Author: Tea with a Taurus

Welcome to Tea with a Taurus—a self-help and soul-care space brewed with honesty, heart, and a hint of humor. I'm Ashley, your resident Taurus, advice-giver, and tea-sipper. This blog started as a creative outlet and evolved into a cozy community for anyone navigating growth, healing, or just figuring life out one cup at a time. Here, you’ll find journal prompts, real talk, gentle encouragement, and reflections on everything from ADHD and self-worth to relationships and resilience. Pour yourself a mug, take a breath, and stay awhile—you’re in good company.

A House Divided

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I am not a huge sports fan but I enjoy a good basketball game. This game (Utah @ Charlotte) has become a yearly treat for my family.

We live about 45 miles from Charlotte so the trip is an easy one.

The oldest child doesn’t do well in large crowds or with heights, so he decided to sit this one out.

We started our evening with dinner at Pinky’s Westside Grill. Pinky’s is a favorite of ours. Even when Matt and I were eating mostly a vegetarian diet, we could find fabulously delicious food at Pinky’s. It doesn’t hurt that the restaurant is minutes from the stadium.

We enjoyed the game and the family time. The kids pulled for Charlotte, Matt and I cheered on the Jazz. Utah took the win 120-102.

After the game, I treated the family to a trip to Amelie’s. The kids enjoyed macaroons, brownies and cookies while I ordered a small latte to keep me alert for the drive home.

So, I guess this trip satisfied #18 on my 40 things list. Overall it was a fun time and a great family adventure.

Sorrowful Saturday

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Today was supposed to be a lazy day. My intentions were to spend the day curled up, under a blanket, with a book on my lap, and a chai latte in my hand. Today was a cold day, bitterly frigid. Yesterday, was balmy and beautiful. The ping pong weather in North Carolina is giving me whiplash. Therefore, I had no desire to remove myself from the warmth of my blanket fort.

My brain had other ideas. This poem is running on a loop in my head. It’s been a long time since someone’s words cut me so deeply. My contemplations leave me no room to enjoy a good book.

“I’m not much of a love poet but if I was I’d write about how you have the audacity to be beautiful even on days when everything around you was ugly.”

This poem made me cry tears of longing, tears of sadness. This man describes his love so intensely that I feel like I can sense it or I feel like I can almost touch it but it is just out of reach.

“I know it’s gonna sound weird but sometimes I pray that God somehow turns you back into one of my ribs just so I would never have to spend an entire day without you.”

What is it like to love someone this much? How does it feel to want someone with such vehemence?

“I want to be your ex boyfriend’s stunt man. I want to do everything he never had the courage to do, like trust you.”

That last line pierced me. I’m still sitting in my blanket fort but instead of spending the day reading, I’m contemplating what it would be like to be the Starbucks girl on Del Mar Heights Road.

Excerpts from Love Poem Medley by Rudy Francisco

Dirty Hippie

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Today is going to be an exhausting day but I’m here for it. It’s currently 7:30 am on a Saturday morning and I’m sitting in a coffee shop in Durham, NC. I’m about halfway into my 3 hour drive to East Carolina University for a workshop. This coffee shop stop hits #32 and #18 on my 40 things list.

The atmosphere of this shop is totally laid back and just plain cool. They have a chalkboard wall, perfect for children, in the back with a sign promoting a weekly storytime. There is local art hanging on the walls. An eclectic mix of tables and chairs with plenty of seating inside and out. Trendy, coffee shop music playing overhead. Knowledgeable and helpful baristas. And a variety of local fare for sale.

I ordered an iced Dirty Hippie – black tea, cold brew, farm half and half and simple syrup. I also enjoyed the Mama Mia – a plain bagel with jalapeño cream cheese, tomato, and cucumbers. I grabbed a carrot Muffin for later.

Everything was delicious and the perfect fuel for my long day. If you’re near Durham and haven’t tried Bean Traders Coffee, add it to your list. I hope your Saturday is equal parts relaxing and productive. I mean, we all need balance in our lives.

Hiking Morrow Mountain

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Hiking Morrow Mountain

Morrow Mountain State Park

Albemarle, NC

I added another hike to #17 on my list of 40 things.

