Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
Marcel Proust
Some friends are for the moment and some for longer. Some friendships are fostered through mutual interests, or work, or study, or locality.
And then there are some friends who own a piece of you. They make up part of your identity. They know who you are and how you got there. They’re the type of friends who take you the way you are. They’ve seen your best and worst. They’re forgiven your faults and treasured your virtues. They’re the type of friends with which you can just Be.
And sometimes those friends buy you teaware! 😀
This spherical set was brought back from the markets in Hong Kong by my treasured friends, Chris and Bel. I’ve no idea what sort of material this is exactly, but it’s cute AF. Don’t you agree? I’m a sucker for blossoms.
I’ve known Chris since we were itty bitty teenagers, where at first I hated him with a passion. He hit me in the ankle with a plastic hockey stick during P.E. at school, and had the audacity to laugh about it. Being the very fiery, hot-headed young woman that I was, war was declared and while I can’t remember how things were resolved, it probably involved some form of knee-groin interaction.
Anywho, somewhere in there I blinked and we were solid friends. Many deep and meaningful conversations which only the deepest, most philosophical teenage minds can contrive, and much laughing until our sides hurt over immature, dick jokes. But the thing that really makes me cringe is to realise that that was twenty years ago. Fark.
Bel and I have known each other for a minuscule ten years or so (lol) and she is just as much part of my heart. I can’t think of any specific thing that we bonded over or any particular moment where we became friends; it feels like something which has always existed. She has the kind of dry humour where I know that I can fully lift the filters and be myself. It is no exaggeration nor fluffy compliment to state that these two people are my family.
Teaview: Perfect South, First Harvest Shincha
I picked this up at the Australian Tea Expo in Sydney last year and it is well overdue for a good blogging. https://perfectsouth.com.au/
The term “First Harvest” is kind of self-explanatory, but it basically translates to “fancy-pants”. The description says a “grassy-fresh taste”, but I think it’s more of a nori (the seaweed on sushi) – flavour. As a green tea novice, I’m not much fond of grassy tasting teas, instead preferring tea with more of a umami (savoury) flavour. In short, it’s delicious and I don’t feel like I’m drinking hot water steeped with lawn-clippings.
Lovely green, slightly rolled leaves, which make a light yellow, pretty brew at 80 degrees for 2-4 minutes, depending on how you like it. It’s very smooth, silky, with a delicate sweetness, which makes it very palatable for this green tea convert. It’s the type of tea you drink when you feel like a bit of zen. Together with my red blossomy teaware, I’m one water feature and a Bunnings bonsai away from being some form of zen-tea master. Zentea? Zentean? Yes. Zenteanâ„¢.
Oh, and they also got me a hand fan for my collection. 😀
Pour the tea with a steady hand and a clear mind.
Or when you spill it everywhere, photograph it anyway and call it “art”. Anyway. Life, as in beauty, is in the details.
Spoken like a true Zentean.
Peace, mofos.
