Daily prompts for tea and satisfaction.
Some of my earliest memories of visiting and sharing involve a cup of tea-always black, as the herbal varieties and certainly green tea was not yet available and so much a part of the current culture.
My parents were largely coffee drinkers, and the pungent smell hanging loftily in the kitchen each morning turned me away from the percolator and the bitter grounds that were my duty to clean. I became puzzled over the importance of coffee in university life, the work place and in my friend’s kitchens.
In my first staff meetings, there were simply no alternatives to coffee, no juices offered, no water, no tea. It was as expected that you drank coffee as you were expected to breathe air. Thankfully in due time, someone had the sense to begin to incorporate more options for those of us who were non-conforming or who had regulated themselves down to one early morning cuppa.
When I was young, my mother offered the ultimate satisfaction-tea after the evening meal, and I suppose in an effort to feel grown I began to join in, sweetening it until it was palatable. Red Rose or Orange Pekoe were the tea brands that landed in the shopping cart and made their way into our pantry and into my future as I prepared a cup on cold winter afternoons and during my days as a student while my friends drank “sophisticated” coffee-based concoctions.
Tea was always the go-to for me, synonymous with comfort and contentment. I eventually branched out slightly and bought loose black tea varieties such as Versailles Earl Grey, Chai and Ceylon and have succumbed to the dolled up versions of “tea” on occasion that resemble authentic black tea like a simulation war game resembles an actual battle.
Strangely enough, it is my go-to photo prop for my photography. Somehow just placing a small cup somewhere in the composition elevates it, drawing the eye toward or away with the intent of conveying an emotion in the scene. The days without prepping a cup for drinking or a photo are fewer than not; loose leaves with their berries and florals floating lazily as their juices swirl and darken awaiting the first steaming taste.
Tea remains my constant and as I make my way through the varieties such as Matcha, Assam and Keemun, the consequences prove familiar- a catalyst for calming and comfort.
Do you have any memories of growing up with coffee or tea?
Kathy Pardell 
Loved your pics, such a lovely spring feeI 🙂 I have some lovely memories of the strong smell o coffee brewing in my house that my dad would make every morning.
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It’s amazing how smells take us back to the past to vivid childhood memories. Coffee, cigarette smoke, the pungent aroma of peonies from the garden, baking bread-it all contributes to the fabric of our lives. Thanks for dropping by:)
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Those are beautiful photos. I’m also a tea lover and worked in a tea shop part time for several years.
janet
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A tea shop! I would be like a kid in a candy shop with all those tea choices…. but I know I’d always end up with Earl Grey in the end:))
Thank you so much for dropping by:))
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We had three types of Earl Grey and an Earl Grey rooibos as well. 🙂 It was quite fun tasting and drinking all those teas.
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such beautiful images. I myself am quite partial to black tea and some of the fruit infusions as well, especially with ice and fresh fruit on a hot summer day. I just confess I still usually go for the coffee 🙂
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I have just started coffee about a year ago. Still prefer tea but there are some very creamy, sweet coffee-based concoctions that I treat myself to once in awhile. It’s gotta be sweet for me to drink it down:)
Have a great day Julie!!
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thanks Kathy You Too
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So beautiful … your words seem to flow so easily on the page, as do your photos!
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So sweet of you to say Carolyn. I seem to take quite a a lot of pictures of tea and flowers…..maybe I should switch it up a little:)
Thanks for dropping by!
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Beautiful photographs and beautifully written story as well.
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Thank you Debra.It’s sometimes a treat to reflect on the past and photo or story prompts help with that.Have a great day!
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I grew up in a family of coffee drinkers. I do not like it myself. I do drink tea, particularly loose-tea variety, and always in a tea cup. I like the feelings in invokes.
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It takes getting used to that’s for sure! I love the feeling as well, especially on a cold winter day…Sigh.
Thanks for stopping by Lisa!
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Hello. I nominated you for a Liebster award. Blog post to follow shortly. Hopefully you can accept but there is no pressure either way. You have a beautiful blog.Stunning photographs. 🙂
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