Huckleberry Picking Day

Ahhh, yes.  Once a year, it is my wifely duty to go on the annual huckleberry picking trip.  The whole idea has the most romantic sound to it, doesn’t it?  And once upon a time as a starry eyed city slicker woman in her mid thirties, who married a very passionate country boy who was farm bred and raised,  I actually got excited about the idea of  spending the afternoon out in the woods, gathering little berries to make a wonderful pies. Once upon a time….

Well reality has a way of spoiling the most romantic of notions. Our first huckleberry outing started out pretty well actually.  Dan had packed up a nice little picnic lunch to be eaten that afternoon on the mountain.  The scenery on the way to his hidden little spot was stellar for sure, although there was a narrow dirt road &  a few pot holes to deal with.  The car was not too badly damaged that first time out.  I just decided that it would probably be best if we took his car up next time, since he’s far more careless with my car than his own.

our favorite huckleberry picking spot

Once we reached the traditional Elliott picking spot, we piled out of the car with buckets attached to our belts, insearch of fruit bearing bushes. The bushes are prevalent.  But the berries are not always.  So it becomes a bit like finding a needle in a haystack.  Or hunting for Easter eggs.  A few hours of this is terrific.  But I learned that day that we do not drive all that distance to spend just a few measly hours searching for hucks.  We would stay until dark, until our feet were blistered and bloodied from walking through the woods on unstable terrain, until we had fallen into at least a half dozen holes, and bruised ourselves, until the mosquitoes had sucked all the lifeblood out of our bodies.  But worst of all, we had to stay long enough for me to do the one thing I have always dreaded more than anything else in my life.  Peeing in the woods. 

A very fruitful bush!

 At some point during the day, I finally realized I could no longer keep holding on.  I had to relieve myself. And so off I went in search of a hidden spot. (Not an easy task when you are picking berries with an entire family).  My stepdaughter had given me a few pointers on how to do it correctly.  I needed to find a fallen trunk somewhere, and squat over  it, like it was a toilet in a dirty gas station.  Lordy,  I truly would have rather just died at this point.  But off I went in search of a hidden spot with a fallen log.  It took a good 10 minutes just to accomplish this.  By now I was desperate.  I no longer cared too terribly much that I had to pull down my pants in the middle of the woods.  I prayed that one of my children, or worse yet a perfect stranger, would not stumble upon me there.  For one fleeting moment, I wished I could just be a guy and do it quick and easy.

And so I squatted and …that’s when  I discovered the whole tree log thing didn’t make a whole lot of sense…unless it was a really skinny tree.  Because as I sat there, I began to feel my hand get warm. “Please tell me this isn’t happening”, I’m thinking as I readjusted my body. And as I readjusted, I soiled my jeans. This was without a doubt one of the most disgusting moments of my life!  Thank God for Wet Wipes!  They came in mighty handy that day. 

 I think I decided at that moment that I really hated the whole idea of going huckleberry picking.  How can it be that this is like my husband’s most favorite day of the year?  So like any good little wife is supposed to do, I make compromises.  And I do this with him once a year.  Unless I can find an excuse to bail out.  I’ve gotten somewhat better at it though.  I remember to bring gloves, so that my hands stay clean.  The berries are very sticky and will stain your skin purple. I wear a hat to protect myself from sunburn and it helps minimize the yellow jackets and mosquitoes that fly around your head while you’re out there picking from the berry bushes.  I do pack some bug repellent, and try to wear gray or brown tones. (Stinging insects are attracted to reds and yellows). Most importantly, I bring Wet Wipes!

Huckleberry picking is hard work.  If you ever see someone trying to sell you a gallon of huckleberries for $35 a gallon, let me tell you, that is a bargain! Huckleberries are so tiny that it takes several hours just to collect a half gallons worth.  See photos below.

huckleberries in the hand

an hours worth of huckleberry pickin in a half gallon bucket

By the time you’ve figured in your time spent up there and a full tank of gas, those little gallons are easily worth $100 each.  But if you happen to be married to someone like my Dan, the berries are worth even more.  Why, you ask?  Well, it just so happens that this year, I sort of thought we’d go ahead and take my car up again, since it has a little more room than his truck.  And we had a son coming to join us on this day.  Well, at some point in this trip, Dan jumped into the car and drove on up the road to get the car turned around.  As I mentioned earlier, the roads to these spots are narrow and unpaved.  I heard a crunching noise from where I stood waiting for him to return.  When he came around the bend it looked as if the entire underside of the car had been relocated to the front of the car.  And there was leaking underneath as well.  He had run over a tree stump, just a little bit, while making the turn around.  Truly, the damage was not as bad as it originally looked.  And I take full responsibility for what happened, since I knew in my heart it was wiser to take his truck than my car.  And yet I didn’t listen to my instincts.

Yet, for all my griping, I must tell you plainly, there is nothing more wonderful than a piece of hot huckleberry pie with a scoop of Eberhard’s Vanilla ice cream on the side. Priceless. And so, here is my recipe for huckleberry pie. 

