Happy Mothers Day

All inlaid marble. Amazing craftsmenship. The Amalfi cathedral.


It was very foggy this morning. When the cats woke me up, you couldn't see our one puny tree in the yard. By 10, it had burned off. I'm not sure why we had it. It's sunny today, but, of course, it is supposed to rain later. In April we had 5 more inches than normal. That's a lot of water with no place to go.

I finally have put up my Christmas bird feeder. For a while I lost the directions and couldn't figure out how to hang it, but now it is open for business. The housefinches are checking it out. It is designed to keep out squirrels and big birds. Ooh, a rosebreasted grosbeak just landed on it. They are such lovely birds, black and white with a rosy bib. It's been joined by a tufted titmouse, a downy woodpecker and another finch and now a grackle. Lots of life.

For all your mothers, I hope you have a wonderful day.

Another tea today from Life in Teacup - Frosty Spring Yunnan Roast Green. As one might expect, this comes from Yunnan Province in Southwestern China. These teas all come from small harvests, carefully controlled and processed. I use Gingko's instructions and use water just off the boil for 1 minute or when most leaves sink to the bottom of the gaiwan, refilling for a second time when one third of the tea is left. These leaves are a grayish black and smells of popcorn or barley. When they are brewing, there is a scent of something like squash. The tea calls up a memory, but I cannot identify it. Perhaps the taste of something straw like. The second infusion is more woodsy smelling is ia now a pale yellow green, instead of pale yellow. The taste has moved into a more spring like vegetal greenishness. This tea is unusual in that it is both green and roasted, which is why I would it calls up things like popcorn and barley. Perhaps the woodsiness isa hint of its Yunnan origins. It is a very nice drinkable tea.