Hello!

Hello, my name is Jackie, and welcome to By Golly, Ollie! (formally known as Books & Tea). I have been blogging here for nearly a decade, though recently this site has endured several name changes and facelifts. I have attempted to repurpose this space several times, but I keep going back to my roots, which is writing about books and tea– even if those books are mostly picture books these days. Below, you will find my latest blog posts, my latest TeaTube videos, and all of the tea that keeps me grounded and keeps me going. And of course, thank you for stopping by!

Latest Blog Posts

Finding Balance in a Cup of Phoenix Oolong from DAVIDsTEA

Somehow, 2021 has been a more challenging year than 2020. I feel guilty for saying that for obvious reasons, but 2021 has left me feeling languished and stretched too thin (“like butter scraped over too much bread” as Bilbo Baggins might say). However, amid Oliver’s recent recess from school, I finally found relief. Granted, I…

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Five March Favorites

I always seem to start these posts by writing something along the lines of, “I can’t believe [insert month here] is already over. How did another one slip through my fingers?” But alas…here I am…wondering how another month flew by. This is absolutely a reflection of how present I am each day. I’m always looking…

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Blooming Tea on an Almost-Spring Day

One of my unofficial New Year’s Resolutions was to enjoy at least one cup of tea outdoors each day. So far, I’ve neglected this practice, but in my defense, I always forget how bitter cold February can be in Michigan. I’m not sure any amount of cabin fever can drive me outdoors in ten-degree weather…

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Sampling Sweet Treats from Dessert by Deb

Dessert by Deb blends have been on my wishlist since the beginning of 2020, but steep shipping costs to the US have usually deterred me from placing an order. The temptation is becoming harder to resist though, especially after Deb recently released her Winter Brunch collection featuring blends like Banana French Toast, Cereal Milk, Orange…

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Word of Intent: Joy

The last memory I have of 2020 is Oliver kicking me in the back as he tried to keep himself from falling asleep. I don’t know who dozed off first– him or me– but when I woke up, it was 2:30 AM in 2021. I missed the opportunity to say “so long, sucker!” to 2020…

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New on Teatube

#instaTEA

It’s one of those days where my brain is a fog and I’m 100% motivated to do fuckall, so I’m sipping Raise the Dead from @fridaytea to get myself going. It’s a blend of pu’erh, white tea, cranberry, and marigold petals, and it tastes like sweet dirt and wet logs. I’m here for it, but Raise the Dead is also one of those blends that make me realize tea people are weird sometimes. Like, sweet dirt…really?⁣ Okay first, I finished How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt in a weekend, and it’s been YEARS since I’ve read a book that quickly. Like, pre-Oliver, for sure.⁣ I didn’t intend to count down to the New Year with my favorites of 2021, but here we are…I just can’t decide if this photograph is dedicated to my favorite tea cup or my favorite tea company discovery.⁣ My tea and tarot pairing might be a little on the nose today, but I couldn’t resist sipping the Sorcerer’s Blend from @fridaytea alongside the Magician. ⁣ I don’t care if I lose street cred over this— I don’t particularly care for matcha. The texture, flavor, and especially the foam freak my senses out, but I keep trying it in hopes I will acquire a taste for it. However, one of my favorite discoveries in 2021 are the flavored matcha from DAVIDsTEA. They might be a vessel for sugar and flavoring, but they are damn good as a chilled latte with oat milk.⁣ Remember when I tried to do vlogmas? Ha! I couldn’t even keep up with my single calendar this year, so I spent Christmas morning sipping through unopened days. I still have several to polish off today, too 😅⁣

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