It's Golden

As I sip my nice hot blend of the day: Golden Jade with Yuan Dynasty Golden tips, I ponder the golden moments of each day.


In a single moment the most glorious shadow can be cast. An entire delight to those who are observant.


Slow down and pour a cup of joy.

Cheers.

Cast Iron Fun

A world of pure imagination.


Dreaming up a spring set of cast iron flowers.

Sipping.

Ready for work with a cup of tea in hand.

Today's blend is Golden Jade Green with Rooibos Tropica.


Another day of health, wisdom, and happiness.

Cheers

Happy New Years and Some Tea

A new calendar begins. I hope that it brings all more health and happiness.

Here you'll find an easy way to help that.

Two cups of tea made easy.


Cheers

Arkansas

Last night, I helped a guest named Jacob select a nice white tea.
He made a good choice, he took home a bit of my favorite tea, "To Life".


He spoke of his upcoming adventures to Arkansas. Besides having family there, he was traveling as a photographer. He was looking for inspiration. This brought to mind my great adventures in Arkansas. I decided to revisit the views.

With a few close friends we explored a few state parks.

One stop was the great heights of Pinnacle Mountain.

Our most anticipated and wonder filled stop was Petit Jean State Park.

I did not hesitate to write down this state park for our guest as a must see for inspiration.

It really is an incredible place.


Daily, Teavana is a wonderful tea journey. Never know where it might take you.

Visit Arkansas some time. You won't regret it.
http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/

Cheers.

Green Gifts

I just picked a nice, bright green gift for my brother.
Matcha





I decided to take a closer look at the bright green ceremonial beverage.

The History:
From what I found, I see that all authentic matcha originated in Japan. Chanoyu is the name of the Japanese tea ceremony and it is a historic ritual. It is said to also have gained historic popularity in China because of its rich health benefits. Along with its healthy gain, it is also said to have mental and spiritual benefits. It is associated with the practice of Zen.
The classic method of extraction is meticulous and it takes one hour to grind one ounce of matcha, being careful not to burn the tea. The highest grades of matcha remain reserved for the Japanese tea ceremonies and are said to go for $100 an ounce. The matcha offered in markets today is made in a more affordable manner, but the attention to detail remains.

The Benefits:
The most interesting thing about matcha is that it is basically one of the only tea preparations that includes the entire tea leaf. This boosts the benefits, adding to the already great benefits of green tea.
Matcha is the only green tea that is a good source of fiber.
Matcha is rich in polyphenols and has chlorophyll from the leaf.
Matcha contains catechins found only in green tea known as the ECGc complex which is known for being rich in cancer fighting properties.
Matcha contains L-theanine which is said to make the beverage a mood enhancer because this amino acid is known to relax the mind.

Teavana offers this great set that includes all needed to traditionally enjoy matcha.
- 80g/2.8oz of Imperial Grade Matcha Ceremonial Green tea
- 1 mouthblown glass traditional Matcha bowl
- 1 bamboo chasen whisk


So I must say, it's nice to wrap up a gift rich in history, health, and peace of mind.

Cheers

(The information here was gathered using the following sources:
1. http://matchahealth.com/pb/wp_90242a01/wp_90242a01.html
2. http://www.matchasource.com/matcha-tea-health-benefits-s/14.htm
3. http://www.teavana.com/Tea-Products/Tea-Gifts/Imperial-Matcha-Gift-Collection.axd
The image and the great gift can be found at teavana.com)

Surprisingly Good Together

Feeling adventurous? Try this fun (and yes bizarre) blend!
Jasmine Oolong + MateVana = Tea that tastes like a Tootsie roll. Yum!