In my part of the world, snow is gently falling.  The ground is covered in a light dusting of powdered sugar snow.  Even as I'm enjoying this rare sight, I'm planning for spring and what herbs I'll be growing to create my own blend of tisanes.  One of my goals this year is to give you more tips on incorporating tea into you spiritual and self care practice with videos that give you the feeling of sitting with me, enjoying a cup of tea and chatting.  And so I present Tea Date Tuesday.

Taking a look back to the beginning of this blog today.  I've been blogging here since 2011.  I remember what a huge step out setting up this website and blog felt.  I had opened my livejournal up for comments when I started participating in Jamie's Wishcasting Wednesday in September of 2010 and this space felt as though I was walking down the street naked!    As I re-read this first post I can see how cautious I was trying to be by just writing observations of what was happening around me and a bit of Tea Priestess knowledge.  I remember this as a time of discovering my identity after my mom's passing and my adjustment to being the matriarch of memories for my family of origin.  I didn't share that part as much at first and I remember comparing my blog harshly to some of my favorites who had been blogging more publicly.  

Looking at this post again today I feel such compassion for 2011 me trying so hard to find her way.  And I can see how much I've grown in my confidence of sharing myself and my gifts online.  It also makes me very happy to note that though much has changed since I started this space (the name of my site was originally sacred space tea dates!) there is one thing that remains the same.   I am a Tea Priestess offering the wisdom, comfort and connection to the elements and the divine feminine through the magic of tea.  It's not just a lofty title...it's part of who I am and who I was born to be.  

As a tea priestess, one of the things people always 
ask me about is if I only drink tea.  Heck no!  I'm totally 
obsessed with tea and I'm always looking for more ways 
to get it into my life!  Here are my current top 3 favorites:  

Make a tea syrup to sweeten your tea, make your own tea lattes, flavor lemonade or any 
other hot or cold beverage you’d like!  Hey! how about drizzling it over pancakes or fruit? 
Sooo good!

4 tsp of loose or 4 tea bags (your favorite)
1 cup sugar
1 cup of water

In a pan bring water to boil.  Remove from heat and add tea allow to steep
 4-5 minutes (if I’m using loose tea I just put the leaves in the water then strain 
them out after brewing).  Return tea to stove adding sugar stirring until completely
dissolved.  Allow to cool and store in the fridge in an air tight container.

P.S. It will last in there for about 6 months. Stir in 1 oz. of vodka as it cools if you want it to 
last longer than that

Also called Marbled Eggs, my daughter told me while visiting Japan she often saw these little beauties being sold in their convenience stores. I tried them and am pleased to report they are super delicious and are currently taking up residence on my personal tea party plates:


6 Eggs
3/4- 1 Tablespoon of black tea or 2 black tea bags
1-2 tsp Salt or Soy 

Hard-boil eggs then run them under cold water until you can easily handle them.  
Gently crap the egg shells making sure to keep the shell on the egg!  The more you 
crack them the more intricate the finished marble design will be.  In a large pan add 
eggs in a single layer with enough water to cover them, black tea, and  salt or soy sauce. 
Bring water to simmer.  Remove from heat, cover, and allow eggs to steep for 1 hour or 
longer for more colored eggs.  When cool, drain and remove the shells or leave shells on, 
wrap in plastic wrap and store in fridge until ready to serve!

P.S.  Try different herbal tea blends for different colors!
P.P.S.  You can use tea as a natural Easter egg dye!  
Just add 1 tsp of vinegar to a cup of hot tea.  

Japanese green tea rice ('ocha' means 'tea' in Japanese)  is commonly served at the very 
end of an elaborate Japanese full course meal. It's also favored as a midnight snack, a 
hangover cure, or just when you want something hot and filling.  I use it as a way 
to eat up leftover hanging out in the fridge rice.  If you have a green tea that tastes too strong 
for you to drink, it will be perfect for this!  Another awesome thing?  You get the antioxidents 
of the tea!  Another awesome thing?  Though more Japanese ingredients will make this more 
authentic, I've found this is a totally forgiving recipe so you can use just about any you like!  

1/2-1 cup rice per person
1-1/2 cups of green tea per person  
**Any non flavored green tea will do but I recommend genmai-cha 
which has toasted brown rice with a 'popcorn' like taste 
or go traditional with ho-ji cha a roasted green tea**
Various veggies, tofu, and or meats
Soy sauce to taste

Place warm (or reheated) rice in a bowl, add a cup or two of hot green tea, 
top with other warmed ingredients, add a splash of soy sauce and serve!


There you have it 3 of my favorite ways to use tea other than just drinking it!  
I hope this has inspired you to think outside the tea pot and try using tea for other things!  

This morning as I lay in my warm cozy bed with the covers pulled up to my neck
I listened.  Rain.  Again.  Now with temperatures in the low 60s.  Can you say brrr?!

Fridays are normally the days I go to one of my favorite little coffee shops for a mocha and 
do some writing.  But I didn't want to get out of bed and go today.  It's cold...and wet.
The thought was enough to make me snuggle down lower and let the comforter wrapped 
itself around me. Closing my eyes, my mind begins to wander...

I see myself in the place where everybody knows my name, being greeted by my favorite 
Friday person ordering my usual; a mocha because I love the way my Friday person 
makes it; so smooth, creamy, and delicious.  I see myself walking to the back where 
it's a little quieter and picking out one of the plush chairs to sit in.  There I wait until 
you appear.  I can feel myself brighten upon seeing you and I hug you.


I try to translate so many feelings into that warm embrace; how much I love you, 
how great I think you are, how happy I am to have these stolen moments of time 
with you, and how much I miss you when you're not there.  


I see you sit beside me and we begin catching up talking about everything and 
nothing that is happening in our lives.  And as I see your smile and smile back I 
realize that this connection time with you feels exactly the same as the comforter
wrapped around me.  


Both feel....comforting.

I open my eyes and listen again.  The rain has stopped.
I push myself out of the bed and into some clothes. 
I head to the coffee shop where everybody knows my name.  My Friday person greets me and makes my mocha just how I like it...so smooth, creamy, and delicious.  As I set up my tablet and my keyboard, I can feel myself brighten.  


Because this is where I get to see you.