Thursday, June 3, 2010

A vision softly creeping

I was feeling a little overwhelmed at work today, with the school year winding down and the massive workload that comes along with it. When I came home, I changed my clothes, put on my new hiking shoes and poured a glass of my husband’s homemade sun tea.

Then I went out back under the umbrella and sat there in the silence with my drink.

DSC_0482 copy 2

It wasn’t really silent, though. I could hear the following, in no particular order:

Birds chirping in the trees

A woodpecker drilling a hole

Cars in the distance

The droning of a bee in the flower pot behind me

The wind rustling the leaves of the tree in front of me

The wings of a bird flying close by

And I thought to myself, “It’s so good to be home.”

And then I thought, “This iced tea rocks.”

My husband gets a gallon jug, fills it with tea bags and water and lets it sit in the sun for several hours. Then he adds just a bit of sugar. The odd thing is the tea bags he uses. There’s no rhyme or reason, and he just grabs one of everything he can find. It tastes really good, though. And um, I do have a lot of tea.

Thanks for coming by. Always a pleasure to have you visit.

Hello there!

Until tomorrow . . .

37 comments:

becky up the hill said...

Lovely. Now I want a glass of tea!

Donalyn said...

That is how we make tea too - I particualrly like mint, licorise and regular tea mixed - very refreshing. Right now, it smells so good outside - like flowers everywhere.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed reading your old post about your "addiction" to tea. I rarely drank what we in the south call "hot tea" until I was in chemo fatigue. My husband began making it with my breakfast, and four years later I still have it almost every morning. I will have to find some with jasmine to buy.

By the way, we call it hot tea in the south because ordering tea will get you iced tea. Years ago I ordered tea in Wyoming and got hot tea. I asked if I could get iced tea and they brought the hot tea back in a glass with ice in it! :)

GillLink

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the reminder to make some sun tea, We used to do it often in Arizona because it didn't take long at all for the sun to brew it there. Love your water-mark and need to see if I can figure out how to do that too.

Di

deborah said...

Oh a lovely..that picture of the geranium buds is so delicate!
Thank you for allowing me to look at such lovelies each day.

Deb said...

sounds like a nice way to unwind...sweet hubby for making your sun tea....

Ann On and On... said...

It sounds like the perfect way to relax! I love the eclectic noises...you missed the slurping of yummy tea. :D

Mary Lou said...

I haven't made sun too in way too long! Am going to make some tomorrow. With lots of lemon.
We have a big old bull frog right behind our bedroom at night. Love the sounds you mentioned.

Brynwood Needleworks said...

Sounds delightful, Kate. I love the floral image you shared today, too. Hugs from FL,
Donna

JacksDad said...

He doesn't put the sugar in BEFORE he sets it out in the sun? I think that's some type of sacrilege :)

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Coffee, ice tea, wine, in that order. The trilogy.

Caroline said...

So gorgeous! Life is good...especially with good tea ;)

Anonymous said...

There is nothing like relaxing with a glass of iced tea/sun tea and listening to the sounds of nature. It is then that you can feel all of that stress just drain away!

I have not made sun tea since living in Arizona. I make mine on the stove now. I just might have to make some sun tea again. :0)

Sweetpea said...

We've had nuthin but rain & cold for days so I thoroughly enjoyed these last few moments imagining a sunny day, warm enough to sip my hubby's tea...well, that is, if he made tea...which he doesn't ...and kick'in back with all those sounds. There's bliss there.

Bella Della said...

I sat outside last night listening to all that stuff too. It's the best feeling.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, I can no longer have iced tea (and you make it sound delicious) due to darn kidney stones. Bummer.

Girl Tornado said...

Well, I'll have to try your kind of tea. I have several different kinds of tea bags too.

When I sit on my front porch, I love listening to the sounds of "silence". It's absolutely golden to hear the different bird sounds, the cows lowing off in the distance, a horse whinny, insects buzzing. Everyone seems to be busy except me when I'm sitting on my front porch... that's rather nice for a change. :-)

Nurse Nancy said...

Sounds like a wonderful and peaceful moment....we all need more of those!

mrs mediocrity said...

Gorgeous photo, and I love the title of your post. And...I love tea! I have a lot of tea, too, and I am pretty sure that tea is the one thing I could never give up, some days it is a tie between tea and chocolate, but really, bottom line, it is tea.

Andi said...

Sun tea is my favorite way to have it. :) It IS good to be home isn't it?

abb said...

I make "sun tea" all the time. I put 10 or so bags in a gallon plastic container I've filled with hot tap water and set it in the sun. (Hot water just speeds up the process.)
Red Rose is my favorite for a straight tea. Green tea? The brand doesn't seem to matter so much.
Lately I've been adding 4 bags of Celestial Seasonings Black Cherry Berry. SOOO good! We have an organic restaurant here that serves Cherry Berry tea and I've been loving it ever since the first time I had it.

maryelizabethroche said...

As the proud mom to two teachers, I had no idea the END of the school year was so chaotic. {I thought you pack up your belongings and race home!!}
My two are in dire need of some tea and relaxation!
As always, I enjoy the daily dose of calm I get from your beautiful blog...

M.E.

Daryl said...

I got home and dealt with the heat .. the AC is being put in the living room window today ...and measurements the 'cage' for the new bedroom AC was done before I got home but the mess made by moving things out of the way was not ... sigh ... here's a tip. J&J makes a Baby Powder with Corn Starch in it .. lovely stuff ... used before dressing it keeps the hives I get from the heat from making me rip my skin off ... dont even ask where it itches the worst .. okay .. ask ..

Driftwood and Pumpkin said...

I was in the store the other day desperately trying to remember what tea you used for your iced tea. Raspberry something?? I wanted to try it, but as usual I was not prepared.

xoxo

Gail said...

Nothing like a good glass of tea to complete a day.

beth said...

i haven't made any tea this summer.....and now i'm going to do exactly what your hubby does...i like that man of yours !

The Weaver of Grass said...

Shall try that tea. I remember the hectic last half term of the school year - at the end of which I used to feel like a wrung-out dishcloth - so commiserations. Soon be holiday time - hang on to that1

Anonymous said...

A vision softly creeping......I started humming....and then smiling at the vision of you on your porch....then thristy! got to have my sweet tea! smiles.

kath said...

I came over from Kelly's at Mrs. Mediocrity. I love sun tea and have discovered that I prefer spearmint tea over peppermint tea.
Your photo and the processing is beautiful.

Deb said...

Kate! This one is truly amazing! I see it in a charming little gallery in NYC. You really need to get a manager!

Laura @ Our House of Joyful Noise said...

What an amazing sense of hearing you have!

GailO said...

Time to make some iced tea!...I like it mixed with lemonade:)

Tess Kincaid said...

Super macro!!

suzanna said...

What a gorgeous photo! I am very impressed with your husband... the tea sounds delicious!

Kerri Farley said...

Oh ...... lovely!

Misty DawnS said...

That image is truly a beautiful piece of art! Absolutely beautiful!

Kacey said...

My dh makes sun tea all the time too. He uses Luzianne? tea bags for his sun tea. I don't drink tea...