The Ceremony of Coffee and Tea

I am on a quest to simplify life and slow down the pace of things with the goal of requiring less and appreciating more. Because I usually drink coffee, it takes only a couple of minutes in the morning to put coffee in the automatic coffee maker and rush around doing other things while it brews. This is not my preference, but is often what happens. It tastes fine, but I can't help but think now that something is missing.

Mainly, I am missing from the process. 

When I am in less of a hurry and in a state of mind to remember, I brew the coffee on the wood stove in a percolating coffeepot. There is more to this - the water level, the stove temperature, the sounds of the water heating up until the first sign of coffee appearing in the glass top and then the most important part - move to a lower temp side of the stove and brew for 7-10 mins depending on how strong you like your coffee. The coffee smells delicious, and I drink it black because the flavor is so amazing when it is brewed this way. This is a process that includes me. I need to pay attention, watch, hear, smell, taste and I interact with the coffee. It raises the experience to a level that connects to something inside of me. It slows me down and keeps me involved.

On days like today, when the stove is cool and I heat water up for a cup of tea, there is a different type of ceremony. Looking at each part of the process, the temperature of the water (just to boiling) the 3-4 mins you brew the tea leaves, the milk & sugar, or local raspberry honey (yum!) and the pouring, stirring, sipping, etc. This process also includes me and raises the experience to something other than just consuming.

So as I am writing this, I am listening to classical music, sipping tea and being a little reflective. It is always in the back of my mind to observe the things I do in life and see how I am rushing. The challenge is to take a step back and evaluate even the smallest things, like a cup of tea and if there is a slower and more involved experience I could be having. 

Or, in some cases, if the experience is an experience I want to have at all.

First Fruits

Last night, the laughter of our "children" and their friends hanging out and talking filled up something in me that is emptied by the time we all spend apart and busy. It pleases me so much to have them enjoy our home as much as we do. A couple of drinks in the garden and laughter through the window. It's all a parent really can ask for - that their children get along and like each other, enjoy and respect the home they live in and are grateful. Everything else is just working out details...

Even though today is June 2nd, it is raining and only 60 degrees out - and tonight is supposed to be only 50! It reminds me so much of vacations when there would be a rainy day and we would light a fire and make the most of the rain. So, when the rain let up Rob & I went out to look around the garden and picked a radish for our salad! Then we got some wood from the shed and built a fire to take the damp and chill out of the house. It felt like a real day off today of sleeping in and hot coffee perked on the wood stove.  Time slowed down and rest so desperately needed with the rush of life lately. 

Our little cabin in the city is such a refuge from every storm.

This radish was sweet and delicious - nothing like the dried out radishes
from the store. 

If you have never grown anything - I would suggest planting radishes. Easy to grow and so delicious and good for you!