Tea from the Garden

 There are 5 tea plants in my garden;

but only 2 of the plants are old enough to pick.

They should be at least 5 years old.

 Three new plants were added last year and placed in with the flowers.

This year I will add two or three more and that will be about all the room

left for tea growing in the garden.

Yesterday I plucked some of the new growth on the two plants.

Then I let the leaves sit overnight and this morning stir fried the leaves

for 20 minutes.  Stir and toss as it toasts.
 Ahhh!  The sweet smell of fresh tea.

 Here is the final results.

I know, not much; but enough for a couple gaiwans or small teapots.

Now I am off to savor the flavor.

All along the way I could smell sweetness.

PS, Now I have tasted.  It taste like a toasty green tea,
actually quite nice.  I am enjoying it now.

Happy weekend, dear friends!

Hope you are smelling and savoring sweetness in your day.

McKenzie River, Oregon

This past weekend a night was spent on the McKenzie River.

This is the view from the cabins window.

We were surrounded by beautiful trees and then there was the river.

With so much rain this year, the river was fuller than I had ever seen.

It rushed by.

If wasn't the meandering river where you wanted to wile away

the day sitting in these chairs.

But it was a time to explore and savor the moments among the trees.

Enjoy with me!

Nearby sat the Goodpasture Bridge.

“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
I am haunted by waters.”
~ Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It and Other Stories

This quote was found on Goodreads.

There were raindrops settling on the trees

The rocks glistened in the light of the day

The spring flowers bravely stepped into the light

And yes, the waters haunted me with their rushing by

I rejoiced in the beauty of my world

~m.miller 

Book Review

What can I say.

I don't often review books here though I read all the time.

Well this book is to good not to review.

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See was the best!

Yes, if you choose to read it, you will learn about tea;

but it is a book I believe anyone would enjoy.

There was a little bit of romance and tragedy.

A lot of good tea knowledge.  Lisa definitely did her homework!

Fascinating stories of the Akha people of China.

Plus there was intrigue and relationships.

So steep a pot of tea and sit awhile,

pick up The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane and read.

You won't be sorry you did.

Vintage Picnic Tea Time

What's not to like about this picture.

Recently I came across the picture at the antique mall.

I didn't purchase it, but took my camera out and took a picture.

So much dreaming and happy thoughts in this picture.

For me it combines both a cup of tea (or is it coffee) and a picnic outdoors.

I love that they had flowers on the table and sitting on a box.

I am trying to think what would they have served at this table with tea?

Did they make tiny cucumber sandwiches?

What kind of tea was in the cup?

Were they celebrating?

It seems like a gentle moment in time.

Sitting peacefully among the trees and grass,

But an effort was made to make it special.

How I would have loved sitting here,

listening to the conversation of the day.

Did you hear what Hazel did just the other day?

Oh, Mabel is expecting her 5th child soon.

Henry is out plowing the back 40.

And little William is off to school just down the road.

What are the plans for the church potluck celebration?

Yes, I can just imagine and dream along with them.

What do you think is in their cup?

What would they have served?

What is the conversation you are hearing?

linking with Bernideen:  http://blog.bernideens.com/

Walk with Me - Camassia Natural Area

 This is a walk I have planned on taking for awhile.

Though it was raining, it was pure delight to walk with a friend

through Camassia Natural Area, the first preserve of 

The Nature Conservancy in Oregon.

27 acres opened in 1962 full of glorious wildflowers and oaks.

They said there was wildlife, but I think they were hiding today.

 The wildflowers were spectacular.

I think this white blossom may be a fawn lily.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

 Yellow violets

 Not sure, but looked like pink clover

 The trails were beautifully managed and easy to walk

on even in the rain.

 Trillium

 Oregon grape

 There were open prairies just full of flowers

 Many camas lily everywhere.

I had always wondered what they look like and now I know.

 Wild strawberry

 My heart was full of joy walking through these fields of flowers.

 Happy Monday, dear friends!

Hope you are finding special places to walk.

The Art of Losing Oneself in a Cup of Tea

Sipping Heritage Wonder from Heritage Factory, Assam

in a black transferware antique teacup. 

I believe the teacup is early British when the cup

had no handle and the saucer was a slight bowl.

Tea could be sipped from the saucer.

Each cup of tea is a meditation in a teacup.

In the early morning hour

the house sits quietly waiting for me

I quietly tiptoe to the kitchen

turning the kettle on to warm fresh water.

The perfect cup is chosen

The tea is made

I sit and my hands warm as they wrap the cup

I dream a bit while sitting in the quietness of the morning

Watching the steam rise I delight in the slow pace, the warmth,

the scent, and then I sip

What dreams sit there in that cup

Where will it take my heart

I soar to a different place with my morning cup of tea

Yes, a Meditation in a Teacup 

Happy weekend, dear friends!

My Happy Place

Recently a friend mentioned having a "happy place".

I had already been thinking this was my "happy place".

When I need beauty, peacefulness, and a place to take pictures,

I go here, Monticello Antique Mall.

When they have a seasonal show, it just makes me smile.

Oh the whimsy of the vendors.

It always tickles me to see what is collectable now

or what delights others.

Occasionally I find something I can't live without,

but mostly I just love being surrounded in all this beauty and whimsy.

Wouldn't this dress be fun to wear to tea or a party?

Oh if I only had a waist.

And this bicycle reminds me of my first one

and learning to ride.

I could imagine sitting here with my cup of tea.

Would you care to join me?

Yes, it was time for Spring and Easter celebrating too.

Now how did they make those lovely bouquets?

Do you have a happy place?

A place to escape for a time and surround yourself with beauty?