T Is For Tea Books And Tea Leaf Reading Symbols

Hi there, thanks for stopping by.

Now that we talked about tea and tea leaf reading for almost an entire month, I want to share with you some books on the subject you might find interesting. I have separated them by books specifically about Tasseomancy, and those about tea in a more general form. Enjoy

Tea Leaf Reading Books (Tasseomancy)

Tea Leaf Reading: A Divination Guide for the Bottom of Your Cup by Dennis Fairchild – a short and sweet guide, packed with information

Tea Leaf Reading For Beginners: Your Fortune in a Tea Cup by Caroline Dow – a great book for beginners on the subject.

Tea-Cup Reading and Fortune-Telling by Tea Leaves, by a Highland Seer – the classic of all Tea Leaf Reading Books

Books About Tea:

20,000 Secrets of Tea: The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature’s Healing Herbs by Victoria Zak – this book is all about healing and wellness

The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook: A Guide to the World’s Best Teas by Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss – a guide to traditional, and not so traditional teas from around the world, very thorough

Today’s tea leaf reading letter is T! What a great way to end the week (remember there will be no A to Z Challenge post on Sunday).

Letter T:

Table:  this symbol speaks of a consolation you are giving or have been given. Take a close look at the signs around it, to get more details about that consultation

Tea Cup with Saucer: A pleasant conversation is about to occur, trust your intuition as you are about to hear a very positive “fortune”, that works out in your favor.

Tennis Net: Enjoyable connection via activities

Telephone: Pay attention to your forgetfulness, it can get you into trouble

Toads: Symbols of deceit. Someone is trying to hide information from you. This is a sign of an intent of harm against you (not physical but in the area of reputation)

Tongue: You have said some hurtful words in the past, and you should heed to make them right, and ask for forgiveness.

Torch: a positive and hopeful symbol that speaks of bringing light upon a subject that has bothered you before. Unexpected fortune and fame can also be on its way. Things are about to change

Tunnel:  you are about to make a decision that is not wise

Have a wonderful weekend! See you Monday!

Claudia

The Keepers: Ethan – Romance, Witches And Action – A Powerful Fantasy Novel With Heart

——- The following post contains affiliate links ——-

Title: The Keepers: Ethan (The Keepers #3)

Author: Rae Rivers

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: April 7th, 2016

Rating: 5/5 Stars

It is no secret that I am a Rae River’s fan. And her latest novel of the Keeper’s series: Ethan, only cemented that fact even further. Filled with action, romance, and emotional turmoil, this well-crafted novel grabbed me from the first page and never let me go. Check out the following blurb, courtesy of Amazon:

“Going to Ameera to find Hazel. Stealing the spell … You think you can pull it off?” he asked.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
Just as she thought he’d kiss her, he reached for her jacket and said, “Then let’s go.”

A portal to another world has opened, unleashing dangerous creatures on earth. A dark witch is out for revenge. The stakes are high, a war inevitable.

One person can stop the madness. Jenna. She’s a Keeper to a powerful hybrid witch but she harbors a secret and if Jenna steps through the portal – seduced by the whispers of her hidden past – she may never return.

Fortunately, she has company… infamous Bennett brother and fiercely protective Keeper, Ethan. Their whip-cracking banter makes them perfect sparring partners in training, but how will they manage when their lives and everything they were born to defend are on the line?

When the battle lines are drawn, will Jenna and Ethan stand side by side – as friends, protectors, lovers … or as traitors?”

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Not being a fan of the whole vampire story obsession of the last few years, but longing for a good paranormal story, this book (just like every novel in this great series), satisfied my hunger for this genre. Yes, it has plenty of romance, but also plenty of action, with the main female character, Jenna, being as fierce as any Warrior out there. It is an emotional story, that had me all shook up at more than one point, only to be left breathless and with a great sense of relief at the end, for which I am very grateful for to Rae ( you will know what I mean, once you read the book – no spoilers here!) . I just wish the story did not have to  end  because I did not want to leave this world, these characters just yet.

