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Thursday, August 21, 2014

Tea Time Thursday #46~Books, Bees and Mint


Jim and I sit outside most mornings when we have out coffee and lately I have been watching the bees go crazy in my mint. I let most of my herbs flower, just for the bees. I have let the mint take over one area too where nothing else really likes to grow. I love to brush by the bushes and smell the mint.

This is an illustration by Wayne Anderson of the mint fairy in a book called THE MAGIC CIRCUS.
He is a British illustrator who does a lot of children's books. I love his work and need to explore his art.

I love that she has one foot on a lovely bee.


Look closely and you will see a bee on the mint flower. I tried to get a bee or two in each photo. My daisies are done in the front yard, but a few are still flowering in the back with the mint.


I have a pumpkin plant that has gone crazy and is growing up into the mint. It would be fun to get a couple pumpkins.



I spy a pumpkin under the rose bush! I will have to watch it. Maybe the fairies will protect it!


I picked ups some fun books a few weeks ago at an Estate sale. I was excited as I found some that I didn't own. The lady was a tea person as you can tell.




Years ago I read all of Jan Karon's Mitford books and just loved them all. I was sad when I had read all the books in the series. I not a strong reader but I so enjoyed them. If you have read her books, you know they are always talking about food, so she put out this cookbook. I have checked it out from the library but at $2 I decided to take it home. It's a lovely book and filled with great recipes...very enjoyable.


I decided to share her recipe from the book for CYNTHIA'S HEAVENLY TEA.....

3 Lipton family-size teabags, tags removed
2 sprigs fresh mint leaves, plus mint sprigs for garnish
1 cup granulated sugar
1 (6 oz can) frozen lemonade, thawed
2 (11 1/2 oz) cans apricot nectar
6 tsp almond extract

Place the teabags and the mint in a pottery or glass pitcher and pour in 2 cups of cold water. Bring a kettle with 3 cups water to a rolling boil. Pour the boiling water over the teabags and cover the pitcher with a small plate. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the teabags and the mint leaves. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in the lemonade, apricot nector, almond extract, and 3 more cups of cold water. Serve over ice and garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

Makes about 10 cups

There's still a bit of summer left to enjoy some ice tea and use your fresh mint leaves from your herb garden. I don't have Lipton tea in my house, so would probably just use a nice black tea.

Happy Tea Time Thursday!

7 comments:

mamasmercantile said...

What a lovely recipe for tea, I will certainly be trying it out. I love to make mint jelly with surplus mint in the garden so I can have a taste of summer all through the winter. I also hang some in the kitchen to dry, perfect for potatoes. Have a lovely week.

Lady Jane said...

I love the pic of the fairy. I also love tea books. I remember this tea recipe from the book but never made it. It does sound extremely good. I have read all the Mitford series books but one and loved them. The one released this May I haven't read as yet. "Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good" I just haven't gotten around to getting it at the library but I will for sure. Have a wonderful day.

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

Such a sweet illustration and thank you for the tea recipe, it sounds wonderfully delicious! I will have to read the Mitford books - I wasn't sure if they were worth reading, so I passed them by. I have lots of mint, too - I dry it for tea in the winter when I need a reminder of warm summer days. Lovely photos today, Linda. Have a lovely weekend. Hugs xo Karen

Unknown said...

Hello from Spain: great books about tea. The recipe is very delicious tea. Fabulous pics. Keep in touch

Susan said...

Hi Linda...I think you got a deal on the tea books. Love looking through coffee table books like that. Susan

Rose said...

I will be trying that tea recipe soon. Sounds really good.

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

Hi Linda,
Yes, I have read all of The Mitford series and loved them. What a deal on the cookbook! I also checked the lovely wedding you went to. Blessings to the happy couple!