Coffee At Steve’s Country #43. Frosty Birds And Wild Tea.

Posted on February 12, 2021 by

31 Comments

Good morning and Happy Friday to everyone! How are you on this frosty Friday? The coffee is ready and a treat of raspberry leaf tea as well! It’s not quite so cold this morning, with a cool -34F (-37C). There is a bit of a breeze this morning, but the sun is shining brightly, on the trees anyway, not down here yet. Takes a little longer to get the sun down here at the bottom of this hill. The first chickadee was here quite early this morning. Poor little guy. His back and head were covered with frost! He was sitting on the side of the bird feeder, legs and feet completely covered with feathers and he was pecking away at his breakfast. I knew what he was eating too, and I was right.

This chickadee has a sunflower seed on a warmer day.

He had a piece of chopped peanut. I have been chopping up peanuts for the chickadees and nuthatches during this cold snap. Sunflower seeds give them good energy, but they have to work a lot to get at the food. The chopped peanuts are ready to eat and also are a good energy food for them. And they have been eating them up fast too. That’s good. I don’t mind helping them out a bit more in this cold weather. They need it. That little chickadee was here by himself for quite awhile before his little friends showed up. The early bird gets the peanut you know.

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Raspberries and leaves.

People ask about my raspberry leaf tea all the time so I will share what I drink. It’s possible to buy raspberry leaf tea, but honestly, it’s not as good as making it yourself, it’s fresh and tastes better. First you need to pick some raspberry leaves.  If you can get wild ones even better, they do have more flavor.  But any will do.  I pick them off my landlord’s raspberry plants. Yes, I do have permission.  And, you should use scissors to keep it nice a neat and that way you won’t hurt the plants.  Also, don’t take the leaves off just one plant, just take 3 or 4 from each plant, that way it won’t be noticeable or hurt the plant. 

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These are the jars I use, don’t crumble the leaves into tiny pieces, keep them larger until the time you use them, this help preserve the flavor better.

Best time to pick will vary a bit, depending on where you live, but generally I think July is best.  The flavor is at it’s peak then.  Make sure the leaves are nice and green and healthy looking.  Then comes the drying part, which is very important.  Put a layer of leaves on a baking sheet, not too many, and put in the oven set at 150F, or up to 200F but no higher.  This will dry them slowly enough to retain good flavor.  Check on them about every 10 minutes, ‘fluff’ them up a bit and back in the oven.  Make sure they are dry enough to crumble nicely, they must be DRY.  Let them cool completely.  After that store them in an air tight container, such as glass or metal, they just need a good tight fitting lid.  Plastic containers can sometimes cause mold on the leaves.

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Now, making a cup of tea.  I use a stainless steel tea ball. Fill it half full for a cup, stuff them in good.  Use boiling water.  Not hot.  Boiling.  And pour it in the cup, not on your foot.😲 It hurts when you pour it on your foot.😬 Trust me on that one.🙄 Sigh. This tea is soothing for an upset stomach, and also if you have a cold or sore throat.  You can also add just a little honey with it. Very simple really, just takes a little time. Oh, it’s also good iced on a hot summer day. I hope you all have a Fabulous Friday and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

©2021 Steve McLeod.

Category: Beauty, Birds, Coffee, Cold, Country Pleasures, Friends, Fun, Happiness, Herbal Tea, UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , ,

31 Comments on “Coffee At Steve’s Country #43. Frosty Birds And Wild Tea.”

  3. Thank you, Steve! 😁 I will have to try this in the summer. I know someone who grows raspberries in their backyard.

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  5. I’ll try your raspberry tea Steve…will try to get some In the summer…if all restrictions are lifted…those raspberries look so delicious ! Take care both of you ! ☕️☕️🙂😺

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    • Oh my, I hope restrictions are gone by then, but hard to tell with these new variants running around. Yep, time for bed, have a good night!😀😺☕☕🌞

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  6. Sounds great I will try it next summer. Do you have any sassafras up there? The trees send runners and if you dig up the small trees the runner will make a new tree also those young roots are soft and easily ground. They make a wonderful tea add a bit of lemon and it will relax you and clear your throat.

    Take Five minutes to Laugh

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  7. 😂😅 That is nice, thanks for the tips on how to maintain that, it is good to make out own cup of natural tea 🥰😍 chickadee looks so cute 😍🥂

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    • Yes, I always like to make my own natural tea,😃☕ then I know exactly what’s in it.🤔🙄 Yes, chickadees are amazingly cute little birds.😁

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      • Cute little birds 😍 my grandma use to have such kind of natural tea’s, she had a healthy life ☺️ my immune is definitely not like them, I am cutting down sugar Steve, It’s doing no good, and my sugar consumption got high lately😂

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      • My state is sugar dominant 😂 if you go to a shop you’ll have everything sweet in front and it’s quite hard to control that 🤤. And there is a sweek cakes bakeries every end of street 😂 that makes even worse 😂😜. It’s challenging though, I’ve been pushing hard. I don’t want this sugar…🧐 serious! ,☺️

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      • That’s it, you can do it!😃 At least until next Tuesday!😁 But don’t give in…even though it looks soooo goooood.😳 Don’t give in….even though it tastes soooooo gooooood.😬 Give in….it’s just toooo gooood!!😂😂🤣🤣

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      • Are you tempting me 🙄 seriously 🙄🧐 you are helping me right 🤔🙄 sigh… hey how did you know until next Tuesday 🧐have I ever mentioned what is next Tuesday 🤔🤔🤔🤔 It’s a good day 😁

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      • No, you never mentioned Tuesday to me.🤔 Muffin perhaps?🤔😸
        Of course I’m trying to help you. Would I tempt you with all that delicious sweet goodness of all those sweets just waiting for you to come by and buy them?🙄🙄😋😋

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      • Tuesday is not special 😜 But March 2nd is 😂 it’s my birthday 😁 and why would I go on a diet on my special day 😁😁no diet. just eat whatever I like 😸😸 and all those delicious sweet full of sweets are waiting for me, just a week 😍 and you are not tempting me🧐 no you are not 😜😂😂

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      • OOOh, that Tuesday, I knew that was your birthday, it’s on my calendar.😁 That’s right, it’s your birthday,🥳🥳 eat lots of those good and delicious sweeeeeeeeets that are soooooo gooooood!!!!🎂🎂🎂 I’m not tempting you?😳 Rats.😒 I mean, that’s good!😂😂

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      • ha ha 😂😂 that one day, nothing could stop me from eating all the food 😁 no diet, a day for my crazy food craving .. except certain foods that could affect me badly. otherwise all other food, especially sweets 😍😁😁😁😁😁

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