We seem to have some things in common. I hope we'll be able to get together again soon. It was so nice of her to stop by. It made my week! Thank you, Lord!

Graphic courtesy of Allposters.com

Tea of the Week

What a lovely tea for a snowy day, Ashby's Ginger Peach.

I made a cup for lunch today.

It has such a lovely smell and taste.

It is one of my favorites.

I just wish I had more!

The Republic of Tea's Ginger Peach is also very good,

but I am not fond of Harney's Peach Ginger.

Alas, I am out of all of them.

First Snow

No sitting on the porch today. It's snowing here in Denver. It's been a gray day, but not too cold. The snow isn't sticking yet, but if it continues, I think it will accumulate overnight. Pumpkin and I are inside staying warm. (Cooking helps!)

I didn't post on here yesterday as I was learning how to do a bunch of cool stuff on the sidebar. (Thanks, Sweetheart!) I've also been visiting the sites of everyone who's commented on here and will be adding more links soon.

I must admit to being also overwhelmed by the kindness shown to me by the other ladies in the Comments sections. Wow. I've been feeling so alone, which I'm sure has been compounded by being homebound everyday for three weeks now. It's so nice to know that there are others of you out there like me. Like Anne said, "Kindred spirits are more common than I used to think." I guess many of you are "of the tribe that knows Joseph" as Anne would say. I don't know how to define that in words, but I know it when I see it and I've been seeing it on your blogs. Thank you again.

Here's Pumpkin sending everyone some kisses today!

*** Note the hair. We do not call him Carrots. Should we call it Titian Hair, or just plain red? Maybe it will darken into a handsome auburn. Just teasing. It really is a nice color. No, neither my husband nor myself have red hair. However, it is spread throughout both of our families, so it was somewhat expected. He's quite a handsome boy.

Hi!

Here I am reading Anne of Avonlea on my porch. The hot cocoa didn't last very long, but it sure was delicious! Thanks Sweetheart for taking the picture and teaching me how to download them (again).

from Margaret Becker's With New Eyes

"The most I could ever hope to be is malleable.

Someone who actually listens and considers a point.

Someone who does not see it as a loss to concede their wrongs.

Someone who is not afraid to change.

With change comes the ability to be strong:

because when one recognizes their own fallibility,

the threat of it is diminished-

and the freedom of growth develops.

To be wrong is to be free."

What a Lucky Wife I Am!

My Sweetheart knows how much I love all things Anne. Look at what he found for me. He's still searching for Anne of Green Gables and the others. What fun! I may need to take one out on the porch with my tea in a few minutes. Actually, I think I'll make a cup of cocoa with this Schoolhouse Chocolate Sauce Recipe. I mixed up a half batch yesterday and I think it's calling my name...

Autumn Images~ The Porch

I just had lunch out here. Chicken salad, pitas fresh from the oven, spinach, and a big cup of Earl Grey made for a perfect Autumn meal.

Last of the Sweetpeas

Autumn Images 2

Autumn Images

Herbal Vinegars

I love growing herbs in my garden eat year. There are always more than we can use fresh, so I dry them in bunches and make herbal mixes. I also love to make Herbal Vinegars. I found a box of bottles in the basement that I must have bought last year and forgot to use! I boiled them in the big stockpot while Pumpkin napped. I then went out and picked the herbs and washed them. Later, I filled the jars while he played in the play pen. During the afternoon nap I printed the tags on handmade paper and tied them on with raffia. It was a drawn out process, but well worth it. They make great Hostess Gifts and Christmas Gifts!

Thursday's Thoughts from CS Lewis

From The Great Divorce~The Teacher offers perspective to Hell's miseries and Heaven's joys:

"'All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World. Look at yon butterfly. If it swallowed all Hell, Hell would not be big enough to do it any harm or to have any taste. '

'It seems big enough when you're in it, Sir.'

'And yet all loneliness, angers, hatreds, envies, and itchings that it contains, if rolled into one single experience and put into the scale against the least moment of the joy that is felt by the least in Heaven, would have no weight that could be registered at all. Bad cannot succeed even in being bad as truly as good is good. If all Hell's miseries together entered the consciousness of yon wee yellow bird on the bough there, they would be swallowed up without trace, as if one drop of ink had been dropped into that Great Ocean to which your terrestrial Pacific itself is only a molecule.'"

It does feel big enough when you are in it, doesn't it? It's good to be reminded of a greater perspective. The pains of today are truly nothing compared to the joys of Heaven to come. Thank you, Lord!

