The Second Half

The road back home was more about people and produce/food.

The first stop heading north was at a dear friends home for lunch. She always surprises me by the creative foods she shares. It was so good to sit awhile and just chat. Then for lunch she started with nibbles smoked under a dome. Then there was melon infused with lemoncello and a delicious chicken salad with tea.

 

 

That evening we continued our journey north and had dinner with dear, very long time friends.

The next morning we headed for Solvang, California, a Scandanavian community.  

I had seen some of the sights on previous stops, but this time we were searching for a troll by Thomas Dambo. Nope, that wasn't him, but we knew he was in the area.

 

We found him at the art museum, taking up the space of the full room.

After our stop to visit the troll and have lunch, we continued venturing north.

All along the highway we saw these bells and I was reminded of my California history from school. The bells were spaced along the Camino Real as the priests would travel from mission to mission they would ring the bell to let residence know they were in the area. It was fun to see they have been preserved. 

There were many windmills on the back roads and we enjoyed discovering some new roads to travel.

 A lot of amazing trees and brown grass and hills along the way.

Our goal for the next stop was Hollister, California at Apricot King farm. After all it was apricot season and that part of California grows that best apricots I have ever had. You just can't find a good apricot at the local market and I wanted some good ones.

I buy dried apricots from this farm each Christmas, but I wanted some fresh ones.

 

 

The farm reminded me so much of my grandfather and uncles apple farms when I was growing up.  The owner greeted us like long lost family and gave us the full tour of their facility, introducing us to the workers. What a delight. Can you believe that visiting an apricot farm would have been one of the top highlights for me of the trip. I loved it.

We brought home some fresh apricots and I have one pie in the freezer for this winter, but a small batch of jam too. They also grow walnuts, and a few walnuts also came along with us. The owner kept saying they are better than what we can get at Costco. 

Apricots drying in the sun.

OK, it was time to continue heading north and across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Just across the bridge we stopped by the bay for clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls. No picture of the food, but it was delicious. I did say this second half, headed home, was about produce and food.

Once we got to my hometown, where my sister still lives, there was a stop to place flowers on my grandfather and mother's graves. The cemetery is very old and not cared for as I feel it should, this reminds me I need to write someone and complain.

We met my sister and her husband for tea and French pastries and a visit while in town.

That evening we had dinner with a dear friend and I forgot to take a picture. It was a good, good visit.

With a brief check online I saw that Corey from the blog,  French le Vie, was visiting her mom in California. We would be driving right through the town where her mother lives and I said we must stop for a brief face to face meet and a hug. I have followed Corey's blog for 20 years and I was thrilled to finally meet her. What a treat.

Her mother's garden was enchanting.

I could imagine taking a nap right there in the garden.

 

One more stop at the Olive Pit. OK, don't laugh, but they have the best olives. We stocked up on olives and brought them home. And home is where I am now, resting, a good massage, and resuming day to day life. It was a good trip, but did I say exhausting. It was like a farewell to friends and places of memories one more time.

Now back to living in the Pacific Northwest and all the beauty that surrounds me each and every day. I love my little corner of the world.

Hoping each of you has adventures of memories, then has time to return home exhausted and happy to be home.

Sending love,

Marilyn 

Another Year at the Tea Festival

Welcome to my coverage of TeaFestPDX, which took place last Saturday. Warning, this is picture heavy. I look forward to this event all year long. I plan for it, work for it, and then enjoy it.

The festival started in 2017 and has only missed one year because of Covid. The first three years I organized and ran the British Tea Tent by myself, with some good volunteers to pour the tea. After Covid I determined I needed someone to pick up some of the heavy work and work with me. So at the festival in 2022 I found an attendee, someone I didn't know; she was at my tent most of the day and I could really tell she was into the whole thing. At the end of the day I asked if she would like to work with me the next year and she said "yes". We have established such a special team and I couldn't continue to do it each year without her. She does the organizing of the tent with setting up, instructing the volunteers, and the tearing down and storing of supplies. Whew! That's a lot!!!!  I do the behind scenes part of getting 6 presenters, getting volunteers, and getting product donations. All stuff I can do on my computer. Then the day of I introduce the speakers and sit back and enjoy. 

Across from the British tent is a booth for selling gently used and some new teaware to support the festival in the coming year.

And then the door opens and about 3000 attendees entered and enjoyed.

Each year my first speaker is Lisa Hand and her sidekick, Lynelle.  They come in costume. This year their presentation was a celebration of 250 years with Jane Austin; so their costumes were from that era. 

The second speaker was Mike Raab. He came from the teashop, Tea for Two, in New Jersey and spoke on taxation issues with the tea party rebellion.

