You don’t need a fancy cocktail to celebrate.

You don’t need multiple ingredient lists, time consuming syrups, over the top garnishes.

You don’t even need a particular reason to celebrate to have a celebration.

A crack of a pop tab would do just fine. A twist of a lid. A whistle of a tea kettle, even the beep of a microwave.

The clock turning 5:00 is reason enough, or heck, 4:58. Even numbers aren’t more special than other ones.

No you don’t need any of these extra things to take a deep breath, to connect with a friend, to reflect on a job well done, or simply a job done.

You don’t need any of these things just like you don’t need a fancy ritual to sit down and get creative. We know it’s not the lighting of the candle or the pouring of the coffee or the just right notebook and the perfect pen that make the magic of creativity come alive in us. It’s the work, the attention, the inspiration, the practice. It’s just you and your heart and your gift.

But isn’t it a little great when we do have those things?

Isn’t it kind of magical to add in whimsy, delight, fun? All for the sake of joy?

I’ve been celebrating Friday night cocktails for sometime now. I still read through recipe books, scheme up new ideas, hunt for interesting ingredients, and even go as far as write a story about the drink in my hand. None of that is necessary for my end of week ritual. A good pour of wine would do just fine.

But sometimes we want more than fine. Sometimes we want special. We want fancy. We want creativity.

This is a drink for just that. There’s a recipe. But mostly it’s a plan, an idea, an opportunity for you to get creative just because it delights you.

I can’t wait to see what you come up with. That’s the true celebration right there.

Creativi-Tea

1/2 oz. tea infused simple syrup* (more depending on taste preference)

4 oz. sparkling water, ginger beer, or sparkling wine

A fun garnish—berries, fruit slices, edible flowers, fresh herbs

Add simple syrup to glass, top with sparkling something, garnish and enjoy. That’s it. That’s the whole recipe.

Ok, so it’s not the WHOLE recipe. There’s more…

*Tea Infused Simple Syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tea bag of choice, or equivalent loose leaf measurement

This is where the creative moment really shines—the syrup. You are going to want to start this process at least a day ahead so that the syrup has time to chill and develop flavor.

Now time to think about what ingredients to use. The tea is what gives your drink flavor and color. The sugar is also another opportunity to add in your own unique taste. Going for a more floral direction? Maybe use honey. Want a rich fall flavor? Try maple syrup or brown sugar. Want the tea to take the lead? Just use regular sugar.

Now what about the tea? There are so many options. I say use what you love but more importantly what you have. Black tea, chamomile, rooibos, hibiscus, lavender, spiced, lemon, ginger, peach…I could go on and on. The options are endless. Oh, you’re not a tea fan? No problem. Throw some apple peel, a chunk of ginger, the rind of the orange peel you have leftover from your kid’s snack. Is your spice cabinet nearby? You could grab a few peppercorns, a cinnamon stick or whole cloves, maybe a shake of red pepper flakes. Remember to be playful. Remember to have fun. Tea isn’t as stuffy as Downton Abbey makes it out to be. And it doesn’t have to be garbage water like Ted Lasso makes it out to be. It is really just a punch of flavor and you can find that anywhere.

To make the syrup, bring sugar and water to a boil, turn down heat to a slow simmer until sugar is dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and add in tea bag and/or any flavor components. Steep for 5-7 minutes. Strain and chill syrup.

Once you have your syrup decided, you want to pair your garnish accordingly. Edible flowers or berries would go well with black tea, chamomile, hibiscus, or lavender. Apple or citrus is a great pairing with spice or ginger. This is just one more opportunity to bring art to a glass. Have fun.

Need some inspiration? Here was my combo: Simple syrup of Brown sugar + Blood Orange Rooibos Tea (from TJs) + a few peppercorns + a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Garnish of orange slice and a nasturtium flower. Sparkling water for the afternoon but I’m also going to try it with prosecco later.

And that’s it. Your turn! Let the Creativi-Tea Time begin!

Cheers!

From 107. Birds Migrating at Midnight.

//

Birds sound like memories to me.

Geese honking sounds like November—melancholy goodbyes, frosty grass, pumpkin spice lattes, scarves around my neck.

Cardinals sound like spring—windows open, sun rising earlier and earlier, lilacs and tulips decorating the air.

Seagulls sound like vacation—my grandparents house by the lake, walking early in the morning to pick up the paper and waving at the other walkers enjoying the view, running into the lake with the cousins, cold water pushing squeals from our mouths mingling with the gulls.

There are other vacations too, the bigger ones farther away, a place where it feels like the earth goes on for infinity, hunting for seashells and sand dollars, warm sand between toes, the tickle of waves.

Seagulls can be terribly annoying. But today, listening to them singing to me while I sit and write on the dock, they sound a lot like joy.

When I picked up the preschooler from camp today, there was a chorus of little friends, many of which I didn’t know because they were new to the school, who enthusiastically waved their hands in the air and shouted “BYE LEO” as I loaded him into the bike trailer and we made our way home. He then returned their greeting with his own fervent farewell. And I just got to thinking how interesting it is that someone I don’t know knows my little Leo well enough to notice when he’s gone, to wish him a good bye. There is a mysterious aspect of my children’s lives of which I’ll never be a part, about which I’ll never know or never get to witness. Maybe at one point this sounded scary to me. But today, pedaling us back home up hill and with the drag of a bike trailer, the unknown journey feels lighter than I would have expected. Beautiful even.