 Priceless Huckleberry Pie

Mix 5 cups of huckleberries with

2 cups of sugar

1/4 cup tapioca

1/2 tsp almond extract

Let sit together in a bowl for about half hour.

Pour into an unbaked pie shell.

Top berries with 1 TBS butter

And top crust, add 5-6 slits in the top for steam vents

Bake at 400 for 45-50 minutes.

Serve w/ Eberhard’s Vanilla Ice cream

Enjoy!

The Farmers Mother

Welcome tea lovers to another addition of  Tea On Tuesday. Last time I wrote I was telling you all about my dear husband, and his gift for gardening. Shortly after completing the last post, we drove out to the farm where Dan grew up.  This amazing place has been taking my breath away for 14 years now, the amount of time Dan and I have been married. Dan’s mother is an avid gardner.  Dan’s father was a farmer.  This is where my DH gets his giftedness for making things grow.  He takes his gardening very seriously!  And it is possible for him to lose his Christianity for a few fleeting moments if a deer dares to come nibble on the tender leaves of his spinach plants. 

I titled this post “The Farmers Mother”, but more accurately it could be called ”The Farmers Mothers Garden”, because, as any smart tea lady knows, it would be impolite to actually write a blog post about my mother in law. Her garden is her pride and joy, and it shows in every corner. She has rescued a great many forelorn plants and given them a chance to live and grow and bloom. And Lordy, how they do bloom! But the pictures tell the story better than I ever could.  So please enjoy this pictoral tour of the farm that Dan grew up on.  

Flowers near the house

The "Kitchen garden" which didn't get planted this year

The vegetable garden is surrounded by flowers

I love this view of the barn

This side of the garden is twice as big as Dan's garden, for only one person!!

A rather impressive vegetable garden don't you think?

Stunning Tiger Lilies. Looking forward to doing a painting of these.

Beauty in every direction

No sprinklers here. Watering is done the old fashioned way, irrigating with shovels.

Stepping into the vegetable garden which is hidden by lush vegetation including cherry trees and raspberry bushes

Every farm should have a big willow tree and a swimming pond.

Breathtaking views from the yard to the farm

May you bloom wherever you are planted!

Blessings-

Tea Lady Darla

The Farmers Wife

Welcome to another additon of  Tea On Tuesday. Today I am sipping Orange Pineapple Black Tea from my dining room perch, and enjoying another lovely Central Oregon day. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wondered how on earth I arrived here in Central Oregon. I am a Southern California girl at heart, who transplanted at a young age to Southern Nevada.  The Las Vegas area, where I spent most of my growing up years, is a desert.  The only thing that grows there is cactus, Oleander bushes, and weeds. I had never seen snow.  And animals don’t just graze in peoples front yards.

Yeah, it’s a different world where I grew up.  A home cooked meal meant going to The Railroad Pass Casino for their Sunday afternoon smorgasborg. Taking a hike meant driving to the Meadows Mall and looking for a new pair of shoes in air conditioned comfort.  How I arrived here in Oregon is one of God’s many mysteries. But from the start, it has been a bit like landing on another planet.  And 15 years later, I’m still scratching my head trying to figure it out.

I married an Oregon farm boy, who grew up and became a preacher, and later went into teaching and coaching. This means he knows literally every person in town, (even if he can’t always remember their names). He is very friendly, energetic, generous, involved in everything, (and forgetful).

I consider myself to be a tight person.  I have a small circle of close friends I’m fairly tight with.  And I’m cordial, but not overly personable, with everyone else.  This makes me look like a snob next to Mr. Congeniality, who continually volunteers us for any, and all, community events.  He is an extrovert in every sense of the word.  I prefer to be left alone much of the time.  I have plenty personal activites that keep me happily occupied all day long.  But more often than not, I keep busy assisting my husband with some of his activities.

Let’s take for instance farming/gardening.  My husband grew up on a farm, so farming seems to be in his blood in a powerful way. One thing I had to learn was that farmers get very attached to their little plots of land.  And they would really prefer to never move. Ever. They’d sooner sell their own body parts, than to relocate.

The farmer engages in weekly weed wars

Last summer I shared my gardening adventures here in a series of posts titled ” The Zucchini Chronicles”. Several women commented on how lucky I was to have all that zucchini. Bah, humbug.  Only a woman who has never been married to a farmer would dare to say that. The growing season in Oregon is very short. So while the idea of having a lovely little garden to go out and pick and choose all the fresh vegetables I want, any time I want, sounds deliciously inviting, the reality is that in a stretch of about  6 weeks,  we will harvest about 250 pounds of zucchini.  A variety of lettuce and spinach will also be brought in at the rate of  6-8 heads per week. Corn…oh mercy, we get a lot of corn. Carrots, potatoes, onions, peas, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, yadda, yadda. All of these things are good things in moderation.  But they can be overwhelming when they all come on at once. We have one refrigerator.  The produce drawer is broke from all the weight of the produce.  And this is just the beginning.  Last year, Dan planted an orchard as well, so we could have peaches, and plums, and apples, and pears too.

