Quarantea 4 (April 8, 2020)
This morning, the orchards, cloaked in grey mist, set the mood perfectly for this chabako temae, kasumi-datte “mist presentation.” It is the first chabako temae, sou. It is traditionally done in the springtime, although, we practice it all year round. The presentation uses a single panel. The implements are arranged on the futa (box lid) so as to resemble a bird’s wing in flight.
- Tea – Matcha Harmony
- Sweet – dry sweet from Japan
- Chawan – sweet little chrysanthemum bowl with a hairline crack
- Natsume – deep chocolate brown lacquerware
- Chabako – Persimmon-colored with black lacquer; robin’s egg blue matching furadashi and chakin zutsu
- Chasen zutsu – wooden
- Tetsubin – heavy hive pot
- Kensui – locally made by Northport Pottery
This temae’s flowers are a heavy, moss-covered stone found creekside on my morning walk around our property. Even though I’ve misted the stone generously, it could not stay in the house for long. I followed a slug trail from the dish to the edge of the tablerunner, to find a sadly dried out slug. Back to the creek with the mossy rock and its unhappy inhabitants.
With gratitude,
Michelle