Lazy

I've been lazy for a while now and have not updated our blog. Blame it on being busy or anything else - just haven't done it.

We now in the midst of preparing for Christmas - would you belive the year has gone by so quickly?

New in our store is a line of tea accessories called the Roli Tea Steeping Mug - it's a three piece ensemble with stoneware mug and cover and a fine meshed screen, stainless steel basket. It makes brewing loose tea very convienient and simple.

Simply spoon a portion of loose tea (usually about a teaspoon) into the basket, place the basket into the mug and pour hot water into the mug thru the tea, then cover with the lid. After about 4 minutes, remove the lid and invert and remove the basket - the lid makes a easy place to set the basket while you enjoy your tea.

Once you're done, just dump the tea leaves into a wastebasket. This combo also works great when using tea bags without strings, no more burnt fingers!

One other new addition to the store is the new Hawaiian Bee Bar from Honey House - a mild tropical scent and the same great combination of ingredients you love Bee Bars for.

Gourmet Premium Tea

We've recently added a new line of Premium Gourmet Teas to our store. Each tea is prepackaged in individual serving pods in a reusable cylindrical container.

My favorite is the English Breakfast Black Tea. It is a robust blend of teas from China, Ceylon, India and Africa. English Breakfast Black Tea contains about half the amount of caffeine per serving as a cup of coffee, so is ideal if you're trying to cut back on caffeine but don't want to give up the flavor.

Also currently available in our store is a Cinnamon Orange Black Tea, a before bed Asleep Herbal Tea, Chai Black Tea and a Citrus Green Tea. A portion of the wholesale price for the Green Tea is donated to the Children's Cancer Research Fund.

Come check out our new line of tea at www.RushCreekMerchants.com

Shipping Charge Increase

Each of the carriers that we use to ship our products to you have announced price increases. The latest, the United States Post Office announced a price increase effective January 18.

Unfortunately we must follow suit, therefore effective January 18th we'll be raising our minimum purchase amount for free shipping to $35. While this will not affect most of our customers, it will allow us to hold the price on our products and still give you the quick service that you desire.

The good news is that we'll no longer have a separate minimum purchase for our Canadian friends.

We regret that we're forced to take this step, and hope you'll understand that it is due to circumstances outside our control.

Scratch and Dent and Inventory Reduction Sale

We're putting selected items on sale to make room for spring. Several items have minor dents or cracks in the containers which makes them ideal for personal testing at a reduced price. Other items we're simply clearing shelf space.

Comfort Food?

I've never thought of tea as a comfort food, but a recent battle with the common cold has changed my feelings about it.

My wife, Sue and I have been experiencing one of the worst colds that we can remember. Normally we get the sniffles and maybe a headache and its over. Not this time, this one has been dragging on for over 10 days.

We have been using loose tea to create a variety of comforting beverages that help to relieve the sore throat, sinus congestion and even the aches and pains. We've been drinking the tea with lemon, honey and while not helping to make the cold any better makes us more comfortable.

With a cold, you just have to let it run its course, really nothing can help you get better. But hot tea can make you a whole lot more comfortable.

Product Introduction

Rush Creek Merchants is an authorized distributor for Honey House Bee Bar and Belly Bar products.

The natural choice for nourishing body care. All-natural Honey House Bee Bar skin care products are made to moisturize and soothe all skin types. Bee Bar fragrances include Vanilla and Lavender as well as unscented Natural. Bee Bar products are excellent for both men and women troubled by dry, chapped or cracking skin. For women, a Bee Bar will soothe your skin, and is perfect for where you can't carry a bottle of lotion. For men, the natural or vanilla fragrances are pleasant and "non-sissy" you can feel comfortable with anywhere.



Our Bee Bar products give you the needed help for dry and sore hands and feet, or cracked heels. Also excellent for itchy skin anywhere on the body. Honey House Bee Bar products are made from all natural ingredients. You'll especially enjoy the smooth feeling they'll give your skin.

The Belly Bars were originally developed for the expectant mother to make tight, itchy skin more supple and to help avoid stretch marks. Belly Bars have also been found to provide relief from other skin irritations such as insect bite, and minor burns such as sunburn or radiation therapy burns. Belly Bars also relieve the itch swimmers experience after a session in a chlorinated pool.


Also available are the Honey House Lip Butter Tubes in seven flavors

The Bridge

You may have heard back on August 1st of 2007 about the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis collapsing suddenly killing 13 and injuring many more.

I used to cross that bridge daily, going to and from work. The collapse left a lasting scar on the public psyche and it's confidence in what was a routine event - crossing a bridge. My oldest son is a Minneapolis police officer and spent many long days protecting the public from its own curiousity.

This last Thursday, just over a year after the bridge fell, a new state-of-the-art bridge has been raised in place of the old and is now carrying traffic across the river. The bridge opened with much fanfare at 5 AM and dignitaries and highway maintenance vehicles led two streams of vehicles across the new span - one from the south and one from the north.