Weather's better

The weather is back to normal for this area - low teens and misty. Pretty much perfect weather for gardening and that's what I've been doing. Planted a small vegetable garden today - asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, onions, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, peas, beans and zuchinni. The tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, lettuce and some herbs will be planted in pots while the rest are in my new raised bed. Who knows what will happen now - it's pretty much up to Mother Nature.
I am drinking Spring Pouchong today and it's still the best tasting (and smelling) tea I have ever had. It smells like a spring garden filled with lilacs and roses. I am drinking it in a Royal Doulton "Nicole" pattern cup and saucer, which my mother gave me about 20 years ago. It's cream colored bone china decorated with tiny yellow flowers and what looks like sprigs of lilacs. I prefer to drink tea out of bone china but I usually use a mug. The past few days I have been using a tea cup and saucer and it does enhance the experience. Since a china lover can never have too many cups and saucers, yesterday I hit Value Village and scored quite a nice haul. For just over $9, I bought five saucers and five cups. Yes, they're mismatched but I managed to get them to nearly match so that only an expert would know the difference. My best purchase was a cup by Rosina called Wild Flowers, which is pretty blue flowers on a white background. I think it's a demitasse since it's smaller than the others. I highly recommend this as a way to expand your tea cup collection but it does take some time - most of the time what's in stock is pretty awful.

Sometimes You Do Get What You Wished For ...

Ooops! In my past posts, I mentioned how I want cold damp weather - well, I got it! On Thursday and Friday previous, we had sunshine and temperatures in the mid-20s C (mid - 70s F). Yesterday and today, it's been foggy and in the low single digits (high 30s). Now personally, I love this sort of weather - I'd like it year-round - but I know I'm in the minority and I now feel kind of bad for those hoping for nicer weather on the holiday weekend.
However, it's still great weather for trying new teas and I did just that. I tried Tazo's Sweet Orange, which is an herbal orange flavored blend. Quite nice although not as good as the Orange Tangerine from Celestial Seasonings, who get it just right. I also tried a Cherry Rose green which was pleasant enough, at the one local restaurant that actually offers loose tea, served in a proper pot. Unfortunately, they don't decant but hey, who expects everything? I'm just impressed that they see the need for loose over bagged. Someday, we'll reach the 20th century around here!

Good Weather - Oh Well

Yes, you read that right. We have been receiving spectacular weather the past two days and I am none too happy about it (see previous post). Oh well, it is suppose to be freezing here tomorrow so hopefully that will come about. I am being a real scrooge but I am worried about my roof and oil tank - once they're fixed, let the sunshine and hot weather reign!
It's the long weekend and even more importantly, it's the weekend when they'll be showing the new Jesse Stone movie on CBS. Sunday night at 10 EST. I love these movies - not so much for the stories but for the characters, atmosphere and setting. I could care less what happens - I just want that house that Stone lives in! It's in the most beautiful setting possible.
I'm drinking some Earl Grey from my Tassimo right now. I confess I am using that machine entirely too much. But it does make good Earl Grey!

Wet Times!

It's 5 C and pouring rain here. Definitely a day for vanilla cupcakes topped with cream cheese icing and sunny yellow sugar sprinkles. Fortunately, I had a half-dozen of the cupcakes in my freezer and I just finished icing and decorating them. Well, actually, I just finished eating one - quite nice, if I do say so myself.
With that, I am having a cup of loose orange spice - a wintery tea but it seems as cold as a day in early December out there.
In a way, I am almost relieved. I have to get a new oil tank and a new roof this year. I just got the oil tank filled before I found out I could get a good price on a new tank so now what I had planned to do in October will be moved up to sometime within the next month. I also have rotting boards on one section of roof so I want that repaired before some enterprising wasps build themselves a nest - so I am actually hoping for cold weather over the next three weeks so the nasties will remain napping.
Now, I am not being selfish or anything. I just want cold weather for my little spot - everyone else can have sunshine and roses - and with all the microclimates we have around here, that just might be possible.

Library Tea

Our local library is always putting on free programs on a variety of subjects that are interesting. This week's event was on vegetable gardening and since I am a (very) amateur gardener who prefers to eat her garden, we went to the two-hour session. It was interesting and I left inspired to plant a few new things. Since my yard is shaded, I now know that lettuce and other greens are pretty much the best things for me to grow (and garlic!).
Of course, in this area, you can't do anything without including a lunch and refreshments - one of the perks of Maritime living. Since the session was about growing fruits and vegetables, the foods included a fruit tray and a vegetable tray. But for me, the best thing about the evening was the chance to try two new teas. Both are by President's Choice. The second was Raspberry Thriller - I have to confess I wasn't so thrilled. Just another reddish-colored herbal that really didn't have that much flavor. But the first tea I tried was a completely different story. It's called Lemon Thriller and it lives up to its name. It's another herbal and features a full, rich lemon flavor with no grassy overtones. The very next day, I went to the grocery store and purchased a box so that should tell you how much I liked it - if you're a lemon fan, this one is worth trying!