What to do with all that stuff?  Many people have suggested canning.  Yippee-Cay-yae!  Think of all the time I could spend doing something I have absolutely no interest in.  Now don’t get me wrong, because I love to cook.  And I love fresh fruits and vegetables, in moderation.  But there are only two of us living here. A thousand square foot garden, plus an orchard is a lot of food to consume for 2 people during a 6 week harvest. I have learned to make pies. (I’d rather make cake and cookies).  But farm boys eat pie.  Lots of pie. That’s why he planted an orchard, so I could make more pie.

And yes, we have learned that some produce is freezable.  But freezing produce is also time consuming.  There is a process of cleaning, drying, blanching, separating, freezing, removing from freezer, and transferring to Food Saver Bags, removing air, and re-freezing.

Anxiously awaitning another zucchini harvest

One of the things Dan likes to do with produce is decorate, especially if there is company coming.  I will be busy in the kitchen, cooking and cleaning, setting tables, etc.  I usually like to lay food out on the counter, buffet style, and let guests help themselves.  About 5 minutes before showtime, when there is nothing left to do but make sure the toilet seat is down and clean, I walk swiftly through the kitchen and find that suddenly a harvest has appeared on the counter, and the buffet food has been ”adjusted” accordingly.  Half dozen heads of corn, a couple heads of lettuce, and 3 dirt covered onions have mysteriously appeared, as if part of the buffet line.  Earwigs are scampering in all directions. The doorbell rings.

This is the life of the farmers wife.  It is a good life, albeit frustrating at times. Thank God, the season is short. This too shall pass. In the meantime, I’ll grin and bear it, while I throw another pie in the oven. Below is my recipe for French Rhubarb Pie.

French Rhubarb Pie

3 cups rhubarb, diced                                          3/4 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla                                                           1/3 cup margarine

1 TB flour                                                               1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar                                                           1   9 inch unbaked pie shell.

1 egg

Combine Rhubarb with next 4 ingredients, (left column). Toss until well mixed and spoon into pie shell.

Combine the next 3 ingredients, (right column), mix well until crumbly.  Sprinkle over rhubarb filling.

Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 350, and bake 40 minutes longer.  A quick,  easy, (and delicious way), to utilize  your rhubarb.  Rhubarb really doesn’t freeze that well.

Want more recipes?  I post recipes on two other sites.  Check out www.sconeyisland.net  and http://gatheringtimes.shutterfly.com

Blessings-

Tea Lady Darla

In Search Of Chai

Well I have returned from a marvelous two week trip to Colorado and New Mexico with my crazy husband, Wild Man Dan.  We visited with relatives, met new friends, saw gorgeous scenery, learned new things, and experienced 5 different ways of enjoying Chai. I absolutely adore Chai.  But now more than ever. The word “Chai” means simply tea in Hindi, but the term Chai usually refers to a spiced black tea made with steamed milk and honey or sugar. Chai tea originated in India and includes an abundance of spices including ginger, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, clove, and pepper. The intensity of these spices when mixed together makes a very complex and rich tasting concoction, that for some, like myself, can be addictive.

Our first experience with Chai on the trip was at the Country Sunshine Bed and Breakfast in Durango, Colorado. This lovely little B& B sits in the hills near Purgatory Ski Resort. Owners Walter and Jodi Hammerle are the quintessential B&B hosts and made us feel right at home immediately upon arrival. As gracious hosts they offer all their guests complimentary drinks of all kinds during their stay, including beer, wines, soda, water, coffee and a variety of teas.

Because it was late when we finally arrived at the Inn, Dan and I opted for a caffeine free choice,  Rooibos Chai, which is made from African Red Bush Tea with spices including ginger, cinnamon and cardamom. Rooibos Chai is tasty, but lacks the rich flavor of Black Chai. To our delight, Walter prepared us an incredible dessert of flaming Bananas Foster to compliment our drinks. If you are staying near Durango, I would highly suggest staying here with the Hammerle’s and allowing them to spoil you as well. The scenery is beautiful, the air is fresh, the rooms are large, and Walter’s breakfasts are simply the best. Jodi is a doll, (although somewhat camera shy, and refused to be photographed for my blog).  Both are very helpful with assisting guests about local trails and area attractions. And if you go, tell them “hello” for us. Walter and Jodi are two of the wonderful new friends we met during our journey.

Walter busy in the kitchen

The next morning we attended church at New Hope Fellowship Church which meets in a movie house on the south side of town. Odd, for sure.  But then again, the pastor there has always been a little odd.  Actually, the pastor is my own brother, Dana and his wife, Dayna. (Rather quaint, don’t you think?) My brother is an excellent speaker, and I enjoyed his speaking and the musical talents of he, his wife, and their worship team. If looking for a non-denominational place of worship while visiting Durango, I really think you’ll enjoy this very friendly church.  They even serve breakfast.  (Hint- fill out the visitor info card and they will give you a very nice goody bag.  Mine included a pen, a CD of the service, a large bar of gourmet dark chocolate, and a $5 gift card to Starbucks! Hey, that’s one way to get people to come to church. ) www.newhopedurango.com

 

After church we stopped into the Brickhouse Cafe for lunch, mostly because the sign outside said espresso and teas! However, upon examining the menu, I found the only tea they carried was Chai, hot or iced.  Never having experienced iced Chai, I decided today was the day. Yum!  It was delicious.  A little sweeter than most iced coffee drinks. But very easy to get used to. The food was very good as well.  I had a turkey breast sandwich, that had a mild horseradish dressing and roasted potatoes on the side. Extremely good.