Our noon presenter was Marisa from Oranges and Blossoms, vegan bakery in Portland. She shared a lot about scones, from the difference between a British scone to an American scone, then vegan and gluten free scones. We thoroughly enjoyed her raspberry/pistachio scones. Marisa's bakery has won awards for her vegan bake goods and I had been working for about 4 years to get her to come and speak. What a treat!!!

And then there was Raj Vable from Young Mountain Tea Company. He and his wife, Mitra, came from Michigan for the festival. It was a treat to hear him talk on the influence of the British on the tea industry in India. Raj shared a black tea and a white tea. The black tea he had carried back from the new factory he was instrumental in helping to get built in Nepal.

The fifth speaker was Anthony "Tony" Tellin. He has been in the tea industry for a long time, having worked with Steven Smith at Tazo Tea, then later at Smith Teamaker. He shared his story of getting involved with tea and then introduced his new tea company, A.Tellin Co. The two teas he brought to share were both beautiful and tasted amazing.

Note the cup on the table in front of Tony. It was our festival cup for this year. 

The volunteers were all amazing. Hoping they can be in the tent again next year.

Our last event of the day was including a boxed afternoon tea. What a treat and I think everyone enjoyed having it.

Leah Murray from Eugene, is the director of a historic house/museum there. They sometimes host afternoon teas; so she share tea etiquette with the attendees.

I did take a little time late in the afternoon to stroll around the grounds of the festival.

This was Jeni Dodd serving tea in her booth. Crossing my fingers she will come next year and share her story in my tent. She comes from New York just for our festival. What a treat.

Tony Tellin left some tea for my volunteers and myself; so this week I am again celebrating tea from the festival.

 If you ever want to travel to a tea festival plan on coming next year. We are already making plans for another year with tea at the end of June.

 

Wow! I just read what I wrote and see I used the word "treat" a lot. Well the tea festival for me is always a treat and I love the connection with tea and tea friends. 

 

In the meantime, raise your cup in celebration for another successful festival.

 

Just to let you know, I am shutting down comments later today. I will be away from my computer for a couple weeks. It's been a long time since my "live-in gardener" and I have just taken off on an adventure for more than a couple days. Looking forward to the adventure. I will share when I return. 

 

Sending love,

Marilyn 

Good Friends & Tea

 

I love these Rose Is Rose comics that I have saved from long ago. YES! Good friends and an afternoon spent together over cups of tea is my favorite thing to do.

This week it was a teatime with a tea friend. What a treat it is each time we meet. Teatime friends are the best.

We sipped a new Darjeeling tea and nibbled on trout and egg salad sandwiches with dried fruit and scones. The scones are in the pink napkin, as they were fresh from the oven. 

 

 

Then earlier in the week my "live-in gardener" and I had to initiate our patio with teatime. We have a small garden of potted plants on the patio. There is one cherry tomato, one tea plant, and many flowers and herbs. The herbs are basil, thyme, and rosemary. Then there are a few bonsai in the background too. Well you didn't think we completely gave up the garden. Being on the ground floor it feels like we have a garden out our backdoor, as beyond the concrete slab there are plants that the landscapers take care. Now that is the way to have a garden and not have to do all the work.

What is your favorite way to spend time with a friend?

Hoping you find special times often to spend with dear friends.

 Sending love,

Marilyn 

An Adventure - Pacific Northwest

 

It's amazing what you can pack into a week. One week ago today my two adult children celebrated their birthdays. They are four years apart, but both born on May 1st.  We had cake for two, chocolate and vanilla.

And then the next morning my "live-in gardener" and I drove north into Washington State to do some visiting. Along the way there were many sightings of rhododendrons and other beautiful things.

The first night at my sister-in-laws home, she took us out to dinner. Now that was a treat, but the restaurant manager said that we must walk in the garden. It was near sunset which made the garden all the more beautiful.

Each sunrise is amazing from my sister-in-laws home. This one really touched my heart.

One day we walked in the Rhododendron gardens at Fort Worden in Port Townsend, Washington.

The lighthouse at the Fort's park.

Then on another day we took the ferry to Whidbey Island to have lunch with a friend from my youth. We met at a garden shop that has amazing plants and their cafe has amazing sandwiches. I had the best tuna sandwich I have ever had and their special rhubarb/elderflower spritzer was a delight to sip.

 

And because we had a hour before catching the ferry back to Port Townsend, we walked in another rhododendron garden.

There were a few gorgeous primroses too.

 

Then as we headed home there was one more stop to visit a favorite Thomas Dambo troll with friends.

 

I think the past week could be called, Rhododendrons and Special People.

I do love a good adventure and this one was filled with JOY. A perfect ending to the past year of working of moving and personal business. It felt good to be released for awhile to play. It was much needed.

Sending love,

Marilyn