Thursday, December 11, 2008

Tea happens to be one of my favorite things. I can just sit and contemplate my "to do" list when I'm holding my tea cup. My interest in tea emerged a few years ago when I started collecting tea cups because I thought they were pretty. As I shopped and went antiquing, my goal was to buy a little something on each little antique escapade, that something usually was a tea cup. The handle, lip, base, and saucer are so different on each one, each having their own special form and color, not to mention the decoration of motifs, textures and patterns. This particular tea cup is an old Fire King peach lustre cup and saucer. It's rich golden peach-like color inspired me to paint it. I remember these cups when I was a little girl and that brings back special memories.
As my love for tea cups and antiques grew, I carried my new love over to my teaching. I bought enough tea cups and saucers from flea markets for an entire class so my students could experience the wonderful feeling of holding a porcelain tea cup instead of their usual styrofoam cup. I made sure that I could translate my love of tea to their palette as well. I started teaching lessons in which I could demonstrate and share my love of tea. I even developed a little power point on tea and it's history and the healthful benefits of drinking tea. Well, I think I did make a few tea lovers, in the past few years I had parents call and ask "where did you get that tea my daughter had in your class?" I remember one parent telling me that she had to go to the grocery store the very day I introduced tea to her daughter and purchase tea so her daughter could have some at home. Just this year I saw a student kind of wandering around my tea pot and cups kind of like she was looking for something, when I asked her what she needed, her reply was "Mrs. Bunn, could I have some of that tea we had the other day, my mother likes it and she thinks it will help?" I didn't ask her any other questions, I just handed her a few bags. I have often thought about starting a "Tea Club" with my students, but time does not permit.
Here's one for all the tea lovers out there!