Kaya's Happy Greetings 2017

Happy Groundhog Day!

Today's the day Punxsutawney Phil makes his appearance to check out the weather!

In our area we have Grundsau Lodges that celebrate all things groundhog. Well, everything Pennsylvania Dutch. Grundsau is the Pennsylvania Dutch word for ground hog. It's pronounced gr-uhnd-sow. If you'd like to see more Pennsylvania Dutch, check out the the Haaptblatt wikia. It's all in PA Dutch!

The word from Gobbler's Knob is that Phil saw his shadow and we are to have 6 more weeks of winter. If you look at the calendar...it is 6 weeks to the first day of spring, so he's right. (giggles) Apparently he was feisty this morning. Of course he was, he wanted to go back to sleep!

Phil is in our state, about a 5-hour drive from us. Does your state have a groundhog predicting the weather? I know there is a different groundhog in Buffalo, New York.

Happy Lunar (aka Chinese) New Year!

Yes, I'm late on this one! We left they year of the fire monkey behind on Saturday, January 28. We are now in the year of the rooster. 

And it is a perfect time to try a lovely oolong tea Nana Kestrel gave us.

Thirsty Thursday #14

Gianna: Oolong
Oolong tea is special. this is not our first oolong review. We've tried Octavia Eight Immortals Dancing, Basilur Milk Oolong, Mr. Darcy, and Phoenix Mountain. One of these days we hope to add a guywan to our collection of tea things. Xyra found one at the Coventry Mall and just has to go get it. Until then we'll steep in the western style.

Anyway, Nana Kestrel gave us two Gianna teas. The oolong and a jasmine. 

Aren't the tins pretty? They are very nice but not very informative. No instructions at all. 

The leaves are nicely rolled and fragrant.

Here we're doing the initial rinse. Swirling the leaves briefly with warm water.

Ah, the dancing leaves!

It smells wonderful. Warm like a black tea, but a little earthy like green with a hint of tang. (giggles) Not the orange drink powder.

Can you see how the leaves unrolled to release the flavor?

Mmmm! It's perfect just like this. I'm not going to add anything to it. I'll let that up to you. (giggles)

Have a great year of the fire rooster! 

So glad you stopped! Come again soon!