Eccentric Tea Woman

  First came the rain. Softly, swiftly, a rush of cold not caring of biology. No surprise to those who expected such emotion; changes in most things require further thought that is not implied. The water is cold -  ready to blister and condemn sins. A blessing falls upon us all, not discriminating through the baptism. The rains come with much to fear.  Try the blends of Viridian Tea Company today - Tea Blends for the Strange and Unusual! Click HERE for the VTC Etsy store link! Spider Witch Tea Blend - inspired by the works of J.L. Mulvihill 

  She stared into her half-full wine glass and sighed. It wasn't supposed to be like this , she thought as she took a long sip, then set her glass on the table before her. I'm sick and tired of the holidays. She burrowed herself deeper in her thick blanket, recently purchased at an expensive store that catered to people who needed to be told what kind of personality to have. The kind of place in which the colour beige ruled. She thought, only three days ago, that this year she would be more in a festive mood for Christmas. That, damn it, she may be single but she was alive and ready to live her life as if for the first time. She finished off her glass and then turned around on her couch to stare at the world passing her by. It seemed that everyone held a leaning tower of packages in their arms as they scrambled to get the right gift just in time. People laughed silently to each other and to themselves, a chance to spread goodwill or whatever they were calling it these days. She

  (artwork by Brittany Lewis - prints and Tea Muse Herbal Tisane are available in the VTC Etsy store !) Me: (holding my breath, waiting for the next part of Tea Muse's story) Tea Muse: You need to breathe. You're turning blue.  Me: SIGH! Tea Muse: (laughing) Anyway . . . .  The Bean was once known as Theodore Bean. His parents were scientists who loved to read books and drink massive amounts of coffee. When little Theodore was born, they didn't give him milk but rather coffee! BLACK! Me: GASP! Tea Muse: I know, right? Anyway, that little child grew up on a steady diet of coffee and books. There's nothing wrong with either until you go overboard with them. Such was the case of Bean. He loved coffee so much that he couldn't think of anything else. He flew through school and college and grad school with top grades. His intelligence was off the charts! By the time he was 30, he had succeeded in obtaining a PhD and was now traveling the world to hunt down rare coffee be

  (Before I get to the story, I wanted to give apologies for not updating my blog sooner. It's been hectic with my main job and we are right in the middle of the holiday season. Okay, back to the story!) Me: (watching Tea Muse glance out of the window every so often) I have a feeling this is going to be quite the tale. How about if I make us some tea? (Tea Muse doesn't reply but merely nods her head yes) Okay, I'll be right back.  FIVE MINUTES LATER Me: (handing her a cup of tea, then sitting down in my chair with my own cup)  Tea Muse: (takes a long sip from her cup, then sighs) Have you ever had a nemesis? Someone who made destroying your life their reason for getting up in the morning? Me: (looking into my cup, then looking at her) No.  Tea Muse: Well, you're lucky. Don't laugh but before I became your best friend, I used to do something completely different . . . I used to fight crime! Me: (sputtering tea all over me) Wait, wait, what? You used to fight crime? W

  Me: (reading a book and listening to jazz on my day off) Tea Muse: (runs inside the house and slams the door, jolting me out of my bliss) ARGH! Me: Hey, are you alright??? What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost! Tea Muse: (runs to the windows and quickly closes the blinds) Shhhh! Me: Okay, now you've got me worried. What's outside? Tea Muse: (whispering) He's following me! (peers through a crack in the blinds, then sighs and sits down next to me) He followed me from the Imaginary Bookstore all the way home! Me: (putting my book to the side) Slow down. Who's HE? Explain! Tea Muse: (snaps her fingers and a cup of Earl Grey appears in her hands) I was at the bookstore as always, when I noticed some guy staring at me from across the place. I didn't think anything of it until I noticed that when I left the bookstore, he followed me! Dark glasses, hair sticking out in all directions, dark brown coat. . . (shaking) He gave me the creeps! Me: Hmmm. . .

