I love sipping tea in porcelain tea cups. My great aunt bequeathed her collections to my father and I now have them in the same curio my Auntie Mae O’Donnell had. Although the tradition is on my Father’s side, my aunt being Irish, my mother taught me how to brew my tea as young as five. She would let me drink it in espresso cups which was just right for my tiny fingers.
My grandson loved to drink tea as well and would choose his tea cup whenever it was tea time. One day I invited my friend and her daughter who was grandson`s playdate. Well! I set up their tea cups with the tea pot brewing their tea. Ah, the cute things they do at five. I doubt he would want to even admit doing this now that he is 10.
I had a dear friend living next door when we were raising the children. I would often tuck in the children and run off to spend the rest of the evening with her sipping tea for hours. We had an understanding…when I`d call to say I was coming over, she would put on the kettle so when I arrived the water would be ready for my tea.
I find tea to be soothing. It is a lovely social ritual and different in many parts of the world but mostly, I like the subtle comfort it brings, the aroma of herbs, fruits and flora. Some teas are quite eccentric with a flower that expands in a special transparent tea cup. Tea is often a nice desert after a meal. How do you like your tea?
served in fine china,
floral and herbal teas
soothing the soul
(c) Tournesol ’14
Tournesol dans un Jardin 
What would we do without these soul-soothing rituals?
Tea Haiku
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My eldest nephew loves tea as well, he’ll make you a cup and then stand and stare at you with it until you accept the gift he made for you and share a cup with him.
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That is too cute!
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a local shop used to have the most wonderful array of coffees, teas, and exotic spices– it was glorious just to walk through the door — ah, what a scent! Sadly the gentleman who owned it experienced bad health and sold the shop — the new owners relocated — and while they have *some* of the aspects of the old shop, they haven’t been able to recreate the old experience. [sigh.] But anyway — he had this wonderfully delicate chrysanthemum tea with tiny flowers that would expand after brewing — it was beautiful. But my favorite? Earl Gray. 🙂
Great post Tournesol!
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I like Earl Grey as well and Chai…mmmm, the best I had was at the retreat when Amma came to visit in Toronto…just the right amount of milk added and sweetened to perfection:)
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…. for some reason I can’t do chai … perhaps I just haven’t had proper chai … quite possible! o.O
But Earl Grey is a long time favorite. In fact … I could really go for some right now, LOL!
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Oh that`s a grand idea…(walks over to the kettle in the kitchen at work)
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Have a cuppa for me! 😉
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What a great story Cheryl-Lynn … I like the idea of sitting back with a friend enjoying a serene evening with tea. And tea, unlike coffe (except at Starbucks I suppose) have so many wonderful flavors and properties. When I was still going to Shiatsu classes, our sensei used to prepare a thermos of bancha … so Shiatsu for me became among other things the taste of bancha tea. In Ethiopia, one would go to the caffè and order chai …. and they’d bring you a lovely piping hot glass of amber tea … ah the memories you’ve setoff with your lovely haibun! Thanks so much!
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Ah cara, thank you so much for sharing this little bit with me…I find images painted in haiku offer us opportunities to see it in our own worlds, past and present:) I can think of cafés here far better than Starbucks…like Caffé in Gamba:)
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I only went to one coffee place in the U.S. and didn’t like the coffe at all … I’m not fond of the 45 (or whatever) flavours of coffe whereby they add syrups and junk to my coffee. (yeech)
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Me either…if I want chocolate or vanilla, I will eat them separately, thank you very much.
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My sister had me try Amaretto … yuk .. I agree chocolate and vanilla stuff are cool … but not in my coffee.
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They buy flavoured coffee at work and that`s when I make my own in my tiny French Press…nice, hot and bitter!
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Now that is very wise … I like the French Press almost as much as espresso! I’ve been too busy to even sit back and relax the past two days … could use a nice tea break with a friend.
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One of these days we can do that on Skype 🙂
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Cool .. that might be an idea! 🙂
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After I catch that bloody mouse! found it in a box in my cd`s and Bette just stood there…as if to say, `”Huh?” I was so livid and angry with here…told her she disappointed me…she just stood stoic and took it…now I feel bad but still…the mouse is locked in the closet until I get a trap…grrrr
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Watch out … the pesky things are as famous as Houdini for their arts of escaping! Poor Bette though, she’s a lover not a warrior I fear. 🙂
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Ok ok, you`re right.she’s a wimp like me…haha…but she still stands guard…she is still not sleeping….and I can`t sleep cos my migraine is coming back:( may haved to take another sick day…maybe the mouse has contaminated me!!
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Sorry about the migraine coming back … but hopefully it’s not a mousey migraine normal ones are pretty bad already! Good for her to stand guard … means something anyway if she feels the vague notion that ’tis an enemy in the closet …
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My daughter grew up on genmaicha (popcorn tea). She can drink any loose leaf tea plain and traditional. I can never live without tea, the kettle always boiling.
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I simmered down a bit at work cos I like it with mil and there is neve rmilk…unless it`s Earl Grey, then I don`t need milk…I like strong black tea normally. It IS so soothing..
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Reblogged this on sueshan123blog.
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