Does Anyone Else Love Tea?

I have seen a lot of my fellow bloggers posting about their love of coffee but I don't think I've seen even one posting about their love of tea.  Doe anyone else love tea?

I'm a real sucker when it comes to tea.  If I see a tea shop (which is rarely) I just have to go inside & see if they have any tea that calls to me.  I have found some delicious teas this way but of course I have also wasted my money on teas that had great names but didn't taste so great to me.  On my first visit to London I found a little shop selling tea ... cute little tins of tea but of course these were made up for the tourists.  I think I may have found some tea being sold at Fortnum & Mason on my second visit but this was during the start of the Christmas season.  F&M had just unveiled their Christmas windows & the store was filled with all sorts of Christmas goodies.  I was more interested in the chocolates & biscuits at that time than the tea   : )  

Once upon a time many years ago I thought I needed to collect tea pots, particularly vintage ones.  I had only purchased a few tea pots when I decided collecting them was, well, not my cup of tea.  Too much clutter.  I sold all but a few, none of which are vintage.  I kept a reproduction Fiesta teapot, a Brown Betty, & two Polish pottery teapots I purchased on a trip to Poland.  I just remembered that I do have one vintage teapot which my mother had in her china closet.  I don't remember her ever using it.  It was part of her set of "special dishes" that were basically just for show.  I've never used it either.  I've actually never used any of my teapots.  I would if I had the opportunity to entertain tea drinkers.

Over the years I have found several teas that are personal favorites.  I can't start the morning without a cup of Hot Cinnamon Sunset tea by Harney & Sons.  They also make a tea called Chocolate Mint which is quite yummy   : )   Bigelow offers some interesting teas which can be found in the supermarket.  Constant Comment is a good Bigelow tea, especially the decaffeinated variety which allows for a late night cup of tea without it keeping you up all night.  I really enjoy their Vanilla Caramel, Pomegranate, & Perfect Peach teas.  I also have a package of their tea that I haven't tried it yet.  It's called Pumpkin Spice.  Doesn't that sound good?  I normally don't buy Lipton teas because I always find them to be on the bitter side but I couldn't pass up a flavor called Vanilla Caramel Truffle.  I haven't tried this one yet either.  I have several Christmas teas I enjoy drinking as well.  And after rattling off this list of what I suppose could almost be called "designer teas," I have to admit that I really enjoy a cup of tea at the Huddle House!  I don't know why.  I think our local Huddle House has an "olden days" feel about it.  It's comfortable there.  The only tea they offer is plain old regular tea ... not really something to get all that excited about but in this case it is!  The brand is Royal Cup & it must only be available from restaurant suppliers because I can't find it for sale in any stores.    

Are you a tea drinker?  What types of teas do you enjoy?

Last night I finished stitching my second Homespun Elegance stocking (photo will be taken later today) & immediately began a new project which is ... brace yourself ... tea related!  Laura at The Little Stitcher posted this pattern (Would You...?) on Friday & I ordered it as soon as I saw it!

This is Laura's pattern photo.  I don't think she'll mind me posting it here to show you ... at least I hope she won't mind   : )   Before heading off to bed I had finished the top two words.  Then, as luck would have it, I slept for an hour & a half, woke up wide awake, & finally an hour later decided to get up & do something ... so I put more stitches into this project & am now down to the little sawtooth design at the bottom.  I will finish this today.  Laura promises that she will offer two more tea related designs soon.  I'm looking forward to them   : )

As much as I would like to continue chatting with you I must get started making that mountain of phone calls I mentioned yesterday.  I didn't get any work done in the garage but John & I did take care of trimming several bushes & flowering plants in the yard before it began to rain.  They are calling for rain again today & a high of 82.  Tomorrow they are predicting a high of 85.  Kill me now.