Now for the answer to the mystery utensil. Again, Heather Short got it right! And also Judy squirrelqueen) as well. I don't know the name of it, but it's used to remove the tea bag from a cup and squeeze it dry, as pictured. Also pictured is our son and granddaughter having a tea party, one of her favorite things. Little girls adore tea parties. Do you drink much tea? I usually only drink it when I'm not feeling well. In England, they put milk in their tea. That would seem strange to me. I've read that putting milk in your tea destroys all the health benefits of it. Then there's the elaborate Japanese tea ceremonies, that take days to prepare for, and involove many strict rules and lots of purification. Tea goes back thousands of years, but apparently there was none in the Old or New Testament times in those lands. Though they did drink water, it was a chore to get clean water, so they drank lots of wine and goat's milk. They also had beer. Back then, one of the most important positions was the King's Cupbearer. He was a highly trusted official with great status and respect. He served the King his drinks every day, but first he poured some into the palm of his own hand and tasted it to check if it was poisioned. Ah, the worries and dangers of royalty! Now aren't you glad we're all just lowly peasants?

"...whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:13