Summer may be winding down, but the Gibson Household is still in creative mode as far as teatails go. Today’s feature has been a favorite for a couple years now, and while we couldn’t agree on a name, it’s always been the 1812 Teatail as far as I’m concerned. I’m going to pose a contest to see if anyone can figure out why I named it the 1812.
Ohio Tea Co.’s Berry Sangria is the base for this lush and juicy beverage. It smells heavenly, looks gorgeous, and tastes amazing when iced. I admit that I bought it on a whim because I tend to lean toward black teas for drinking hot and often shy away from anything fruited. Still, Ohio Tea Co. caught me with the ingredient list as well as the photo on the canister.
In short, Berry Sangria tea is summer in a glass, and as the main part of the 1812 Teatail, it rocks! Pyotr would approve.
1812 Teatail
6 t Berry Sangria
6 c water
1½ c raw sugar
1 c water
Stoli vodka
Chambord
Bring the water to 212° F in a stainless-steel pot on the stove. While the water heats, measure out the Berry Sangria tea into a large, mesh tea ball. When the water reaches the appropriate temperature, place the tea ball in it and cover the pot with a lid. Remember to turn off the heat below the pot (gas stove) or remove it from the burner (electric stove).
Allow the tea to brew for six hours, during which time it will also come down to room temperature. You may swirl it gently, otherwise do not remove the lid from the pot. The long, undisturbed brewing time ensures the tea is strong enough to stand up to the liquor you will add later without being bitter.
While the tea is brewing, add the raw sugar to one cup of water in a stainless-steel pot and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring gently, until a rich syrup has formed. Remove from the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. The syrup can be stored for up to a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
When the tea has brewed, you may swirl the tea ball once to ensure evenness of color. Remove the tea ball and discard the expended tea. Do not press out the contents into the brewed tea. Pour the tea into a glass pitcher, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator until the tea is completely chilled.
To Prepare
In a cocktail stirring glass, measure ½ oz. Stoli vodka, ½ oz. Chambord, and ½ oz. sugar syrup. Stir for about 15 seconds to combine.
In a drinking glass that holds at least 16 oz., place 4 – 6 ice cubes. Pour the spirits and sugar mixture over the cubes. Top off with chilled Berry Sangria tea and stir gently to combine.
The 1812 is ready for sipping. Let me know in the comments if you tried this teatail and how you liked it. Don’t forget to weigh in on why I named this one the 1812 Teatail.
Today marks thirty years of marriage for me and William. As we talked about the time we’ve been together, we realized that we’ve spent more years as a couple than as singles. That alone is a huge blessing. Will is fond of saying that marriages lasting as long as ours are rare these days, and I would have to agree.
I love our life together, the home we made, the marriage we built. I enjoy memories as landmarks in time. And sometimes, I tally our years together a little differently than just marking days on a calendar.
Such as all the houses we’ve lived in. One. We started in this house, and God willing, we’re going to finish here, which is quite fine with both of us because we hate moving. Our little home has always been the right size for everything we needed. Sometimes it was just the two of us, and other times we packed our tiny home with friends and family. In either case, we experienced true joy.
I could also count the children in our life. Again, one. But what a son he is. We waited seven years for him, but he was worth it. He spent a little over twenty years with us during our walk toward thirty. Fortunately, he lives close enough to pop in for a visit. Mostly when he needs to use the washer and dryer and occasionally for food.
Then there’s our one grandbaby. He’s a sweet, little fella who starts kindergarten in a couple days. No, he’s not the child of our only son, but he couldn’t belong to us any more even if he had been born into our family. That fact is not up for dispute.
I suppose we could add up our time together with all the pets we’ve loved. Three dogs, eighteen cats, twenty-two parakeets, two rabbits, twenty-one tanks of fish, and two bowls with bettas. I also think of the wild birds we feed as ours, and recently, I’ve been feeding stray guinea fowl. I still don’t have a horse.
Will and I never stray too far from home. We tell people that we’re stay-cationers. Our idea of vacation is eating out every evening and sleeping in our own beds every night. Sprinkle in zero responsibilities (except for feeding whatever pet(s) we own in the moment), long drives, coffee shops, ice cream shops, what we like to call retail therapy, and that’s just about as perfect as a vacation can get for us.
While Will’s passion has always been fishing, I never got the hang of it. Instead of him wasting his time untangling my line, I take a lawn chair and book because reading is my passion. We realized that it wasn’t about doing what the other person liked. It was about simply being in each other’s presence.
We’ve definitely grown spiritually. Our walk with Adonai is so much more than we ever thought it could be when we first dipped our toe in the well of faith. There were some serious battles, but they made us the strong people we are today. It’ll be interesting to see what Adonai has in store for us next.
One thing I can honestly say about being married to Will for thirty years is that our marriage never lost its sense of excitement and wonder. I’m just as happy to be doing life with him today as I was the day I said, “I do.” I made a promise to him all those years ago that if he came along with me as an equal partner that I’d do everything I could to make life an exciting ride. I’m looking forward to making sure our next thirty years are just as good if not better.
