Thursday Tea Time - Happy Anniversary!

My 28th anniversary is this weekend!  And how coincidental I found these two celebratory teas from Coffee Bean &Tea Leaf Anniversary Blend and The Republic of Tea 20th Anniversary Celebration Tea


Cost:  CBTL Anniversary Blend:  $10.95,
Republic of Tea 20th Anniversary Celebration:  $11.50
Number of teabags:  Blend: 20, Celebration: 3.5 ounces*
Caffeine:  Blend:  Yes,  Celebration:  Yes
Type of tea:  Blend:  White tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea
Celebration:  Ceylon black tea
Steeping time:  Blend:  4 minutes, Celebration:  5 minutes
Add ins:  Blend:  CBTL's Fat free Vanilla powder, Celebration:  Natural Bliss
Tea fragrance:  Blend:  Fruity
Celebration:  *Let it be known, this is a loose tea (which can make 50-60 cups, so that's a good thing), but I didn't realize it until I opened the lid and some of it spilt.  Hubby came home shortly after and asked what smelled so good, and it was the tea!  Not only does it smell great, but the blue cornflower petals make it look pretty, too.  It definitely has a champagne essence.
Ingredients:  Blend:  White tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, lily blossoms, natural flavors.
Celebration:  Ceylon black tea, white wine grapes (they looked like raisins!), tea blossoms, marigold petals, cornflowers and natural champagne and vanilla flavors.
Opinion:  Blend:  I was surprised.  The Natural Bliss didn't do much for it.  I tried the CBTL Fat free vanilla powder and that helped save it.  It really smelled good in the mug and was fun to drink, catching the whiff with the sip.   I may try the other half & half creamers (I got the White Chocolate Raspberry marked down after Christmas) to see how it partners with them.
Celebration:  A teaspoonful in a teabag does the trick.  What a nice treat.  It definitely tastes different and unexpected and worth seeking out.   I found mine at the Rice Epicurian Market in River Oaks before it began the transition to a Fresh Market.  I don't know if the new store will continue to carry it.
Rating:  Blend:  3.5, Celebration:  4.75

Wednesday Work in Progress

More like prepping and playing!

I need to finish "Fred," my swan watercolor class project.  And I was gathering my Butterick patterns for an upcoming Butterick 150th anniversary article.  Fun detours!

I believe this is variety of Pyracantha or Firethorn.  See the lower left side heart-shaped berry?

Garden Update

Just added!  Indian Hawthorn - with bonus berry to to the right!

Here is my garden's progress to spring as of yesterday.  (and today -- I just added the Indian Hawthorn picture!) With our crazy warmer weather lately, the Celeste fig is starting to bud...the Carolina Jessamine is beginning its yellow profusion of blooms outside my sewing studio windo, and the paperwhites are making good progress from earlier benign neglect.

This is my first time growing paperwhites.  I bought the bulbs back in November, thinking I would force bloom them for Christmas, as I've seen and coveted in magazines.  But I forgot and then found where I put them.  They had started to sprout in the darkness under the pouch bags of tea (what possessed me, or whom shall remain nameless, to "hide" there?!), so I decided what the heck to plant them a few weeks ago.  Dirt is is a good medium besides a wire basket!

Celeste Fig

Carolina Jessamine

Paperwhites

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen

My beautiful January "Pink Promise" rose!

Netflix Stars - Moonrise Kingdom

Moonrise Kingdom - 3 stars
Quirky would be an understatement.  (At first I thought it was a Coen brothers movie, then checked the envelope - Wes Anderson.  Ohhh...kaaay.)   Despite an Oscar-stellar cast, which is why we kept watching --  Best just to call it oddful humor.  Hubby and I looked at each other afterwards and said, "WTH?!"  And then laughed.

Friday Fannin Flowers

Back in its heyday, Fannin Street near the Texas Medical Center/US 59 had blocks of flower stands, often open 24 hours.  Today there are still some around, survivors of when Metro put the train through. They were able to put together this great (and fragrant!) bouquet for me.  I was even allowed back in the cooler room to take my pick of the freshest and prettiest roses, too.

