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This is an odd one- mint, orange, vanilla- it all turns somewhat herby in my cup. I find it odd, but not unpleasant. I wasn’t sure about when I first tried this, but it’s not a problem to drink it.
A funny tea, but oddly enjoyable.

Its time for Boston!
We’ve had a snap of cold weather ( by which I mean its in the 80’s, not the 100’s), and it won’t last, but I gleefully ordered one of my favorite fall teas, and today was the morning to crack it open.
Yum.

I swear that I have felt that every day this week has been Friday. Clearly I am ready for the weekend!
Ah, hello mellow tea. That’s one of my favorite things about Capri, that it’s such a soft and mellow flavor. Just right to ease me into the last day of the week!

Earlier this year one of my best friends moved out of state. I went from seeing her nearly every day, and absolutely every week, to a weekly zoom day. She moved to work towards her goals and dreams and I am so excited for her, and so proud. But I miss her.
Yesterday was my last day with another of my best friend, who I have been seeing nearly every day for the last few years. He’s been an amazing support during this terrible year, and I am going to miss him so much. We’d go for a walk together most days, and he is a friend of endless patience and care. I’ve been leaning on him a lot.
But today (almost while I write this), he’s flying off to his dream school to continue his education. I could not be more proud of him, and more excited to see what he will do with his life, but still. Today I am adrift and sad.
Time for the nice tea!
I think I steeped this just a touch too long, but it’s still one of my go-to teas.
As a related note, thank you, lovely tea friends. You are all the very best. It’s nice to have you out there, listening to these odd little notes I send out into the void.

The splendid Gmathis reached out to me, and reminded me that I should not just dump an “AAARGH” on you all without updates!
My mom is doing much better, out of the hospital and apparently no damage done. The heat has been oppressive, but it’s broken a bit (we even had rain, which is almost unheard of around here), and I appreciate any temps under 100.
It was a long week. Work was hard, and I have been exhausted. Also one of my dearest friends is going to move away next week- he’s been one of those people who has been beyond helpful during this horrid year. He’s moving for the best of reasons, but I will miss him tremendously.
But! I’m doing much, much better this week, and I’m starting to think about fall teas! I am going to get lots and lots of tasty fall teas for my cupboard this year. I deserve it.

Oh man, if life could slow down just a little bit, that would be great.
My sister is going through some very intense personal stuff, and my mom spent all of last night in the hospital. She (my mom), had a small heart attack last year, and felt some chest tightness so went in to get checked out, and they held her over night.
My father died of a heart attack three months ago, so I am not at my best today.
Plus I’m exsausted (this would have been a long weekend anyway, without all the extra stress), didn’t get enough sleep, and its going to be 103 here today.
Time to break out the teas that are always nice.
I bought myself an ENORMOUS bag of Tower of London a month ago, and it is the best decision I’ve made in a hot minute. That thing is like a huge, tea-filled emotional support pillow. I think I’m going to need it.
The good news is I live in the same town as my mom (though the other side of it- I’m working on getting closer to her), so I can help. My siblings are further away, but that also means that I feel like I’m coping a bit by myself.
I’m ready for fall. This summer has sucked.

The dashboard! Oh frabjous day! I am so glad to see the notes of my fellow tea-friends!
So I’m working on a cupboard refresh, and I’m working on balancing things that are old favorites with an infusion of newness, a bit of pep and excitment.
Well, Capri is one of my classics, something that I get a real hankering for in the late summer and early autumn.
I love the earthiness of this tea, but the touch of citrus makes it sing, and thats just very enjoyable all around!

So, during the last few months, I have not been doing good cupboard management.
I’d been doing a huge project of the last few years of sipping down teas, to curate a more reasonable number of teas. This had been going well, but it went rather too well, and left me high and dry, scraping the proverbial bottom of the barrel lately.
Well, nothing cheers the heart like adding new teas to the cupboard, so I have started buying some more teas, and some old favorites but some new ones, so I have a fun new experience to try!
The first up of the new teas is this, which was such an interesting combination that I had to try it. Orange and vanilla AND spearmint? What is it like?
It’s herby, and maybe almost…. toothpasty? But in a pleasantish sort of way? Hmm, very difficult to explain. I’m glad I got a few ounces of this, more experimentation will be needed.
Is it going to become a cupboard classic? No. Will it be drunk with interest? Yes.

Hello, amazing tea-friends.
Oh, it’s good to be back here. It’s good to pick up a thing that makes me happy, and to think of all the wonderful potential for joy it has. It’s wonderful to reconnect with all of you!
Thank you so much for your well wishes, your kindness, your thoughts and prayers upon the death of my father. It’s been a disorienting time, and though I’ve been rather disconnected of late, I’ve still been able to feel all of you, like friends on the other end of the line, even through it all.
I am ready to step back into the joys of life. It’s not that my mourning, grief or sorrow will be over (I’m not sure it will ever be fully over), but I have been struck by moments of small beauty, small joy, and it’s time to return to my practice of cultivating them.
Part of that is tea, and I’m making a commitment to be here more often, my own happy place on the internet.
Thank you all. I’m thrilled to be back.

My father passed away a couple of days ago.
This is going to be horrible for a long time, isn’t it?
I’m going to drink as much tea as I can. It seems to be a fixed point in this universe.