Life recently has been rather exciting, if a little hectic: a trip to London, another to Milan – on which more soon but meals were taken al fresco in picturesque settings and gelato was eaten – and a 3-day wedding in South Tyrol to ready ourselves for (I’m going to sing!), as well as the usual day to day.
I’m sure nearly all of you lovelies could do with a quiet moment in your day as much as I could so here are some photos I took on a pearly grey morning a few weekends ago before F. was awake and I was pottering about in the living room. Even now when I look at them they give me a little peace and I hope through some osmotic magic you feel some of it through your screen too.
What calms you down?
Lemon and Ginger Tea
To me, teabag lemon, ginger and honey is an abomination but even if you like it, it must surely pale in comparison with this, the real thing: spicy from the ginger, sour and sweet.
This tea is a winner if you have a sore throat or something but don’t let being healthy stop you from making it; if it gets cold, it’s just as lovely, as long as the honey has already been dissolved into it. Makes a 2-cup pot of tea.
1 medium lemon, rolled on the counter to release the juices and cut in halves
A 3 cm piece of fresh ginger, more if you like a bit of spice
A good deal more honey than you’d imagine – something like a tablespoon and a half to start off and add to taste
Grate the ginger and let it sit in the squeezed juices of the lemon for a few minutes.
Boil the kettle and pour over. Steep for 4 or 5 minutes.
If you like, you can add the honey to the pot but I’m too lazy to clean it out so I prefer to add to the cup.
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Have a great trip, I probably need that tea more than you since we are moving into winter! Well so they say but it was still 18C today.
Have a nice trip. The pictures look amazing.
I have lemon and ginger in my fridge now so I will be making this; love your shots, they do convey a lot of peace and serenity. Also, I agree with you that teabags are an abomination!
Mmm….This is one of my favs. Been drinking it for years.
My sister married an Italian guy from Milan, living in Ibiza a couple of years ago. This guy always walked around drinking this stuff. I mean gallons a day. Finally I asked my sister why this dude is always drinking it. She told me he does it for endurance and stamina in the sack. Hmm…never considered that. They got a divorce. Maybe she couldn’t keep up.
Dunno why, but I have a slight aversion to honey.
What calms me down, apart from my chill pills? A few days free of all familial duties. Unfortunately such days are extremely few and far between so I have to make do with mindless TV-thons and quilting (yeees, I know) during the day.
Good luck with the singing :)
Quite strangely, a good cup of coffee calms me down. It’s the first thing I make when I get home after work, and I drink it in the kitchen with the radio on in the background, watching the trees swaying outside.
I know I’m supposed to say a good old fashioned cup of tea, being British and all that, but I simply can’t stomach the stuff!
Actually, I always feel better after a cuppa with milk, although I love your tea here. Otherwise, working out, baking cakes and reading normally does the trick.
London, Milan, South Tyrol…… I am so jealous!
@AML- LMAO!
What calms me down??? Hmmmmm-My better half I’d have to say.
I love everything & anything with fresh ginger in it!!
The tea sounds so lovely!! Yummmm…!!!
I make it often in winter. I love it.
That ginger and lemon tea sounds perfectly soothing right about now!
XX.
Maeko, thereafterish.
Have a great trip! I’m jealous but I calm down at a local college by their large chime pagoda. The chimes represent alumni that have passed on and they sound so beautiful. They have chairs to relax in beneath and a gorgeous garden surrounding the area. It’s even better when many of the students are gone for the summer.
Indeed, this is our standby, stalwart, and beloved favorite. Made some this morning (sans ginger) for my two youngest, down with nasty bugs. Universal cure-all, I’m convinced. Happy travels!!
Have fun in South Tyrol Sasa and I’m sure you’ll do brilliantly with the singing! :D
Hope you had fun in South Tyrol. We had a great time in Meran – perfect weather and a lot of outdoor activities, not to mention the food and wine! And I didn’t know you sang. When I was in my 20′s, I was in about 15 weddings, at least half of which I sang for. It was always a nice way for me to contribute to the celebration in a special way.
Really!? Had no idea you sang either! It was a lovely wedding and perfect weather :)
I love hearing about all your travels – and I know you’ll do a wonderful job singing!
And actually, that’s probably the thing that calms my spirit more than anything – singing – with The Professor or by myself!
Safe travels!
In terms of calming down, I am really pretty much a busy body. I have a tendency to calm down by actually doing things – from physical activity like running or lately yoga, to hobbies like playing guitar or gardening. Or, of course, putting a good meal together.
I used to take meditation classes for awhile and I really loved that, but I haven’t had the opportunity to for a couple years now. One day though I’ll get back into it. I just have too much.
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