I come from a long line of tea drinkers. Don’t get me wrong, I adore my coffee in the morning.
So much so that I get strange looks from my family in Europe on extended stays when again and again, for the breakfast table, I choose a cup of coffee to their pot of tea.
My Dutch grandmother poured hot water on black tea leaves in her silver pot precisely at 3:30 every afternoon, there was nothing a hot cup of tea couldn’t fix in her {and therefore my own} mind.
Did you know that tea is the second most consumed beverage only next to water? Brewing tea and drinking it is an important part of the day for people in almost every culture.
More than just a hot drink, brewing and sipping tea is a celebration of every day life, of taking a little time to smell the roses.
Brewing tea, smelling its delicate scent, and savoring each sip of the delicious, hot liquid encourages us to take a little break in the middle of the day.
To enjoy the moment, and really concentrate on the beauty of our day.
Drinking tea encourages thoughtful, peaceful thoughts, it brings a sense of peace and calm to an otherwise hectic day.
And these days, pretty much all our days are hectic if we let them be.
Tea asks us to slow our pace, to sit for a while, and be grateful for our homes and lives.
Drinking that beautiful cup of warmth out of an heirloom tea cup makes it all the more “special”, doesn't it?
I have a collection of special antique tea cups, some remind me of the people who gifted them to me. When I pull out one of those cups, to drink my afternoon tea, I remember the special friendship or family ties I have with the person who gave that cup to me.
I am hoping that my daughters and granddaughters, and my darling little grand-boy too, will have sweet memories of me and tea time at our house long after I'm gone. And that they will relish drinking their own tea out of the antique cups they inherit from us.
There are as many different tea blends as there are people, finding one you love is not difficult. The calming blend of herbs and spices can restore health, promote a sense of well being, even cleanse our bodies of toxins.
Making tea a ritual in your days allows you to appreciate your surroundings, it's a small luxury and a large grace note. It's also a wonderful way to treat yourself to a beauty break.
I love home design books, and BEAUTIFUL, by designer Mark D. Sikes does it's title proud. I often take just 10-15 minutes to sit and enjoy glancing at some of the pages while drinking my cup of tea.
I was fortunate to win this gorgeous book from my dear friend Shirley, who blogs at Hospitality Designs. Shirley shares her love of decorating and her love of making her home a haven for her family in such a charming way. We had the opportunity to meet each other in person this month, and it was best-friends-at-first-sight. {Don't you love that?}
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE KIND OF TEA? {For me, there is nothing as delicious as Earl Grey tea, with its delicate balance of heady and refined scents and taste.}
SHOP TEA CUPS {we have heirloom cups starting at 49.-}
24 comments
What a lovely and delightful post. Such beautiful pictures with panache!
I throughly enjoyed all the comments, too.
Now, I am inspired to pull out a vintage cup I bought in Switzerland and have a cup of tea.
Alice, thank you so much for reminding me of tupelo honey. If you’ve ever had it you know how special it is. My favorite farm stand stopped carrying it years ago, but I just ordered some from my favorite source. It will be here Monday and I can’t wait to make tea in my new favorite cup when it arrives.
Thank you Lidy for making all this possible.
I love Cuban coffee! My eldest daughter’s husband is from Cuban heritage, they just went to Cuba and brought back the most amazing Cuban coffee beans.
Thank you for loving tea, and for always being an encourager of my blog and antiques.
Wishing you a beautiful weekend!
Here in Miami Cuban coffee is BIG and delicious with steamed milk, but I too love my teas. Earl grey, Irish and English breakfast are my black tea favs. I enjoy green tea too and I order a scrumptious oolong from China that I discovered on CBS Sunday Morning. It is exotic with notes of lychee nut. I make a cup, lean back, inhale the steam and watch the ducks and Ibis on the lake and in my backyard. You are transported to a dreamy land where all is well with the world.
I have a modest, little collection of tea cups and when I saw that darling, blue floral it was “love at first sight”. Having a beautiful cup to sip from enhances the experience and I am thrilled to have found another beauty to add to my group. Thank you for reminding us , in so many ways, to bring beauty, love and peace into our everyday lives.
Susan, yes! It’s one of my favorite teas…and what a thrilling life you lead, friend. Happy weekend! Hope the weather is still pretty.
Alice, what beautiful words! I agree…running off to buy Tupelo Honey.
Happy weekend!
It’s Earl Grey for me always in an antique cup. Just one cup will do with a teaspoon of the best Tupelo Honey. When I found Tupelo honey I’ve never wanted any other. When life dishes our lemons I can turn it to lemonade with that one cup. It calms even if only the time it takes to prepare and sit down to partake. Life is beautiful if we take time to look for the joys it offers.
When I was in Kenya, I picked tea with some friends who are growers. Only the top two leaves. Not easy.
Marriage Frères is renowned for their teas, and have the most beautiful shop in Paris. Don’t miss it if you’re there!
I’m so sorry Linda. I know sometimes we do that, make a too quick decision. The only blessing in all of that is that someone else probably felt like they were the luckiest person on earth when they were able to buy one of your Mom’s treasures and love it in their family now.
Thank you so much Shirley! I agree, having tea really makes us slow down and rest and take in all the beauty that surrounds us. Happy weekend, I know you will enjoy it. xo