From Durango, we headed into New Mexico and spent a couple days in Santa Fe.  Here we had booked a room at the Bobcat Inn. May I tell you  that I absolutely know how to pick out the very best in B& B’s!  ( I am not very good at selecting motels, however! On this trip, we stayed in one of the worst motels ever!!! More on this later). The Bobcat Inn is an authentic remodeled hacienda.  Our room was decorated in adobe style with wooden beams, a kiva fireplace, french doors to the portal patio, fabulous views, and plenty of privacy.

A fabulous breakfast is part of the deal here, and owners John and Amy Bobrick are more than qualified to deliver. Amy has been a caterer and restaurant owner, while husband John is a local Santa Fe chef. Having breakfast in the sunny portal and meeting new friends Carl and Lynsey was one of the highlights of our trip.  If you visit the Bobcat Inn, try to stay there on a Saturday and make reservations for Amy’s fabulous High Tea! We were not able to be there on a Saturday, but I am looking forward to our next visit, which will certainly fall on a Saturday!

In the city of Santa Fe, we stumbled upon the Kakawa Chocolate House, which is located adjacent to one of downtowns only free parking lots. This was one of the most fascinating discoveries we made in Santa Fe, after touring all the art galleries. The Kakawa serves a variety of Chocolate Elixirs, (drinking chocolates).  Sound interesting? You will be amazed. Our gracious Chocolatier host, served us several drinking samples before we made our choices. Be warned, many of the drinks are not sweetened, and some have very strange spices and flavorings such as Red Chimayo Chili’s, Jasmine, musk, lavender, rum, Chipotle, Pasilla de Oaxaca, Chihuacle Negro Chili, etc. One of the drinks I was served burned in my throat, and was downright nasty! I finally decided to order some of their delicious, organic Chocolate Chai. It is made in house with rice, almond and oat milk, evaporated Cane juice, and traditional Chai spices. I also had to try the delicious Chai Truffle.  Oh, my!  Rich, rich, rich, rich.  (Please note that the second truffle on my plate in the photo below was for Dan! It was a Lime and Macadamia Truffle.  There was no way in the world I could have handled the drinks and two truffles after all the free sampling we had done. ) Do give the Kakawa Chocolate House in Santa Fe a visit if you are in the area!

On our last day of vacation we visited the Montezuma Castle, home of the United World College located near Las Vegas, New Mexico.  Dan’s brother, a doctor that serves the students there, had arranged for us to take a tour of the college with professor Ravi Parasher, who teaches economics at the school. Ravi was a most delightful tour guide, giving us details of the beautiful building itself and the history as well.  I took this photo in the dining room where these two stunning glass sculptures hang.  These are the work of artist Dale Chihuly, a famous Northwest artist.  The sculptures are valued at over $250,00 each! I thought they looked rather odd in this setting.  So modern, while the rest of the castle remains true to it’s original detail.

After touring the castle, Ravi invited us to his home to meet Mummy and share a cup of Chai. Ravi and Mummy are originally from India, so I couldn’t wait to have an authentic cup of Chai with them in their home. Mummy’s recipe for making Chai includes a shortcut of mixing the milk and water together, and heating in the microwave along with the spices, before adding Taj Majal tea bags.

Ravi informed me that they had a relative from India send this special blend of spices over, all the way from India. I was so impressed, I had to take a picture of the jar to prove to my readers that I was drinking authentic India Masala Chai.  However, when I took a good look at the picture up close, I noticed that the address of the company that makes this “authentic” blend of India Chai spices was in Florida! Well, no matter.  This cup of Chai was my favorite.  not only was it very spicy and very flavorful but the company of Ravi and Mummy made it even more delicious! For the record we were served some authentic Peda with our Chai.  Peda is a sweet treat from India, similiar to a soft candy. It is made from sugar, milk and saffron, boiled and stirred until thick, and then formed in tube like presses before cutting into smaller pieces.

The moral of my story is this:  All tea tastes better when served in good company.  Give it a try.  I’m sure you’ll agree.

Blessings-

Tea Lady Darla

PS- FYI, Culinary Teas offers an outstanding version of Masala Chai on their website. You do not have to add the spices separately to the black tea leaves.  It is perfectly blended for you.  Just add milk and sugar or honey to suit your taste.  Here is the link to Culinary Teas: Click Here.

A Message From Tea Lady Darla

Hello everyone.  I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks to all of my readers!  Wow.  What a great year it’s been.  I’ve been blogging here a little over a year.  And it has been so much fun.  Tea On Tuesday started out to be a sort of virtual tea party for my friends.  We had been gathering in my home a couple times a month for tea on Tuesday.  Around the dining room table we shared stories about our children, and our faith.  We shared recipes…and burdens with each other. We always began and ended with prayer, as I believe it should be.  Those were wonderful, special memories.  But life got crazy.  Folks moved away. And the tea parties became more and more infrequent.

