Saturday, March 27, 2010

gratitude


have you ever been profoundly grateful to someone that you do not know? a friend sent me a chain email relating to this question. it made me think about all the people who have impacted my life who i do not know.

the people that most immediately came to mind are paramedics. i have a profound love of paramedics. when i was quite young my mother almost died. in fact she did technically die, but the paramedics revived her. although i was a small child, i remember them. i still cannot think of these unsung heroes without an overwhelming sense of appreciation and feeling.

thank you paramedics today and always.

photocredit: {bryan warman}

Friday, March 19, 2010

holy family of yum


if you are anywhere in the front range and suffering from the cold and a sweet tooth like i am i suggest you gather all these ingredients. whip them, brew them, grate them, melt them, blend them, drink them.

it is an absolute remedy for what ails you. i promise.

*Ingredients: coffee, cream, kahlua, carmel. Oh my.

photocredit: {thelovelyreedrummond}

root down, rise up




good morning duckies,

i am sitting at my office taking in the snow. it's coming down again and this california sunshiney girl is wondering: when does the snow stop? is march not spring? apparently it is not. yet in my garden my daffodils are beginning to bloom and their fresh green shoots wear little white capped bonnets this morning. we've entered metamorphosis time and i'm making a little cocoon of my big chunky red sweater. it's a year to grow my patience skills

little tidbits that are making this long winter a bit brighter:

mango juice for the lips
the promise of my favorite flower
the knowledge that i'm on the path to becoming an advanced practice nurse midwife. this is a fact that brings me much joy.
bobo's oat bars...my new snack obsession
time reading at stellas, a most beloved coffee shop.
practicing photography and appreciating this amazing photography website

photocredit: {blamstur}

Thursday, March 18, 2010

i spy...



something so endearing. this artist, sophie blackall, illustrates the missed connection adds in the nyc craigslist. what a fun idea...

have you had any notable missed connections recently?

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

spring is springing and i'm returned


hello all,

apologies for my recent poor blogging skills. i've been handling some health issues and taking some very fun trips. i shall post pictures soon.

i woke up this morning and the daffodils in my yard were coming up. this will be my first spring spent outside of california and i cannot wait for the radical shift in seasons. a flower is so much more lovely when it is taking the place of an ice encrusted plot of dirt, is it not?

oh spring, in this year of transition, you mean so much.

photocredit: {dullard}

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

bday boogie down


today one of my dearest friends turns 25. he lives many states away, but i am very confident in his ability to fully boogie down on his bday...

in honor of his bday, one of his favorite quotes that i love:

Since my house burned down
I now own a better view
Of the rising moon
- Masahide

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

a little tom robbins please


i've been reflecting on this quote a friend sent me today. i go back and forth about my love for tom robbins. today is an up day.

"We waste time looking for the perfect lover, instead of creating the perfect love."
-tom robbins

photocredit: {the lovely nina of naturally nina and her fiance saying i love you old school chalkboard style. the amazing meredith documented their connection. what a lovely photo}

Love and the Tea Leaf: Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony


for the next chapterette of our tea story project i want to highlight the Chinese wedding tea ceremony. it is such a beautiful custom and rich with symbolism. the preparation, presentation, artistry, symbolism, and communal nature of this custom signify many tenants of what i perceive strong partnerships and unions to be all about.


although the ceremony manifests in many ways throughout the global Chinese diaspora, certain pieces of it seem consistent. the tea ceremony is rooted in the cultural belief and regional norm that tea is as much a part of everyday life as breathing or eating. sharing tea is a way to show respect and create bonds.

Chinese emperor Shen Nong (2737 B.C.) was said to be a scholar and herbalist. he adhered to a strict regimen of drinking boiling water each day to promote health. it is said that once while resting under the shade of a camelia bush his servant was boiling his tea and in the process camelia leaves and flowers dropped into the water. the magic of tea was born. Emperor Sen Nong was so taken with the aroma and the taste that he kept experimenting with various tea configurations and ultimately decided that tea has strong medicinal properties. he promoted it throughout his royal court as well as throughout his empire. tea has progressively become more and more a part of the various subcultures existing within the vast country of China.


many types of tea can be used during the wedding, but a consistent element is what is served in the tea. tea is generally taken plain in many regions of China, but during a weddings lotus seeds and sweet dates are placed in the piping hot drink. the seeds and dates represent fertility and the bride and groom drink the cups of tea that contain these delicacies. inherent in this ritual is an understanding that growing a family is an important tenant of marriage. many families in more modern times re frame these symbols and use the seeds and dates to represent their ever growing love and growth as a couple.


the wedding tea ceremony is also about respect and gratitude. the bride and groom serve tea to their parents and other elders in the group after the wedding. the bride stands to the left generally and the groom to the right as they pour tea for their family. the act of carefully pouring out the tea and handing it over is meant to communicate, "we are beginning our own family, but recognize that you have given us your all and we are here because of you. this is a day about us, but it is also a day about you. we are simultaneously creating a new family and uniting two existing families."


in the era of bridezilla and the mega-wedding it is refreshing to think about a nuptial ritual that is humble. although i am not married and thus can only posit speculations about what it means to join your life with someone else, i would like to think that ideally a wedding is about bringing two friends who love each other deeply together, but it is also about bringing their communities together. marriages need support; love contains high emotion and receiving affection is certainly a part of any healthy relationship, but it is also about servanthood in its best manifestation.

when people come together to intentionally become a community they often break bread together. in the case of the Chinese wedding ceremony they take tea together.

family, friends, vows, food, music,and a dollop of gratitude through the symbol of tea...what a lovely way to start a marriage.

the color of edgar allan poe's pajamas






good morning all,

this weekend i made my way up to gunnison with a friend. he introduced me to the magic of the western slope. highlights from the weekend were, but are not limited to:

a. the incredible natural and frigid beauty
b. the wonderful people i met
c. realizing that although i may be uncoordinated on skis, i really love cross country skiing
d. the delicious meals that i ate and the mimosas i drank
e. the many, many hours spent in bed resting and sleeping. i have paid many people's sleep debts this weekend. you're welcome world.
f. the wonderful and ever changing color of the of the gunnison sky. it was astounding and humbled me in that enchanting "it's nice to be small in this big world way".

photocredit: {ree drummond and jasper tandy}

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