Two Items

One - Unbelievably, it IS actually possible for me to boil dry a tea kettle - even while it is steadily whistling. I was in the thick of writing and slowly became aware that the annoying background noise had stopped. UH OH! I thought, leaping from my chair to find a red-hot stove awaiting me.

Two - Yesterday, my husband finally let me make Thyme Tea for him! And he drank it!! (Although I think he tried to dump it out when I wasn't looking, but I was watching him like a hawk.)

He came home complaining of a headache. Instantly, I made The Offer. "How about some nice Thyme Tea?" I cajoled sweetly. "That should make it go away." (Yes, I know that those of you in even the twentieth century use this strange stuff called Tylenol, but not me. Nope, I'm a-gonna make my remedies out of Nature.)

I put two spoonfuls of black tea leaves in a pan of boiling water, Indian-style, and added a healthy sprig of Thyme and one of Rosemary for good measure (because Rosemary is an extremely potent, life-filled herb. Also it tastes delicious in roasted or fried potatoes.) Then I added milk and sugar because that's how I always make my tea.

It actually wasn't bad. The aroma and flavors were rendolent of a delicious stuffing, with the yeasty sweetness balanced by the savory spices.

It didn't make his headache go away. Darn. I'll have to keep experimenting until I find out what Thyme is good for (besides maybe a delicious bruschetta). Still it was a lot of fun.

Poor S gulped and got a bit pale when I started cackling with glee and rubbing my hands together while I stirred. But it's an herb right? People eat it all the time. It's not like it's some toxic shrub picked at random from the yard.

I'm telling you, the man is long-suffering. I'm sure he's had many, many moments where he would have preferred to be done with me and my fanatical, unwavering insistences on things. But I'm just so darn interesting to be around. Poor guy - seems to be stuck with me.