January Observances: Hot Tea Month

Photo from Willie Cloete

Every day of the year seems to be dedicated to something extra, and while it's fun to celebrate Hamburger Day or Whipped Cream Day, I've decided to focus on months instead of days.

January has several observances, however, I picked just four I like and I'll be sharing them with you every Monday this month.

Today, I'm going to share Hot Tea Month with you!

As a born and raised Southerner, it took me a while to become a fan of hot tea. My experimentation with numerous tea blends and sweeteners, bags or loose leaf, and even different kettles led me to some delicious, healthy, and warming teas that I drink regularly during the cold winter months.

Some of my favorite blends include apples and citrus fruits. I have one I like for daily use to get me started in the mornings called Sweet Tangerine Positive Energy from Yogi Teas. This is my "start the day" tea that I sip while waking up at 5:30am every weekday.

I also enjoy their Kava Stress Relief for nighttime use. Since I have such a difficult time settling down in the evening (don't we all have a million things left to do at bedtime?) it helps me relax and sleep better. Mr. Silvers uses it to fall asleep in the mornings because he works nights and it's hard for him to sleep in the daytime.

I like having blends that are meant for particular reasons, such as the ones I pick for cold & flu season, mental clarity, and relaxation. I also enjoy scrolling through the pages of Adagio Teas for coconut, candy apple, peach, and cherry flavors. They always have good sized "sample" packets. I can go for months at a time with sample packets.

You may see my characters sipping a cup of tea in the stories I write from time to time. If you notice this, you'll know I was most likely writing that scene on a cold winter day with my own steamy cup sitting to the right of my laptop fueling me forward throughout the day.

Do you have a tea you love? Share it with me! I'm always looking for a new flavor to try.

Happy Tea Month!

What I'm up to right now.

Fall has finally arrived here in North Georgia. Or at least it feels like it. The mornings are in the 50's and the afternoon/evenings are in the 80's. It's absolutely perfect! I open the windows and it cools the house all day long. I love it!

This is the second week of school for my younger two girls, and the oldest has been in college for a month now. Everyone seems to be settling in quite well. My house is quiet and MUCH cleaner. LOL. I've used the last week and a half to get my house back in order from the chaos that is summer break.

Now.... NOW.... It's finally time to get back into MY world. It's time to knock out a couple of books, plan some giveaways, prepare for my next conference, and submerge myself into my fictional worlds. I've missed them so these last four month!

On the personal front, this is the time of year when I schedule all my yearly check-ups. Yesterday I had my very first dermatologist head-to-toe look for suspicious mole activity. The doctor removed three of them. Eek!! I should hear back about the biopsies in the next two weeks. My grandmother passed last year from melanoma so me, my sister, and my mother figured it was time to have a once over. It just happened to be my turn yesterday. I now have Band-Aids on my left shoulder, left thigh, and right hip. Two of the three are places that never even see the sun!

Work-related, I have lots planned for the next few months. I have blog posts planned for you, a few newsletters, and of course opportunities to win goodies and free books. Stay tuned for more to come!  :)