Another Swiss restaurant in Darstetten.

Good grief, the blue jays are having a hissy fit about something!  Such squawking and swearing!  One of this year's babies was yelling at a red-bellied woodpecker to either feed him or get off the suet, but was ignored.  However, his papa gave him a couple of thunks on the head to hush up and behave.

Finally, we have had something like the rain we need.  It rained most of the afternoon and night and some this morning.  We surely needed it.  It wouldn't hurt to have more.

 Have you ever seen a sphinx moth?  Officially known as a Hummingbird Hawk Moth.  They pretty much like the same flowers that hummingbirds like and their wings beat in a blur, like the birds and they also hover and fly backwards.  If you are not close enough, you can easily confuse the 2.  We have them both around our bergamot and sweet spice bushes.  It's so interesting to watch them.

In World Tea News I learned that the Japanese government is going to compensate tea farmers in affected ares for their losses due to radiation. I am reminding you that last year's Japanese tea is fine and any of this year's must pass stringent incoming inspection for radiation.

I brewed some of the Enchanted Forest tea I didn't care for hot as an ice tea and I must say, it really is improved.  The flavoring is softened and smoothed, so it isn't as assertive.  This I could like.

I just got some Nilgiri Tea from Mark T. Wendell and thought I would try that today.  The large twisted leaves are a pleasant combination of brown and black and smell wonderful, like fresh, earthy tobacco.  Nilgiri is in Southern India's Blue Mountains.  I brewed it for 4 minutes with boiling water.  What huge leaves!  The brewing scent was very roasted and baked, with a hint of honey.  The liquor was a lovely deep honey shade.  The flavor is very smooth, earthy, with a hint of citrus. It is nowhere near as deep as the aroma would indicate.  I can imagine this as a nice counterfoil to some afternoon tea goodies.