Tea Time

I am a true tea snob.  I started brewing my own loose leaf tea many years ago.  There are no grocery store tea bags in our house.  Most of the herb blends I have purchased are from a quaint herb shop on Rt 70 in Boylston called Scentsibilities (http://www.scentsibilities.com/).    The herb shop sits right below Tower Hill Botanical Garden, which we are members, so it’s often a two for one visit. 

Over the past year or so I have introduced “teatime” to all three of my daughters.  Nicole, my seventeen year old will often take a cup of tea, Rooibos being one of her favorites, with her to the school bus in the morning.   Renée, my six year old, enjoys the mint blends the best. She claims Chocolate Mint Fusion is better than hot chocolate.  Lindsey, my two year old, was introduced to a ginger blend tea to soothe her stomach after her visit to the hospital in December.     It has become such a wonderful routine that when the tea kettle is on Lindsey will yell out “Teatime”. 

For Christmas I received a copy of the book “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin from my husband, Paul (http://www.threecupsoftea.com/).    The book has so much to offer! It is a true story of how one man’s mission to promote peace becomes a journey through Afghanistan and Pakistan during 1993 to 2003.    Greg Mortenson has established 78 schools, mainly for girls, in remote areas in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  These girls would not have been educated at all if it wasn’t for his hard work and dedication.   It’s definitely a book I would recommend to anyone.

After reading this wonderful story drinking tea with my girls has further engraved on how blessed we are to live in this country.  So often we take for granted our educational systems, particularly when we are younger.  To think that children in other parts of the world are not privileged as we are to attend school free of charge for twelve years is still unbelievable and unfortunate.  I hope my girls will take advantage of all schooling that is presented to them.

Ring in the New Year—Time for Garden Work

   As I welcome the New Year I am traditionally gearing up for family "hibernation". Generally when it becomes too cold and very snowy we bunker down, our focus becomes heating the house, more time spent indoors and breaking into the canned goods we have stored from the fall harvest. This year I decided we would shuffle things up a bit, and signed us all up for a family membership at the YMCA. We will also have some increase in outdoor activity, well that is if there is deep enough snow, for snowshoeing. If the snow doesn't pile up we've got a couple of new scooters to try out, and if all of those activities aren't enough to get us through the winter blues…well then there is always garden plans! 

    Our gardening plans seem to start when the previous garden ends, with the harvesting of seed garlic and planting of garlic cloves in early November. Late December and early January tend to be the onslaught of garden catalogs. We begin envisioning the garden, and deciding on what we try this year. Last year it was Luffa Gourd which did not fare very well and Parsnips which we decided to leave growing overwinter. This year will be the second year that I will take on the responsibility of Garden Coordinator at Thomas Prince School.    
    Already there is winter rye from a fall planting, protecting the soil from the winter it will add much needed nitrogen for spring planting. Also at the school garden there several perennials; strawberry, rhubarb, chives, lavender and catmint. We will meet in late January with a team of teachers, and decided on garden design and additional vegetable plants to grow. Beginning sometime in March and April the teachers will engage their students in planting seeds, whether it is inside, or outside the will all have their hands deep in soil! The students are able to harvest strawberries, lettuce, early peas and radishes for a nice salad before the end of school. The majority of the harvest is over the summer by family volunteers and during the fall when students return to school. There is so much to learn from gardening, particularly vegetable gardens that I find myself learning something new at least each season!

Appreciation--Hospital Stay

My original first post about napping, or lack thereof... but since I wrote that two weeks ago, it seems so irrelevant compared to our experience over the past weekend.  Lindsey, our two year old, ended up (with me of course!) spending the weekend in the hospital.  She had developed a cellulitis involving her right ear including her cheek and part of her head.  It was a most unusual cellulitis, from an unknown source and unknown bacteria. The first course of oral antibiotics did not touch the infection.   We spent the better part of the day on Friday in the Emergency Room waiting almost 4 hours to have her seen.  You would think at the age of two she would fight everything; the IV catheter placement was the biggest fight, but was forgotten once the M-n-M's appeared.  She even waved to the nurse, Aaron, when leaving the room.  I'm sure it made his night. Lindsey was then admitted to the pediatric ward for what we hoped to be an overnight stay. 

                 Unfortunately, the cellulitis was not improving much by the morning, so we were told to plan on another night and a consultation with an ENT. The ENT doctor came in about 4pm on Saturday, and determined it was not involving the ear canal at all, and suggested the course of antibiotics Lindsey was currently getting through her IV catheter.   During the whole ordeal Lindsey was a trooper! She was a joy for the nurses and doctors.  Her extension of her little finger to become "robot girl" for the pulse oximeter, and her giggle when they would place the axillary temperature probe in her arm pit was so precious.  Renee, our six year old, came in for a visit with Daddy on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.  It was wonderful to see Lindsey waving excitedly to her big sister's arrival.  Both Michael and Nicole called on Saturday to check in on their little sister, and the concern in their voices was heard.

Lindsey was discharged on Sunday evening, with oral antibiotics.  Today, being Tuesday she is 90% better, with a follow up appointment scheduled for tomorrow morning.  The area is almost completely healed, but her tummy is showing effects of the antibiotics.  Lots of yogurt and her new love Ginger Tea hopefully will help control her tummy woes.

                 I appreciate the staff at the hospital, for their caring and professionalism throughout the stay.  I appreciate my family for the calls and concerns throughout the weekend.  I appreciate my home and being able to take a hot shower!  I appreciate that this happened in 2011 and not the 1970's, I would not been able to leave her side.   Most of all I appreciate my little one for being a brave, fun loving, two year old!  It will be an experience she'll never forget.

Sacred Naptime

Ah yes it is upon me the daily naptime.   No, the nap is not me, today anyway, but for the busy 2 year old.   It comes every day sometimes even twice a day.  Regardless of where I am at or what I am doing naptime is a necessity in our daily life, right now anyway.   My daily routine is to schedule as much as I can around naptime, and then leave the “mom can do best alone” things for the sacred naptime.    If I happen to need to run errands, such as to the grocery store, it must be strategically planned according to what time that busy toddler wakes, and what time she possibly could fall asleep in the car.  It’s a task to figure this one out, she is not the best of sleepers at night…but when it comes to daytime naps she can go on for hours!  So quickly, lets plan the naptime events; mow the lawn, make sure the chickens have water,  walk the dog, throw in the load of laundry, hang the laundry out to dry, fold the laundry  scratch that, she can be playing while I do that, make cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving,  add a piece of wood to the woodstove, unload the dishwasher (saving the forks & spoons for her to do!) reload the dishwasher, vacuum and wash the floors…..and the list can go on and on.

Three days later as I finish up this blog, I seemed to have lost this sacred naptime.  Lindsey has refused to nap and we are headed into day four.  It’s been more of an adjustment to me than it has been to her, or anyone else in the family.  By day four I found myself adjusting, and baking with her, Pumpkin bread and Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies, recipes and update to follow next week.