Autumn Tea in the Garden

 The first of the falling leaves.

Wood stacked for the coming Winter days.

 Autumn is coming!

 Time to tuck in and enjoy the last few days of harvest.

Sugar cookies with the scent of orange are perfect for an Autumn Day.

Roses still coming from the garden.

A French tablecloth I adore.

Apples, the gift from God.

Tea in a special cup.

Tea in the garden.

A Delight to the Heart.

When Fairies Travel

 

The End of Swain Woods:

Yes, the evil ones did come, the bulldozers and the trucks.  No longer was Swain Woods 

full of bird songs, bunnies that cuddle, and fairies living there.  They call it progress, it is said; but sadly what is called progress for some is devastation for others.  Most humans living nearby didn't know there were fairies in the woods.  They thought their dreams were big enough to destroy the trees and ferns, uprooting the unseen little people living there.  Their hearts were sheltered and they couldn't see, they couldn't hear the sweetness of the music.

The fairies knew it was time to leave, to find a new home.  They must travel far.  There was a gathering one last time with their forest friends as they said a fond farewell.  They packed their bags and invited Scamp to travel with them.  There were new places to explore and soon they would leave Swain Woods.  Oh yes, they would be sad to leave.  The music would be silent, it would leave with them.

The eagle came swooping in and soon they were aboard.  He would carry them deep into a newly discovered woods where again they would dance, sing, and scamper with delight.  Tea parties would abound with sweet nectar's of violets and pine needles in their cups.  If only I knew where they lived, I would once again join them to savor the music and watch with enchantment.

Today there are houses built in Swain Woods.  I wonder if they ever find a fairy wing or hear the music?
Though my story of memories of Swain Woods are done, I will never forget dreaming and dancing there.

Focus

The new camera lens presented me with some challenges at first.

I insisted it go with me everywhere and took no other lens as a back up.

Yes, this was the solution to learning for me.

For as you see the first few snaps didn't focus so well,

but now I am learning.

In a way I like the photos not quite focused.

What do you think?

Do you challenge yourself to learn something new?

How do you feel about learning new things?

Is it scary?

Is it exciting?

Enjoy and Challenge yourself each day, it is so worth it.

Soft Tea Review

How to head this review?  Soft came to mind.

All three of these teas remind me of the softness of Spring,

a gentle touch of sweetness and new growth.

Chamomile Rose Silver Needle White Tea was beautiful in appearance.

It would be a lovely tea for an afternoon of shared tea with friends.

Light, floral with just a touch of chamomile.

Blending chamomile and rose is a delight.
Easy to drink.

Organic Silver Needle White Tea (Bai Hao Yin Zhen)
Soft green color.
Reminded me of a field of fresh mown hay after a Spring rain.
Simple, straight forward, and pleasant to the palate.

White Peony Tea (Bai Mu Don)
A sweet scent.  This one caused me to be poetic and a favorite of the three.
Nature speaking words yet unheard,
but softly speaking in my throat.
Color of golden light
Shines in my cup.

All three of these teas can be found at teavivre.com.
Enjoy!

Monday's Quotes

Look deep into nature,

and then you will understand

everything better.

~Albert Einstein

Do you see the deer?

Usucha and Sweets

It was an honor recently to be served usucha (thin matcha tea and a sweet) by my friend, Stephanie.
The ritual of the ceremony intrigues me and I am so proud of my friends that are learning this ceremony.
For me, I don't have the patience to do each step just exactly so.
From the flower on the wall, the lovely gelatin with bean paste sweet, to the beautiful bowls
the tea was served in, it was a treat.
No pictures were taken in the tearoom during the ceremony,
but after I snapped this and just thought each tool was beautiful.
Never having been served tea at a Japanese Tea Ceremony I found watching a video helped me
understand what was ahead on that particular day.
If you are curious to learn more, here is the link to the video.
Stephanie's blog is also a fun place to learn more about the way of tea.

http://stephcupoftea.blogspot.com/
By the way, Stephanie did a great job and I loved her movements like a dance.

This quote came on the invite:
Every day is a journey,
and the journey itself home.
~Basho

EAT!

 Waiting for them to ripen.

Grapes nearby are just a memory.

 Over abundance is a JOY.

Shared with neighbors.

 Still zucchini and more squash coming soon.

Fennel and Kale in the garden.

The summer has been a time of harvest for our little grandson.

His parents have taken him to pick blueberries, huckleberries, and cherries.

He loves it all.

Now he has discovered that our yard is a place to forage for food

and forage he goes.   He knows where every little strawberry plant,

blueberry, raspberry, plum, grape, fig, tomato, and kale is tucked in the garden.

He has helped us pick the tomatoes and kale to take home.

Yesterday he found the plum for the first time

and was thrilled to eat from the tree.

As his mother walked past the plum tree to take him home

the last word I heard was "Eat".