If you love paranormal fiction and romance, with plenty of action that does not just happen in the bedroom, this book, actually this entire series is for you.Thanks to this series, Rae Rivers has become one of my absolute favorite Authors. The Keepers: Ethan is available on Amazon right now.

The Keepers: Ethan is available on Amazon right now.

 

Disclaimer: I was given this book for free via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Wordless Wednesday – Persist

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I know today is Wordless Wednesday, but I have just been told about an offer that is too good not to share – Check it out!

Free Spring Beauty Gift ($106 value) with any $30 Julep Purchase

This Pretty in Paradise Gift with Purchase ($106 value) will be yours FREE with any $30 Julep purchase, today through Sunday 4/17. Get six full-size products including electric iris sheer polish Kayla, summer berry shimmer polish Lainey, Skip the Brush cheek stick in Golden Guava, Julep Lip Gloss in Enchanted, When Pencil Met Gel eyeliner in Blackest Black, all in a handy Julep cosmetic bag. That’s a $106 value!

To redeem your free gift, add the Pretty in Paradise Gift with Purchase to your cart along with $30 of other Julep merchandise, then enter in promo code ONBOARD at checkout.

Offer expires 4/17/16 at 11:59 PM PT, or while supplies last. Promotional code ONBOARD must be entered at checkout, and is valid for 1 free gift per order. To receive free gift, add the Pretty in Paradise set to shopping bag, in addition to $30+ of other julep.com products. Promotion excludes the Jule Box, Savvy Deals, Julep add-ons, Sweet Steals and Secret Store catalogs. Not valid for purchase of julep.com gift cards, gift boxes, Gift of Maven, or Mystery Boxes. Orders placed for the Monthly Maven Reveal (e.g. monthly Maven Boxes, Upgrade Boxes, and add-ons) are not eligible. No exchanges or returns on free gift. No adjustments on previous purchases. Taxes vary by location.

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This blog post is a part of the following blog hops:

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Spring! Wordless Wednesday

Be Inspired

Wellness Bath, And Anti-Cancer: 5 Things You Might Not Know About Sake

Disclaimer: The following post contains affiliate links. See Disclosure Page for details

I love finding out facts that are seemingly out of the ordinary about ordinary items and products. These interesting facts about Sake are not any different. Maybe you will be as surprised as I was about some of them!

1. You can make it a part of your spa day. No, not by drinking it, but by adding it to your bathtub. Add about 2 to 3 glasses
of sake into your filled bath tub. The temperature of the bath water should be about 98 Degrees Fahrenheit (37 Degrees Fahrenheit) in order to work its magic. This wellness bath will increase your circulation, eliminate toxins, and soften your skin. What is not to love!

Oenophilia Osaka Sake Set Available On Amazon Now

2. Sake kasu – which is the by-product of pressing during the creation process of making Sake – is thought to activate a natural killer cell fighting cancer. Sake itself also contains amino acids, which are known to prevent cancer.

3. Japanese people swear that drinking Sake in moderation prevents forgetfulness. Just remember that the key is moderation.

4. Sake was also used as part of rituals – but this type of Sake was made by women called Mikos, who would chew the rice, to mix it with their saliva, creating a type of fermentation process. No, none of the Sake you find in the stores now, is pre-chewed.

5. Sake rice is a little different than regular table rice. It is somewhat bigger than the rice we at, less sticky and high in starch content. It also contains fewer proteins and has less fat than regular rice

Why not read more about sake?

