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Ruth's Tea House, 123, Lancaster, PA (2026)

08/31/2026

Yesterday was one of those little moments that reminded me why I love building Ruth’s this way. ❤️

I finally got to sit down and meet with Anna, a local beekeeper I’ve been talking with about potentially supplying honey for Ruth’s Tea House.
I went into the meeting expecting to talk about honey…and somehow we ended up talking about SO much more.

She brought me two different honeys from her bees to sample—and y’all, BOTH were amazing. But what I loved even more was getting to actually sit down and learn about the person behind them.

We talked bees, herbs, dehydrating fruit, handmade mugs, merchandise and all kinds of possibilities for the future. I learned that she grows herbs herself, can dehydrate fruit, creates hand-painted pieces and does so much more than I realized.

She even surprised me with this beautiful hand-painted mug and a card as a thank-you gift. I absolutely wasn't expecting that. 🥹

One thing I really want Ruth’s Tea House to do as we grow is work with and support other local people and small businesses whenever we can.

And meetings like this remind me that sometimes a conversation about one thing can turn into the beginning of something much bigger.

For now, we’re starting with the honey.

But I have a feeling you’ll be hearing more about Anna and her creations in the future.

Another little piece of Ruth’s is falling into place. 💕

08/29/2026

The Ruth behind Ruth’s Tea House. 🪽😇

For those of you who are new here, I wanted to introduce you to the woman behind the name.
This is my grandmother, Ruth.

One of the memories I have of her is with me sitting at the kitchen table, completely fascinated just watching her cook.
I wasn’t thinking about it as anything special back then. I was just sitting there watching Grandma do her thing. But looking back now, there’s something about that memory that has stuck with me.
The kitchen. The table. Food being made. Sitting together. That feeling of being at home.
And maybe without even realizing it, a little bit of that found its way into what I want Ruth’s Tea House to be.

Yes, we make tea. But I've never wanted Ruth’s to JUST be about tea.

I want people gathered around tables.
I want conversations and laughter.
I want people to sit for a while instead of feeling like they have to rush off.
I want strangers to become familiar faces.
I want it to feel warm, comfortable and a little nostalgic — like you're somewhere you belong.

Our plans for Ruth’s Tea House have changed quite a bit since I first started this journey, but that part hasn't.

We may be building it differently than I originally imagined, but the heart behind it is still the same.
And it all carries her name.

So if you're new to our little community…

Meet Ruth.

My grandmother, the woman behind the name, and part of the reason I care so much about what it feels like when you sit at our table. 🤎

08/27/2026

STEEPED IN HISTORY THURSDAY🫖

Have you ever wondered where afternoon tea actually came from?

The story most often takes us back to England in the 1840s and Anna Russell, the 7th Duchess of Bedford.

During this time, dinner in wealthier households was being served later in the evening, leaving a pretty long stretch between meals.

And apparently Anna wasn't having it. 😂

She reportedly began having tea with a light snack during the late afternoon — things like bread and butter or cake — to hold her over until dinner. Eventually, she started inviting friends to join her.

What began as an afternoon snack grew into a social occasion. Over time, afternoon tea became a fashionable way to gather, talk and enjoy tea alongside small sandwiches, cakes, pastries and eventually the spread we recognize today.

But here's something I didn't know for the longest time:

Afternoon tea and high tea are NOT the same thing.

Today we sometimes call a fancy tea service “high tea,” but historically, high tea was actually a heartier evening meal, particularly associated with working households after the workday. It could include bread, meat, cheese and other filling foods along with tea.

Afternoon tea, on the other hand, was the lighter, more social occasion associated with the upper and later middle classes.

And despite the popular story, Anna Russell didn't invent drinking tea in the afternoon. Tea had already been enjoyed in Britain for generations, and its history stretches MUCH further back in China and other parts of Asia.

She's better understood as helping popularize the British social tradition of afternoon tea that we recognize today.

That's what I love about learning the history behind tea. Something that seems so normal today can have generations of stories, traditions and misconceptions behind it.

Have you ever experienced a traditional afternoon tea? If not, would you want to?

08/25/2026

🌹 Tea Tuesday: Let’s Talk Rosehips!

Today we're talking about an ingredient you may have seen in herbal tea blends but never really thought much about: rosehips.

First things first, rosehips are NOT rose petals. They're actually the small fruit that develops on a rose plant after the flower blooms and the petals fall away.