  Madeleine, or Maddie to her friends, set her pen down and looked at her black hardback journal. After a full year of writing, mingled with too many cups of black coffee and not enough sleep, she finally finished her third novel. She closed her eyes and allowed the feeling of satisfaction to flow through her like a ray of sunlight. After her first novel was published ten years ago, she went from a nobody to a somewhat somebody. While many dismissed her first attempt into the world of the Written Word, there were some who read The Bookstore and cherished it. Madeleine only wanted to tell stories. Ever since she was a little girl, all she wanted to do was tell a story. Her parents, however, had other plans for her - they thought that being creative was nonsense and a waste of time. Yet, when she presented them with a copy of her first book, they were quietly stunned; deep down, they didn't think she could do it. They thought that with their endless supply of "you're going

  For my next Tea Adventure, I figured I would delve into one of my blends - the new Graymatter tea blend! This blend was inspired by the book A Gray Area: An Erotic Collection by Colorado author and artist J.W. Bullard! In talking with him regarding an accompanying tea blend, I put together a blend consisting of black tea, spearmint (from Asami Tea LLC), cinnamon, and ginger. After letting the blend sit for several days, it was time to brew a cuppa. Our first sips were - WOW! A gorgeous blending of minty and spicy, with the cinnamon and Assam tea mellowing out the ginger. After two sips, I drained my cup with a smile. Bullard's words regarding the blend were - "erotic and sweet". I couldn't have said it better myself. The taste goes rather well with a book that delves into decadent desires and a hunger to feel soft skin against you.  Bullard is currently wrapping up edits for his second novel, The Engine Key, and has other ideas in the works. Both the tea blend and

  Julie woke up on a fine Tuesday, her day off from work, and decided then and there to ruin people's lives. Actually, she didn't directly decide such a thing, but rather that she wanted to be selfish. For years, she sacrificed her own happiness at the cost of making sure others felt better about themselves. As she stretched her arms over her head, she decided that today would end all of that. She quickly got dressed and left her apartment in search of her starting point. As she walked along the wide sidewalk, her senses took in everything around her - cars honking their impatience to each other, children screaming as they ran inside their school building, and people trying to get to where they needed to get to for some reason. Julie put a little bounce in her step as she continued her walk on this fine sunny day in the Cherry Creek neighbourhood of Denver, the Mile High City. Several minutes later, she arrived at the Indigo Tea Room and stepped inside. Immediately, the sounds

My latest Tea Adventure came in the form of meeting a man I'd met years ago. His name was Robert Fortune (1812 - 1880) and he played quite an interesting part in the history of tea. He had been hired by the East India Company to steal tea plants in China and bring them to England. Before accepting such a assignment, he was a botanist for the Crown. The book For All The Tea In China by Sarah Rose gives more detail to this historical moment - I purchased a copy of this book years ago and found it to be quite a read! Upton Tea Imports created a Robert Fortune Blend 41 and of course, I had to try it. When I smelled the tea leaves in the bag, the first idea I had was - masculine of a Victorian nature. A man who has a full study/library in his home, along with artifacts from various places around the world. A man who speaks eleven languages, a lifelong bachelor, and who always has his nose in a book. According to the VTC Director of Art, James, the tea reminded him of taking a trip to

  (artwork by Brittany Lewis - prints available in the VTC Etsy Store) Me: (going through my ingredients in my office) Hey, have you seen my bag of lemongrass? Tea Muse: (playing World of Warcraft on my computer) Huh? What? No, I haven't. Don't you keep up with those things? Me: Oooo, look who's getting all snarky today JUST because she finally created a character in Azeroth! And for the record, you're my Muse! You know better than I do about my ingredients! Tea Muse: (shutting off the game and turning around to face me) I'll have you know that you do NOT have any lemongrass, so you can't make precisely 7 of your blends. Now, can I please finish my game? Me: Okay, Miss Smarty Pants . . . do I have any orange peel? Tea Muse: (folding arms over chest) Nope! Me: (grinning) Sage? Tea Muse: Two pounds and you barely use it.  Me: Cloves? Tea Muse: You have exactly one clove left.  Me: See, I told ya that you know better than me! Tea Muse: And that bag of sencha, by t

  It's been too long since I had a Tea Adventure - here we go! This time, I'm traveling to Taiwan to sample a green tea called Cloudstream, thanks to the wondrous tea and Taoist organization Global Tea Hut . If you sign up for a subscription, you will receive a magazine and a tin of tea every month. Now that my life is (somewhat) slowing down here in Colorado, I have more time to enjoy my collected teas thus far.  Cloudstream Green Tea comes from Zhu Shan, Nantou, Taiwan. I love oolongs from Taiwan, so I knew that I was going to enjoy Cloudstream as well. When I sniffed the tea leaves in the tin, the scent reminded me of cool rainwater being poured over a fresh melon - a faint reminder of Spring as we enter Autumn. In brewing the tea, I let it steep for a little over 3 minutes and then poured a cup for myself and the Viridian Tea Company Director of Art, James: When I had my first and subsequent sips of Cloudstream, the taste reminded me of a rainy day in April. The tea "f

