My sister’s wagashi
Wagashi (seasonal Japanese confections) which my sister made during a Japanese Tea Ceremony class.
It’s wonderful to learn something new, every day if possible. I never heard about this Japanese sweet called Wagashi before. But, this mildly sweet item (seen above) sort of clears the tasting palate prior to the main star of the Japanese Tea Ceremony ~ the Matcha tea. This is an integral part of the the traditional Japanese cultural art form ~ The Japanese Tea Ceremony.
When the host serves the wagashi (and all the subsequent items), the host connects with their guest calmly, peacefully and with respect. Everything is visually appealing. Things being visually appealing during the ceremony is as important as the actual taste of what is being served. It’s a very special experience.
Please feel free to share your experiences or stories/thoughts about the Japanese Tea Ceremony below. We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thank you!
“the lazy man’s load”
A table I set with our “Mrs. Adelaide at Home” tabletop choices.
My dear aunt, know affectionately as “Grandma Nancy”, reminds me about her parents (my grandparents) repeated saying, “Don’t take the lazy man’s load”. We have tried to adopt this idea into the way we set the table, clear the table and clean up after a meal. It means a lot to me because it helps me to slow down and not only to be careful with the things I’m carrying or removing from the table, but it also helps me to be able to pay attention and participate in the enjoyable clean up time conversations.
In fact, the conversations before and after the meals are as much a way to connect and catch up further and maybe more in depth with loved ones as they are during the actual mealtime. By not taking the Lazy Man Load, we can slowly and carefully complete our task and feel good about paying attention to the details and feel good about doing a job well done.
The phrase, the lazy man load, comes from carrying too much during the first load to save taking a second load. It’s some folk wisdom. I feel more calm and satisfied when I can complete a task more intentionally, especially if I can clean up with another person. Taking a few extra trips or minutes to complete a task, gives us a chance to calmly work together with a friend or loved one. But, either with another person or not, let’s slow down and enjoy our time as we clean up and think about and appreciate the efforts and care that went into preparing our meal, whether we are eating alone or in community with friends and loved ones. Slowly enjoying our time together.
Please add your own special thought and comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts, if you have time. Thank you!
“Greatness is determined by Service”~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service…” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I love this quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whom we celebrate today, because greatness is possible. We can extend our arms and help someone. We can offer a simple warm, cooked meal in our own home. We can do a modest or big act of kindness and service and have it mean so much to another. It always makes us feel good when we are able to connect with another person through kindess. That truly is greatness.
COlors that you respond to
Coffee table in Living Room
Little touches of greens and ferns. Green feels fresh and happy and the earthier greens give such a sense of calm and restfulness. We all somehow know what colors we respond to and how much of it feels right. Color is so personal and I love seeing what colors people respond too. I love how personal colors can be.
A splash of Monochrome
Welcome and how wonderful you are here! Today, this lovely collection of greens and silvery olive colors gives a great deal of inspiration. We love these colors for the autumn time. They give us a sense of calm and getting back to nature. We respond to similar tones and colors, a type of monochromatic approach, distinctly. Almost viscerally. It’s a wonderful feeling. As we approach the holidays, I’d love for us to enjoy and think about ways we can bring some of our treasures into a collected and, maybe, into a monochromatic moment. Just for fun!
Holiday soft pumpkins blending and feeling a part of the setting. We love to see a place in our home where our eye can rest and relish in the tones and cohesion of a moment. We really do respond, sometimes, to the less is more approach.