Tuesday, February 19, 2013

To keep that palace of the soul serene

Today was dreary, cold, and rainy. Driving home, under the dark gray skies, all I could think of was a nice hot cup of tea.

 

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If you are cold, tea will warm you.  If you are too heated, it will cool you.  If you are depressed, it will cheer you.  If you are excited, it will calm you.  ~Gladstone, 1865

 

tea leaves
tea loves
loves tea
lives tea
leaves tea?
never.
~Uniek Swain

 

Tea does our fancy aid,
Repress those vapours which the head invade
And keeps that palace of the soul serene.
~Edmund Waller, "Of Tea"

 

The cup I enjoyed today was earl grey with jasmine and it was all that was left at the bottom of the canister. I love this blend and it looks like I’ll be making a trip to the tea shop this weekend. Earl grey is lovely in and of itself, but combining it with jasmine makes it softer, more subtle, more beautiful.

 

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I took some photos yesterday while sitting in the sunshine.

I picked up some new bird seed to try thinking that our visitors could use a different treat. It had chunks of fruit in it.

 

 

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The tufted titmouse fell in love with it.

 

 

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The cardinals wanted to come down and try it but what they’re really going to do is wait until I leave before venturing closer.

You have to be patient with the cardinals.

 

 

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Not so the little chickadees.

I’ve seen photos where they eat out of someone’s hand.

Candis Sabean

 

:   :   :

 

Leftovers for dinner tonight. Hot and satisfying bangers & mash.

I don’t like my salad when it’s too cold.

So I stick it in the micro for 10 seconds.

Smash is on tonight.

And yes, I said I stick my salad in the microwave sometimes.

* snort *

Hope your week goes well, all ~

123 Signature[5]

42 comments:

Hilary said...

Well, I am a tea lover......that Earl Grey with jasmine sounds interesting.......
But I like my green salad COLD and CRISP.
So no microwave for me.

Cloudia said...

wonderful tufted thrill!

"Tea-Drinking"
The first cup moistens my lips and throat; The second cup breaks my loneliness; The third cup searches my barren entrail but to find therein some thousand volumes of odd ideographs; The fourth cup raises a slight perspiration-all the wrongs of life pass out through my pores; At the fifth cup I am purified; The sixth cup calls me to the realms of the immortals. The seventh cup-ah, but I could take no more! I only feel the breath of the cool wind that raises in my sleeves. Where is Elysium? Let me ride on this sweet breeze and waft away thither.
Lu Tung
(Chinese poet during T'ang Dynasty)



ALOHA from Honolulu!
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° > <3

Unknown said...

Earl Grey with Honey please.....love your birds!...smiles

Country Gal said...

Like I have on my side bar of my blog that has a picture of a cup of tea and some cookies saying Nothing like a cup of tea the best drink in the house ! Both Papa and I are tea grannies but we just like our Tetley tea bags brewed in the tea pot .I can live with out a lot of foods and drinks but not with out me tea ! Awesome and true quotes here about tea. Oh lovely photos ! It is rainy very windy and grey here to and will be again tomorrow . Come on spring I say ! Have a good evening !

Country Gal said...

Oh that's Tetley Orange Pekoe lol never been a fan of other flavored teas !

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Chickadees are my favorite.

Wait. Salad in the microwave?

jgrimsley said...

Just bought some Earl Grey yesterday...a little splash of cream in my tea and I'm set for the night. Beautiful photos.

Nellie said...

Many's the time I have had my soul soothed by a cup of hot tea! Better than medicine!

My husband will put his ice cream in the microwave to take the chill off at times!

Were I to be taking pictures of birds around our place, they would be crows! The call of the crow is what greets me as I head out to the box for the morning paper.

Your birds are such special ones!

JaneK said...

Ewwwwwwwwwww to the salad in the microwave!
Ah! To everything else in your post :-)

beth said...

oh you know me and tea :)
lately with my earl grey i've been adding a coconut tea to it and yum yum yum.

my goodness girlfriend....those bird shots are amazing. it's like they are literally sitting right in front of you....like on your lap !!

i don't like a cold salad either....so usually i make my hot dressing for whatever greens we have....a winter treat when all food should be warm :)

hugs

Acorn to Oak said...

I like those quotes about tea. I never thought about how tea warms and cools. It's so true. I love tea! Great bird photos! They're so cute!

Lee Owenby said...

I thought I was the only weirdo who nuked her salads. I only do it when they've been sitting in our ice cold fridge with dressing on them. Microwaving it for just a few seconds loosens everything up again. It's still cold but not as cold.

I also nuke my ice cream just for a few seconds.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Snap! Earl Grey is my fav also, haven't tried it with Jasmine though, might have to give it a burl. Do you have T2 over there, they do a Melbourne Breakfast tea that is divine. Salad in the micro wave..well I never!!

