Monday, August 15, 2016

two weeks.

quiet afternoon.

Such a strange feeling -- in two weeks time I'll be starting classes at my dream school. I had applied and constantly told myself to not get my hopes up, and then in May I found out I was accepted. I was in quite a state of shock, and ended up bursting into tears when I found out at work!

I've been largely absent online over the summer because of that. You know how, when a major life change is happening, you kinda want to just focus on finding your center? That's what I've been doing. For the past few years my main focus was building up my academic resume to make up for my poor performance in high school (10 years ago!) and now my focus is shifting towards my long term career goals.

I read lots and lots of books this summer. Not new ones, but old favorites. I focused on creating a space that was perfectly peaceful and shifted my room around a lot. I talked with my adviser about my interests, and I started to get excited. Excited and terrified. The school is a very rigorous women's liberal arts college. They expect a lot from their students, and soon I'll be spending much of my free time working on assignments after class in a library carrel.

I never really thought I'd be excited about this sort of thing. I was never one to care much about school identity. I never had much "school spirit" ... until now. During my tour of the campus I realized it resonated with me in a way that no other school had. I can't wait to take part in the school traditions. I can't wait to make this school my second home.

I hope all has been well with you, friends! I can't wait to share this adventure with you!

little shadow.

Sunday, July 3, 2016

keemun imperial black tea from teavivre.

keemun imperial black tea.

Hello friends, long time no see! Apologies for getting burnt out on tea blogging a little bit. I took some time away from sharing everything I was sipping and focused on enjoying things in the moment, and finally I feel the drive to write and share my tea adventures again! Despite being inactive here I've been consistently active on my instagram account. Check me out there!

I was sent a parcel from Teavivre of their Spring 2016 teas, and was thrilled to find the Keemun Imperial black tea tucked inside! A properly done Keemun always makes me think of chilly October afternoons, woodsmoke in the air, and honey-sweet treats -- this particular tea did just that!

This variety of Keemun seemed heavy on the chocolate note. The leaves brewed a lovely clear amber cup. The steam smelled like cocoa and wildflower honey with a slight bit of woodiness. The first sip is smooth and sweet with a slightly smoky tang on the back of the tongue. The malty note keeps this tea feeling earthy and not overly sweet. The malt creates a heartiness that makes this Keemun perfect for sipping in the cooler months (don't let that stop you from brewing in the summer!) and results in a very enjoyable cup. It resteeped nicely and the quality of the brew remained strong after 3 infusions.

Things that came to mind while I sipped: cocoa, dark honey, toast, smoke, pumpkins, autumn air.

The Keemun Imperial black tea was smooth, rich, and very comforting. I recommend picking this one up if you enjoy black teas with cocoa notes, or if you like daydreaming about autumn weather!

amber brew.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

snowed in.

reading

Yesterday winter storm Jonas dropped about 30" of snow all throughout our region. I watched as my car was slowly buried under a constant snowfall. By 8:00pm last night the only thing that remained visible were my side view mirrors! Today the skies were clear and the sun did its best to melt away what it could, but my car is still mostly buried. It looks like I'll be stuck inside tomorrow as well.

Classes are off to a great start (despite the snowstorm making Monday attendance impossible) and I'm especially excited about my history and literature courses. The only thing that stinks is that my 365 photo project has already been derailed. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I leave for class at 6:45 in the morning and get home from work around 8:45 at night... there's just no time for photos.

dreamy snowy day

While snowed in I've been reading William Blake's poetry for class and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon for fun. I'm a bit torn with Outlander. It's a clearly entertaining book but I'm slightly unhappy with events that took place a few hundred pages in. Many people sing praises for the series so I'm working past it, but there was a section that skeeved me out a bit and I'm not quick to forget it.

While I couldn't maintain the 365 photo project I can at least try to commit to my reading challenge this year! I've set the bar somewhat low at 30 books but I'll up the goal if I'm able to keep up a steady pace between work and school. Are any of you doing a reading challenge this year?

This chilly evening calls for more reading, chicken soup, and another cup of tea! Stay warm, friends!

Sunday, January 10, 2016

hello, 2016!

rose tea. (8/365)

One of my resolutions for the new year was to do a 365 photo project! 10 days in, however, and I'm already grappling with my belief of "quality over quantity" when it comes to photos. I had intended to post a week's worth of photos here but not all of them are really worth sharing on the blog. Instead I've selected 3 of my favorites from the week, but then what's the point of taking a photo every single day if I only share highlights and dump the rest on my flickr account? Grrrr. My perfectionist nature is a real beast.

Maybe a 365 photo project will be too much for me with work, 16 credits, and life on my plate. Maybe I should just aspire to take photos more often but not daily if they'll be mediocre. We'll see!

homework begins (10/365)

Surprisingly -- I'm already doing homework. Spring semester doesn't start until January 20th, but one of my professors emailed us and told us what the first assignment would be so we could get a head start. I'm pretty excited about the classes I'm taking: Introduction to Spanish, 19th Century English Literature, History of Western Civilization, and then my final required algebra course as well as public speaking (yuck).

bespectacled bear (7/365)

This week I was surprisingly busy. I had work, family was in from out of town, and I started swing dance classes! I spent a great deal of one day scouring an antique shop I had never been to and managed to find the darling cup pictured above. I then spent the rest of the day working on my college application and FAFSA paperwork (which I can't finish until I get my W2). This week I'm going to sit down and really work on my essays and hopefully get my applications to several schools submitted before classes start.

I think today I'll bake a batch of English toffee scones for the week ahead... I found a scone batter recipe that is my favorite yet! Firm, moist, crumbly, and not too sweet!