Quarantea 1: Tea in the snug. (aka 9 of 52)
Ok, I have done tea ceremony in this space before. So, not new.
I have been thinking about how to continue with my new year resolution of a tea ceremony a week in a new place, with new people. Integrity is important to me. Even if the promise is to myself, I feel compelled to keep my word. I have struggled with this pivot. Letting go of the original parameters I had set for myself, and accepting that tea where I am counts, was made possible by my tea teacher. Roo sensei shared a recent quarantea video of the very first tea ceremony we learn…obon sou. The grace and beauty of the execution and the sincerity of the ceremony pierced my ego bubble. Just do tea. Count it or don’t, it is all the same.
Today:
- Tea – Matcha Harmony
- Sweet – not-so-fresh-anymore candied ume
- Chawan – one of my favorite grey Hagi ware bowls
- Natsume – plain crimson laquerware from Japan
- Obon – Swedish tray
- Tetsubin – tiny dragonfly tetsubin, a gift from Moira
- Kensui – locally made by Northport Pottery
- Tea flowers – Staying at home means more yard work completed. Flowers today are forced buds from the Magnolia we trimmed this weekend, in a brass vase. 2020 year of the metal rat; April, month of the rat.
We have been spending many evenings in our snug. A term we learned from watching too many British home renovation shows! A snug is a sitting room, generally smaller than what might be referred to as a living room or family room. Usually the snug is for reading or watching TV. The word snug makes me feel warm and secure, like, “snug as a bug in a rug.” With french doors to the west and double windows to the south, our tiny snug welcomes warmth and light, even when the skies are slightly overcast. This morning, blue skies brightened the snug-hosted tea ceremony. I love to practice tea in this space.
With gratitude,
Michelle