Tea Time

Kettle filled to the brim
Leaves carefully measured out
Mug chosen to suit the mood
Timer standing at the ready
Now I wait for
Water to boil
Tea to steep
Stress to dissipate
And sanity to return

(April 2010 Poem-A-Day Challenge
Prompt #2: Water)
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It's a well known fact that I love tea. In fact, some might even say I'm in need of an intervention in this regard. But mostly people just smile, nod their heads, and ask if I'd like a cup of tea. The answer is always yes.

With the impending return of Autumn comes something I've been waiting for all year: The third annual Northwest Tea Festival! What? You haven't been counting the days? Well, I haven't exactly been counting the days either, but I've been planning to attend the festival ever since I first experienced it last October. If you are going to be in the Puget Sound area October 2-3 and are a tea drinker of any sort, you really shouldn't miss this.

The event is hosted at the Seattle Center and is technically free, but if you want to sample tea (which, honestly, is more than half the fun), the cost is $5 for a tasting cup. There are a multitude of classes/presentations you can attend to learn more about the various aspects of tea as well as a variety of tasting sessions available. And of course, there will be plenty of vendors with their teas, tea accessories, and brewed tea samples. Oh, and did I mention the goody bag of free samples and coupons you'll get just for walking in the door?

So what are you waiting for? Go to the website at www.nwteafestival.com and start planning your trip to the festival!

And in honor of this most fabulous occasion, I thought a little giveaway might be in order. A number of months ago, I came across these lovely tea cups for a great price and have been waiting for the right time to give them away:

They each contain a high-quality infusion basket and a lid to keep the heat in while the tea is steeping:

Nifty, huh?

And don't worry. If you haven't gotten into loose leaf tea yet, this is the perfect cup to get you started!

Since I have two cups to give away, I'll be picking two winners. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post or on the Facebook link before midnight on September 22, 2010, to be included in the drawing. Oh, and I'd really, really like it if you also included a tea recommendation in your comment (doesn't need to be loose leaf)—an old favorite, a current love, a new discovery, or even one you've been wanting to try but haven't yet.

I'll go first—I mean, I'm not entering myself in the drawing here because, well, that would be silly. But I can still recommend a tea! My current favorite has actually been my favorite for a whole year—ever since I discovered it at the Tea Festival last year. It is Remedy Teas Flora Berry, a heavenly blend of rooibos (red tea), lavender, and berries. When brewed hot, all the flavors mingle into a very happy fruity/floral red tea. When brewed iced, the lavender is exceptionally strong and gives the tea a whole new spin. And it's naturally caffeine free, so I can drink it in the evenings after work. I just refilled my tin of Flora Berry recently, so if you win the giveaway, don't be surprised if you find a little sample of my favorite tea with your cup.

And no, your recommendation does not need to be all detailed and obsessive like mine. A name will be fine. I am, after all, the only one in need of an intervention here.

So hurry up and enter already, because I'm super excited to give these fun cups away!