Hi Loves,

Ahhhh, My Morning Cup of Tea

I just had a great conversation with Mr. GTD over IM (Hey, I’m a 21st Century kind of girl.) about tea. I know, you’re all so surprised.

But over the course of the conversation (which took place when I should have been doing work, but oh well), he said the perfect cup of tea was small cup of perfectly brewed green tea, savored while meditating. With all the health benefits of green tea and how much better he felt after a few minutes of meditating over the steaming cup it was like a mental makeover, he said.

Sure, that sounds nice, I said, but far from perfect to me. The perfect cup of tea, in my mind, is a strong cup of black hot tea, like classic Earl Grey, with a spoon full of honey. With a little boost of caffeine to get me going and a bunch of antioxidants to keep me going, that, I said, was a cup of perfection. Read full entry! »

Hi Loves,

I’m still reeling from that bouquet of tea the Mr. Kent gave me. Can you believe it? He’s so thoughtful! But now, I want to return the kindness and give him a wonderful tea gift, too. But what to get him?

The Gift of Tea

I know he likes loose leaf tea, so I’m sure he has a tea ball infuser. Who couldn’t use another one? And I could include a box or two of his favorite kinds of tea like Rooibos and Green tea.

He also mentioned having to work a lot of late nights recently, so I could give him a nice, big travel mug, and a strong, caffeinated Black tea–plus a soothing caffeine free herbal tea, because too much caffeine is not good for your health.

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Hi Loves,

You’ll never guess what got delivered to my door yesterday. A bouquet of tea! What’s that, you ask? Who sent it? Well, let me tell you.

Actually, I’ll keep you in suspense for now about who sent it, just for fun. But a certain mystery someone sent me the most beautiful box of colorful tea bags arranged like a bouquet. And the strings were tied together as if you could hold it. It was laid out in this gorgeously wrapped box. And then I noticed that each of the tea bag tags said what kind of tea it was on one side, and the health benefits of the flowers and herbs it contained on the other–hand written!

Here’s a sample of what was inside:

Beautiful Roses. Exquisite Tea.

Rose Garden White Tea: Besides the fact that roses are my favorite flower and there’s no denying that things that make you happy have a huge effect on your mental health, White teas have more polyphenols, a supercharged antioxidant that can help fight cancer causing cells, among other great health benefits.

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Tea: My Cold Remedy

Hi Loves,

Well, let’s hope at least. I think I’m getting a cold. And you know the first thing I reach for as I snuggle under my favorite quilt to rest is a cup of nice hot tea–preferably my favorite, immune system boosting herbal teas and black teas.

Black tea and herbal teas work in their own special ways to help keep you healthy. Black teas contain a substance called L-theanine that helps your body attack bacteria and germs that can cause sickness. And herbal teas are well known to have many, many health benefits, including natural immune system boosting antioxidants. Read full entry! »

Tea for Your Thoughts?

Hi Loves,

Ms. Tia is feeling contemplative today. And a good, strong cup of hot tea is just what the doctor ordered for a good sit down and think session.

It’s amazing how the steam from freshly brewed loose leaf tea clears my head. Whether it’s a classic caffeinated teas like English Breakfast or Earl Grey or a wild herbal tea like Ginger Cinnamon or Peppermint, I always think a little better with a tea cup in my hand. And we all know about the health benefits of tea–those can really put your mind at ease–but the natural, safe jolt of caffeine from tea or the herbal properties of some blends can actually make a difference if you’re preforming some mental gymnastics.

Can you guess what I’m thinking about?

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Hi Loves,

I’m lucky to have a job that let’s me work from home. There’s nothing like getting a mountain of work done while still in your PJs. And in the comfort of my own home office, I can head back to the kettle for cup after cup of hot tea, and no one’s there to raise an eyebrow.

So today, as I headed out for a walk around the block (gotta switch to decaf) and to grab a sandwich for lunch, I had an interesting encounter. As you can guess, it involved tea. And another interesting gentleman.

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Hi Loves,

It’s time we show Mother Earth a little love–and ourselves, too. How do we do that? By starting small, with your daily cup of tea.

As Teato reminded us a few weeks ago, tea leaves are just like any other fruit or vegetable. So it totally matters what farmers spray all over them in order to increase crops and profits. Pesticides that leech into the ground can contaminate water supplies and damage the soil so that little can grow there once the tea crop has been exhausted. Yes, we all love our steaming cups of hot tea, but at what price?

How can we do that to Mother Earth? And what about how those pesticides affect our own health? It’s time to show ourselves some love with organic tea. Read full entry! »

Hi Loves,

Guess what!? Today is my birthday! Thanks for the happy birthday wishes. I’m proud to say I’m officially (shushsmum) years old. What? A lady never tells.  Of course, my family and friends have come through like champs and showered me with love and gifts. And of course that includes tea!

Now I have a problem, though. Which to drink first?  My wonderful friend Suzie gives the best tea gifts, as you’ve already read, and she presented me with a fine box of herbal chamomile loose tea. You can never go wrong with the classics. And my lovely mother sent me a selection of black tea bags, because she knows sometimes I need my tea on the go. But where to start?

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Hi Loves,

How do I love tea? Let me count the ways. All this talk of love and tea has made me think about my heart. Not just my current crush or long-term romantic goals, but the old ticker beating away in my chest. And you know what? The natural health benefits of tea can be good for your heart!

Here’s how:

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Hi Loves,

Is it Friday yet? No? Why Not? Let’s just say that Ms. Tia is anxious for the weekend to get here already because she has big plans with Mr. Great Tea Date! Surprise, surprise: it involves tea.

Friday night, Mr. GTD is coming over so I can show off my grand culinary talents. I love to cook, especially using organic vegetables and meats. I’m thankful everyday that we have such a wonderful farmers’ market nearby. So I asked my local organic tea vendor how I could use tea in more edible, as opposed to drinkable, ways. You won’t believe what he had to say!

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