Mary Jane Loves Omar

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Zhena's Gypsy Tea - Hazelnut Chai Black

Cost:  $6.99 Cost Plus World Market.  Also available online on their website for the same price - whew!  Good to know I can get more.  This was part of their seasonal chai tea display at World Market.
Number of teabags:  22
Caffeine:  Yes
Type of tea:   Black
Steeping time:  5 minutes
Add ins:  Coffee Mate's Natural Bliss Sweet Cream
Tea fragrance:  Spice
Ingredients:  Organic, Fair Trade Certified™ Indian Black Tea, Cinnamon, Ginger Root, Licorice Root, Natural Flavoring, Cloves, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, Vanilla Bean.
Opinion:  Can chai tea get any better?  Yes, if you add hazelnut - Wow!  A nice warming spice tea, with the chai kick.  The hazelnut is there, but nicely balanced.   It smells and tastes great!  I've been drinking it in the morning and afternoon for a nice energization. And who knew clove could help with memory enhancement?  I'll be sure to remember that!
Rating: 4.5

Wednesday Work in Progress - Awaiting

First step, clear the table, put all which was dumped upon it during the holidaze away and await inspiration and direction.  I've pulled my Martha Stewart February issues and just bought the new one today.  I'm starting to look for Spring.

Like the Chantal soup bowl and lid?  It's one of my outlet sale finds from a few years ago.   Actually it was part of a combo deal - I got this huge, same green/brown inside soup stock pot with two of the bowls.  I repurposed one of them, it makes for a cute hiding place for little things which may go awry or awol.  (Bonus it is the same spring green I'm trying to bring into the studio to freshen it up a bit.)

Do Drop In!

If you are also on Blogger or another blog platform, I found and love and have really been using and appreciating the Dropbox app!

So helpful and timesaving coordinating photos taken with my Android phone to Mollie Mac and my iPad - I used to just email them to myself and then download (hoping for a fast connection at home or having to hit the road in search of). Now I send them from my cellie camera to Dropbox and then move over to iPhoto and edit.  No more waiting for the email to arrive.  No more extra steps.  Just dropping in this tidbit to you!

Taken along the Galveston Seawall 1-21-13

Today's Favorite Workout Song

A Fine Frenzy - "Now is the Start" - 4:46

Little Black Dress-It

My daughter found these Post-It notes for me at Office Depot - aren't they cool?

A pad of 100 3.9x x 2.8" -- The packaging labeling near the barcode said "6343-FS-DRS" 

Cool Cookie Cutters!

Check out these cool cookie cutters I found at the Kitchen Chick in Galveston -- a palm tree, ornament and State of Texas for only $2.99 each!  I actually hung them on my Christmas tree.  They are made by Ann Clark and include a cookie (and frosting!) recipe on the tag!  What a fun little shop located in The Strand, and if you love to cook and bake, you'll find lots of things you didn't know you needed and also what you didn't know you were looking for!

Friday Flowers - Tippy Tulips

I like how they looked rotated on their side rather than right side up!  What is right is really relative, right?
I think this unretouched picture really came out neat!  
If only I could look this great unretouched in the bathroom light, too.
Boo!  (Yikes!)

Thursday Tea Time - Cocoa-banana!

This week - The Republic of Tea - Banana Cuppa Chocolate


Cost:  $10.99 at Rice Epicurian/River Oaks
Number of teabags:  36
Caffeine:  No
Type of tea:   Red/Rooibos
Steeping time:  7 minutes
Add ins:  Coffee Mate's Natural Bliss Sweet Cream
Tea fragrance:  Banana!
Ingredients:  Rooibos, cocoa, carob, sweet blackberry leaves, banana bits, chocolate flavoring, banana flavoring
Opinion:  This really does taste and smell like bananas -- and slightly chocolate, but not artificial-y at all.   I used two teabags, and a huge (16 ounce) mug, and drank every last drop.   This is another of their "cuppa chocolate tea" series.  Hey, when you have a good thing going, why stop?!   I only wish the chocolate/carob was a bit stronger, that's the only reason for the slight ding from a 5
Rating: 4.5

Today's Favorite Workout Song

I am now finding really cool songs on the Pandora "Workout Songs" channel.  My iPod Shuffle battery died as I was getting ready to hit the trail, bummer.  But then I thought for grins to use my cellie and try Pandora - tah-dah!  It practically had my playlist anyways - haha!  And I found some new songs!  Here's one of them:

Pitbull - "Shake Señora"  - 3:35

Vera Bradley Screensavers

Did you know you can get free screensavers for the four newest Vera Bradley Spring Designs??

"Go Wild!"

"Jazzy Blooms"

"Midnight Blues"

"Plum Crazy"

Click here for the link to "Inside Stitch:  The Official Vera Bradley Blog"