Just in time: Pocket watches are back in style!

Assorted pocket watches from our family's collection, mounted and ready to display. . . almost.

This month, pocket watches aren’t just hanging in our front hallway — they’re making headlines. At BTS we follow trends, but, in this case, did we actually foresee the resurgence of this vintage accessory?

Dare I say, time will tell?

This week a pocket watch with combined Gilded Age/Titanic provenance made headlines. As noted in several news outlets, including the Chicago-Sun Times, a Tiffany gold pocket watch worn by John Jacob Astor IV on board the Titanic sold at auction yesterday for $800,000.

Of course, its owner and brand contributed to the price tag, but the timing dovetails neatly with another spotlight on pocket watches: last month’s release of the long‑awaited Peaky Blinders spinoff.

According to Elite Traveler’s April 10, 2026 article, “The Pocket Watch Comeback You Didn’t See Coming,” interest has surged in the period style associated with Birmingham gangster Tommy Shelby (played by Cillian Murphy). Shelby’s signature look — close‑cropped sides with a shaggy top, a sharp three‑piece suit, and, front and center, an elegant pocket watch with its chain looped through his vest — has clearly struck a chord.

Rob hanging now trendy pocket watches in our front hall.

Google reported a 100 percent increase in searches for Shelby's watch. But, does that translate to the pocket watch being the must-have accessory for 2026? One industry specialist suggests the trend is more ripple than tidal wave.

Nicholas Bowman‑Scargill, managing director of Fears Watch Company, told the magazine that while pocket watches may never be fully “mainstream” again, there is a “gentle, but notable interest” in them. She attributes the appeal to a growing appreciation for objects that feel “more considered, more mechanical, more real.”

For years, we've been accumulating collections from parents and grandparents and, among them, a small assortment of pocket watches. Last year, I gathered up five of the time pieces from long tucked away tins and boxes filled with vintage medals, buttons, odd coins and costume jewelry. I dusted off my newly found treasures and hung them in decorative shadow boxes. I set them aside, until I found the perfect place to display them - which, sadly, was mostly in the upstairs hall closet.

Six pocket watches on full display - one vintage piece still going strong.

That is until last month, when my husband, Chris, was doing more decluttering in the basement. He found a pocket watch that I believe belonged to my dad's dad - and here's the ticker kicker, it was still working!

Now with my collection of six, I ordered new shadowboxes, vowing to show these watches off. With the aid of my son, Rob, we hung them in front hallway, right next to our mounted pendulum clock. 

They do bring me joy and a sense of connection every time I walk by.  (and, may I add, an admiration for the craftmanship - it's true, they don't make things like they used to).

Did I know when we finally got these antique gems out in the open that they'd be trending? 

Perhaps a bit of serendipity. But, undeniably, the time for the pocket watch has come.

Time Out: Tea time wellness package is self -care wrapped up in a bow, complete with hugs, friendship and maybe a little DOOL

Wellness Tea package, a self-care toolkit, comes with tea, mug, candle, slippers, and good friend hugs.

Candles as roses and slippers so snuggly

Copper tea kettles and lots of warm huggies,

Colorful packages tied up strings,

These are a few of my favorite things. . . 

To borrow from Rodgers and Hammerstein, there's a lot of simple pleasures that bring us joy. Put them in a big bag, wrapped with a bow and you have a very special present. But, that's not all - add the focus of wellness and self-care, and you have been gifted a bit of indulgence as well. Sip tea in a big cup, light a scented candle, put on cozy slippers, lay back in the recliner and queue up the latest episode of Days of Our Lives.

With the exception of those last two, that’s exactly what I received last week from my very good friend, Laura — who, for clarity and tradition, has always been referred to by her full title: my very good friend, Laura.

On our way to our mid-way refresh cup.

Born the same year, married the same number of years, raising millennial children, and navigating careers that zig‑zagged through the same industries and cities, it’s surprising we didn’t meet until 2009. But when we finally did — at a once‑Fortune 500 company — we bonded instantly over The Banana Splits (the ’60s TV show), Foreigner, and musicals.

Now that we're both retired, we've turned hour lunches into half-day events. Our most favored restaurants bring us new coffee/tea cups when we've hit the two-hour mark.

Having the time for marathon catch‑ups is a gift, but even then, with all the activities that fill retirement (that oft‑repeated motto — “I’m busier now than when I was working” — turns out to be true), intentional “time‑outs” can slip to the back burner. So when your very good friend gives you all the tools to take a break, there's no excuse to let that self-care slide.

Self care box has everything but the recliner and TV remote. 