Last weekend, we traveled a little over an hour from home to a place I hadn’t heard of until the week before. I had planned on taking the boys for a hike at Lake Norman. Upon doing a little research to map out a trail, I discovered that the trails were currently closed. We were excited about the prospect of hiking and my youngest had already invited his girlfriend, so AJ and I started searching for an alternative.

Morrow Mountain State Park is located in Stanly County about 50 miles northeast of Charlotte. This park offers over a dozen hiking and horse riding trails. You will also find camping sites and cabins as well as areas for swimming, fishing, boating and paddling.

I took 3 teenagers on this adventure. We mapped out a 5.2 mile (out and back) hike. We each carried packs for our lunches, waters and snacks. I carried the first aid kit, extra water and the cameras. I also decided to strap the Go-Pro onto my pack. Much to my disappointment, I had grabbed the wrong SD card and only managed to get about 7 minutes of video. Side note, I am learning so much with each hike.

The first mile of the hike was straight down the mountain. During this stretch, I realized we would have to travel up this part at the end of our hike and wasn’t exactly looking forward to it.

At the first fork we took some time to study the map. AJ noticed that a horse trail would lead us to the lake. He asked if we could change our plans and head that way instead. I took another look at the map and noticed this would add about 2 miles to our already hefty hike. The kids discussed it and decided it was worth it. I figured we should be able to get to the lake around lunch time. The weather was ideal for a February hike. It was sunny and the majority of our hike was under the cover of trees. The horse trail provided us with lots of opportunities to dodge piles of horse poo but we also got to see about 8 beautiful horses and met some very nice people.

We made it to the end of the lake trail by lunch time and found 2 large fallen trees to rest on while we ate our lunch. Unfortunately the last 100 yards or so to the lake was blocked by thick brush and I didn’t see any reason to try to maneuver it. We savored our lunch overlooking an area near the lake and enjoyed nice conversation. The short relaxation time was welcoming.

After cleaning up our lunch trash, we headed back to finish the loop on the horse trail. The bottom of the loop was an easy trek. We crossed a small creek. We ended up shedding our outer layers after walking in full sun for about 30 minutes.

As we came up to the last fork we had a decision to make. We could take a longer, less steep trail or we could take a short very steep trail. I think the kids were ready to be done because they all voted the short trail.

The last bit back up the mountain was torture for me. I could not catch my breath and I kept telling the kids to go ahead and not worry about me. They didn’t want to leave me behind but I also think they were having just as much trouble putting one foot in front of the other as I was. When we finally crested the top of the mountain and saw the parking lot we all sighed a heaving sigh of relief. We were exhausted. We finished the day with 8.4 miles hiked. It was quite an accomplishment considering this was their first hike of the year. I was so proud of them and happy to be at a rest area with a bathroom.

We finished the day with ice cream from a local general store. Half the car fell asleep on the return drive home. I would say it was a successful day.

Hiking Hanging Rock

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Number 17 on my 40 Things List is to hike 25 locations in NC this year. This weekend, I completed hike #1.

A little over an hour from my house is Hanging Rock State Park. This beautiful destination is located in Stokes County, North Carolina, 30 miles north of Winston Salem. Hanging Rock State Park is full of breathtaking views and lots to do. There are over 20 miles of hiking trails, mountain bike trails, and horse trails. Swimming and boating is available on the lake in season. Fishing is available year round on the lake and Dan River. You will also find over 70 camping sites and cabins inside the park.

Since it was pretty cold (30 degrees F) when I woke on Saturday morning, I took my time making my way to the park. I arrived around 11am and set off on the Hanging Rock Trail. The trail entrance is at the visitor’s center parking lot and is approximately 2.6 miles out and back.

I completed this hike solo but there were dozens of people (and dogs) on the trails. This trail starts off slow with plenty of hills but ends with steps and a steep rocky climb that will leave you huffing. The pay off is definitely worth it. I am terrified of heights but I got close enough to get some cool shots. A young couple was nice enough to snap a picture of me. Even though the sign says the trail is 2.6 miles, when I completed the hike, my phone said I had hiked 4.36 miles.

I am extremely out of shape and this was a tough first hike but I am so happy I pushed through. This is a hike I will undoubtedly do again. I would also like to check out the falls trails at this park and maybe even plan a camping trip for a few days during warmer weather.

Ashley’s 40 Things

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I finally finished my list of the 40 things I want to spend this year completing. Let’s talk about these.