The Sake Handbook Available On Amazon Now

The Billionaire’s Touch by J.S. Scott – A Book Review

Book Title: The Billionaire’s Touch (The Sinclairs Book 3)
Author: J.S. Scott
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 22nd, 2016
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Premise: 

After a troubling childhood, wealthy Evan Sinclair likes his life orderly and controlled. He rarely gives in to spontaneous urges—until he begins a chance correspondence with a mystery woman who sounds like his complete opposite. She intrigues and amuses him, and the interest seems mutual…which is more than he can say for his current obsession, Miranda Tyler, the tough-as-nails, sexy schoolteacher who’s made it clear she’s not impressed—or interested.

Miranda finally has it all: a good job, friends, and the security of living in the quaint coastal town of Amesport, Maine. She even has an anonymous pen pal—a man she’s never met yet has bonded with almost effortlessly. The only thing unsettling her life is Evan Sinclair. The handsome billionaire is arrogant, pompous, and far too used to getting his way. Miranda tries her best to avoid him, until Evan’s steamy kiss turns her world upside down.

Soon their red-hot desire is scorching the sheets and has them both spinning out of control. But when secrets are revealed, will their insatiable attraction keep them together or force them apart? In J.S. Scott’s The Billionaire’s Touch, the eldest Sinclair just might have met his match.

 

My Thoughts:

 

After having read a few books which included billionaires in their plot, I thought way too many Authors trying to copy the success of 50 Shades Of Grey, by copying the style – which is not a good idea, because, in my humble opinion, the book was one of the worst once I have ever read, and I have read a lot of romance novels over the years. This book, on the other hand, was refreshingly not trying to be what should not have been, even though it had plenty of sex scenes hidden within. Nothing wrong with lovemaking and even though, I thought they could have used a few less scenes of the horizontal kind in this book, I was still smitten with the well-developed character and interesting, warm, and sometimes truly charming plot. I felt deeply for the scars that Evan had to bear, due to his cruel father, and even more so after what was revealed

I felt deeply for the scars that Evan had to bear, due to his cruel father, and even more so after what was revealed toward the last third of the book. J.S. Scott managed to make her male lead noble, without being unbelievable, his self-sacrifice a reason for his personality, and his  need for control, which gave him depth, likeability, and make for an interesting, emotional read.  Like I said earlier, the only thing that could have done better was the fact that there were almost too much sex too soon. Yet, it did not diminish my enjoyment of the overall story. Because this was my introduction to the Sinclair series, I am looking now forward to reading all of the other books about the brothers and extended family.

Because this was my introduction to the Sinclair series, I am looking now forward to reading all of the other books about the brothers and extended family.

 

 

The Billionaire’s Touch is available on Amazon now.

The above post contains affiliate links. I have received this book free via Kindle Unlimited, an Amazon service.

 

 

Book Review: Got Luck by Michael Darling

 

Disclaimer: I was given this book for free in return for a honest review. This blog post contains affiliate links, see disclosure page for details

Title: Got Luck
Author: Michael Darling
Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Crime
Publisher: Future House Publishing
Rating: 2/5 Stars

The Premise:

Police-officer-turned-private-investigator Goethe “Got” Luck is known for rolling with the punches and never taking anything too seriously. When he picks up a seemingly dead-end murder case, his life begins to take a crazy turn. Shot at, chased by people he has never met, and attacked by an invisible liondog, Got quickly learns that there is more to this world than meets the eye.

He discovers the Fae. The Eternals. They who dwell in the Behindbeyond. Once, they ruled over ancient realms, but over the centuries, their power dwindled. Now someone wants to restore their rule and subjugate humankind. All it will cost is thousands of human lives.

The clock is ticking. Getting the world out of this one will take a couple friends, more than a few well-placed insults, and a whole lot of Luck.

I became interested in this book, because the above blurb sounded like a pretty cool premise, promising a fast pasted, interesting story with a  twist that is not your standard fair for a fantasy/crime novel. But sadly,  I was disappointed. To be honest, I really do not like 1st person narratives. It is rare that books written in this particular  form are something I can lose myself in, so I had a bias from the moment I actually received the copy. For a first person narrative to be great, I have to connect deeply with the main character, and that connection has to happen rather quickly, in order for me to see the story through their eyes and enjoy the view. That rarely happens.