Musings on Friendship

I've been thinking about friendship and what it means to me. I am so longing for a friend, a real kindred spirit, as Anne would say. I visit other blogs and have found women I know would be great friends. However, none of them appear to live in Colorado!
Being homebound for two and a half weeks with two more to go has been hard. It's lonely. I belong to a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group here. A few of the ladies have sent cards and emails which is so thoughtful. It's nice to know that I'm not completely alone. It seems that everyone is too busy, though, to just spend time with friends. I'd love for anyone to just stop by and visit. And yes, I have made many invitations. Is it just me, or is it hard for others to forge deep friendships?

Picture: Anne and Dianna, courtesy of greengables.tripod.com

Autumn Reading Challenge Update

I've joined the

Autumn Reading Challenge.
Here's the update on how it's going. This is the list of books I'm planning to read before December.

Classics:
Sandition/Charlotte~ Jane Austen (done)
Nicholas Nickleby~Charles Dickens (841 pages later-I am finished! Great story BTW!)
Pilgrim's Progress~ John Bunyon (just starting)

Theology/God/Christian Living:
1 CS Lewis Book
Common Sense Christian Living, Edith Schaeffer (started, skipping around)
Biblical Womanhood in the Home~Nancy DeMoss, Ed. (started)

Misc:
The Day the Rope Broke~Ronald William Clark (quit-not what I thought it was!)
Women's Intuition~ Lisa Samson (done)

Other Books Not Originally in the Challenge:
Showdown~ Ted Dekker (done & still pondering)
Teaching Your Baby to Read (done)
What Every Mother Needs~ Morgan and Kuykendall (started)
Saint~Ted Dekker (done-seems to be a sequel to Showdown, but not as weird!)
Before I Wake~Dee Henderson (done-seems to need a sequel)
The Lazarus Trap and The Imposter~ Davis Bunn (both done~I like his older stuff more.)

What are you reading?

Pumpkin Bread

Recipe :
2 cups pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 TBL pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger

Mix together the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, oil and water until well blended. In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Whisk the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until smooth. Pour into two greased 9" loaf pans, or one 9" loaf, and six mini loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees. For mini pans bake 35 minutes, for large pans 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in to the loaf comes out clean. Make a pot of tea while you are waiting for the loaves to cool and enjoy. (These freeze really well. I try to make at least two batches at a go. They make lovely gifts!)

Picture: Neil Faulkner, "Door Stop" from AllPosters.com

Where Did Autumn Go?

Just this weekend we were having beautiful Autumn weather. Now it feels like the middle of winter! The sky is gray, the air is cold. No longer cool, just cold. We were forecast for 1-4 inches of snow. A few flakes flew last night, but melted upon landing. I am not ready for winter! I want to enjoy my roses and morning glories for awhile here.
Pumpkin's just awakening from his nap. I've heard a few sweet noises. He is such a joy!

We go tomorrow to the doctor to have his little leg examined. Maybe they'll tell us he's healed and take the cast off early. That would be welcomed. It is so difficult to hold and manuever him encased in fiberglass. He sure has been a good sport about it all. I love that little boy.

I made two batches of pumpkin bread and one batch of banana bread yesterday. I love how it makes the whole house smell of spices. I've been tweaking the recipes a bit to add more whole wheat and less sugar. They turned out great. I'll be posting the recipes during the next nap time.
I'll also make up some more whole wheat pitas. They really went fast this time. I just made some last week! We did use them for homemade pizzas a few times. It works so well. Plus, they were good with the Carrot-Ginger Soup I made on Sunday. Mmmm. It made for a nice lunch today as well.
I've got dinner going in the crockpot. It sure helps with getting dinner ready as the time before dinner is a hard time for Pumpkin. I usually feed him first and then make our dinner, but I cannot play with him and cook at the same time. This does not make him happy. I used to have him in his highchair by me so I could talk to him while I cooked, but since he cannot sit now, he goes in the playpen. This is not his favorite place to be.
I am trying to hard to plan ahead for everything so that neither of us is on meltdown mode when Sweetheart arrives home. Wish us luck!