Rosehips have a lightly tart, fruity flavor with a little natural sweetness. Think somewhere along the lines of cranberry or tart apple rather than something super floral.

Rosehips naturally contain antioxidants and are well known for containing vitamin C. They've been used in foods, drinks and traditional herbal practices for generations. They're also naturally caffeine-free.
But one of the reasons I love rosehips for blending is the flavor. They pair beautifully with hibiscus, apple, orange, strawberry, ginger, lemongrass and even rose petals.

And if some of those ingredients sound familiar, you've been paying attention to Tea Tuesday. 👀

Rosehips are also an ingredient you'll find in some of Ruth's Tea House blends, so now when you see them listed on the bag, you'll actually know what's going into your cup.

That's what I want Tea Tuesday to be about—getting to know our herbs, flowers, roots and leaves one at a time. ❤️

Have you had rosehips before?

08/24/2026

Thanks for being a top engager and making it on to my weekly engagement list! 🎉 Kris Simmons-Newman, Rachel Moyer

08/24/2026

A few days ago, I received a message from a woman named Fiona that reminded me all over again just how kind people can be. 🤎

Fiona and her husband are preparing to move in November, and over the years she had collected quite a few beautiful tea sets—many of them gifted to her by family. She kept the pieces that she wanted to take with her, but instead of simply getting rid of the rest, she wanted them to go somewhere they would actually be used and appreciated.

And she thought of Ruth’s Tea House.

She knew about the pop-up experiences we're working on and reached out to ask if we could use them.
Of course, my answer was YES.

There's something really special to me about knowing that these cups and tea sets already have stories attached to them. They were gifts. They belonged to someone's family. They've probably been part of conversations, celebrations, quiet mornings, and countless cups of tea.
And now they've been passed along to us to become part of something new.

Soon, someone will be sitting at one of our pop-up experiences, drinking a Ruth's Tea House blend from one of these cups, making another memory with something that already carries so many. And I think that's beautiful.

Fiona, thank you so much for trusting us with these pieces and for thinking of us. They will absolutely be loved, used, and appreciated. 💕

And since you and your husband aren't moving until November, I'm putting this little wish out into the universe now: I really hope we get to have you both as guests at one of our Ruth's Tea House Experiences before you leave. It would only be right that you get to sit down, have some tea, and see these beautiful pieces beginning their next chapter.

This is exactly the kind of community I want Ruth's Tea House to be built around.
Things passed down. Stories shared. People gathered around a table.

One cup at a time. ❤️

08/22/2026

The Carlisle community is a beautiful one 💕

08/22/2026

I thought I was going to print some business cards.
That’s it. 😂

A quick little task before moving on to the next thing on my Ruth’s Tea House list.

Apparently, the universe had other plans.

(Long post warning: see comments)

08/20/2026

📚 STEEPED IN HISTORY THURSDAY

Welcome to our newest little series at Ruth’s Tea House: Steeped in History.

Every Thursday, we’re going to take a little trip backwards and talk about the history behind what’s in our cups; tea, herbs, traditions, remedies, rituals, and the stories that have been passed down through generations.

And I thought we should start with something simple: Loose-leaf came LONG before the tea bag.

For thousands of years, people around the world were steeping leaves, flowers, roots, bark, fruits, and other plants directly in hot water.
Tea bags, on the other hand, are pretty new in comparison.
They became popular in the early 1900s, and there’s actually a story that tea merchant Thomas Sullivan helped popularize them by sending tea samples to customers in small silk bags. Instead of taking the tea out of the bags, some customers reportedly put the whole thing right into the hot water.
And just like that… somebody accidentally made tea a little more convenient. 😂

But long before convenience came into the picture, preparing tea and herbal infusions could be a whole experience.

You selected your herbs. You smelled them. You measured them. You watched them open and move through the water. And then you sat down and enjoyed what you created.

That slower experience is something I want to bring into Ruth’s Tea House.

Yes, we're selling tea.

But I also want us to learn about what we're drinking — where these plants came from, how different cultures have used them, and how something as simple as making a cup of tea can carry hundreds or even thousands of years of history.

Because sometimes there’s a whole story sitting in your cup. 🤎

Now I want to know:
Are you Team Loose-Leaf or Team Tea Bag?

Ruth's Tea House

08/31/2026

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08/27/2026

08/25/2026

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