Monday, October 4, 2021

Tea Time

I spent two glorious weeks in NJ, enjoying time by myself, doing all the extra laundry tasks I rarely have time for (washing curtains and some rugs), and even accomplishing some fall cleaning. It's been very nice knowing that things I've cleaned will stay clean for a while, and having whatever I want for dinner whenever I felt like eating it. I'm not quite sure how it started (maybe the first chilly day after I was tired of taking down curtains, doing four loads of laundry, hanging them out, and then putting the curtains back up), but I've been enjoying a cup of tea each afternoon around 5:00 pm or so. 


At first, I contemplated having a beer or cocktail as a reward for my work, but decided that maybe drinking by myself wasn't a great idea. A warm cup of tea is still a lovely reward, and because it was so nice and marked a break between working and relaxing in the evening, I've kept it up.


Sometimes it's a cup of the usual PG Tips that I wake up to in the morning, but I've also been branching out. I love Celestial Seasonings Peppermint and Tension Tamer teas, and they provide a very enjoyable caffeine-free cuppa. 

Other days I take more time and prepare a cup of loose-leaf tea. One of the things I did during my two weeks was to clean out my pantry and kitchen cupboards, so now I can see all the teas I have available. I have a bit of a tea fetish that I try to wrestle under control every now and then, but I like having a varied choice every day, especially now that I can see exactly what my choices are.


I've been watching Call the Midwife in the evenings, so I may have gotten the idea for my new tea time ritual by seeing the many times the characters put the kettle on and how they treat tea as calming and restorative. My tea time started without much thought, but now it's an important part of my day and one I look forward to. I might even bake some scones this week!

9 comments:

  1. What a wonderful tea ritual you've created, Bonny. XO In the summertime, I rarely make myself a cup of tea, but now that the weather is cooling down I find myself craving tea again. Peppermint tea is my favorite, generally, (although - like you - I have a bit of a tea fetish) and I love Celestial Seasonings peppermint best of all. (Probably because it reminds me of my time in their Mint Room!) I'll join you with a cup this afternoon! XO

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  2. I think that is a lovely habit, Bonny, very mindful and restorative. I drink a lot more hot tea in the colder months than I do during the summer, and I collect teas as well. It sounds as though you have a productive time during your time alone, and I hope that has been as restorative as well. Happy Monday, Bonny!

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  3. Tea keeps me going no matter what. I LOVE being able to take the time to enjoy a cup of tea on the weekends especially!

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  4. The kiddos slept over on Saturday and they requested some TEA before bed! All I had was peppermint, so I brewed a cuppa... and they hated it. I messaged Ali, wondering where I'd gone wrong, and she said that they think of tea as ICED, and more of a citrus flavor (often with a splash of lemonade, too). Haha. Whoops!

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  5. Right around this time of year, I like to make myself a cup of tea when I get home from picking kiddo up at school. It's a nice little treat to get myself through the last hour of the work day, particularly when it's that time of year when it's already dark at 4 p.m. I just started getting that urge for tea last week, and I'm glad I had stocked up at Plum Deluxe at the end of the winter so I have good choices.

    Love your infuser! I have two similar ones -- a sloth and a dachshund -- but I don't use them that often because they're kind of a pain to clean out.

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  6. Dale just said the other day that tea drinking season is here again! Celestial Seasonings Peppermint is one of my favorites, Dale likes orange and spice, and I also love Bigelow Constant Comment - it makes me think of my mom. Sounds like you've made a nice ritual for yourself.

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  7. Brunch in Paris is one of my favorite Plum Deluxe teas. That Santa blend looks delicious! (and reference last Thursday's post - I made a pumpkin spice syrup today that is one of the best things I've ever put together in a jar that has nothing to do with a cocktail. I can't wait to share the recipe with y'all!)

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  8. I think a cup of tea is a wonderful late afternoon ritual. This past spring and summer I've had to give up a few of my favorites for health reasons but I have found a few replacements - herbal. I had forgotten about Tension Tamer but I'm going to look up the ingredients and see if my system can handle it. Every now and again, I also have to get a hold of my habit of buying teas. Your quiet time sounds lovely. It is nice to get the house in order before we are inside for winter.

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  9. I love tea in the afternoon and evening (but not morning!). It feels calming to drink and it reminds me of my mom :)

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