Picture: Katherine Kine, AllPosters.com

Tea=Stress Relief

"Drinking tea can help you recover more quickly from the stresses of everyday life, according to a new study by UCL (University College London) researchers. New scientific evidence shows that black tea has an effect on stress hormone levels in the body.
The study, published in the journal Psychopharmacology, found that people who drank tea were able to de-stress more quickly than those who drank a fake tea substitute. The study participants - who drank a black tea concoction four times a day for six weeks - were found to have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood after a stressful event, compared with a control group who drank the placebo tea for the same period of time.

When measured both groups showed evidence of similar stress levels, however, 50 minutes after the task, cortisol levels had dropped by an average of 47 per cent in the tea drinking group compared with 27 per cent in the placebo tea group.
Bill Gorman of The UK Tea Council said; 'This new research adds to the evidence that drinking tea is good for you. Not only does tea hydrate and offer some protection against heart disease and some cancers, it's now proven to de-stress too. It's great to know that a cuppa, one of life's great comforts, can be enjoyed not just for the taste but also for its health benefits.' "

Feeling stressed? Take a moment to brew a cuppa. Sit down and put your feet up while it steeps. Take slow deep breathes. Pray. Drink your tea slowly. Go on with the day. A ten minute break can do wonders.

Picture: Rachel Labbe, Apres Le Bridge, Allposters.com

Tea of the Week

We received a little care package for Pumpkin from a friend the other day. She sent him a little stuffed bear for hugging. She was so sweet to include a little something for Mommy & Daddy. Harney & Sons Cranberry Autumn Tea has been filling my cup this week.

Their website describes it as:
A blend that combines black teas from China and India with dried cranberries, oranges and cranberry flavoring. Reminiscent of the crisp days and joyous family meals surrounding Thanksgiving and Autumn.

Last Autumn I was working at this friend, Linda's, shop, The Tea Rose in Olde Town Arvada, while we were awaiting Pumpkin's arrival. I remember the day the Harney's shipment came in with the cases of Cranberry Autumn. It made the entire shop smell so delightful.
Of course, the shop always smells so good. Her teapot candles have the nicest fragrances. Gentle music plays softly in the background as she offers guests complimentary tea samples.
A customer once commented when I was working, "What a great place to grow a baby!" I agree. I am sure some of Pumpkin's delightful disposition is due to being grown in such a lovely, and peaceful environment. Thank you, Linda, for everything.
Now, I need to go call her and get her recipe from Pumpkin Scones. She brought some in last Fall. They were the softest scones I have ever had. I ordered whipping cream from the dairy this week just so I could make them. I'll post the recipe later.

Update- I found a copy of the recipe and made them. They were fine, but not as good as Linda's If I figure out the secret, then I'll post the recipe.

Tea Time Countdown

After many years of doing teas for two to 122, I made my own count down list to help me. Now, whenever I am planning a tea, I print this out and use it accordingly. I don't always have two weeks, so I just adjust it as needed. It helps me to remember the little things that make a tea so special.
Since we are homebound for the next few weeks, I think I may try to plan an at-home Autumn Tea. It will be something fun to look forward to!

Tea Count Down

Two Weeks Before
Decide on Theme
Invite Guests

One Week Before
Bake and Freeze Items
Plan Amounts
Make Favors
Make Decorations/Crafts/Place Cards
Make Place Cards
Make Signs for Food, if needed
Check Linens, China, Utensils
Polish Silver
Make Menu
Plan Grocery List and Amounts

Two Days Before
Shop for groceries
Wash and Prep Vegetables

Day Before
Bless (Clean) Home
Bake Breads
Make Scone Mix
Make Sandwich Fillings
Set Tables
Buy Flowers

Morning Of
Assemble Sandwiches, Cover with Damp Towels & Refrigerate
Bake Pastries
Whip Cream
Slice Lemons
Fill Jam Pots
Clean Kitchen

Thirty Minutes Before
Check List for Details
Put the Scones in the Oven
Take a Few Quiet Moments Alone/Check Appearance
Garnish Plates

Final 15 minutes
Light Candles
Play Music
Whip Cream
Sprinkle Powder Sugar
Put Out Cream & Lemon
Put Out Jam
Put Kettle On
Put Food Out

JudyKoenig's Tea and Geraniums from AllPosters.com

(I have my blue and orange lusterware tea sets out all around the house for Autumn. One looks a lot like the one in this painting!)

Carnival of Beauty

I joined this week's Carnival of Beauty. It's "The Beauty of Autumn". Thanks to Autumn Rain for hosting. Go on over to her site ( http://theautumnrain.blogspot.com/) and find the links to the other submissions. (I am still learning how to do all the linking things!)

