Herbal Iced Tea - sage, dandelion, thyme & honey

We had some friends over for dinner a few days ago and I wanted something for the kids to drink that wasn't soda.
Not that I'm opposed to the occasional sugar indulgence, but the last time we allowed soda while having a bunch of kids over, we were finding soda cans everywhere for days.
With iced tea, even if it's yummy, it does not encourage overindulgence the way a fridge stocked with all natural Orange Cream Soda does.
Honestly, it all began with the dandelion syrup that I had begun earlier in the day that got neglected as I prepared dinner.
Earlier in the day when I had gone out to check on the chickens I saw, to my delight, some fully blooming dandelions. I picked about 2 cups of the tops and put them in a saucepan with just enough water to cover them. As they cook, the flowers reduce down and then the water does as well.

This was as far as I got. (If you want to continue on with making the syrup, you add sugar and boil, then pour over pancakes, ice cream etc. I will post the exactness of the recipe soonish.)

So I had about 2 cups of strong dandelion brew and I wanted iced tea. hmmm. Would children-who-do-not-belong-to me drink this?
I went back out and harvested garden sage and a small handful of thyme
I put the sage and thyme in a heat proof glass vessel and poured boiling water (24oz) over them, put a cover on it and let it sit for about 20 minutes. I wanted it to be lightly sweetened, so I poured (8oz) boiling water into the mostly empty honey jar that had crystallized honey lining the inside of the jar. The boiling water melted it down as I stirred and scraped down the sides to help it along.
I filled a metal pitcher with ice and poured the strained dandelion brew, the tea of thyme and sage and the melty honey sweetness all together.
It was surprising even to me in it's yumminess.
It was so good.
The children loved it as did the adults.
Please note that they were offered iced tea, not dandelion-sage-thyme iced tea.
I have learned my lesson on that one again and again. Once after making muffins for my girls and having them deemed "the best muffins ever" I took a risk and told them they had beets in them, they felt so betrayed and will now ask whenever presented with a chocolate muffin "are there beets in it?"
oh well.
"Would you like some iced tea?"
xo

Loveliest Perfume

I wish you could smell this.








It's a deep, warm, glowy rosy amazing solid perfume.
The main notes are rose and chamomile with hints of old wood and forest moss.











Here is the amazing sterling silver compact the perfume was made in.

The scent is completely plant based.
The real thing, through and through.
We were sad to see it go.
xo

love note

I came to work today to find a love note!
I always stop at the threshold of my store to gather myself to be ready for my day, to go in fresh each day.
Often I will glance at the pile of bills on the other side of the glass door and remember to be grateful not overwhelmed by them.

But today was not like other days, today I saw this through my door:




I was so excited I could hardly put my things down before I opened it.
The message is personal as are all love notes, but sweet for sure.

the coolest thing ever: pinkontour art to help spread love.
my love note was delivered by bicycle as part of a moving art installation.






from my dear friend Martie,who not only takes care of my girls whenever I need her to, but also brings me these amazing arrangements
Days like today it's easy to feel grateful and beloved.