  1. Re-launch blog – Well, here I am. I’ve worked on this blog, on and off, for years. Its always been something I wanted to keep up with. This year I’m determined to make it a priority.
  2. 120 books in 2023 – Pretty self explanatory. I have multiple challenges I’m working on. You can read about those here.
  3. More ARCs – This is one of my challenges but simply put, I want to read and review more advanced reader copy books.
  4. Post to socials more – I’ve gotten away from this since we closed our retail store but I want to spend more time posting to Instagram and Tik Tok.
  5. Fitness Plan – I would like to find something that I can stick to. I’ve spent the last few years in pain and that has kept me from moving my body the way I need to. I had surgery on both my shoulders during the 2021-2022 school year and I’ve spent a year in physical therapy. Now that my arms are mostly healed, I need to get back to working out regularly.
  6. Skincare routine – I do not typically wear makeup but as I age, I need to focus on at least moisturizing my skin more.
  7. Quarterly treat – When I was taking college courses a few years ago, I treated myself to a massage after each semester’s exams. I want to get back into the habit of treating myself to massages or pedicures.
  8. Bra fitting – Everyone needs a proper fitting bra, enough said.
  9. Hiking boots – I would like to invest in a quality pair of hiking boots.
  10. Comfortable shoes – I have serious trouble with my feet. Apparently I have tendonitis in both Achilles. So, I am constantly on the search for a pair of comfortable shoes.
  11. My color wardrobe – I want to slowly start incorporating more clothes in my wardrobe that are on my color palate.
  12. Better sleep – I rarely get enough sleep, I need to make quality sleep a priority.
  13. Re-pierce nose – My nose piercing closed up while I was in the hospital for my first shoulder surgery.
  14. More time outside – I love being outside but I find myself cooped up inside with way too much to do.
  15. Nashville, TN – I want to spend at least a weekend in Nashville taking in the sights.
  16. Camping w/Matt – I want to take a camping trip with my husband, no kids.
  17. 25 hikes in NC – I want to go on 25 hikes in various places in my home state.
  18. Monthly food spots – I want to check out a new food or coffee spot each month.
  19. Veggie garden – I want to have a huge vegetable garden this year.
  20. Porch herb garden – I’ve tried to plant an herb garden outside my front door before but I neglected it. I want to grow my own fresh herbs.
  21. Drink more water!!!!!
  22. Family Photo Shoot – Before my kids start leaving for college, I want to do a fun family photo shoot.
  23. Pay off loans – I have two loans (car and person) that I want to pay off this year.
  24. Clean out my closet – This pairs with #11. I want to throw out (donate or sell) anything in my wardrobe that does not look good on me or fit.
  25. Camping as a family – I want to go on a handful of camping trips with my kids this year.
  26. New front door – We desperately need a new front door and screen door.
  27. Attend a conference
  28. Do yoga on the beach
  29. Board game night – We have a few dozen board and card games and we usually only play them when we are camping. I would like to devote a night each month as a family game night.
  30. Watch the sunrise – This might happen on one of my many hikes or on the beach as I do yoga, but it will happen.
  31. Take in a play
  32. Try new teas – The title of this blog inspired this one. I can also possibly pair this with #18.
  33. Tattoo – I have been wanting to get a couple tattoos for a long time. This year, I will get at least 1.
  34. New car – New to me car! I’ve never bought a new car and I do not see myself doing that now. I have something in mind that I’ve been wanting for a while.
  35. Guitar – I wanted to learn to play guitar a few years ago and then I started having trouble with my hands. I had surgery on my right hand and shots in my left shortly after getting a guitar. Then, my shoulders started acting up.
  36. Go kayaking – My husband took me kayaking when we first starting dating and I loved it. Then, my shoulders started acting up. (Do you see a pattern here?)
  37. New phone
  38. More time on Etsy – Etsy SEO has always been a beast I haven’t quite figured out. I’m selling more handmade / upcycled items on there, so I would like to devote more time to figuring out how to best utilize this selling platform.
  39. Visit an art museum
  40. Stick to a budget

Well, there they are. As I start dissecting and completing these, I’ll be posting about how it’s going. Let me know if you have any questions or want more details. I remember my mom telling my once that her 40s were her best years. I’m determined to enjoy this year and I want to embrace getting older as my 40th birthday grows nearer.