Melissa’s Cozy Teacup

Zhi House Blend Ginger Peach Oolong is as exotic and luxurious as it sounds. Hand-blended by our master craftsman, this tea is designed to appeal to all your senses. Our top quality organic Sechong Oolong, organic ginger root, and organic juicy peach pieces combine to create a superbly refreshing, aromatic, and robust flavor experience. The ginger gives a hint of bright spiciness while the peach adds a touch of sweetness and softness. An outstanding tea, if we may say so ourselves, that also produces a jaw-dropping iced tea. Invite your friends, they’ll love you for it..

Don’t you just love the smell of a fresh packet of tea, opened for the first time? All those fragrances swirling out into the air tantalizing your senses with a promise of what is to come? I just received my newest sample form Zhi Teas; Ginger Peach Oolong. yes, my friends, oolong tea does not have to taste bad. Not only do you get the weight loss and health benefits you normally would from drinking oolong, but since this tea also contains ginger, it is good for your stomach when upset and aids in digestion. Contrary to what some may say, you can put sugar into oolong tea though I would recommend doing so in moderation so as not to counteract the health benefits and, not all oolongs are sugar friendly. I did add one demarera sugar cube to this cup and it did enhance the flavor though certainly this tea stands on its own in the flavor department.

Why not visit Zhi Teas and peruse their selection of fine teas for yourself? You’re sure to find somethng to tempt you or that would make a great gift this holiday season.

Hard to believe it has been so long since I’ve seen these blossoms on my neighbor’s crab apple tree. Every year this tree fairly bursts with hot pink petals. When they start to fall, you’re surrounded in a pink flower storm. I think I like falling blossoms better than falling leaves. Who wouldn’t love to be surrounded in a pink, fragrant shower like that?

Our winter is being very odd this year. Normally we would have had 6-8 inches of snow. So far, we’ve had barely an inch. nothing but brown death everywhere. How many more months until spring?!

UPDATE:WE HAVE SNOW!

Enjoy a fresh, NW Holiday Wreath made from Evergreens!

Imagine walking up to your door at night and smelling the scent of fresh pine as you are greeted with this lovely expression of the Christmas season. Wouldn’t you love to decorate your home without causing your electricity bill to go up? Buying a pre-made wreath removes one more task from your busy to-do list this year. Why make your own when you can purchase an expertly crafted wreath from the folks at Grandma D’s? Hold on to your hats, Grandma D’s not only has wreaths for your holiday decorating, bu they also have table decor, fir crosses, how spectacular is this?! They also provide fund raising solutions and very giftable and affordable coffee mug arrangements! If you would like a festive wreath like this to adorn your door this Christmas. please visit, Grandma D’s Wreath and Tree Farm. If you enter this code W083 when ordering, you will receive free UPS ground shipping (USA ONLY).

Please, PLEASE, leave a comment. Everyone who does is entered into a drawing for prizes. Additionally, the blogger with the most comments also wins a prize.

Here is what you could win as a commentor:

COMMENTATOR GRAND PRIZE- All who comment on the tour posts(not just my blog but the other participants blogs as well) will be entered into a drawing for a grand prize for the following:

Large tote bag, mouse pad and eye brightener from MomLogic

Rose Pin ($7.00 value)

All-Natural, Dye free Dog Tug from PurrfectPlay ($18.00 value)

Pet Rescue Cat Cards from PurrfectPlay ($7.95 value)

“I have an attitude of gratitude” Tank Top from EmpoweringStuff ($19.39 value)

Book- “Uncovered: What Really Happens After the Storm, Flood, Earthquake or Fire” by Mark Goldwich ($12.95 value)

“Be Natural” T-Shirt from JustBe ($15.00 value)

Swiggies Wrist Water Bottle ($13.00 value)

1 gift certificate for a set of personalized flashcards from GoosieCards ($28 value)

GermyWormy Sanitary Sleeves for kids

TOTAL VALUE: $131.29

From me personally, everyone who comments on my blog will have their name put into a drawing for a sweet electronic calorie counter. Jut enter in your data and it computes your food sins for you, er I mean, helps keep you on track during and after the holidays. The commenting drawing period extends for seven (7) days after this post at which time I draw names for the prize I am giving, (I may even throw in something extra but you have to enter a comment to win).

p.s. make sure I have a way to contact you should you win. No anonymous comments please, but please do comment…and tell your friends to visit too!

lease visit our sky watch Friday host site by clicking the Sky Watch Friday banner.

Hello my Sky watch friends. So good to have you visit again. Please do be sure to visit tomorrow as I have a very special post involving give aways.

Also, for those of you who enjoy my Cabo photos, I made a calendar on Cafepress. I do hope some of you will like it enough to pick some up for holiday gifts. Thanks for the comments! Note: only the comments for the wreath will be entered into the give away, not the ones for this, or any other post. Thanks for understanding and for visiting!

