When we FINALLY have a sunny, none-windy day with temperatures in the 60’s here in Maine, one MUST take tea outside.
Luckily, during our self-isolation during this pandemic, I had all the ingredients on hand to whip up a batch of blueberry muffins after reading a recipe on Inspired Taste. These were so easy to make!
The perfect accompaniment for these berry-filled muffins was some Lemon Clementine Marmalade my friend Deb in New York made and mailed to me. This marmalade is SO delicious. Very sweet & citrusy with large chunks of fruit. For some reason I want to slather this on a shortbread cookie. Now THAT would be sugar overload, but one I may end up trying while in isolation.
Fabulous marmalade 
Homemade gifts are the best
I used a lovely teacup and teapot with mis-matched floral patterns and a wee bouquet of the freshly-opened daffodils I planted last fall from Johnny’s Selected Seeds called ‘Replete’. They’re a lovely double bloomer. The stems are amazing and I was only able to fit a few of them into this narrow vase.
To add to the citrus fun, I made a pot of Constant Comment tea from Bigelow Tea. Constant Comment is a comfort tea for me. It reminds me of my friends back in NY where I first tried this tea and my Canadian friend who supplied me with it for a few years. I would actually call it Constant “Comfort”. So, it was appropriate for me to have it with this lovely homemade treat of the marmalade.
During these challenging times where our loved ones and friends are safely kept at a distance, any connection to them has meaning. I’m blessed to have a friend who cares enough to send me little goodies like this. I’m not sure I’m worthy as a friend to warrant such wonderful gifts, but I gladly accept them and thank her so much! I miss people…surprisingly.
THE REST OF THE STORY
The remarkably funny part of this story is that the two jars of homemade marmalade arrived in the mail inside a lunchbox I used to own back in the early 70’s. THE actual Pebbles and Bam-Bam lunchbox I used to own. I’m still unsure how Deb came to have it in her possession, but it made me laugh so hard when I opened it.
My first reaction was “Oh, my god! I used to have a lunchbox just like this.” Then I realized as I tipped it on it’s side and saw my name written on it in pen in my mother’s handwriting, that it WAS my old lunchbox. I even used to have a matching thermos that fit snuggly inside. Deb knew sending it back to me with some homemade goodies in it would make me laugh and be special. She’s just that kind of gal. And I DID laugh and I AM enjoying the goodies. Thank you Deb. I love you.
Tea, Travel & Brain Aneurysm Awareness 