But, because I have been proven wrong before, I stuck with it and read the book to the end. I was not proven wrong. The plot itself seems a bit confusing at first, not finding much flow until the second half of the book, by which time, I would have already stopped reading, would I not have made the commitment to finish reading the book. While the second half was a little bit more entertaining, it still took me longer than usual to get through, simply because I had to drag myself back to the story, rather than being pulled in. With the immense amount of competition of great indie fantasy Authors now available on Amazon, a novel has to be special to stand out of the crowd, and I am sorry to say that this will be lost in the shuffle. Not my cup of tea.

A To Z April Blogging Challenge Theme Reveal

Today, is the great theme reveal for next month’s A to Z Blogging Challenge! If you are asking yourself what I am talking about, then it is time for me to direct you toward the wonderful organizers of this month-long blogging event, that happens every year for more information. But if you want the condensed form of what I am talking about, its if the following.

For the month of April – with the exception of Sunday’s – participants pledge to blog about something, corresponding with the day’s letter, starting at A, working ourselves through the entire alphabet. Participants sign up here, and either decide to blog about random things that come to mind, or choose a theme.

Which brings me to today. Those of us who are choosing a theme, post a little bit about our chosen subject today. So, I am going to get right to it:

 

Yup, I will write for the  entire month about Tea-leaf reading symbols, tea rituals, and related information. No worries to my regular readers, who might not be  interested in the subject, I plan on continuing my usual posting, in addition to the A to Z blogging challenge – even if that means I have to do double work.

Here is the schedule for each day of the A to Z Challenge, and it’s corresponding letter:

So are you planning on joining us for this adventure? If you are, are you choosing a theme this year? For those of you who are participating, leave your blog link in the comment section, so I can come visit you throughout the challenge!

See you soon!

Claudia

 

5 Reasons To Make Your Own Spice Mixes

Ever thought about making your own spice mixes? Thought that this was a little too daunting of a task? Think again. Creating herb and spice mixes is easy, inexpensive and efficient, as well as a fun activity you can do together with your kids.

But besides that it is a creative activity, that goes beyond a home economics lesson, it is also a great way to keep artificial by-products out of your families reach.

Do you have family members with food allergies and chronic diseases, like I do? Then you really should consider making your own mixes.

 

Allow me to present to you 5 reasons why you should make your own spice mixes

1. Store bought mixes contain modified starch which is often derived from GMO sources (not always), used a thickening agent

2. There are also hidden sugars – does anyone really need more sugar in their diet? The answer is surely no, especially when you or someone in your family deals with diabetes or other chronic illnesses

3. Store brands as well as national brands contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils – GMO derived trans fats from various sources, such as soybean oil, do I need to say more?

4. They contain MSG – MSG can be hidden under other names.

5. Often contains Hidden gluten – a dangerous situation for anyone with celiac disease

But where to find recipes? You can borrow my “Mixing Spices” book for free on Amazon Kindle Unlimited! A no-nonsense collection of mixes, which contains no fillers, unlike store brand ready-mixes. My recipes range from Taco Season to Goulash, and more adventurous recipes, that are easy to replicate, without the need for weird and crazy ingredients you can find anywhere.

Get it on Amazon now!

 

 

Store your spice creations in these beautiful containers, for an airtight seal.

Magnetic Steel Spice Rack by Home Basics, available on Amazon now! 

 

 

 

If you are looking for a non-expensive, but effective spice grinder, I highly recommend this little powerhouse:

Krups Coffee And Spice Grinder available on Amazon now!

 

 

 

 

The above blog post is a part of the following blog hops:

Share With Me

 

Winter Blues Wednesday

Inspire Me Wednesday

Talk Of The Town

The Creative Board

4 Gemstones And Crystals For Stress Relief

Disclaimer: The following post contains affiliate links – see disclosure page for details

It is hard to escape stress – our busy lives are filled with times of hustle, responsibility, and multiple goals, that are begging to be followed through upon. Any tool that can aid us in managing the stress – and through that the negative health implications of chronic stress – is a welcome tool in my book.