The Wellness Tea Care Package comes from Modern Elegance. The box contains a 13 oz earthtone mug, comfy cloud socks, a flower-shaped sea salt and nectar wax candle (handmade with love!) and, the piece de resistance - Wellness Blend tea, a mix of black and green tea with turmeric, ginger, and cornflower petals. It's deliciously relaxing.

And, just like in the office, I respect my good friend Laura's direction. This afternoon, I put the copper kettle on, steeped my tea, put on my cozy slippers, lighted my candle, threw back the recliner to "rest position" and caught up with DOOL. 

Taking time out from time to time is important and so is having a very good friend. 😊💗

 

Duck Sh*t Tea (and Chocolate): It's real and it's spectacular!

Tasty tea (and chocolate) with unsavory name.

If you were trying to entice customers to drink a specialty tea, cultivated from lush plants and rich terrain that strongly delivered in both taste and smell, you would most likely favor descriptors that evoke beautiful imagery, fragrant aromas and delightful flavors. 

Duck doo-doo does not rank high for such alluring advertising.

However, if you are trying to dissuade people from seeking your tea out - say, ruthless competitors or big business takeovers - labeling it foul fowl feces would be a good start.

That is the legend of Duck Sh*t tea.

A confession:  in all my years in the tea business, I had never heard of this tea of type.  Though my memory is often tested, I am certain I would not have forgotten a tea with this misleading moniker. And, misleading is key here, as I have come to discover more about this odd duck tea.

My Story:

Last week, as part of my ongoing birthday celebration, my daughter, Rachel and son-in-law, Sean, gifted me with a collection of chocolate and tea and chocolate tea. Truly, they know what I love (including them). But, of course, the Duck Sh*t Tea Chocolate label immediately got my attention.  

Daughter, Rachel, had Duck Sh*t tea when living in China a few years ago.

While they purchased this at a gourmet food emporium in Salt Lake City during a recent trip, Rachel, was already familiar with this Chinese tea and explained the name, is, indeed, real. She actually drank Duck Sh*t tea when she lived in China a few years ago. She also shared what she knew of the tea's lore: a tea farmer cultivated such an extraordinary tea that, to guard against unwanted attention, he gave it a name to offend and repel.

Duck Sh*t Tea's Story: 

Digging a bit deeper, according to UK's TeaTrade, there are two theories of the branding origins of Duck Sh*t tea. The first involves a tea farmer, Wei Chunse, who lived in a mountain village in the province of Guangdong (southeast China). He introduced a tea bush from a higher altitude village to the unique yellow-soil of his own farm. It produced such an aromatic tea, superior to those in the area, that at the risk of theft - played out by the cutting of branches and grafting - a name was given to get the competitive hounds off the alluring scent.

Another suspect in the Duck Sh*t label is the soil itself.  Rich in minerals, the dirt has a distinct yellow loam and an overall yellowish-brown hue, which, to the locals, resembles excrement of the grain-fed poultry in the region. 

It is suggested that the truth of the Duck Sh*t name may be a combination of both theories. Our clever tea farmer may have drawn inspiration from a common reference to protect his unique tea creation.

Would Duck Sh*t Tea by Any Other Name, Smell as Sweet? 

When the Duck Sh*t hit the fan, fans demanded it not change. In 2014, a Chinese Tea Farmers Association tried to "gentrify" the tea and package it with a more attractive label, "Silver Flower Fragrance". Customers rejected the change, preferring its "earthy original", signaling a trend in the high-end tea market which places value on authenticity and provenance.

List of ingredients on candy bar, notably absent, duck doo doo

Waiting for the tea, but chocolate is just fine

Currently, I'm making my way through my Duck Sh*t tea chocolate bar from FOSSA Chocolate. It's delicious - definitely malty and earthy with hints of floral. It's not sugary sweet, either, which gives it staying power on my serving platter.

In the meantime, I'm sourcing some Duck Sh*t tea. I like that its true to its authentic self and ditched the Silver Flower for a name we'll all remember. Duck Sh*t tea happens and I can't wait to sample more.

'Guilded Age' of Gourmet Confections: Ontario's Guild Chocolates is a treasure across the border!

Jaclyn Sanders (right) with BTS' Barb Gulley

In 1866, oil was discovered in Petrolia, setting off a series of boom periods for the small Ontario town. Nearly 150 years later, gold struck again in the form of hand-crafted, high-quality chocolate and its home is Guild Chocolates.  

Last weekend, we embarked on a remarkably short international trip to meet with the owner and award-wining chocolatier, Jaclyn Sanders. 