PerthDailyPhoto said...

P.s. your birds are lovely CG.

JC said...

I've been known to enjoy a cup of tea. Summer or Winter, it does the afternoon trick for me.

Again, lovely bird photos.

Hilary said...

I like cold salad but Frank likes it at room temperature so I've adapted. As for tea.. chai is my favourite. Your bird photos are just wonderful.. such little beauties.

Em Parkinson said...

That sounds gorgeous. I'm a Lapsang Souchong addict myself. Beautiful photos as ever Kate. x

Jill of All Trades said...

Love hot tea, most any kind.

Soup sounds good today as we have snow heading this way. Luckily the soil is just too warm to have it stick and will turn to rain later today.

Stay warm!

Driftwood and Pumpkin said...

Around these parts (as if these parts are that far from your parts, lol), our cardinals and our chickadees are skittish! The chickadees zoom in at high rates of speed, grab a seed and zoom back out. The cardinals watch from afar until all is safe and then carefully approach. The most brazen are the tufted titmice and the goldfinches. They could give a crap who or what is around. They just think FOOD! and go for it ;)

Tea sounds delish today...windy and COLD.

Stay warm my friend. xo

Daryl said...

the cardinals are very busy now picking a new pope

RURAL said...

It sounds like a serene day...and a cup of tea is perfect.

Jen

Kerri Farley said...

Oh I LOVE your birdies :)

Cait O'Connor said...

Fabulous pics.
Great tip for tea as I love Earl Grey and my son gave me a cup and saucer for Xmas and some Jasmine tea so now I can try a combination.
Thank you.
What would life be like without tea?

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

Wilty lettuce, huh? Bleh. :-)

Mental P Mama said...

Wait. Seriously?

Lili said...

Complete loveliness Kate! That titmouse with his tiny treat and oh the soft colors. And then your talk of Earl Grey tea perfectly captures a sweet quiet moment. xo

Chrissykat said...

My first chickadee sighting ever was only minutes before one landed on my hand for some crackers. I was amazed! Loved every second & even got lucky with a pic to remember the moment.

Mary said...

I've been loving Tea Forte's Coconut Chai Latte lately. Yes, Earl Grey would be turning over in his grave.

Nuking your salad? Seriously?! Um, no, thank you.

Oh, and I seriously love your bird pics, as per usual!
xoxo

Mary said...

Do you think I use the word "seriously" enough?

Linda said...

I have fond memories of annual road trips to northern Maine to visit my grandmother, and to drink as much Red Rose tea as we could hold, as it was not available in Ohio...it's been a staple in my home since they started selling it nationwide. Good stuff, tea. One of the best parts of coming home from work.

Tiggeriffic said...

My mom and dad used to drink hot tea in the summer ..They said it cooled them off.. I love tea and have never tried the green tea with jasmine.. Have to get some of that..
Love your pictures of the birds..I love birds and have feeders right outside my window..~!
Going to get 5 to 8 inches of snow this afternoon. The birds are gobbling up the seed right now..
Have a great day ~! ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Dianne said...

I thought of you while watching Smash
I probably will think of you every Tuesday night at 10 so be prepared, my karma is really powerful at times

love your little birds enjoying their treats

Reena said...

I think I'll go make some tea right now! We're up in Maine for a week and it's cold but still beautiful. Unfortunately, not many birdies have found my feeders here so not much photos are happening. Love your little titmouse! And your tulips in your previous post. Tulips are one of my favorite flowers to brighten up a room. xoxo

DesertHen said...

Tea, it does a body good!

It's been my friend the last few days as I have a headcold.

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

I do like "wilted salad" with hot bacon grease in the dressing! Maybe it's a Southern thing! I do love my tea- iced in summer with lemon and sugar and a sprig of mint if available! Hot tea in fall and winter with milk and sugar--I don't care for that oil of Bergamot in Earl Grey--I do love Jasmine tea, Oolong and my favorite Djarling --the "champagne
of teas"! I like shortbread cookies with my hot tea!
V

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GailO said...

I am more of a coffee drinker but when I have tea (like tonight) it is usually Earl Grey...will have to try it with jasmine sometime. I love the smell of Earl Grey:)

Isn't it great how birds all have such different personalities...Those flashy cardinals always seem so haughty!

Have a wonderful weekend Kate! It was nice catching up with you!
xoxo

Anonymous said...

Such a friendly site...everyone so nice and complementary.
Thanking you for Kate:-)

The JR said...

Normally don't like hot tea, but with the sore throats I've been having....it's been nice with lemon and honey.

I'm not too sure if I'm going to like Smash this year.

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