You're back?! Good! It's still officially winter. I'll switch off to iced almond milk decaf lattes or iced Passion tea when the weather warms, but as long as the trees remain naked, I'm warming my insides with–ahhhh-a cozy mug of simmering hot tea. Thanks to those of you on Facebook and in the blog comments section who
let me know I wasn't fantasizing that this info would be wanted and
useful to others! As promised, here's my favorite brands and varieties I love to sip
from the time I stumble out of bed to the time I slip back beneath the
covers at evening's end.:

This winter, I'm on a tea drinking roll, more so than ever. I'm usually starting my mornings with a black tea such as the classic Earl Grey with honey and sometimes lemon. I enjoy Stash's Double Bergamot variety of the old Earl. I also keep a tin of sachets from Starbuck's Tazo Earl Grey with Lavender. Harney & Sons makes an English Breakfast that's to die for and sometimes I switch it up with a darjeeling or an oolong.

Be
vigiliant on the steeping time! Many teas become bitter
quickly (especially some blacks, oolongs, some greens and even some herbals, such as lavender and camomile). Some only require a minute or two. Read the labels and set a timer!

By mid-morning, I'm wanting something milder and switch to green or white teas.
My favorites include The Tea Spot's loose Meditative Mind with rose buds,
jasmine buds and white tea. A fabulous brand is Two Leaves and a Bud's Jasmine
Petal (green) is out of this world. Oh, the smell and taste! The perfumy-ness of both of these is half the delight of sipping them!

My taste buds go for fruity for the afternoon. Over the years, I've found various blends that did the fruity-taste
trick include hibiscus and rose hips. I used to love Teavana's pricey Peach
(chamomile) Tranquility, but have fallen out of love with the company
as some of the blends are tasting weaker and I've switched back to Harney & Sons. I'm liking Harney & Son's Mango Fruit Tea. I
find the fruity teas I favor most tend to come loose and with actual chunks of dried
fruits. A good fruity teabag is Starbuck's Tazo Passion Tea sachets (which does contain Hibiscus). This
and a simple Earl Grey are my go-to's when a sore throat threatens to
invade. Plop in a chunk of fresh squeezed lemon and a generous dollop of
preferably local grown honey and sip, sip, sip. Ahhhh. Sore throat goes
bye-bye. (There truly is a medicinal properties at work here. A former nutritionist recommended the old Earl for the healing bergmot plus honey and lemon as go-to's for coughs and colds. But be careful given the caffeine content after noon if you're sensitive like me. I also keep some Stash brand Earl Grey decaf for such ocassions. Of course, Twinings makes a good decaf variety, as well.)

Tea varieties come and go from grocer shelves as stores change up their offerings and quality can wane. Good tea, sadly, can be a bit hard to find
sometimes. Beware of buying from conventional grocery store shelves that may not get as much traffic turnover. Or, also from discount warehouse-type stores or online sites, as the tea can also be old. I prefer to purchase mine from the source manufacturer to ensure freshness.

As the day draws to a close, evening ushers sunset and, if are fortunate given our schedules, often a slower pace. In addition to guzzling what
I've left unfinished on the counter or in a mug in the console of the
car, Grace joins me in a ritual of a delicious herbal. She opts for a
bag of  fruity blend or something herbal, such as the following, that promises me that she might
snooze off to slumberland sooner, I hope. For me, it's pretty standard:
a bag of Traditional Medicinals Chamomile or Chamomile and Lavendar or the said blend by Harney & Sons. I've also found some
wonderful blends over the years that combine rose buds, lavendar and
camomile. Right now I'm enjoying Harney & Sons' Mother's Bouquet.

Stay tuned for Part III on sweeteners, water, water temp, pots and serving vessels. Meanwhile, sip and savor! Ahhhh! Here's last week's post. Plus, Part III and an addendum post.

Photo: From a Chattanooga Riverboat hotel, first shared in my post on "Not So Perfect Entertaining."