Spiced Fall Evenings

We all balance each other out—it’s the fruity aspect of this blend I like the most :)

My sister enjoyed this one too! I love fruit teas and spiced teas, but for some reason, I often don’t love them together!

Guh?! I’m trying to imagine a chamomile jellybean… All I’m getting is buttered popcorn, LOL!

Hahah, it has that generic sweetness of jellybeans, but chamomile was the srongest flavour that came forward…if that helps. :P

Ha ha okay, that makes sense.

Sad that it was mostly chamomile for you. I liked it for not being chamomile forward!

This is a favorite night time cuppa for my husband and me.

Having an excuse to leave the house is nice. Toronto might be going into another lockdown, so I’ll be staying home even more.

Sorry to hear that Leafhopper. We are in half-lockdown. Schools were closed (but primary are opening now), libraries, museums, restaurants, bars… all closed down. Restaurants can have take-away, at least.

But I am already so tired of distance learing. *sighs
I am indeed recently looking for some reasons going out, but unfortuntately don’t have much time!

I just ordered a Cuppageek Advent calendar…partly for myself, and partly for some mini-Christmas treats to share with friends.

Restaurants are closed here for dine-in service, though takeout and delivery are allowed. I wouldn’t be surprised if schools and libraries are shut down in the near future. Sigh. I imagine that distance learning is getting old, especially since it can be hard to focus after a while.

I hear you Martin. We are in modified lockdown AGAIN. Many restaurants are closed from 11/20 through March or April, all the museums are closed until next year, movie theaters closed, offices have to have staff working from home again, no public gatherings over 10 people, no private gatherings over 10 (and everyone has to be RELATED-but how will THAT be enforced?!), gyms closed, restaurants can only serve outdoors but now the days are in the 40s and 50s (Fahrenheit) and it gets down to freezing at night. If you go to a restaurant as a group, it can only be a group of 4 and once again, everyone must be from the same household. WHAT?! I understand that precautions are necessary and I will abide by them but working from home and being home ALL the time (don’t drive) I am going absolutely stir crazy.

I don’t drive either and am trying not to use public transportation, so I’m also going a bit stir crazy. I think these restrictions are hard on everyone, although I absolutely think they’re necessary and am following them. I wish some people wouldn’t be irresponsible and have huge parties (one gathering of a hundred people was shut down in Toronto this weekend) so that the rest of us don’t have to suffer. Anyway, thank goodness for tea, which makes staying home a bit more bearable!

Leafhopper I love Canada. When I have visited, the people I encountered have been incredibly courteous and civilized and I always felt safe there, even when traveling alone. I thought is was just us rough around the edges Americans who where the scofflaws during this pandemic. Tea, the company of cats, some good books, netflix, Amazon Prime series and movies and mindfulness are on my side-and things could always be worse.

I’m glad you enjoyed travelling in Canada! Most of us Canadians are law abiding to a fault, but sadly, not all of us are. We have our fair share of anti-maskers and those who don’t think the rules apply to them. I’m also reading more than usual and enjoy visiting my neighbour’s cat, although that hasn’t happened recently due to the pandemic. I’m also spending more time doing gongfu sessions and looking at tea I shouldn’t buy.

Looking at tea I shouldn’t buy has become a favorite pasttime of mine as well the last few weeks…

I do the once a week shopping cart routine now with anything I think I need when I boredom shop online. I allow myself to fill a shopping cart but the rule is that the cart’s contents have to sit for a week before I press ‘buy.’ As a result, I have spent very little money during the pandemic. For me, it feels like simply pretending that the sky’s the limit with shopping is usually as satisfying as having the goods. It’s nice to go back to the cart(s) when the week is up, say to myself-“What the heck were you thinking?”, have a laugh over my foolishness and then delete the contents of those carts. Sometimes dreaming is as good as doing. Or having.

I like this one, too, Martin! We have been drinking it at night a lot, plus another called Baked Apple Pie with a Dash of Rum. GMathis is the reason I ordered that last one, although I don’t taste rum in it.

White Antlers, sitting on your shopping cart for a week is a good idea. You’re right that a lot of boredom shopping is just daydreaming. This’ll be hard during all the Black Friday sales, though. I’m sure I’ll convince myself that I “need” more Dan Cong and unsmoked Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong, which are the teas I’ve been filling my fantasy shopping carts with lately. (I also bought these teas a couple weeks ago, though they have yet to arrive.)

Martin: I like to send you chamomile because you don’t like chamomile. Am I sadist or merely abetting the pushing of boundaries? I very much enjoyed this one. After I finish off an old tin of some ‘sleep’ blend, I’m going to order a few ounces.

White Anlers: Consider this! We can go to shops only in two, unless you have your own children with you. You have to got shopping cart, because you have to keep 15 sq. m. free around you. That’s circle with diameter 4,7 m. And of course nobody cares, for example you are picking the bread. If there isn’t cart for you, you have to wait outside the shop.

We don’t have an online orders available here (of groceries). I am going slightly mad, because I go only to shop and back, so going to post office was a nice change.

