Tea Cozy

I did not steep this for quite long enough, I am afraid. So today it’s a shadow of itself, an almost earl grey with a lot of additional fruity flavor.
I may be cursed. I oversteeped this last time. I will find the golden zone on this!

How is it possible that I’ve been this busy? And yet, here I am, having had an absolutely slammed couple of weeks. I am very fortunate to still be working, and to have so many hobbies that have managed to keep going, but I’m feeling spread a little thin.
My tea cupboard is almost bare. I was doing a huge sipdown, as I was feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tea I had, but I’ve gone too far. I was starting to feel sad and listless as my cupboard was so pared down. I’m still figuring out what the perfect amount of teas for me is- where I feel comfortable and inspired but also not overwhelmed.
So, I spend yesterday ordering autumnal teas, and also going to the local tea shop (which I have not set foot in since February) to stock up on more autumnal flavors.
I’ve had this before, but I figured why not try again!
Its an earl grey variation, with a little extra fruitiness. Not overwhelming, but solid enough. And it was lovely to sit and drink it this morning, a cup of something I have not had in months and months, and feeling a little bit more relaxed.
Ah, the power of tea.

I sipped this down yesterday.
Its easy enough to drink, if not particularly special.
I think this is probably the first of my “summery” blends I’ve drunk down, just in time for the hundred degree weather.

So yesterday was the first really hot day, and the power went out last evening, and did not come back on before I went to bed, though it did surge into life in the morning.
Ugh. Who knows whats still good in my fridge, and who knows how long it will take to reset all the flipping clocks.
So I am tired this morning, and its going to be a long and warm day, and I brewed this a bit too long today.
Blah.

I am loving the new, lighter cupboard, as I can survey my selections in the morning with the feeling of excitement and anticipation, and less the feel of worry or the slight stress I experience when I have too much.
This is a very strong fruit flavor, but a slightly earthier fruit, rather than a bright and sparkling one.
Thats totally fine, especially this morning, when something a little stronger sounds nice.

Sipdown!
This has been a nice addition to my cupboard. It might come back at some point- I would certainly consider it.
It has been a pleasantly currant-y cup, and I’ve enjoyed it!

Alas Monday! Why do you darken my door? I shall drink a bold and cheerful tea to lessen your cruel impact.
This remains tart and pleasant, even though I managed to overleaf my cup this morning. What can I say, I was too tired to pay any proper attention.
Ok, Monday. Lets do this.

Refreshing and slightly tart, this was a nice way to start my working morning.
Isn’t it Friday yet?

My imagination is shabby this week. I’ve been reaching for the same things again and again. That’s alright. I’m enjoying the consistency.
I wish I knew what fruit was in this. Something tart, probably currants. I love a currant tea, so that’s probably why I bought it.
Reminder- keep better notes on contents of blend when buying from small tea shops.

Its tech week. So I’m going to be extra exhausted. Rehearsals will run long, and will probably be frustrating, plus I have my normal day job and suchlike.
Ugghh. Its going to be such a long week. I am going to require all the tea I can drink.
I’ll start with a cup of this.
My memories of this was that I wasn’t crazy about it, but it is actually very pleasant. I am enjoying it. Its going a pretty bright fruity note, and that was refreshing and nice today.

I did not have a good night. Rehersal ran late, and I staggered home much later than I wanted. When I got home, and email from my ex was waiting for me, which further ruined the night.
I feel bad. It wasn’t a “bad” breakup. Nothing specifically happened to break us up or anything, but we had to separate and its really steeped me in a profound sadness, that I am working on recovering from.
He wants to be friends now, saying he misses talking to me, and hoping that I can start with a small conversation with him. In theory that sounds like a good thing- this was someone who was so important for such a long period of my life. I should want a future where we can be friends.
But I am not ready for that future now. Even that email shook me up so much that I could hardly rest.
The dreadful thing is that I don’t want to cause him pain, and my refusal to talk is surely causing him pain, but I need to look out for my own emotional well being.
If there is even the hope of being friends in the future then I need to give myself the time to mourn, and space away from constant or forceful reminders of what might have been. I need to keep building a life away from the life I’d hoped I’d have.
This is all very heavy and dramatic. I am sorry. It helps sometimes just to say it out to you all, you know? Because you understand (as many do not), how important tea is for all of lifes occatios. I clung to my mug of this today like a child clings to its security blanket. Tea is stablility. Tea is peace and joy and comfort and caffine, on a day when I need all of those things.