So Tea On Tuesday, the blog was born.  From my desktop at home, I felt like I could still manage those friendly conversations with my girlfriends over a nice hot cup of tea.  And we’d all feel blessed and closer to one another for the experience.  I never really considered that in the process of this, I would meet new friends, from all over the country.  I am so blessed to have you all.  Without readers, a blog is nothing but chicken scratches.  So thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I hope that there have been moments here that blessed and inspired you in some way, or that perhaps you found some new information you found to be useful.  Again, thank you all for coming and being a part of this.  You have been a blessing to me as well. 

I wish there was a way we could all sit down together and I could see your faces and hear your stories in person.  But that will have to wait until another life, I suppose.

I wanted to let everyone know that I will be out of my office for a while, doing research of course!  Tasting new teas, and visiting new places. I will be gathering plenty of information and inspiration to bring back with me.  I hope you will all check back in later this month when I return to my desk, and join me for another edition of Tea On Tuesday.

Blessings To All,

Tea Lady Darla

Our Babies

I just wanted to post a little update on the babies that hatched on our front porch last week.  There are 4 babies, as we had originally thought.  And they are growing up nicely, thanks to the care of their mother, Robin. The little guy in this pic is looking for a meal.  Notice his sporty new mohawk.  

Below all the siblings pose together. They have changed quite a bit in one week,  just like my youngest grandson!

Counting beaks- Can you see all four?

Watching these babies grow has been a new experience for me, and I’m enjoying it immensely.  There is a window nearby that I am able to peek through and watch Mama feed her babies without disturbing the family.  I have been reminded many times this week of an old Bible verse that goes like this: “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.  But the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Can you imagine? Not only is God peering into my life from His nearby window in Heaven, but He actually is keeping track of every hair on  my head! I can’t even do that! I am blessed, humbled, and amazed. I don’t understand why He watches over us the way He does. But knowing that He is there helps me be strong, and gives me courage to face the road ahead. I know that I am loved, and someone is watching over me.

Blessings,

Tea Lady Darla

Unexpected Houseguests

Anyone who has known me for very long, would know that one of the things I abhor is unexpected houseguests.  Now , don’t get me wrong, I LOVE  company!  But my days are usually so jam packed full of things,  that I’ve got to do some mighty heavy duty planning to cram it all into 24 hour stretch. And usually I fail miserably.  But I’d like to at least say I came close to finishing all my projects in one day.  Probably a pride thing, I suppose.  In any case, I love expected company.  I just don’t like the kind of folks that show up at your door step to “surprise” you, as though I’m supposed to just drop everything and gush over how delighted I am to see them. Well, I am a lot of things, but phoney I’m not.  And if you disturb me in the middle of a project, I’ll probably just come right out and tell you to leave. However, I did make a tiny exception to my usual curtness recently. 

While I was sweeping up the front porch, I noticed the wreath that hangs next to the front door appeared a little lop sided…well top heavy to be more accurate.

 

Upon further investigation I discovered, (gasp), an unexpected houseguest.  Well, she was so cute, I just had to grab a picture before I shooed her out.  But then I had second thoughts.  What if she was about to be a mother?  What then?  I remembered the story of Mary and Joseph riding into Bethlehem without a place to stay while Mary was ready to give birth to the baby Jesus.  Thanks goodness the Christian side of me kicks in every now and then.  I let my little visitor stay…..but only until she had those babies!! Then she had to go. 

Sure enough, less than 2 weeks went by when I was sitting at my desk and could hear the constant sound of high pitched chirping. So I grabbed my camera to investigate, and this is what I found.

Notice the one little blue robins egg hasn’t hatched yet.  But 3 babies are visible.  Now, I not only have one unexpected houseguest, but 4, with another on the way!

Three days later, I checked again.  I still only see 3 babies in the nest.  so maybe the 4th one didn’t make it.  I don’t know.  But aren’t they cute?

I just had to share this experience with everyone.  Isn’t life a miracle?  No matter what stage, or what species. And for the record, the little family on the front porch is free to stay a little longer. At least till those kids of hers become teenagers.  I hate teenagers.

Smiles,

Tea Lady Darla

Delicious Tea Smoothies

If you’re looking for something cold, refreshing, and nutritious to drink this summer, try one of these yummy smoothies.  They are simple to make and sure to please.

  Raspberry Tea Smoothie:

1 cup of  raspberry herbal ice tea

1 cup of frozen raspberries

1 cup of vanilla yogurt

Whip ingredients together until smooth in a blender or smoothie maker.

 

Irish Breakfast Smoothie-

1 cup of strong Irish Breakfast tea, chilled.

1 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 cup cranberry juice

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 banana

Mix all ingredients together in a blender until smooth and creamy.  Do not overblend!

You will love these summertime smoothies! For more tea recipe ideas, visit my website at www.sconeyisland.net

What Is Yerba Mate?

I recently had my first taste of the increasingly popular drink called Yerba Mate. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was drinking, so I thought it would be a good idea to do a little research a find out a little bit about this concoction. Here is what I found.