Don’t forget to drink your oolong tea. It helps clear out our systems the fat and cholesterol from the foods we eat. This doesn’t mean you can over indulge, it doesn’t sweep away calories!lol

We Gather Together to Ask the Lord’s Blessing!

1.We ga-ther to-ge-ther to ask the Lord’s bles-sing;
He ha-stens and cha-stens his will to make known.
Grief and woe pres-sing, he cea-ses their dis-tres-sing.
Sing prai-ses to his name; he for-gets not his own.

2.Be-side us to guide us, our God with us join-ing,
Or-dain-ing, main-tain-ing his king-dom di-vine;
So from the be-ginn-ing his mer-cy we were win-ning;
O, Lord, be ev-er near, our thanks be thine!

3.We all do ex-tol Thee, O Sa-vior and Tea-cher,
and pray that thou still our Re-deem-er will be.
Let thy con-gre-gat-ion join Hea-ven’s ju-bi-la-tion.
Thy name we hon-or here; O Lord, praise to thee!

My hair is loooong. It used to fall below my bra strap. I say, ‘used’ to because the other day, in a fit of disgust at how dry and brittle the ends had become, I whacked off three inches from the end. While it was still wet from showering, I combed it all smooth (I HATE combing my hair, it is so tangled when wet!) then I flipped my head upside down and grabbed all my hair in front of me so I could see it. I felt for the spot where it went from thick to not so thick and decided it was as good a place as any and, CHOP! CHOP! Off came three inches or so. Interesting side effect, layers around my face. Huh, did not know that would happen but I like it it looks better now when I style it.

I’ve been watching Esther Williams movies and iris on Youtbue and so I went and curled my hair again. It wasn’t quite dry when it was time to go to my sister’s house today to help her clean, so I tied a sparkly pink scarf around my head and went any way. I did go into Walgreens looking like this though after I told my sister (since the storre is in her neighborhood) that I don’t mind walking around like this in HER neighborhood because people will just think that I am her! lol Iris, from YouTube, did recommend a product I thought I would give a try. It is Neutrogena Triple Moisture leave in conditioner with silk. I’ll let you know how I like it.

Here are a couple of videos if you are looking for something different to do with your hair for the holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving and don’t forget to drop by on Friday. There are prizes at stake!

hair update: I had to use a different curl product to set my hair in my rollers. I do not like it. The results were not as good as my Dep which I’m out of and cannot find anywhere! Ack! If you see Dep all conditions hold curl in the pink tube, not the blue sports one, please, let me know.

Would you like to join me for Tea Tuesday?

I always fear that creation will expire before tea-time.
- Rev. Sydney Smith

If you would like to join me for tea every Tuesday, please contact me through my blog no later than the previous Saturday with your blog name and a link to your site and I will add you to my Tea Tuesday posting like Beverly does at How Sweet the Sound for pink Saturday.

Here is the badge for your website. Make sure to link back to my blog so that others can come here, see the list and visit the other ladies participating.

Tea Tuesday is pictures of tea and sayings about tea, tea stories, linens, etc, all things having to do with tea.

Enjoy! Don’t forget to visit me on Friday. It’s going to be exciting!

You may, of course, post today but just let me know so I may add your link to my blog.

Some of you who have been following me know I’ve written a book with the main character of Ruby Cross. I’m currently working on book #2 in the series and the tearoom is up and running. Can you guess the name?

God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen

God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.

Refrain

O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

In Bethlehem, in Israel, this blessèd Babe was born,
And laid within a manger upon this blessèd morn;
The which His mother Mary did nothing take in scorn.

Refrain

From God our heavenly Father a blessèd angel came;
And unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born the Son of God by name.

Refrain

“Fear not, then,” said the angel, “Let nothing you afright
This day is born a Savior of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him from Satan’s power and might.”

Refrain

The shepherds at those tidings rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding in tempest, storm and wind,
And went to Bethl’em straightaway this blessèd Babe to find.

Refrain

But when to Bethlehem they came where our dear Savior lay,
They found Him in a manger where oxen feed on hay;
His mother Mary kneeling unto the Lord did pray.

Refrain

Now to the Lord sing praises all you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas all others doth deface.

Refrain

God bless the ruler of this house, and send him long to reign,
And many a merry Christmas may live to see again;
Among your friends and kindred that live both far and near—

That God send you a happy new year, happy new year,
And God send you a happy new year.

I’ve had so many wonderful comments and compliments from my sky watch friends about my Cabo photos that I’ve decided to make them available in a calendar. Now you can ‘visit’ Mexico everyday just by looking at the wall. How cool is that?

here is a link to my cafepress store LINK

and a preview.

Here is a copy of the decree George Washington gave to the people regarding thanksgiving.

Here it is again in a more readable format:

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;– for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;– for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;– and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and fupplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other tranfgreffions;– to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our federal and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wife, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to blefs them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be beft.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington