Teapot Hostess and Kim

The traveling teapot went on a wonderful adventure today, but the teapot hostess forgot to take a picture to prove it. Instead, the beautiful October teacup at the table became the star and the little blue teapot took second place. Aren't the golden and yellow chrysanthemums on this porcelain cup beautiful?

The little blue teapot was gently packed into a tote today and rode along to a hotel in town to meet a guest from far-away Australia. The teapot hostess has been online friends with Australian Kim for several years, and it just so happened that Kim is on a world tour of agriculture with her husband. Amazingly, the town of the teapot hostess was on their itinerary. Kim, who just arrived from visiting castles, museums, and other points of interest in Holland, Germany, France, and England, was ready for a girls-day-out in America. The little blue teapot was carried in its tote to many interesting places around town: quilting shops, an antique mall, a gourmet kitchen shop, health food stores, and more. Eventually it arrived at a local tea room and was used to serve some delightful spearmint tea! It patiently brewed its gentle tea while teapot hostess and Kim shared in interesting conversation.

The little blue teapot is now packed back into the tote, washed and dried, awaiting its next adventure. It had a wonderful day!

Sweet Basil Jelly

The basil is mature and abundant, but frost is on its way. It's time to harvest and make it into something great for winter. How about. . .

Sweet Basil Jelly

1 1/2 cups basil leaves, lightly packed
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. vinegar
pinch of salt
3 1/2 cups sugar
6 ounces liquid pectin

Rinse basil, then chop coarsely in a food processor. Place in a large saucepan. Crush basil with the bottom of a glass. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Allow to stand for 15 minutes.

Strain half of the basil liquid through a sieve into a saucepan. Add vinegar, salt, and sugar. Bring to a hard boil, stirring constantly. Add pectin. Return to a hard boil and boil for one minute exactly. Remove from heat. Skim off the foam, then pour the jelly into sterilized jelly jars. Leave 1/2" of head-space. Add sterilized jar lids and process according to standard hot water bath method.

Makes 5 - 6 ounce jars.

Diana, Princess of Wales Rose

Autumn brings cooler weather, and the roses perk up, blooming like spring again for a few short weeks. Since the weatherman is predicting freezing nighttime temperatures, I decided to take some last pictures of my roses for this season. The Diana, Princess of Wales rose by my back porch is my all-time favorite. Its soft colors blend together beautifully and represent the "People's Princess" so well. Enjoy the last of the season as we look forward to the one ahead.

Click on the picture for a larger view.

October Snow

Experiencing snow during the first weeks of October is so unusual, I just had to take pictures to share! Otherwise, I'm afraid that some might just not believe me! Cold and white, it was a pleasant surprise! A week ago summer was here. After one week of autumn, wallah! Winter! Fortunately autumn has returned for awhile and we are experiencing sunny skies again. There's nothing like the beauty of a pristine, white world though. Everything is beautiful with SNOW!

Snowy Teapot

The traveling teapot had quite a surprise on its latest journey! It traveled up the mountain so it could serve tea on an autumn day, but as the elevation increased, it started to rain. Before long the rain turned to snow -- white, fluffy, sticky snow! The trees were soon coated with a layer so heavy it made them bow and drape. The dirt road turned white as it wound its way through the woods. The green gate at Cabin-Woods Road was coated with piles of white snow. Instead of serving up cups of spicy autumal tea, the traveling teapot was filled with a full-bodied, plain wintery tea instead. And --- before the traveling teapot left for the valley below --- five inches of snow adorned the table that was to be set for autumn tea. Snow!

The Traveling Teapot

Sweet friends --- blessings from above!

The traveling teapot arrived at my house, thanks to the generosity of Marilyn from Delights of the Heart. I'm excited to be its hostess for the month of October. There are seven traveling teapots, networking from tea-lover to tea-lover throughout the United States this year. The project was started by Bonnie in January. She sent seven women a 6-cup Friendship Teapot and 12 journals. During the month, each of these seven women are assigned the task of tea experiences, sharing tea from the teapot with friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Each participant is to record their tea experiences in the tea journal given. At the end of the month, the journals are mailed to Bonnie and the teapot is sent to a tea friend of the participants choice. Bonnie says she is doing this because she is curious about where the seven Friendship Teapots will travel and end up in December of 2009. At year's end, 84 women will have experienced tea with those around them (for numerous times, perhaps) and will have journaled about their experience. Doesn't this sound like fun? "My" teapot has already been to Marilyn, Nancy, Linda, Denise, Steph, and Phyllis --- all "tea friends" for many years. I'm still deciding where it will go next, but I have a few great ideas!

So what did my teapot experience yesterday? A dear friend, Hazel, and her daughter Kara, met me for lunch at the Olive Garden. I packed a tote bag with my teapot and a tin of peppermint tea and sweet leaf stevia. Over tea and lunch, we spent hours talking and planning and sharing together as we discussed Kara's upcoming wedding and all that needs done to make it a perfect day! What better way to break in a teapot than by wedding planning!

Stay tuned! My teapot will be going many more places with me this month, and I will be sure to share it's adventures here!