I am very proud of myself, I remembered that I was going to steep this for one fewer minute than I normally would, and did so! And it yielded a very pleasant cup, just as I hoped for.
A very nice cuppa this morning.
Part of the sipdown fever is also drinking teas I’ve barely tried more often. I love watching my logged times go up and the leaf go down, when I’m in the midst of this sipdown fever!

My pot of the morning.
I need to take better notes when buying teas from little shops. This has no info on the packaging, and I bought it a bit ago, so I don’t quite remember what it is, other than black tea which sounded good to me at the time.
Aha, I think its got currant in it. Both the leaf and the brew have that fruity tartness of current. Also, I love current teas, so that sounds like me, alright.
Its a decent tea. It has a tart, fruity flavor to it. I think it would probably do well with a minute lighter steep then I gave it.
So far these Tea Cozy teas have done well.

Making progress, as this blend was my morning cup, and a sipdown!
I quite liked this one, it was warm and, well, cozy. I may very well pick up some more in future!
But for today, another notch of the Black Friday Sipdown goals.

Still raining, and I am feeling happy. Rain is my favorite weather, so if I wake up in the middle of the night and hear it falling, then I am a very happy camper.
This seemed like the perfect wooly sweater of a tea to have this morning.
Also, less thematically, I’m getting low on it, so it might be one of my black Friday sipdowns, if I work at it.
In the meantime, nom.

Tea of my morning. A nice, rich, cozy sort of blend. It fits its name well.

I have finally hit the proper weather for this tea! Cold in the mornings, with the hint of frost in the air. That’s when blends with Lapsangs really sing.
And so I have a very satisfying mug of this to start my morning out right.

It rained last night! Yaaay! It looks that that wonderful burst of autumnal weather is going as quickly as it arrived, but I am still in full on rainy weather celebration.
So it was time to grab the teas that smell and taste like campfires, the smokey smell of tea blending with the soft scent of freshly washed air.
This is a blend that has a strong backbone of lapsang in it, which is great for mornings like today.

Did not sleep well last night, so its time for the sturdy teas!
This is a good Monday morning tea, strong, but not demanding of my full attention, so I can stagger around and get ready without feeling guilty if I have to step away from my mug.
I hopes it powers me through this day!

I’m getting soft in my old age. I usually like me tea as black as a Goth’s wardrobe, with no sweetener or additives. But I found myself sipping this today and thinking that a splash of milk might not go amiss.
I mean, I still like it, even without the milk, but it might be nice, even with a little sugar.
I’m going soft, obviously.

I woke up to the rain this morning, so I decided that I needed a cozy blend.
This is from a local tea shop, and its their house blend. I’ve been waiting for the right day to brew it up, and that day has arrived!
I’m afraid the packaging leaves something to be desired, in that it does not list the teas that have gone into this blend, but one of then is clearly Lapsang. But its not just Lapsang.
Its a really nice blend, with the smokey quality I love in Lapsangs, but also some mellow sweetness to it. I don’t know what is causing that, but I’m not about to argue.
It was a very cozy cup this morning, I am happy to say. And I’m glad they are local, because this might be something that, once I drink this particular package down, might be worth bringing back into the cupboard.

And this is a sipdown! Woo!
I liked this tea, but I didn’t love it. Its one of those teas that was nice to have, and lovely to try, but it won’t be making a repeat performance.
A good start to the day, with a Monday Sipdown!

It sounds like a siege is going on outside. The wind is battering everything within an inch of its life, and I am huddled inside, clutching my cup of tea, hoping it all dies down soon. I’ve got stuff to do, after all!
Bleh the wind. It makes my head hurt and that makes me grumpy. I am going to huddle around this tea some more, and grumble about the wind.

Goodness but its windy today. This means my head is absolutely full of junk, and I’m battling a sore throat. Brilliant.
So I think lots of hot fluids are called for.
I’m nearly to the bottom of this bag, and while I’ve enjoyed it, its not going to be a staple in the cupboard. That’s alright! Not everything has to be. Some things it was just nice to try.