25 Days of Blogging- Day 23: Biltmore Estate

Hi Friends!

Today's post is going to be a little bit random.  I for the entirety of these posts, up until today, I have been planning and preparing the topic and pictures I want to post.  Now what it is only 2 days until this challenge is complete, I have stopped preparing.

This says a little about me, as I tend to do this fairly often.  First of all, I am definitely an idea generator.  I can come up with so many ideas in one day, but I rarely follow through with all of them.  That is not to say I never follow through (as I definitely do); I just wait for the perfect opportunity to come to my mind before actually doing anything about it.

Take this blog for example, I've had it for nearly 5 years, but have only just recently started putting content for you (my readers) this past year!  I guess I felt as though I had nothing to say until now haha!

So, enough about me...these posts are supposed to be about the holidays.  So here's what I am going to do.  Since I know we all have a very full plate this time of year, this post will remain short and sweet. AND!!  Since Andrew and I went on our Honeymoon to the Biltmore Estate, I will a leave you with some of the breathtaking pictures (from their website...as pictures were not allowed to be taken of the interior of the home) of the holiday season:

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25 Days of blogging- Day 16: A Toast to Health

Hi Friends!   

Today’s post is both a recipe and a bit of history!  I am really excited about this because I had heard about this recipe years ago, but never really knew if it were as beneficial and delicious as I had heard about.   

Well, I am here today to share with you this delicious and healthy tea that you can make out of something in your own back yard! Unless you live in a warm climate, then it may be a bit more difficult for you…  Prepare this tea with caution though.  As with all herbal remedies and teas, be sure to check with your doctor or dietitian (I would love to help!) to make sure that this tea is safe for you to consume (I am referring to interactions with medications you may be taking or if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant).

Now, there are many claims out there saying Pine Needle tea can cure basically anything, but one thing is for certain; pine needle tea is very high in vitamin C!  This is great news because during the winter months in the north, fresh produce (where an abundance of vit. C lives) is not so good.  Research on vitamin C is still on the fence about whether or not this vitamin plays a role in preventing colds, but it is for certain that vitamin C plays a role collagen formation (meaning healthy skin and tissues) as well as protein metabolism and a strong antioxidant.  If you don’t already know, antioxidants are what protect us from things like pollution and boosts our immune system.

Pine needles have been consumed in native cultures for thousands of years, making it quite difficult to spot the fact from the fiction in terms of health claims.  Either way, this is quite a tasty and comforting cup of tea; making it perfect for winter time and holidays!  Check out this article for more information.

Now on to the recipe!