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Lullaby Time is one of my recent purchases of boxed herbals to drink in the evening. I saw no fewer than six “sleepy time” herbal blends at my local grocery. I’ve had the official Celestial Seasoning’s Sleepy Time Tea. I picked the store brand to try this time.

Sight
Dry leaves: Spring green and lighter with cream and tan.
Wet leaves: Bright green with yellow and brown.
Tea: Light yellow brown.

Smell
Dry leaves: Spearmint and sweet.
Wet leaves: Muted spearmint.
Tea: Spearmint with a touch of chamomile.

Taste
Mostly spearmint. Not super mint. Softened by chamomile. Perhaps a hint of citrus.

Running late to a hair appointment, I had to take a travel mug of Vanilla Bean since I had no time for breakfast. I added a splash of milk and perhaps I splashed too much. It tasted milky and faintly vanilla with little tea taste. But it was very hot and I didn’t get to drink it all.

I’ve been on the fence about this hair stylist. The hair cut was not bad but it was not what I asked for and I told her as soon as I saw what she was doing that I didn’t want. I think I will be trying a new one next time.

I had the 2nd steep of this morning’s Ceylon late afternoon with a snack of artichoke and spinach hummus on garlic crisps. While this morning’s steep in the larger mug remained the same as usual, this steep did not, despite using the same amount of fresh leaf I’d add to a 2nd steep of Ceylon in a standard mug. It was watery and DRY big time and tasted of tea, but not strongly.

I had a yucky morning headache today. Between allergies, the weather, and being a poor/erratic sleeper, I often wake up with a small to moderate headache in the morning that usually goes away with time, caffeine, and food in 20 to 40 min. Some days are headache free, some days are worse or lingering headaches. I could tell this one might be one of those so I took two ibuprofen and a large glass of water. I was also really dry when I woke up too. I knew I should have more water but I needed and wanted tea. A good basic like Ceylon to calm, sooth, and enjoy. I realized this morning that one of my favorite pottery mugs is much larger than I thought it was. I had thought it was only slightly larger than a standard mug but it turns out it was one and a half times as large. Tea turned out just fine though. I wonder why. But not too much. I’ll just go with it since it works.

Again, a cup of Yunnan around noon. I seem to be drinking my tea in pairs. I’ll drink the same tea for two days, then another tea for two days. Today’s Yunnan didn’t seem as smokey as it has previously. Am I getting used to the smokey? The smokey was still there but it wasn’t the okay-this-is-smokey it had been before.

I had a lovely cup of Yunnan at around noon today. It was just what I wanted and expect it to be. I had thought I’d have Thomas, but I changed my mind on the way to the cupboard. I am thinking about making the 2nd steep of the leaves with a bit of milk before bed.

I didn’t think this would take a 2nd steep. But I decided to try resteeping it last night. Appley. Tart? Tart? No. Watery! This no can do a 2nd steep.

I always check out the tea sales when I’m at Earth Fare. A couple of weeks ago, two leaves and a bud were on sale. Since I was in need of more caffeine-free teas for evening consumption, I picked Alpine Berry. This is my first two leaves and a bud tea.

Sight
Dry leaves: Small green leaf pieces, orange peel pieces, dark pink-red pieces, pink-brown pieces.
Wet leaves: Larger green leaf pieces, larger orange peel pieces, muddied pink-red pieces.
Tea: Immediately began turning a rich mulberry, which ended as a black mulberry.

Smell
Dry leaves: Apple, rose, orange, generic berry – perhaps blackberry and strawberry.
Wet leaves: Warm apple, tart.
Tea: Apple, strawberry.

Taste
Weaker than I expected. Watery. Apple. Tart. No berry. I smell berry but no berry taste.

I am going to try steeping this longer next time, in hopes to get stronger flavor and less watery. Drinkable but not something I’d buy again unless it improves with experimentation. I’m going with a 50 rating (decent) for now but will probably lower it if I cannot improve the strength.

I had to see if I could replicate yesterday’s Jackee. Yes! Wonderful again. Now I have to worry about drinking him up too fast. Thankfully, Thomas has had two days of recovery from his harrowing evening half-drunk wanderings and should be up to going out again tomorrow.

2nd steep: 205° F, 5 min.

The 2nd steep of this morning’s Jackee was just as good. I enjoyed him thoroughly with a Greek chicken wrap.