Yerba Mate is a tea like drink.  However it is NOT a true tea, (all true teas come from the camelia sinius plant).  Nor is it an herbal tea, as many proponents would have you believe.  True herbal teas have no caffeine in them.  Yerba Mate does have a type of caffeine, that varies from the caffeine found in coffee and cocoa, in that it does not cause jitters, heart palpitations, or the crash that is typically associated with caffeine. Drinking Yerba Mate will, however, give you the benefits enjoyed by drinking caffeine, that being that it is a stimulant and increases awareness. These twin like characteristics of typical caffeine has caused Mate lovers to refer to the stimulant in Mate as “mafeine”, rather than caffeine.

Yerba Mate is native to Central and South American regions such as Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. It grows from the leaves of a sub species of holly called llex paraguarienis.  The most flavorful versions of  Yerba Mate are grown in the shade in sub tropical climates.

Benefits of drinking Mate are that it contains 24 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and 15 amino acids.  Additionally, drinking Mate will suppress your appetite. It is, however an aquired taste.  But then, so are both coffee and tea.  I would recommend using a blend of Mate with a favorite tea in the beginning.

To prepare Mate you would steep the twigs and dried leaves in very hot, (not boiling) water.  The leaves are reuseable, but you may want to add a bit more each time to strengthen the flavor. Mate does not keep most drinkers awake at night, so it can be enjoyed as an evening beverage as well.

There are several versions of Mate on the market.  Some are flavored with mint, chocolate, or roasted flavor characteristics. You can sample them at farmers markets, and vendor fairs, and many tea stores to find the one you prefer. 

Do It Anyway

Good morning and welcome to all tea lovers who enjoy getting together to visit with friends and chat over a hot cup of tea. I’m feeling a bit more contemplative and reflective today, than I usually do. There are so many trials going on in the lives of my friends. It really makes me wonder how God determines which trials each one of us will have to endure. I do know that, according to the Bible, even good people have to face difficult times. There are so many examples such as Job who lost every material thing, along with all his children. And then we have David who was hunted like a wild animal for years because he was anointed to be the next king of Israel. Then there was Joseph who faced false accusations by the wife of Pharaoh when Joseph refused to succumb to her repeated attempts to seduce him. So many times it seems that life is unfair.

I’ve witnessed this within my own life from time to time also. Several years ago when my 8 year old daughter was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Lukemia, we spent several long days in hospital rooms. I would regularly slip out for a cigarette break. It seemed unfair to me then, that she was the one suffering with cancer, while I was the one puffing away. I would have traded places with her in a minute if God would have given me the choice. He didn’t. Eventually I quit anyway. And she got better. But why? Why did she get better, while so many other children we knew died? We watched in agony while other children did not get better through Chemotherapy treatments, still others got better only to relapse later and lose the battle completely. But why? Why did God decide that our outcome would be positive, and theirs would not?

As I write this, my heart is heavy for many of my friends and acquaintances. I know a little 2 year old who has recently relapsed from Nueroblastoma. This is so beyond my understanding, it hurts to even think of it. Why did God let this little girl come into the world in the first place, if the only life she would ever know would be pain filled and tragic? Another friend stands falsely accused of illegal business practices. Another friend has been out of work for weeks and they have nothing. They cannot even afford their medical bills. Another friend is in chronic pain. Another friend has lost her teenage son in a car accident. I could go on and on, but I think you understand my point. You too may be experiencing hardships, injustice, poor health, financial ruin, a broken family. Where does this come from? Why does God allow it? Can it really serve any purpose? Does God really hear us when we pray?

Jesus talks about prayer and teaches his followers to pray in Matthew 6. Certainly He believed there was value in prayer. Repeatedly in the New Testament we see Him stealing away to be alone and meet with His Father in prayer. That would indicate to me that there is some real value in prayer. I believe in the power of prayer. I believe that God gives us some choices in how things are run on earth by the way we choose to pray. This is not to say that we are in complete control of the outcome of all things. But certainly, we are allowed to voice our opinions to God through prayer, and cast our votes for what we’d like an outcome to be.

I don’t think people spend enough time praying these days. Maybe it’s because they don’t believe it really does any good. Or maybe it’s because they have such a hard time committing themselves to being a part of what God desires to do in each one of us. Praying is not an easy task. I’m not talking about the fleeting “God help me through this mess”, prayer. But really being on our knees to interact with God. To hear from Him first, and speak to Him after.

My point in posting this is to tell you that God does answer prayer. I have so many documented answers to prayer, you would have to spend an entire day visiting with me to let me share all my stories. I usually write the prayer request, and the date it was answered, and I place in a big wooden box I refer to as my “family alter”.

God has not answered all my prayers. My first marriage fell apart despite my pleading with God that it would somehow survive. The tumor in my brain did not shrivel up and disappear so that I wouldn’t have to endure surgery. But the surgery went well, and I am healthy today. And my daughter is alive and well twenty years after the chemo treatments. That is not just a coincidence. She is a miracle. But I’d need to write a book to explain it to you. And I’ve been seriously considering doing just that. The house I live in is a miracle, but that’s another incredible story. Countless times we have had financial needs provided for in the nick of time.