  Thursday at Cafe Siren. The day begins, as always, with the doors being unlocked by a quiet server dressed in ripped jeans and a black shirt with her traditional combat boots. And, every time she opens the door, she always looks out to the busy street and smiles at the raggedy looking man across the street who draws whimsical pictures in watercolour. He looks up, sees her red lipstick framed smile, and waves once. She nods and then returns inside.  The server, whose name for today is Nina, wraps a dirty apron around her waist and begins her regular set up of the espresso machine. When she's ready to prepare the tea for the day, she turns on the turntable located by the front door and puts on a jazz record. This will be the first of ten albums played during the day. However, she doesn't realize that today, there will be an eleventh.  An hour later, the first customer comes into the cafe to the welcoming tune of some female jazz singer who looks as though she came from the 1930

  He told me that magick was real. Not the kind that you would see in some cheesy Las Vegas show, but the kind that comes from far-off places, in languages not known to humanity. He wanted me to believe in the impossible, and honestly, I just couldn't. I had been raised to believe in what I could see and touch with my two rough hands. I had grown up in a family that despised imagination and creativity. Books were forbidden to me, as they would lead to me wanting to think for myself. And so, in my 40 plus years of living to date, I never opened a book, never visited an art museum, and never daydreamed about anything. I woke up, ate my breakfast, did my work with barely any communication with others, returned home to a bland meal, and fell asleep because I had nothing better to do. One day, while walking to the post office, I saw a man seated on a limb of a tree. I stopped and stared at him with dull eyes, then looked around to see if anyone else had seen him. They aren't awake y

Phil woke up with the sun beaming on his face as it filtered through the window. He rolled over and cursed softly as he pulled out his latest read from under him. He chuckled and set the book on the side table, then got up to get himself ready for his weekly meeting with his best friend, Jackson. They had met while students at Tulane University five years ago - both aspiring novelists, inspired by the ghosts of writers who made New Orleans their home and Muse. After college, both remained in New Orleans and assimilated themselves into the city and everything it had to offer. Phil left his apartment in Gentilly and made his way to the Garden District, where Jackson, thanks to his first book doing rather well, lived in a somewhat crumbling yet still glorious house. Today was their day of brunch, followed by spending time and money in Octavia Books. As Phil pulled up to Jackson's house, he noticed his friend sitting on the front porch with a woman who threw her head back to laugh at s

Truth be told, Daniel hated art. He hated seeing the artists dressed in clothes that showed both their so-called uncouth lifestyle as well as their desire to be accepted. His girlfriend of six months broke up with him because he claimed that her job of being a painter wasn't really a job. What's the big deal, he said during their last fight, with you and paint? It's not like it's a real talent. Nicole merely stood before him, staring down at her paint-stained hands, as tears fell from her eyes. How hard is it, Daniel vented on, to paint some strokes and lines and then charge someone $1200 for it?  Nicole left before he could do any further damage to her mental state. For the next three days, he sulked and drank cheap beer in his bare apartment, not wanting to think of her or anything that had to do with art. He was "in-between" jobs and therefore didn't care how his hours whittled away. He was one of those kinds of people who didn't care about anything

  He sipped his coffee and wondered where the time went. It wasn't so much that he needed to get somewhere, only that he needed to know that the time, his time, passed him by. He took another sip and then added more sugar. He jokingly said once that he loved his coffee like he liked his women - hot, sweet, and bitter at the end. He sat alone at his living room table and stared out of the window that revealed his dying garden. He wanted to try to bring his flowers back to life one day, maybe never, possibly some time. On his third sip, he thought about Claire. Claire, the woman he met that night at the book signing in Boulder. Claire, the woman who said she loved him and only him after their first night of sweaty lovemaking, followed by her smoking a French cigarette and him hating her for it. Claire, the woman who left her dark home and past to be with him and his "chance of a better life". She came to him, loved him, and now slept in his bed after a long night of working

