penandpatience

WRITERS WORDS: “Tea time is a chance to slow down, pull back, and appreciate your surroundings.” – Letitia Baldrige

Dear Readers & Writers: My flash-fiction short story, “Leticia,” is now available for reading (a free read) on the story page of Page & Spine Fiction Showcase.  http://www.pagespineficshowcase.com

AUGUST 2021 MONTHLY MUSING

TEA TIME AND WRITING – A WINNING COMBINATION!

After water, tea (Camellia sinensis) is the world’s most popular beverage. It’s summertime, August to be exact, and I’m not speaking of iced tea, although it’s refreshing and  available in all varieties these days. I’m speaking of a piping, hot black or green tea sans sugar or milk – a straight-up, soothing mug/cup of tea. Yes, tea has many benefits. “Researchers say regular-tea drinking (2 to 3 cups per day) may help lower cholesterol, manage blood sugar promote weight loss, protect against several forms of cancer, boost immunity and reduce inflammation.” (The Old Farmer’s Almanac-2020) So …How does drinking hot tea benefit writers and their craft during the summertime?

Yes, the sun is shining – O Happy Day! It’s the season when writers have many distractions. Beaches beckon, golfers pray for pars, travel vistas await and F is for fun, family, friends and who can deny the old camping hammock hanging between two shade trees. It takes discipline for a writer to pick up pen and paper or sit in front of a computer’s screen hoping words will emerge when your body and empty mind is already eyeing the hammock. But…But…But…A writer writes regardless …. It’s what we do!  So how do we remedy this dilemma when the writing brain remains challenged?

I muse…  one of my best solutions, along with a hot shower or a long walk with headphones, is— Tea Time!  For me, tea-time is simple. It’s usually a cup of Irish black tea. Often, I may treat myself to a scone or favorite home-baked goodie for further inspiration. I sip the brew either on patio or deck with only neighborly noises, birdsong, the scent of blooming flora and squirrels, chipmunks, wild turkeys and an occasional deer seen among the forever wild forestry behind our townhomes. Eventually, the empty mind relaxes and wanders. I never know where it will go or where it will end up!

One such afternoon, I was reminiscing about the many camping trips in the Adirondack mountains. And… that is how I recalled the camping hammock for this Musing. The hubby brought it home with him when he left the Air Force after serving the last year overseas. It came with us on many a trip, was strung up between two trees where he often relaxed balancing a cup of hot coffee while he rocked in relaxation. We grew to love and appreciate the beauty of the various Adirondack campgrounds and lakes, vacation respites we enjoyed for many years. One of the first, short fiction stories I wrote and published, “Rain, Rain Go Away” in 2011, originated from a harrowing experience during one of those trips.  I no longer have a hammock, but I do have Irish black tea😊

Many flavored teas such as apple cinnamon, cinnamon, lemon, chai, herbal, peppermint, vanilla, etc. – are perfect accompaniments to spirited conversation at afternoon tea parties. And anyone interested in a little “Tea for Two” romance?  The song, “Tea for Two” was composed by Vincent Youmans with lyrics by Irving Caesar and written in 1926.  Doris Day and Gordon Macrae (Can you recall these two famous actors?) starred in the movie, “Tea for Two” in 1950. (Do you remember these two famous actors?)

TEA – In a nutshell:

When the world is all at odds, and the mind is all at sea,

Then cease the useless tedium, and brew a cup of tea.

There is magic in its fragrance, there is solace in its taste.

And the laden moments vanish, somehow into space.

The world becomes a lovely thing, there’s beauty as you’ll see.

All because you briefly stopped to brew a cup of tea.  – Anonymous

WRITE ON!