Friday, February 13, 2015

Book Review


By the teahouse at the Japanese Gardens.
Photos were taken at the Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon

Shitamoe, he said, shoots under snow.  It was a nod to the hope of spring returning, to the ancestor Rikyu's simple tea, and to the new life, unbelievably, slumbering inside my older sister............The only sounds in the room were like breath: the soughing of the boiling water, the whisper of the tea whisk in the bowl.
"When he wrote to the Meiji court, he said the aim of tea was that people face one another as equals.  Just as you said, he wanted a way for merchant and samurai, commoner and artisan, Kyoto native and Satsuma man," she said, nodding here to Advisor Kato, "to set those differences aside and meet each other in the teahouse as equals, as fellow men"- inspired, she snatched at Kato's rhetoric - "under the Emperor, citizens of a new Japan."

The book, The Teahouse Fire" by Ellis Avery is full of tea and tea ceremony in a Japanese teahouse during the late 1800's.  It made me sad to see how women were treated during that time and how the Western world began changing things in the country.  I missed being enveloped by that world after finishing this book a few days ago.  Definitely worth reading.

Happy Friday, dear friends!
Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!
In front of our house there is a heart of crocus each Valentine's.
Often children stop by to see it and it has even been photographed by
people walking by.  It is a little difficult to photograph, but hope you can tell.

8 comments:

Jeanne said...

I love the book recommendation
and love all you share. Your heart shaped crocus lawn.

Jeanie said...

Much to love here, Marilyn. I love the idea of "shoots under the snow." They'll have to dig some to find them here, but just knowing!

And most of all, your wonderful heart. What a clever idea and what a delight!

Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

I've read a book of ancient Japanese culture, not tea related but one can understand how different things were then.
Love the crocus heart, you're a romantic even in the garden!

Angela McRae said...

I have heard of that book but had not read a review, so thank you for that! And I love your crocus heart -- live flowers are always the best!

Tracy said...

LOVE the heart-shaped bed of crocus... that is so beautiful--BIG SMILE there! :o) I've enjoyed many a Japanese-and Chinese-set book...always a pleasure to dip into the culture... and if tea is included so much the better! ;o) I must add this one to my reading list. Hope you had a LOVELY Valentine weekend, Marilyn ((HUGS))

Linda P said...

Beautiful photos of the Japanese garden. They make me feel peaceful just looking at them as do the words from the book describing the tea ceremony. The crocus heart on your lawn is beautiful I remember we had a flowering cherry tree in the front garden of one house we lived in and a Japanese couple took a photo. I suppose it reminded them of home.

Relyn Lawson said...

Hello, friend. "Shoots under the snow" - we just had our own first snow. Looks like a few quiet snow days around here. Yay.

Laura Morrigan said...

A beautiful garden. And I love your crocus heart!