Though Guild Chocolates has been in business for over a decade, my husband, Chris, and I just recently learned about it. An upcoming tea event, hosted by the folks behind Guild Chocolates, showed up on our social media feed.  Afternoon tea and chocolate? No surprise, we're their demographic.

Guild Chocolates award-winning sweets, miniature works of art.

The shop is only open on Saturdays, so Chris and I carved out a weekend to cross the Blue Water Bridge, traveling the easy distance from Sarnia to nearby Petrolia, to meet up with the chocolate artist behind Guild Chocolates.

Jaclyn is as sweet and inviting as her chocolate and within a few short minutes, I felt like I was talking with an old friend. Her resume is impressive - studied Art History at Cambridge, lived in NYC for eleven years honing culinary skills -  yet she's equally down-to-earth and engaging and her passion for her craft is evident in all her chocolate creations on display.

Guild Chocolates is open only on Saturdays, but hosts special events throughout the year. 

The variety of confections include solid bars and truffles in various forms from frogs to bubbles. Many of Jaclyn's chocolates have won top awards in both international and national competitions. In fact, there's a six-piece sampler of some of the medaled chocolates (which we bought and loved!), including FruitTea, made with matcha, kukicha, peanut praline and raspberry.

That's not where the tea connection ends, however. Guild Chocolates also sells several loose tea blends and other tea-infused sweets. One of our favorites in the latter category is their Earl Grey chocolate, which received Gold in the Canadian Chocolate competition, 2023.

Earl Grey chocolates, recipient of Canadian Chocolate competition, 2023.

In addition, Guild Chocolate hosts special tea and chocolate events throughout the year with historical themes (Churchill, Titanic, Dickens, Frank Lloyd Wright), tastings and Afternoon Tea (which is coming up in May!).

Inspired by Victorian writer, artist and central figure of the British Arts and Crafts movement, William Morris, Guild Chocolates not only offers extremely tasty treats, but individual works of art in every bite-sized sweet.

Guild Chocolates in Petrolia, Ontario - a town that continues to strike gold!

Guild Chocolates is a delicious get-away. For those in the Detroit Metro area, a relatively short (1 - 2 hour) drive. We'll be crossing the bridge again in May, for more chocolate and afternoon tea.

For more information on Guild Chocolates, their hours, location and upcoming events, visit their website at guildchocolates.com.

Barb's Tea Service: Podcast of the Year!

Barb's Tea Service wins Podcast of the Year from ONTV Studios.

Barb’s Tea Service is excited and honored to share that we were awarded Podcast of the Year by ONTV Studios.

Last week, at the ONTV banquet and awards ceremony in Lake Orion, my co-host and arm candy, Chris, along with our son—and five-time BTS guest—Rob, joined me to dine and mingle with studio staff, fellow producers, and creators.

Awards ceremony hosted by ONTV's Ian Locke and Tracy Marsh.

Executive Director Ian Locke, who also served as Master of Ceremonies this past weekend, opened the evening with highlights of ONTV’s programming and achievements. After a delicious catered dinner, Ian resumed his emcee duties and, alongside ONTV’s Administrative Assistant and outstanding hostess year-round, Tracy March, presented the evening’s awards.

BTS' five time special guest - and son - Rob, joined us for the awards banquet.

After only two years in the studios, Chris and I were both surprised and thrilled to hear Barb’s Tea Service named Podcast of the Year.

Earlier this month, Chris and I were celebrating both our 70th podcast and our second anniversary. Looking back at our 2025/2026 highlights, we sampled over 30 different tea blends, hosted six special guests, and explored a wide range of tea and tea-adjacent topics -  from a dozen tea events  and travels to eight different states to milestone birthdays (Jane Austen and Chris).

Barb's Tea Service team of Barb and Chris Gulley awarded Podcast of the Year.

With all that behind us, we already know this year’s highlight. 😉

That being said, rest assured, we're not resting on our laurels. We've got another fun year planned full of more special guests, more tea and more surprises (mostly to us!). 

Podcast of the Year award will find a place of honor at the Gulley homestead.

We're thrilled to be recognized by ONTV, but, honestly, it's icing on the cake.  As we noted after completing our first year of podcasts, our regular trips to the studio feel more like visiting family than just "renting" space. 

A wonderful banquet, complete with swag bags.

A heartfelt thank you to ONTV Studios for their continued support over the past two years: Ian Locke, Tracy Marsh, Joe Johnson (Studio Manager), and Joey Tysick (Production Coordinator).