  Charlie: (looking out of the window) Does she always just . . . fly like that? Me: Yeah; once she gets something in her mind to do, she won't stop until she gets it done. That's why she's my Muse! She's not only my best friend but also my guide in the world of tea.  Charlie: Francine started as my playmate then when we grew up, became my best friend too. Even though she's imaginary, her advice is . . .was still sound for me.  Me: Maybe that's why she flew away . . . because you STILL think she's imaginary. She's real to you, just like Tea Muse is real to me. That's all that matters, ya know? Charlie: (staring into his empty mug) You're right. I never saw it that way. (looking up at me with sad eyes) If your friend can find her and bring her back, I would be grateful.  Me: My turn to make some tea! (grabbing mugs and taking them to the kitchen) THIRTY MINUTES LATER . . . .  The front door blasts wide open and two women covered in purple dust fly

  The bookstore owner, after handing us mugs of oolong tea, turns off the OPEN sign at the front door, then sits down with us. . . . Charlie: Well, my name is Charlie and I've owned this place for ten years now. I've met all sorts of book lovers and bibliophiles, both real and imagined (winks at Tea Muse, causing her to blush and then take a deep sip of her tea). I love the imagination and how one person can create an entire world! My book collection is in the 500s.  Me: So, what's with the No Imaginary Friends rule? What gives? Charlie: That . . .well . . .I used to have an imaginary friend. Me and Tea Muse: GASP! Charlie: (laughing) Yeah, I did, all the way up to me being an adult. Her name was Francine and she had blue hair and red eyes. She came to me when I was a kid. I was in a bookstore with my parents and had wandered off to the Nature section. I remembered seeing a lot of books on mushrooms when I heard a voice whisper hello to me. I turned around and there she was

  We arrive at the bookstore . . . .  Me: (turning off the car and turning to face my friend) Okay, let's stick to the plan we talked about. Tea Muse: I'll wait in the car while you go in, then once you locate the owner, you signal me to fly in and we'll take him down! (grinning with glee) Me: Uh, let's not be TOO excited about this. Right, I'm going on. (getting out of the car and walking into the bookstore) Hello? Anyone here? A voice from the stockroom: Hello back! I'll be with you in just a second! (a man, dressed in jeans, hiking boots, and a black shirt, comes out of the stockroom) Hey there, how are you? What're you looking for today? (walks over to the counter) Me: Oh nothing, just browsing. (walking toward a display of fantasy books, then turning around toward the glass to give the signal of scratching my head)  Tea Muse: That's my cue! (flies out of the car and into the bookstore, knocking over several displays in the process) Bookstore Owner:

  Hello again - there's a NEW video from Viridian Tea House!  In this new episode, I'll be talking about Erotica - both in tea and in books! Click HERE to view the video - 21 and up, please.

 Me: (slowly closing my latest read and staring off into space) Oh. My. Goodness. Tea Muse: (looking up from her Tea Cutie magazine) What? Oh, you finally finished that book, huh? How was it? Me: (still staring off into space) I need a strong cup of green tea after what I've been through. Tea Muse: Coming right up! (snapping her fingers and a cup of perfect temperature sencha appears on the side table)  Me: (taking the cup and drinking it all in one sip) Ahhhh, much better. Hmmm, seeing as how I've finished it . . . .  Tea Muse: That means . . . a trip to the BOOKSTORE! Whoo hoo! Which one are we going to today?  Me: What about the one down the street? They have a good selection! Tea Muse: (frowning) Nah, I don't like that one. Me: Why not? Tea Muse: You don't remember? They have a NO IMAGINARY FRIENDS policy! Ugh, don't you remember that I had to wait in the car while you shopped?!  Me: (staring at her in silence, then cackling) Are you serious?? I really don't

  He let the bonsai die and I knew he was a bastard. After I found the trail of dead brown leaves on the floor that led to the garbage bin, I asked him - why? Why didn't you take care of it? You wanted that bonsai, wanted to prove something to me. I closed my eyes in frustration and sighed. Why, I asked a final time. Simple, he said in a tone that held a smile. I opened my eyes. It was never about the bonsai, he added. It was about you taking care of me. I slowly sat down on the floor while my eyes never strayed from his face. I need you, he said. I need you to pick up where I've left off. That bonsai represented my last fling with being responsible. He leaned forward and whispered - it's up to you now. I knew he was right. I knew that, even though I was furious at him for allowing that bonsai to die, he knew that I would make things right. I would swoop in with my flowing white cape and make everything better. I smiled back and then got up and walked into the bedroom. He j

  (taken from one of Krog's social media sites) The new video from Viridian Tea House is LIVE - much thanks to Robert J. Krog for his book Shank, Hit World V!  Check out his book and all of his other works - you won't be disappointed.  Click HERE to access the video!