Hello, Realmers! I flew solo this past Shabbat preparation while making Robin Luton’s challah recipe. If you haven’t tried your hand at challah, Robin’s recipe is a great place to start and can be found as a link in my blog post My Summer Vacation by HL Gibson.
So, the first lesson I learned when making challah is to never be too busy with other stuff. Neither a well-organized list of things to do nor past bread baking experience kept me from making a crucial mistake with my challah. For next week, I’m going to eliminate any activity and errand that isn’t Shabbat specific and guard my time with Adonai. The experience reminded me that when I make mistakes, I serve a gracious God who is patient and compassionate, who wants me to learn and succeed.
The verse in Torah about man not living on bread alone instantly came to mind, and I understood the lesson that just as I need to become familiar with the challah recipe so that I don’t make mistakes, I need to become familiar with Adonai’s Word so that I don’t make mistakes. Repetition leads to familiarity and familiarity produces understanding and understanding leads to wisdom.
Other exciting things taking place during my vacation from writing include two concerts performed by the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center, tickets courtesy of my Aunt Mary Alice. The first was Debussy followed by Sibelius. Both evenings were absolutely magical, and the hubby and I are seriously considering season tickets next year. We had forgotten how peaceful and civilized such performances are and cannot wait to attend again.
I received my new book, The Way of Life by Toby Janicki, but before I allow myself to even remove the shrink wrap, I’ve made the promise to myself to finish with my study of The Rivkah Remnant. Several friends also ordered The Way of Life, and from what they are already saying about it, I’m getting excited to read it myself, and I can see another book study on the horizon!
If you follow me on Facebook, you’re probably aware of my drama with stray guineafowl that are wandering in our neighborhood. There were eight originally, but one has gone missing. I’ve taken to feeding the high-strung buffoons, and while they sound like a cross between a turkey, crow, and velociraptor, they’ve captured my heart. I worry they’ll be hit on our busy road or that our neighbor’s mean dog will attack them. My goal is to secure them in some sort of pen before winter sets in. Wish me luck.
I didn’t choose the guinea life; the guinea life chose me.
More exciting news—I’m getting ready for another book signing in September! A friend who owns a florist shop/greenhouse/giftshop and bookstore agreed to host me and other local authors. The event is going to be great with food trucks, and of course, gorgeous, colorful mums for purchase in the greenhouse. This is one event you won’t want to miss.
That wraps up this week’s report. Enjoy your summer, stay cool, and remember to grab your copy of Realm. It’s not your average beach read.
This one is for the men! I’ve crafted a teatail that is husband and son approved. Not that they haven’t absolutely enjoyed drinking the previous ones, but The Huntsman is clearly their favorite. Hence the manly name in honor of the spirit that backs this teatail.
I started with Root Beer Rooibos from Ohio Tea Co., which I tried hot and admittedly did not enjoy. I knew this tea was meant for cooler things such as iced tea. What I loved about the tea was the rooibos perfectly blended with ginger root, anise seed, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, pepper, fennel, sarsaparilla root, licorice, red peppercorns, black peppercorns, and star anise. What’s not to love?
Following the directions below for some smooth sipping with my latest teatail, The Huntsman
The Huntsman Teatail
6 t Root Beer Rooibos
6 c water
1½ c raw sugar
1 c water
Jägermeister
half & half
Bring the water to 212° F in a stainless-steel pot on the stove. While the water heats, measure out the Root Beer Rooibos tea into a large, mesh tea ball. When the water reaches the appropriate temperature, place the tea ball in it and cover the pot with a lid. Remember to turn off the heat below the pot (gas stove) or remove it from the burner (electric stove).
Allow the tea to brew for six hours, during which time it will also come down to room temperature. You may swirl it gently, otherwise do not remove the lid from the pot. The long, undisturbed brewing time ensures the tea is strong enough to stand up to the liquor you will add later without being bitter.
While the tea is brewing, add the raw sugar to one cup of water in a stainless-steel pot and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring gently, until a rich syrup has formed. Remove from the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. The syrup can be stored for up to a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
When the tea has brewed, you may swirl the tea ball once to ensure evenness of color. Remove the tea ball and discard the expended tea. Do not press out the contents into the brewed tea. Pour the tea into a glass pitcher, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator until the tea is completely chilled.
To prepare:
In a cocktail stirring glass, measure ½ oz. Jägermeister and ½ oz. sugar syrup. Stir for about 20 seconds to combine.
In a drinking glass that holds at least 16 oz., place 4 – 6 ice cubes. Pour the Jägermeister and sugar mixture over the cubes. Top off with chilled Root Beer Rooibos tea to within one inch of the rim.
Slowly pour half & half over the back of a spoon to within half an inch of the rim, creating swirls as the thicker liquid sinks into the drink.
