On Saturday there was a special tea tasting at the Lan Su Chinese Gardens.
Brian from theasophie.org was visiting and sharing his lovely puerh teas.
The first tea was from 1980's and quite delicious and full of flavor.
I so enjoy watching others pour the water and make the tea.
What a treat to hear Brian share of his experiences living in China
and beginning to grow tea in the Yunnan Province.
In the cup is the first tea, so rich and dark, definitely an aged tea.
Then we moved to the second tea, which Brian's new bride
and her parents made for their wedding in 2016.
He called it the Wedding Tea, also a puerh, but much less
ripe and tended more to have green notes to it.
Again he pours the water, steeps the tea, and shares
with each of us around the table.
Quite a difference in the cup also.
Sitting there sipping and listening to the stories
was so peaceful.
Brian talked about the name of his business
having meaning in the divine feminine,
a balance achieved in the making and living with tea,
being aware of the tea internally, and
expressing nature through tea.
Sitting and sipping becomes a spiritual experience,
a free flow of energy throughout the body.
Then connecting with others also becomes an experience
both blessed and delightful over a cup of tea just yesterday.
Cheryl, that won my book give away recently, happened to
live in Portland; so we met yesterday over my cup of tea latte
at Smith Teamaker's tea shop. It was fun to meet Cheryl for the first time.
In the cup was a seasonal black tea latte with hazelnut.
Isn't it pretty?
So many ways of celebrating with tea.
New friends, peaceful moments, and sipping are just the best.
Linking to Bernideen at http://blog.bernideens.com/
How fun to meet up with a Portland blogger for tea! I love your beautiful and very explanatory photos, Marilyn. Really adds to the experience!
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice that you're learning all the different teas, Marilyn. You really have me wanting to go to a tea tasting now. I like the lighter teas better than the darker ones. The black tea latte with hazelnut is too pretty to sip on. : )
ReplyDelete"Sitting and sipping becomes a spiritual experience, a free flow of energy throughout the body"........love your words here, Marilyn.
~Sheri
What a beautiful latte! I would love to watch someone do that! You make me realize how little informed I am about tea. I know it is a vast world. I have Tricia Foley's tea book too! I'll have to dig it out. I am drinking green tea these days. Love it when the days get chilly.
ReplyDeleteThis was so VERY interesting, Marilyn... the aged tea! Look at that color! Tea is very much a spiritual experience, I find too. I love these thoughts on living tea and the expression of nature through tea. Tea is sooo much! LOVELY that tea latte too--lots of expression going on there. ;) Happy Day ((HUGS))
ReplyDeleteMarilyn, I'll have to come back later to read about the tea experience. I'm so distracted right now with the adorableness of Joey that I can't concentrate! :D I was completely taken with your gardenhouse, and then there he was!
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