(prints of my Tea Muse are available in the VTC Etsy store - see below for the link!) Me: I'm so glad I've got the next two days off from work. Whoopie! Should I just relax and do nothing, or work on everything else I've missed out, or -  Tea Muse: (handing me a rather large cup of Earl Grey tea in silence) Me: (taking a long sip) Ahhhh, thanks! How did you know I needed that most of all? Tea Muse: Simple - The Earl Grey will FLOW! (grinning widely) Me: (laughing) Okay, no more Herbert for you! Tea Muse: Does that make me a Tea Bene - Me: (looking around frantically to make sure no lawyers are present) We can't use those words here! Copyright and all.  Tea Muse: (looking innocently at me) Then I guess I shouldn't say that I love a good SPICE tea? Me: (finishing my tea then doing a facepalm) Click HERE for the Viridian Tea Company Etsy Store! Tea Blends for the Strange and Unusual! Krewe du Who Tea Blend  

  I truly enjoyed reading and reviewing the book Deadly Games! by author Bobby Nash - click HERE for the Viridian Tea House YouTube link! Thanks again, Bobby! Click HERE for the link to Tea of the Dominant, the featured tea brewed during this review!

  Me: (puffing lightly) Okay, I think that's all of your stuff . . . right? Tea Muse: (looking around the room) It feels good to be with you again! Woot! (dancing around my office as John Coltrane plays on my computer) Me: I feel terrible that it's been so long since we last hung out. Tea Muse: Hey, it's not easy working with an imaginary being sometimes! Anyway, tell me all about Colorado! I'm dying to get outside and conquer mountains! (stops dancing and lands on the floor) Me: Well . . (scratching head)  . . it's more than just mountains. Lakes, rivers, really cool coffee joints - Tea Muse: (gasping in shock) You're STILL drinking . . . COFFEE?! Blech! Me: Hey! I'm still drinking tea, ma'am! In fact, I've created new blends and even started a YouTube channel, so you can stop glaring at me, okay? Tea Muse: (crosses arms and sighs) Fine, but don't let me catch you drinking that nasty stuff. Me: (giving her the side-eye) Oh yeah . . . there are a

  If one sits still long enough Mushrooms will grow on their skin like edible tattoos. Fungi of every colour, size, and smell sprouting in response to a thought, untouched dreams, and wishes gone away. Eating your own strengthens the resolve; not waste, taken and absorbed back into the collective. Cultivated and naked bodies create enough for the world, assisted in dark rooms,  stored away from the sun. Thinly sliced and savoured during parties of ill repute: women dressed in ebon coloured dresses, eyes distorted by mysterious kohl. The men stand to the side, watching like naive children; their purpose is not yet given to them. Samples of everyone lay about within an atmosphere of an opium den - Gothic tragedy creating such sexual frustrations and the removal of limitations. Those who linger beyond the normal, those who savour and taste such fungal pleasures mingled with blood drawn from their own veins, smile as only they can. Their bright violet eyes, their mouths painted with crushe

  Too many shadows to catch And not enough patience; something completely regrettable. I am tired - let me fade and become a shadow To be caught by colours still unknown to humans. I was brought here to be a witness To the failings of the world And still I speak with an archaic tongue. I wish to prove to you That yes, it is possible to become something else. Something within your reach, something That the world has only dreamt of and will never create.  Listen to the winds across the sea and tell me that you still don't believe, For as long as you remain stuck within your mind That damage you complain of will never die.  Click HERE for the Viridian Tea Company Etsy Store! Tea Blends for the Strange and Unusual!

  The oozing creature hunched itself up like a hissing cat, then slithered at a rapid pace toward the two. The samurai raised up her katana, ready to end this battle, only to be pushed to the side by the werewolf. She fell to the floor and watched as the werewolf grabbed the Undying One with both clawed hands and dug into the thick flesh. The creature screamed as it tried to bite the werewolf, yet his clawed grip limited its movements. Horrific smelling pus flew everywhere as the werewolf dug deeper into the Undying One. The samurai calmly got up and walked toward the two, then slid the point of her katana into the base of the creature's head. More pus streamed out of the wound, causing the werewolf to release the foul body. "Why did you push me away, Samuel?" she asked her companion as they watched the creature slowly die.  "Why do you still forget that I'm your companion?" The two looked at each other as a wordless conversation flew between them. True, she