While I think that mindfulness, meditation, gratitude, and affirmations are the essential tools of an overall less hectic lifestyle, gemstones can also aid us in unexpected ways on this journey.

I have compiled 4 of my favorites here for you today:

Moonstones

This beautiful stone balances emotions when kept in close proximity to a person, or centered in a space that tends to experience a lot of energy and “traffic”, especially when multiple people frequent the room. Its calming influence is a good fit for an open office space, a principle’s office, or the kitchen.

Rose Quartz:

A warm, pink stone, that aids in emotional healing. Let’s face it: Stressful situations can bring up responses that can stem from past trauma, leaving our responses more controlled by what happened in our past, rather than what is happening right now. Rose quartz can give you healing in that regard, making it easier for you to respond to the current situation and not a fear from long ago.

Red Garnet:

No matter how much we wish it was not the truth, we all allow our temper to get the best of us, at least on rare occasions. Red Garnet is the stone to carry when you need to calm your anger – this can be particularly helpful when you are entering a hostile business meeting or are dealing with a co-worker or boss who adds to your daily level of stress. Rub it between your fingers whenever you feel the need.

 

Sodalite:

This beautiful dark blue stone is a communicator and allows you to express yourself and your needs with more clarity. Stress can be created by not feeling heard, or not knowing how to make your needs known to others. Carrying this stone, which has a healing effect on our throat chakra, can aid you with this task. It is most effective when carried as a necklace.

 

Check out the following book on the subject:

Crystal Healing Energy by Mary Solomon

available on Amazon on Kindle and as Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

You can find gemstone jewelry here:

 

 

How to Find Energy to Follow Your Dreams Despite Chronic Illnesses – 4 Tips

(Disclaimer: The following post includes affiliate links. Opinions and experiences are my own)

Living with chronic illness does not have to be the end of your dreams. In fact, it can be the motivating factor to do more, to live a better life, to take better care of yourself and those who you love. It is all about making the choice of what you want to do with what is given to you.

I speak from experience. I have hypothyroidism, chronic anemia, partial deafness, and various allergies while my daughter has a severe form of a  chronic tic disorder – which leaves her often in pain from involuntary muscle spasms, as well as allergies. Despite that, we do not let this stop us from following through with our dreams and goals. While it might take a little more effort, planning, and motivation to follow through, it also gave us an opportunity to test our resolve and find ways to make things happen, no matter what is in our way.

Here are four tips on how to find the energy to follow through with your goals, despite chronic illnesses

1. Exercise – exercise (of course done under the supervision of your medical health professional) releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good.
2. Meditate – I know sitting in silence does not necessary sound like something that will give you energy, but it is amazing to find how energized, relaxed and stress-free you will feel when you begin adding a regular meditation routine to your life. Not only does it have a positive affect on your overall health, and therefore, whatever chronic condition you have, but it also gives you a positive, relaxed state of mind, which makes it easier to focus, an essential tool when you are trying to achieve a goal and stay motivated.
3. Eat right – that is a given. Whatever your dietary needs are to make your illness more comfortable or maybe even go into remission, follow through with it. No one can feel energized on a junk food diet. Remember what you put in, is what you get out. That goes as much for your work as it goes for your body and health.
4. Create rituals – a well thought out morning and evening ritual can assist you throughout your day. It is a lot easier to stay focused and motivated if you are following a carefully constructed routine, that prepares you for the upcoming daily activities. Tailor those rituals to fit your individual illness or disability, and if necessary, enlist help to get it set up.

Check out the following book on the subject for more information:

 

How To Live Well With Chronic Illness and Pain by Tony Bernhard

available on Amazon