Tea

Let's talk about tea. Let's talk about how I have been quietly, tentatively steeping leaves instead of beans every morning and taking a very particular kind comfort in cupping my hands around a big steaming mug of herby chamomile tea as bedtime nears. Then perhaps we can talk about the 80 bags of tea I received for my birthday. I'm in heaven!

At first it began as a convenience; making coffee is a somewhat involved process that can require significant cleanup. I don't have a compost and I feel wasteful throwing away the coffee grounds, nor do I have a dishwasher ... and you can guess where that leads. So I started drinking tea because I had it in the cupboard and it seemed easier, and I love a hot beverage in the morning and at least it has some caffeine, and the fragrance of Earl Grey is cozier than a nap on a rainy afternoon. Now I'm drinking tea morning and night! Another influential factor is the absence of a good coffee shop in the area. Before moving here, if I didn't make coffee at home there was always the eminently worthy Willoughby's, conveniently located on my walk to work. Oh how I miss Willoughby's, and the walk to work. There is a frustrating place in my neighborhood that should be decent but every time I go there, I am reminded why I choose to abstain - their coffee tastes like water. The ambiance is decidedly lacking as well, but that's for another day.

So, as often as not, lately I wake up with a mug of milky Earl Grey or Irish Breakfast instead of coffee - a trend that I imagine will dwindle, because I really am a coffee girl at heart - at least I think - and it will be hard to break out of 28 years of coffee indoctrination. But not before I use up those 80 bags of tea! On a related note, this shift may have something to do with the confused nature of my diet as a result of the change in seasons. It's been getting cool at night, and today it rained for much of the day. Summer is winding to a close. Iced coffee is no longer a viable option, and I thrill at the thought of fall and roast chicken and soup laced with melty Gruyere and applesauce simmering on my stove. I'm going to make homemade granola bars for hikes and walks. I'll let you know how that goes... if anyone has any good recipes, pass them along!