Celebrating Poetry Month

No April Words

There are no words for saying

How wistful is the push

Of April through the budding

Of a lilac bush.

There are no notes for making

A little elfin air

Of new leaves on a willow;

No phrases to compare

With tapering blue hyacinths;

The first white butterfly;

With plum trees misted sudden

Silver on the sky. . . .

One may only listen -

Hand at throat - to rapture

More lyrically lovely

Than any song may capture.

~Kitchen Sonnets by Ethel Romig Fuller

Celebrating Poetry Month

A poem from a treasured book I once found at the antique mall.

A Secret Garden

Strolling recently through new surroundings,

I happened to spy a garden tucked in behind a fence.

It was on a main street of the village,

but if you didn't take note between the slats of the fence

it would have been missed.

Tip-toeing around behind and walking up a hidden drive,

I found access to this "secret garden".

A garden where dreams could be gathered.

A garden where I could sit in solitude and sip my tea.

A garden that gathered the quiet along with the sunshine

and just whispered a love note to me.

Do you dream of sitting and dreaming in a "secret garden"?

Does it make your heart smile?

Imagine for a moment sitting here.

Would you sit in silence, hold a special book, sip a cup of tea,

listen to soft music, or maybe rest your head with a little nap?

Ahhhhhh ..... Napping in the garden delights my soul.

Darjeeling Tea Time

About 12 years ago I was given a box of Darjeeling teas.

For those that don't know, Darjeeling teas come from the region of Darjeeling in India.

With the first taste from this box, I determined I didn't like Darjeeling teas.

The box sat on my shelf for 5 or 6 years until one day I decided to toss the tea

in the garden; but there would be one more taste before I did that.

What a difference a few years made, including a more educated palate;

the tea was quite wonderful and I ended up eventually drinking the whole box.

Now my early thoughts were that there was only one Darjeeling tea.

As you will see from the following list there are many varieties depending on

the tea estate and how it was processed.

Golden Tips Tea sent me the following teas to review

and I have thoroughly enjoyed each one.

To me it is like walking in the beautiful surroundings of Darjeeling, India

and savoring the flavors of each and every estate.

The first word in the naming of the tea is the estate name, after awhile you just

know what to expect from them.

Jungpana Premium Darjeeling, fruity and delicious, the fragrance fills my senses.

Giddaphar Muscatel, from the first sniff when opening the bag I was delighted,

it was like blossoms in the back of the throat.

Arya Ruby Darjeeling, a full leaf tea,, light in color and flavor,

more of a touch of springtime, reminded me of an oolong.

Gopaldhara Gold, softness of the garden in springtime.  It took a cooler,

shorter steep to bring out the flavor.

Badamtam Darjeeling, soft scent of roses in the cup, the flavor filled my

mouth with a smile.

Halmari Gold, this one surprised me.  Coming from Assam I expected it to be bold

in my face flavor, the first sniff almost smelled of fermentation, a very nice full

bodied, smooth black tea.  Of the teas reviewed here, this is the only one I have

included that isn't from Darjeeling.

You can find these lovely teas or other teas at www.goldentipstea.com

Thanks, Golden Tips for sharing your special teas with me.

Monday's Quotes

Having picked some tea, he drank it,
Then he sprouted wings,
And flew to a fairy mansion,
To escape the emptiness of the world....
~Chiao Jen

Easter, A Time of Celebration

 Happy Easter, dear friends!

 A time for new life and flowers.

 Bunnies and a special something to wear.

 Don an Easter bonnet and celebrate.

There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair,
And there is another sunshine,
Though it be darkness there;
Never mind faded forests, Austin,
Never mind silent fields -
Here is a little forest,
Whose leaf is ever green;
Here is a brighter garden,
Where not a frost has been;
In its unfading flowers
I hear the bright bee hum:
Prithee, my brother,
Into my garden come! 

~Emily Dickinson

Into the sunlight of spring time we step with delight.
Rejoice and celebrate!

"Let it Be"

Just this very morning, moments ago, I finished reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

Several friends had said it was good, but for some reason I wasn't ready for it.

This year my word is "grateful" and I am grateful for the nudge by others to finally pick it up.

Her adventure hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, with all of the struggles and joys, touched me.

When I came to last lines of the book I knew this was the book I was meant to read right now.

For the words"let it be", yes, those are words that have come to me in the past month

 while paying attention to "grateful". 

Cheryl Strayed learned this lesson while walking the trail.

For me it is a lesson in aging.

Learning to "let it be" is not an easy lesson to learn,

but we all must at some point face this with acceptance.

On the other hand I guess we can always struggle and be unhappy,

but I am choosing today to "let it be".

Have you struggled with "let it be"?

Yet another photo from Yosemite, I picture Cheryl hiking here.

Yosemite Falls - How could I miss you?

Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls.

The walk to view the Lower Falls.

The Lower Yosemite Falls.

The water flowing below us.

Oops!  Missed sharing the tallest waterfalls in North America
and the seventh tallest in the world (according to Wikipedia).

Did you know that?  I didn't.

It is Yosemite Falls.

"So glorious a display of pure wildness, acting at close range while
cut off from all the world beside, is terribly impressive.....
the rainbow light forming one of the most glorious pictures conceivable."
~John Muir

"In Wildness is the preservation of the World."
~Henry Thoreau

Both quotes come from the book, Meditations of John Muir, Nature's Temple,
compiled and edited by Chris Highland.

On this road trip adventure I became fascinated by John Muir.
First having tea at the Muir Tea House, then the time
in Yosemite, plus a road stop on the way home with a view of
Mount Shasta.  All the wildness John Muir treasured.

Welcome April!
May you not be fooled, but may the flowers shine in your eyes
and the day delight your soul.