And to all our listeners, viewers, and special guests—thank you. As we like to say at Barb’s Tea Service, please stay tuned!

This item is trending. But what it is?

Antique silver items can serve as conversation starters -  in this case, what is it? 

Napkin holder?

Mail sorter?

Coaster carrier?

Those were just a few of the guesses I received when I asked a select group of millennials to identify this curious little object.

Creative guesses, all of them — and honestly, excellent ideas for repurposing. But none were correct.

According to two recent Country Living articles (“6 High-Value Silver Pieces That Buyers Always Search For,” Nov. 2025, and “5 Antique Styles Making a Major Comeback in 2026,” Apr. 2026), vintage silver of all kinds is trending again — including the humble toast rack.

A toast rack is exactly what its name suggests: a serving piece designed to hold toast. While undeniably charming in presentation, it also served a practical purpose — keeping buttered slices separated so they wouldn’t turn soggy.

Popular in well-appointed homes of the 1800s, when even breakfast demanded a bit of ceremony, the toast rack offered both beauty and function at the table.

Toast racks - not just for toast! Many are repurposing as mail sorters.

In the April article, Abigail Albers, co-owner of The Found Cottage in Hudsonville (my home state of Michigan), spoke about silver’s resurgence. She noted that “antique silver makes a great conversation starter,” and confessed she’s currently hunting for the “perfect antique silver toast rack to add a little charm to my brunch table.”

While some, like Albers, are seeking toast racks for their original dining‑room purpose, many modern buyers are more likely to use them exactly as one of our millennials guessed: as mail organizers. Prices today range from $100 to $600, depending on age, design, and whether the piece is sterling or silverplate.

I bought my own toast rack more than twenty years ago during a weekend of dining and shopping with friends in Holly, Michigan. I don’t remember the exact price, but it was definitely under $20. And for that modest sum, it has spent two quiet decades tucked into the back of my china cabinet.

Until now.

This week, I pulled out the silver polish and revived my long‑neglected treasure. Whether it ends up in our breakfast nook or my home office, I haven’t decided. For the moment, it’s enjoying a place of honor in our front hall — once again popular and a conversation starter for sure.

Roses of Silverbell: April in Paris and Lake Orion - antiques, tea and honey!

Kevin and Bonnie West, owners of Roses of Silverbell in Lake Orion

 

Roses of Silverbell is a Lake Orion gem filled with my favorite things:  antiques, honey and tea. The only disappointment for me is that I hadn't found this lovely shop sooner.

Last week, I, along with husband, Chris and son, Rob, journeyed past ONTV studios, our weekly podcast home, to discover more in Lake Orion's downtown, specifically Roses of Silverbell. Upon entering its doors, we were warmly greeted by Kevin West, who co-owns the store with wife Bonnie. 

Roses of Silverbell has its own line of honey and teas.

We learned that the shop has been at its current downtown location on Broadway for four and a half years. Bonnie, who joined us a little after we came in, said she had an antiques collection for years in her barn and this storefront was a natural progression of that business. 

After a quick perusal of the vintage items on display - an exquisite, eclectic collection of fine crystal and porcelain (e.g. Herend, Lalique and Orrefors), home decor and unique high-end bric-a-brac - I was drawn to a corner hutch filled with custom blended teas and honey.

Roses of Silverbell offers fine crystal and china, home decor and high end bric-a-brac.

Kevin W. explained his own journey of finding partners in both tea and honey, which has culminated into Roses of Silverbell's brand of products. Current tea blends offerings are about half herbal, half true tea in all categories (black, oolong, green and white). 

Honey varieties include special blends with wildflowers, western Michigan blueberries and apples from Blake's Orchard. 

Not surprisingly, we didn't go home empty.

Since our visit coincided with my birthday, Rob, treated me to both Wildflower honey and - it had to be - April in Paris tea! The latter combines black and oolong teas with red cornflowers and natural flavors of vanilla, pomegranate, caramel and bergamot. 

Brining home gifts in pretty packaging.

Tea for this month had to be April in Paris.

But, I wasn't the only one being shopped for. My niece's upcoming wedding reception is being held at a local apple orchard and cider mill - so we picked up some of that apple honey as part of the couple's treasure bath.

Roses of Silverbell is located in downtown Lake Orion on Broadway.

We absolutely loved Roses of Silverbell. We'll be talking more about the Wests, their amazing establishment and unique products in the near future. As, we like to say on our weekly BTS podcast, please stay tuned!

🌹🌹🌹

For more information on Roses of Silverbell, visit their website Antiques - Welcome to Roses of Silverbell