A Mere Drink in Britain

"Tea is much more than a mere drink in Britain. It is a solace, a mystique,an art, a way of life, almost a religion. It is more deeply traditional than the roast beef of old England....This khaki-colored concoction, brewed through an accident of history from an exotic plant grown thousands of miles from fog, cricket and left-handed driving, has become the life-blood of the nation."

- Cecil Porter of Gemini News Service

Photo:  Of an old bus in Tillamook, Oregon

The One-Room School

Do you have memories of a one room schoolhouse? Maybe you were a student in one. I grew up listening to my father tell stories of his school days as a young boy who attended a one-room school. What adventures! His stories were rustic, cozy, and unique compared to my elementary school experiences as a student attending a sophisticated elementary school in a college town. Most of my teachers were 'master teachers' who trained student teachers, but my father's teachers probably had no more than a 10th grade education. The education my father received must have been good, though, because he grew up to become a teacher in a one-room school for a year or two before going back to college to complete his education and become a college professor himself.

This one-room schoolhouse is not far from where we live.  It is owned by my friend, Toni.   Visiting it recently filled my mind with questions and made me want to know more! Some of my fondest one-room schoolhouse stories were those written by Laura Ingalls Wilder in her "Little House" books. I'm sure her stories had an influence upon me and my decision to become a teacher when I grew up. Look at this schoolhouse. Why are there two doors on the front side? Why does one have a porch and not the other? And note the windows that you see through the large windows on the side of the schoolhouse. Can you see how they are so high up? I decided it must be because a chalkboard is below them, so they needed to be high enough to accommodate it. They couldn't be eliminated because the light they let in was probably a necessary commodity of nature.

If schoolhouses could talk, I'm sure this one would have many stories to tell!

Fining Pot for Silver

As the fining pot for silver,
and the furnace for gold;
so is a man to
his praise.

Proverbs 27:21

Bible Dictionary

Fining pot

a crucible, melting-pot (Prov. 17:3; 27:21).

Townsend's Solitaire

Townsend's Solitaire: White eye-ring, gray body and head, black tail with white edging visible in flight.

This little thrush is a little beauty that is rarely seen except in high mountain areas in the northernmost states of the USA and western Canada. During the winter months it extends it's territory to lower regions in order to find juniper berries to eat. This photo was shared by a friend, Cheryl, who took it recently at Bennington Lake near Walla Walla, Washington. Online research about the Townsend's Solitaire resulted in these interesting bits of information:

• The Townsend's Solitaire usually puts its nest on the ground, but may nest above the ground in a decaying stub or a live tree. It is especially fond of nesting along cut banks. All of the sites used are nooks or hollows beneath some sort of overhanging object that shelters the nest from above.
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• During the winter, the male and female are both strongly territorial, defending patches of juniper trees against other solitaires and other birds. They feed largely or even exclusively on the juniper's ripe, fleshy berries for the entire nonbreeding season.
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• The Townsend's Solitaire sings throughout the fall and winter to set up and hold its winter territory. Violent fights may break out in defense of the winter territory, because owners of large, berry-rich territories survive the winter at higher rates than solitaires on small territories with few berries.

Punk Rock Chickpea Gravy

 
How about trying a new recipe?  Here's one that is delicious!  Punk Rock Chickpea Gravy is from the cookbook "Vegan with a Vengeance".  The seasonings are savory and meld well together. I made a few changes, using vegetable broth instead of water, and sorghum and corn flours rather than all-purpose. This is a great recipe! I hope you enjoy it also.

Punk Rock Chickpea Gravy

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
2 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium size onion, diced
2 tsps. mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained, or 1 (16 ounce) can, drained
2 pinches of ground cumin
2 pinches of paprika
pinch of dried rosemary
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of dried oregano
pinch of ground coriander
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Saute onions in olive oil. Add mustard seeds and garlic and continue to brown until seeds pop and garlic is soft. Add water (or broth) and flour to skillet and whisk until well blended. Add seasonings and heat until gravy thickens. Add soy sauce, juice of lemon, and nutritional yeast. Stir to blend well. Serve and enjoy!

Elegant Tea Tableclothes

Elegant Tea Tablecloths

Most tea parties are known for their elegance or frills. Here's an idea for creating a tea tablecloth that is a cut above the rest! You will need:

1 plain colored tablecloth that matches your decor
a variety of large, silk flowers such as roses, daisies, mums, etc. mini magnets (available at craft stores)

Using a hot glue gun, secure a magnet on the back of each flower. It is best to apply the magnet to a petal near the center of the flower rather than on the actual center. Allow glue to harden. Drape the tablecloth over a table. On the draping portion of the tablecloth, arrange flowers randomly in an elegant manner. Use another magnet on the back side to secure in place.

This makes a beautiful backdrop for your tea table. Because so many silk flowers are used on the tablecloth, candles instead of fresh flowers may be preferred for the centerpiece.