It’s winter. It’s cold. It’s warm. It’s cold. it’s warm, it’s cold, it’s warm, it’s old.
So, it’s the morning after. Our one day of winter bliss. That day the birds were singing, people were enjoying the sunshine and it sure felt just like spring. The air changes and smells sweet. That one beautiful day where all we talked about was the impending ice/snow storm.
The stores were busy with people buying the usual things to hole up with. It’s always fun when there is a winter storm and a big football game all in one weekend. You can stay in your sweats all day and consume copious amounts of hot tea and bet that no one will be knocking on your door. If anyone comes knocking, I’m just not home.
These are the things that help to get us through the mid winter funk that people fall into. I have had quite a few casual conversations with friends and family over the past months about how people get depressed during winter. It’s not so much the weather as it is the darkness. Now that I think about it, it almost ended up being a personal loose survey.
We need big events in the winter. The daylight hours are slowly increasing. This is the next big event for me. It really throws me into a happy place. We gain a minute of sun every day. When the sun is out, just pay attention to little things like where shadows fall, and how it stays light a little longer, then look at a clock. Yay!
Lent falls on my birthday this year and that is something I look forward to. The excitement of Easter and spring really do come around fast. The A-K Valley will soon be filled with that wonderful smell of oil frying up all of that fish and fries as we all seek the best fish sammie in the ‘burgh.
I am an admitted germaphobe. One of my main goals in winter is to not get sick. I have developed the fist bump as my greeting during winter when I meet people, much to their surprise. I carry the stress relief scented hand sanitizer and if I am within any distance of someone throwing out a multiphase turbulent buoyant bubble, I turn around and go the other way. Sometimes I’ll hold my breath and make a mad dash. But, one must make sure that they travel at least two hundred feet away from the offender. A study at MIT shows these bad boys travel fast and far. A multiphase turbulent buoyant bubble is also known as a sneeze.
The Stillroom has natural horehound drops that will help to soothe a dry, sore throat that comes along with running the furnace. Candied ginger is soothing and warm in your tea or just to nosh on a little sliver to settle an angry tummy. Spicy warm ginger tea is on the shelf to help warm you up on these cold winter evenings.
Recently, I had someone ask me why I revamped my logo from a fifties looking June Cleaver lady image to a fist with a hammer. My answer was because I have somehow managed to stay in business for fifteen years. Tea strong, all day long. lol
January is a transitional month in the business. We don’t want to rush right out of green and red and silver and gold into the pastels of spring. I’m thinking once Valentine’s Day is over, it is a safe bet to break out the forsythia and tulips. But, remember, the snowman is good all winter long! lol Stop in and see how we do the transition!
In the meantime, we have a fabulous selection of goods under one roof. Coffee, tea, herbs, oils, spices, old things, cool things, new things, candles, soaps, repurposed things, chocolate tea and chocolate bars and biscotti. You will find awesome furniture and accessories to decorate your humble abode. It’s always a joy to watch people come in and leave happy with their found treasures. These are the things that make a house a home, Wether is’s a chair, a set of dishes, an old typewriter or a cup of tea, Diamond Antiques & Gifts is sure to be your new go to place to satisfy your soul. It really is a special shop.
Diamond Antiques & Gifts/The Stillroom Gift & Tea Shop
311 East Sixth Avenue, Tarentum PA
Open Wednesday through Saturday from 10-5 and Sunday from 12-5
Closed Monday and Tuesday so we can dust and restock!
The Stillroom 
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