Down the Tunnels of Olde Yellowcake.

I'd like to once again express my love for the solitude and warmth contained within a simple cup of tea. You're all extremely aware of my passion for the drink, and to what extents it soothes my soul when I'm in need of comfort; last night was one of those nights, and I apologize for being redundant in terms of tea here,  but I do love it so much. I know I say this all the time, and I sound cliche and naive in my love for it, but there's something in the warmth and the elegance that just strikes me somewhere in my soul. A beautiful cup of tea with a small tag hanging flippantly to the side is the best sight in the world to me.

Pictured above is the Scripture Tea I bought last night at Cracker Barrel; upon each tag, a bible verse is written, successfully combining two of the most comforting things on this earth. Last night I was in dire need of  a quiet moment to myself, and as such made myself a cup of tea after my family had gone to bed. I opened the window in front of me, and sat in the rocking chair with my cup of blackberry tea, watching the rain. I cannot express the soothing effects of quiet rain and a cup of tea in the dark to allow oneself a thought.

"There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea."  ~Bernard-Paul Heroux. I firmly believe this; and while my problems do not disappear with the wafting heat from my teacup, it does help take the edge off of the mental strain obtained when attempting to solve them. I've found several quotes about tea, and I'd like to share them for lack of anything better to do (quite obvious at this point, no?).

"Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company."  ~Author Unknown

"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage."  ~Catherine Douzel

"If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you."  ~Gladstone, 1865

"The mere chink of cups and saucers tunes the mind to happy repose."  ~George Gissing, The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft

"If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty."  ~Japanese Proverb

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future."  ~Thich Nat Hahn

"It is very strange, this domination of our intellect by our digestive organs. We cannot work, we cannot think, unless our stomach wills so. It dictates to us our emotions, our passions. After eggs and bacon it says, "Work!" After beefsteak and porter, it says, "Sleep!" After a cup of tea (two spoonfuls for each cup, and don't let it stand for more than three minutes), it says to the brain, "Now rise, and show your strength. Be eloquent, and deep, and tender; see, with a clear eye, into Nature, and into life: spread your white wings of quivering thought, and soar, a god-like spirit, over the whirling world beneath you, up through long lanes of flaming stars to the gates of eternity!""  ~Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat

"When the news reporter said "Shopkeepers are opening their doors bringing out blankets and cups of tea" I just smiled. It's like yes. That's Britain for you. Tea solves everything. You're a bit cold? Tea. Your boyfriend has just left you? Tea. You've just been told you've got cancer? Tea. Coordinated terrorist attack on the transport network bringing the city to a grinding halt? Tea dammit! And if it's really serious, they may bring out the coffee. The Americans have their alert raised to red, we break out the coffee. That's for situations more serious than this of course. Like another England penalty shoot-out."  ~Jslayeruk

"Tea! thou soft, thou sober, sage, and venerable liquid,... thou female tongue-running, smile-smoothing, heart-opening, wind-tippling cordial, to whose glorious insipidity I owe the happiest moment of my life, let me fall prostrate." ~Colley Cibber, Lady's Last Stake



Lashy