And just recently another answer to prayer. A big one. I am not at liberty to share because it involves other people. But it was a miracle. I promise to share the story as soon as I am able to go public with it. Not all my prayers have been answered in the way I requested God to answer them. But I am certain He has heard me cry before Him, and He has considered carefully my requests and made the best decisions on my behalf because He dearly loves me.

I think it’s important to pray alone, (as in Matthew 6:6). But I also think there is incredible value in praying with friends and family members, (Matthew 18:19-20). My husband and I have been astonished to see some amazing answered prayers that seem to have been the direct result of kneeling together and speaking out, in front of one another, the petitions we are lifting up before God. And while I cannot, by any means, claim to know everything there is to know about prayer, I hope that I can leave you feeling inspired and encouraged to pray more often, and to have faith in the process, even if the end results are not always the hoped for, and anticipated results. Sometimes God answers prayers in a different way for a reason we simply cannot understand in the fragileness of our humanity. Whether you understand prayer or not, I encourage you, in the words of Martina McBride, to do it anyway. I leave you now with the lyrics to a song that has touched my heart, and inspires me to never give up hope on the requests I bring to God daily.

DO IT ANYWAY

You can spend your whole life building something from nothing
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway

You can chase a dream that seems so out of reach
and you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway

Chorus:
God is great, but sometimes life ain’t good
And when I pray it doesn’t always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway, I do it anyway

This world’s gone crazy and it’s hard to believe
that tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway

You can love someone with all your heart, for all the right reasons,
and in a moment they can choose to walk away
Love ‘em anyway

God is great, but sometimes life ain’t good
And when I pray it doesn’t always turn out like I think it should
But I pray anyway….I pray anyway.

You can pour your soul out singing a song you believe in
that tomorrow they’ll forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway, sing it anyway

I sing, I dream, I love, anyway

[Thanks to Mike Sublett for lyrics]

Looking For Tea Party Recipes?

Greetings tea fans.  Just want to update you about what I’m up to these days.  I have completely re-modeled my website to include a recipe page, tea articles, a tea store, party supplies, fun ideas and links to other related sites. This is still a work in progress, but I invite you come take a sneak peek by clicking here- Sconey Island.

So, if you are looking for tea party recipes, I will have them listed over there. Please stop by and visit me there.  I will be adding more recipes throughout the month.

Blessings,

Tea Lady Darla

Tea With Grandma

Truly one of the best things about being 50, (perhaps the only good thing about being 50), is my grandchildren. What a delight they are to me!  And the best part is, that they do go back home.  And my house can return to being a peaceful, (and clean), sanctuary. Last week I had the pleasure of hosting two of my favorite people, while giving the their Mama a little break after having just delivered her 4th baby.  He makes our 6th little grandbaby, our 2nd grandson. Big sister and big brother got to spend the week over here with Grandma and Grandpa.  Naturally, we had to have at least one tea party! But I must tell you, they ask me to have a tea party for them.  Nothing could make me happier.  It’s such a fun way for us to spend time together.

Hosting a tea party for your grandchildren is super fun.  And I guarantee they will LOVE it!  Even my squirmy little grandson loves having tea in the tea room with grandma.  You do this at one of their regular mealtimes, such as lunch.  Everything that kids love to eat can be easily translated into “tea party food”. We made graham crackers with jam, and celery sticks with peanut butter, slices of cheese, mandarin oranges, grapes, and banana bites, and a little slice of Angel Food cake for dessert! They loved it and ate every bite.  It was served with a flavored herbal tea, (I used Raspberry Mint, which my grandson loved and drank 6 cups full!  Good things the cups were tiny).

The little tea set I served lunch on was a thrift store find that cost me less than 8 bucks. It had some broken pieces.  But it is just perfect for hosting a tea party for 2 grandkids and 1 grandma.

And in true grandma form, I used our little tea party as an opportunity to teach them about table  manners.  (Not that they needed much direction from me, since they happen to be very well behaved, thanks to some very firm guidance from their awesome mother). But we did talk a little bit about putting your napkin in your lap, and chewing with your mouth closed.  Using magic words such as please, thankyou, and excuse me. There is a book titled Children’s Tea & Etiquette, by Dorothea Johnson if you’d like more information about proper tea manners.  Personally, I think this book takes the etiquette theme way too far by suggesting which side of the chair to exit from when leaving the table, and where to leave the napkin, yadda, yadda. Too much information, I say.  Too many rules spoil the fun of having a tea party.  I am a tea party hostess, not a tea party snob. And I’d really prefer to let my grandkids have fun during the experience.  So a few rules are great.  But don’t take this too far.

Once the kids have settled and started eating well, I like to tell them a story.  Any good story book will do.  But in keeping with the occasion I chose to read one of the stories from Sandy Lynam Clough’s book titled “Come To My Tea Party”. This wonderful book has stories of kindness, recipes, and craft ideas. It’s a fun book for grandma’s to have in their library. My favorite children’s tea party book of all is Emilie Barnes book titled “Let’s Have A Tea Party”.  This wonderful book is a plethora of fun party ideas, decorations, recipes, games, themes and more. There is a wealth of information here, and I highly recommend it.  Whether you are hosting a tea party for your own children the neighbors kids, or the grandkids, you will find all the inspiration you could possibly need in these titles.