Congratulations to www.agracioushome.com on the arrival of Peanut! Thanks for sponsoring the Carnival.

Ginger Bears

This recipe is from Catherine Calvert and Tricia Foley's Having Tea. I love this book. Both these ladies were regular contributors to Victoria Magazine.

I made these cookies for a four year old's birthday tea party a few weeks ago. They were a big hit.

They were also Pumpkin's first cookie.
  He loves them.

 


Ginger Bears

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg

2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/ tsp. salt
1 tsp. each ground ginger, cinnamon & cloves

granulated sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together the shortening, brown sugar, molasses and egg.

Sift the remaining ingredients, except the sugar, and stir them into the molasses mixture.

Form the dough into 3 sizes of balls, to create body (large balls), head (medium balls)and ears, arms and legs (small balls). Roll the balls in the granulated sugar. Put the bears together on greased baking sheets with about 2' between them. Bake about 12 minutes, until springy to the touch.

These are great with a cup of Earl Grey Tea.

Of course, everything's better with a cup of Earl Grey Tea!

Saguaros Don't Change Colors

I spent the first 18 years of my life in Phoenix, AZ. We didn't have Autumn. We went Back to School, and the weather eventually cooled to the 80's, but the leaves didn't change colors. We were surrounded by saguaro cactus, olive, and yucca trees. I remember one trip to the mountains of Arizona to see the leaves changing when I was probably about 10 years old. It was amazing to me. I had never seen such a sight.

I experienced my first true Autumn when I went off to college. Don't laugh, but it was in Southern California (Biola!). Not what most people envision when they think of Autumn, I know. It was magical to me. All around campus were trees emblazoned with gold. I loved laying in the grass in front of the dorm just looking up at the trees. It was so beautiful.

Time passed. I moved to Colorado. This made our trees in California pale in comparison. For the first time, I saw more than just green or yellow leaves. I saw firery reds, oranges, and so many different shades of gold. I would take myself on nature walks and drives to just soak it all in. I collected leaves and pressed them. I filled my first little place with Autumn's touches.

More time passed. I married. I became a teacher. We moved to Denver. I taught 5th Grade and realized as we were doing science, that I have no idea why the leaves changed. I learned. I taught. We took Friday afternoon visits to the park behind the school to read under a tree I saw on my drive to work. We took our books and art supplies. We gathered leaves and twigs, did crayon rubbings, drew pictures of the trees and tried to absorb it all.

Time continues to pass. I left teaching to become a Mommy. I didn't go Back to School last Fall as I was preparing to have our baby. He was born on a freezing Fall evening at home. It was almost Winter, and the coldest week of the year. He'll always be my Autumn Baby. No wonder I call him Pumpkin.

Fall has returned again. We were going to go to the mountains last week to see the leaves, but an accident changed all that. My little Pumpkin fell and broke his leg last Saturday. Our trip to the mountains was exchanged for a trip to the ER. I've been at home with him since he returned from the hospital. Luckily, he is not in pain. He is, however, in a spica cast (waist down, both legs for immobilization) and cannot leave the house.

On Sunday while he was napping and Daddy was home I left for a little bit. I drove around, amazed that Autumn truly arrived last week in Denver. I had missed its arrival because of being indoors all week. What a refreshing time I had! Thank you Lord. I sat, drinking a Pumpkin Spice Latte and reading Nicholas Nickleby for the Autumn Reading Challenge (see post below). Then I did a few errands, all the while trying to see as much color as I could. I picked up a little red wagon a woman had for sale so that I can roll the Pumpkin around the neighborhood this week and show him the leaves. We'll collect some, press some, and decorate the house.

Autumn has become my favorite season. I love the change in the air and the light. It is still so amazing to me. Time seems to slow. I slow. I sit more and watch more. I listen. I smile at the sound of the birds in the garden eating the sunflower seeds, but more importantly, I am listening this Autumn for that still, small voice that speaks to me.

He could have just made it so the leaves just shrivel up and fall off as little brown clumps. He didn't. He turns the leaves on fire. He allows the beauty that has been in the leaves all along, hidden by the chlorophyll, to burst forth. Will that not be the case with us as well? Will not our covering fade away to reveal the wonder of His creation in us? Will we not be seen for what we truly are, no longer hidden away by an outward cover, but instead blazing as gold for His glory?
Surrounded by the glory of His Creation, how can I not pause and praise Him? This is the Beauty of Autumn.