The Huntsman is ready for sipping. Let me know in the comments if you tried this teatail and how you liked it.
Summer is slipping by at the speed of light—which is quite fine with me because I prefer fall, spring, and winter—and I owe you some content. So here it is, Realmers!
When I mentioned my bread baking goal to a friend, Robin Luton, she asked if I’d ever made challah. I replied that I had observed the process once, so Robin graciously invited me to her home to learn how to make it for myself. I had a lovely time and learned a simple yet elegant technique to braid the three strands of dough resulting in a beautiful loaf of challah. As expected, Robin’s loaf was prettier than mine because she’s an expert at it, and I’m a beginner who made one strand fatter than the other two. Still, my loaf was tasty. Enjoy the pictures of our efforts and click the link for 
I don’t recall if I’ve mentioned this or not, but my passion for farmers markets has been reignited this summer. It probably stems from my campaign to encourage people to shop locally, shop small businesses, and build community. Springfield Township Farmers Market on the Lake and the Hartville Marketplace & Flea Market are great places to get fresh food at great prices. So, the Gibson Household will be enjoying corn on the cob, fried zucchini, and challah for Erev Shabbat.
Another great thing that happened this summer was a visit from my grandbaby, Jacob. We started our day at Chick-fil-A and the indoor playground; hit Kohl’s for a new food processor to make treats; indulged in ice cream at Therapy Ice Cream & Coffee Bar; baked our version of goldfish crackers but opted for a hippo, possibly a stegosaurus, cutter; stopped by an outdoor playground; whipped up a batch of homemade Play-Doh; had dinner at Grinder’s; and rounded out the day with a game of SORRY! Keeping up with a five-year-old is great exercise. Dealing with post-Jacob blues the next day is rough.
As for my study sessions on The Rivkah Remnant with my friend, Sharon, we spent a total of twelve hours across three sessions, and it was amazing. Eight of those hours were devoted to Chapter 1, which took a deep dive into the definition, essence, and explanation of prophecy. Although I realized how little I actually knew, I didn’t come away feeling condescended to. In fact, Rabbi Shapira’s book is very accessible, and Sharon’s instruction is thorough.
I did promise you some teatail recipes this summer, and while I’ve definitely been crafting and drinking them, I’ve been a lazy girl about posting them. Bear with me as I find myself spending more time away from the laptop. I’m sure, based on everything I mentioned above, that you’ll not only understand but approve of my reconnecting with people. Writing is such a lonely job!
But fear not, Realmers! Throughout everything I’ve detailed here, little story ideas have been coming to me, and I’ve been tucking them away like so many pearls to string together at a later date. The itch to write has been sneaking up on me. It’ll probably return with the cold weather, which can’t happen soon enough for me.
Remember, Realm is always in stock at BookBaby, and your review of my novel is most welcome at BookBaby, Goodreads, or even here on my blog.
Shabbat Shalom from
our home to yours!
As I mentioned in my post, Of Bread & Study, my journey toward rejuvenating my creative forces began with stepping away from the
unproductivity in my life and seeking other resources of creativity until such a time as the writing muse returned. I will admit that I still have a bit of trepidation about this decision because so much writing advice has little to no room for slowing down or—clutch the pearls—stopping altogether. It’s all: write and produce word count or die!
But I did step away from my current WIP, and the release I experienced has been amazing. I decided to bake bread as a non-writing hobby, and I started with good ole Irish soda bread. This is a favorite at the Gibson Household, and the recipe can be accessed by clicking this link: Irish Soda Bread with Caraway Seeds
I also embarked on a course of study with my friend and mentor, Dr. Sharon Stern. Sharon recently retired, and unbeknownst to her, the minute she announced her retirement, I decided to vie for a small amount of her time so I could pick her brain. Monday, we spent four hours reading and discussing Rabbi Dr. Itzhak Shapira’s book, The Rivka Remnant. Mind . . . blown . . .
I’m also crafting teatails because it’s summer and nothing tastes quite as refreshing as iced tea with the ability to take the edge off. I have two in the works, so stayed tuned.
My last newfound interest this summer has been farmers markets. I have developed a passion for shopping locally. The benefit of not allowing one’s purchasing options to be funneled to one location, as well as putting money back into one’s own community, are huge. Then there is the good work of undoing all the harm done by the plandemic. People are coming out, building community, talking, touching, smiling, and living life to the fullest. I want to be part of that.
Just so you don’t worry, I am writing, which is obvious based on the fact that you’re reading this post. Funny thing is, when I stopped forcing myself to work on my current WIP, the blog post ideas started showing up. I’m curious myself to see how many of them I act upon.
As always, Realm is available at BookBaby, my publisher, as well as other online retailers. Once you’ve journeyed through the Realm and fallen in love with the characters and story, please leave a review wherever you purchased my novel, on social media, or even my blog. Thank you, Realmers!
hl gibson, author 