Chocolate Mint Brownies and Grapefruit Pound Cake + tulips, great tea and baking plans

Two 9x13 of chocolate mint brownies: check.

Three Grapefruit Pound Cakes: check. 

Tomorrow I hope to make a lemon cake with meyer lemons and

a cranberry orange cake. 

These are all for our newly departed Warden's mercy meal... I am doing the 

desserts... my Grandma, who is the same age as +Patrick, always 

bakes for funerals, and I find I must do this as well... 

***

I had a really nice cup of tea today, a new to me loose Earl Grey,

very aromatic and if tea could be called 'smooth' I would say this one 

was very smooth... I am really craving black teas lately

and finding them to be quite sustaining... good thing I have some in decaf! :) 

***

I listened to a new requiem today, really loved it; listened to it twice through...

I feel like the best way for me to grieve is in part listening to requiems and other

prayers for the departed, baking, and just plan thinking of the departed one...

I realized that grief is a lot like being in love:

one is just so deeply aware of the person who is newly departed,

as if all of one's focus is on this person... 

so I bake, keep my main lampada lit and managed to put away my

Christmas linens, changing out my napkins for white and blue, 

putting away the Christmas table cloths, etc.

I also did a good few loads of laundry and folded a bunch of clean linens...

I still have to put away the table runner on my buffet where I light candles and 

put my Christmas icons away - and get out my Lenten icons!
***
Edited to add, my Husband has doctor's orders to not work
full days yet, we are relieved about this.
We hope he can return to full health soon and appreciate your prayers!

***

Will leave you with the requiem I listened to today, that was new to me

(don't let the dramatic picture keep you from listening)...it has an intensity in the first half

and a deep change and light in the second, I really appreciated it... so much wisdom in it...: