Stepping outside, it almost feels like you could swim through the air. That's humidity in Northern Virginia, and with temperatures remaining in the eighties and nineties, iced tea weather is here to stay. Luckily, I've got a good stash to keep me going. PG Tips is on the same wavelength, and they recently sent me …
Author: swhanson
I'm a tea addict and have been since about the age of five when I had my first tea party. I've been writing about tea for several years, with no desire to kick the habit.
I also enjoy sewing, photography, hiking, and reenacting
Some Thoughts on Teatotallers
The image of befeathered patriots dumping tons of tea into Boston Harbor conjures strong feelings even today. Even more so in the eighteenth century. You may have read my previous article about the feelings of those early Americans towards our favorite beverage. Today, we drink tea out of choice, among a plethora of other beverages. …
Spring Fling
It's that time of year when I am in love with spring. The tree pollen hasn't started to get to me yet, my garden is still full of promise and dreams, and neither heat nor rain has driven me mad. All in all, it's the time of year when I can't stand to go inside …
American Tea
A tea shop in England claims to have tea from five continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Australia. They are lacking a variety from our own shores, largely because there is not that much in production. The United States is home to only one commercial tea plantation, in Charleston. That doesn't keep people from …
Ah-Chooo!
The birds and the bees are singing in the trees, flowers are blooming, and allergies are attacking. We haven't turned on our A.C. yet, but tree pollen will soon force us to close the windows for a time, at least until the shower of golden dust ceases. In addition, I'm going to be house-sitting for …
Tis the Season!
The season is quickly approaching for that refreshing glass of iced tea. We made a batch last night of peach oolong....yummy! But what's the best way to go about it? In the South, sun tea is quite popular, but the FDA condemns it. I'm no scientist, so I'm not going to take sides in that …
Tea and Weight Loss
If you found this article by Googling "tea and weight loss," you also had nearly 21 million other hits. These days, the topic of tea and weight loss is hotter than your cuppa. But is there any truth to these claims? Maybe, maybe not. Green tea might ward off weight gain, according to a study …
From Scratch
Do you remember reading Little House on the Prairie as a child? My eight-year-old niece recently read the series. One morning, her parents woke up to find her in the kitchen trying to make dumplings from scratch. She declared the day a "Pioneer Day" and told them to turn off computers, TVs and iPhones. Of …
Easter Tea!
The spring equinox has come and gone, while we our still waiting for our last frost date to get serious about the garden. The crocuses and daffodils are out in force, and the tourists are flocking to D.C. to see the cherry blossoms. We've even had a few beautiful days, although today definitely feels like …
Spring Cleaning
I know I've been harping a bit on spring, but it's all that I can think about really. It's getting to be that time of year when you start airing things out. In other words: spring cleaning. When you're getting around to it, don't forget your tea cabinet. Because if it's anything like mine, it …
Tea Blog 