Leafhopper I completely agree with you, they are tough, but they make sense. Unless you are changing them every day or two, as here. They declare something, but they change their mind again and change it afterwards. So we are pretty much in stress what changes again, day after day! Looking at teas I shouldn’t buy… and daydreaming about trips and everything, that’s all I do if I am not having a lecture! Haha. Luckily my bank account is quite thin, so I don’t have money for all the tea I see. Kind of luck that Bar Harbor Tea Company haven’t replied to my question! On one hand it makes me sad, on other hand I don’t have to pay the shipping!

ashmanra: * I can imagine indeed! It’s much better than I have been expecting, especially seeing the almost only chamomile buds. I am curious what will be in the Advent Calendar! But I hope I will be able to *do not look before the day comes!

*derk: * You are teaching me that chamomile CAN be tasty! I think you push the boundaries that says chamomile is yuck. Not the blends! I was indeed worried it will be too strong in herbal note, I can imagine the same but with black tea base, but then it won’t be an evening blend, huh?

Martin you have my sympathy being stuck with so few shopping options. While I love going to the grocery store or a farmer’s market, I don’t drive and schelpping a week’s worth of groceries and pet supplies on a bus is very difficult. With COVID, I avoid the markets (indoor and outdoor) but am lucky enough to be able to have organic groceries delivered once a week from a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) plus Amazon (at least in the USA) has Whole Foods as well as Amazon Fresh delivery. There is also Fresh Direct, a big online grocery delivery service. I also can get pet supplies delivered through an online service-Chewy.com.

Even though many grocery stores now have special hours for senior citizens, I prefer not to take a chance being around a lot of people in a store. Reading about your very restricted options makes me grateful for all I have available here and also makes me feel less grouchy. I’m sorry you are so limited in your choices but I do thank you for (inadvertently) helping me to feel better about things here.

Grr these tough times. I’m wishing safety and health to you all! (Yeah, I’m slowly catching up on tasting notes and comments.)

Today shoppign was kind of distster; I had to go early morning because of lecture. So many people! As it has to be closed in Sundays, everyone needed get a breakfast. We had that limitation that 1 person/15 sq. m. — so you have to get the shopping cart. When I was returning the cart, there were only 3 left!

Oh, Narnia! Lots of good memories reading those aloud with my son. The final chapter of “The Last Battle” is just the best ever!

I remember reading these aloud to my kids. I have never heard of them until I had kids! As I sobbed through the death of Aslan, my then six year old son patted my shoulder telling it was going to be okay!

I bought this tea for myself, as well! I enjoyed it, and can’t wait for cool temps to return so I enjoy it in my rocker at night!

Children’s fantasy comforts more than tea when I’m exhausted.

Have you ever tried the Redwall series by Brian Jacques? I love to recommend those to my advanced-reader fifth and sixth graders. Swashbuckling mice, hedgehogs, and nefarious badgers and weasels. Written intelligently!

Redwall is great! (I have not read all of them, have enjoyed those I have read).

I feel like one of you has dropped Redwall before. I will keep it in mind, thanks :)

Somehow I missed Madeline L’Engle when I was a kid, but a dear friend and mentor recommended all her stuff—-both her children’s fiction and adult everything. On my wish list.

I know I read L’Engle when I was a kid. My favorite book of all-time is a children’s book, and I re-read it typically once a year — I have three copies on my shelf (and a digital version of the graphic novel edition!) It’s “The Giver” by Lois Lowry. Quick read and I feel like I get something new from it each time. Or at least always get overwhelmed with a deep feeling of appreciation for all the things in life we take for granted every time I read it.

Yay for the advent calendar and I love the sound of your backyard with all these beautiful animals! ❤

Time for a backyard Steepster tea party! ❤

I did a bad thing and read your first sentence and then also bought the CuppaGeek advent. I now have 3 full advents, a DIY advent kit, and 2 12 days of Christmases coming. Worst part? I don’t actually celebrate Christmas :O

Another Advent curious person. Oh well, I should get some; though cheap one. I have Sonnentor from last year, but it’s same as I had, so not really looking forward to do it again. Though teas were nice. But which one?

The tea and your backyard crew seems like a good time to spend with.

Oh, this is so refreshing to read! I would love to be a rabbit or even a squirrel in your back yard, ashmanra! Heck, a mouse who would sup on speculoos crumbs would suit me, too. : )

i did a thing too because VariaTEA made me..but now i see it all comes back to you! haha

Variatea: I think you did a GOOD thing! Ha ha! I am pretty excited to get the advent calendar. I know I could never keep up with three!

Sil: I am so glad you got one, too! It will be fun to be joining in with reviewing these day by day this year!

White Antlers: we actually have the occasional cotton rat! They are rather cute and not really rats, but nice little guys who run along our hedge and hide in the woodpile.

Martin: it has been so hot, my backyard crew included the box turtles today! They should be hibernating!

Cameron and Courtney: we could totally do it! My husband made a patio a couple of months ago and we have three tables! We could social distance outdoors! The first day it was finished I had my neighbor over for tea and cookies! How I miss tea party days!

Ordered the calendar for my housemate. I’ll be making those teas for her every day, so I might try to sneak a sip of each before handing over ;)

derk – That sounds awesome! ha ha! Lucky housemate!

Yay for bird rescue!
LOL @ Bun Jovi’s name, RIP little rabbit.
There has to be a Matrix “follow the white rabbit” pun in here somewhere, but it’s not coming to me.

Dustin – Bun Jovi was the cutest little emo guy! He was black and had a tuft of hair between his ears that stuck up wildly. Very metal. He was supposedly a lionhead but one of the others looks much more like a real lionhead so he may have been a mix. I miss him!

That sounds adorable and like he should have had his own instagram account!