Well, I have just finished my cup of Kashmiri Green Chai, which means it is time for me to say goodbye and finish up my errand running for the day.  I hope you will join me again for tea soon.

Blessings,

Tea Lady Darla

Hosting A Mother Daughter Tea Party

Greetings dear tea lovers, and welcome back.  I am relaxing this afternoon with a cup of Buckingham Palace Tea.  I have grandchildren staying with me this week, and I have just put them down for an afternoon nap after spending the afternoon at the Outside In Cafe in Redmond.  I probably need the nap more than they do at this point.  But I know the tea will relax and refresh me for the rest of the afternoon. Taking care of my grandkids reminds me of what a demanding job motherhood is.  And yet, for all the blood, sweat, and tears, it’s still the most rewarding career choice of all.

One of my favorite things to do this time of year is host a Mother-Daughter Tea Party. This is a surprizingly simple way to make a lot of ladies, both young and old, feel incredibly special. Invite just a couple of your friends, and have them bring along their mothers, or their daughters, or both! If you have a larger home available with plenty of seating, you can invite several friends. Here is my no fail recipe for hosting a very memorable event for some of the favorite women in your life.

I start to decorate my table early in the day, so it’s done and out of the way.  I use a white table cloth, (because it works for all seasons, and all holidays). I add placemats, flatware, crystal or glass stemware, luncheon plates, and cloth napkins, tucked into some fancy napkin holders.  If you don’t have these items, don’t fret!  Nowadays,  there are lovely paper and plastic party ware that would work just fine for such an occasion. ( See my link to “Party Works” on the left, under Party Supplies). I also like to fill a little glass vase with some snipped flowers from my garden, (or you could pick up a little bouquet for next to nothing at Walmart).  I like to sprinkle a little decoration of some sort on the table, such as glass pebbles, or colored confetti, or foam flowers.  Use your imagination and I’m sure you’ll come up with something clever without having to make an extra purchase.

Make sure you have sugar and creamer dishes available, as well as a couple of teapots.  Borrow these if you need to. Place a teacup and saucer at each place setting.  I am fortunate to have a lovely collection of teacups. But if you don’t have teacups, you can consider shopping at thrift stores ahead of time and picking up several mismatched pieces. Or better yet, ask each lady to bring a favorite tea cup with them.  They can then share a little story about what makes their cup a favorite during the tea party. 

Once the table has been set, you can focus the rest of your time and energy on the menu.  Basically I keep things pretty simple.  A tray of fresh fruit, some scones with jam and Devonshire Cream, and of course tea.  I serve two types of tea during my tea parties.  One is a caffeinated black tea, the other would be a decaffeinated choice such as Rooibos or Herbal tea.  If you have younger girls coming, you may even consider some sweetened ice tea or lemonade. This is my basic menu, and nothing else is needed, unless you really want to serve something more substantial that could be considered more of  a luncheon.  In this case I would suggest adding a quiche or salad, or perhaps just making some tiny tea sandwiches. A little cream cheese and dill blended together can be spread on white bread and topped with cucumber slices.  Cut your sandwich into quarters, and remove the crust.  Place these on a fancy glass serving plate, unless you have a tiered serving piece.  A 3 tiered serving piece is a fun piece to use for fancy tea parties.  Sandwiches take the bottom, scones, in the center, and cookies or tarts are on the top plate.

Truly, the food preparation for this tea party is very simple and can be accomplished in less than an hour.  I always make my scones from good quality scone mixes, (see my links at left).  They are quick and super easy. But most importantly they are absolutely delicious!  Especially with some delicious toppings.   

A couple of other things you may wish to consider at your tea party.  A good hostess must also be ready to start good conversation between her guests.  Think of good, safe topic that everyone can participate in, such as  “What is the most important thing your Mother ever taught you”.  Introduce the topic early and let everyone think about their answers. Encourage them to answer the question whenever they feel ready to do so.  I also like to have someone available to take Mother- Daughter pictures after everyone has finished eating.  E-mail these to your guests as a reminder of this special event.

I hope you will consider having your own Mother Daughter Tea this year.  You will be amazed at how much delight you will bring to the lives of the women you invite. And if you are anything like me, you will be delighted yourself, at how simple this plan is, how well it works, and how happy it makes other women. 

 

Best wishes,

Tea Lady Darla

Zucchini Chronicles- Part Three

Would you believe we found this ransom note, (below),  in my husband’s mailbox at school?  That poor giant zucchini has been taken hostage. (If you missed parts one and two of this story, please refer to my older posts). There is no telling what happened to this poor little guy.  Would you believe my husband actually accused me of having done this!  If only I had thought of it first! Actually I am trying to hunt down the guy who kidnapped the zucchini so I can thank him and give him a reward for sparing me from having to deal with this bad boy on my own.  If you know who the culprit is, please have him contact me, so I can thank him personally.