Day 81: African Honeybush, Mandarin and Orange

Today's character, the person who came to life in my mind as I sipped my tea, is Mma Ramotswe from the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.  If you've read this book, you'll be familiar with this lady, a warm, generous-hearted, confident and humble creature.  It's a fascinating mix, and so is the tea for today.

African honeybush is a lovely phrase. Just makes you imagine you are wandering through the back roads of Africa and there is a flowering bush, sage green in colour to match the rest of the dry landscape, but with light white flowers covering it and being tended to carefully by thoughtful bees.  Somehow the bush gives off a fragrance of honey that wafts to you even from a far distance, and if you are fortunate enough to pass bush after bush, you have to stop with your eyes closed and just breathe it in for a few moments to truly take in the beauty.

This tea is like that, and with some citrus flavour to enhance it all, you can't ask for a much sweeter tea.  It needs to be steeped for quite a while - I'm thinking it would make an absolutely perfect iced tea, because by the time it has steeped to the level that all the flavours are brought out, it's no longer hot.  Maybe that's how Mma Ramotswe likes it, but I prefer my tea to either be hot or cold.

One of my favourite lines from the entire Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith is on the second page of the first book. We are introduced to 'Precious' Ramotswe, and her new business, and to her love of Africa.  "I am not ashamed to be called an African patriot, said Mma Ramotswe.  I love all the people whom God made, but I especially know how to love the people who live in this place."

When I read that line, I associated with it exactly. That's how I feel about Scotland.  I moved here ten years ago from America, and whilst America will always be my 'home country' in terms of where I am from, and where I often return to, and where my family is, I am not ashamed to be called a Scottish patriot.  I love all the people whom God made, but I especially know how to love the people who live in this place.  It's a beautiful thing to love where you are and love who you know there.  Airdrie is a town of 50,000 or so, small compared to Phoenix, where I grew up, which is 1.5 million strong and growing.  It's not the kind of place that people move to on purpose, so I'm constantly asked why in the world I left the glories of America to come and stay in Airdrie, of all places.  We have a few stabbings now and then, and a murder or two, and there are places you just don't go at night (or, sometimes, ever), and some people you pass have a bit of hopelessness in their eyes and in their face.  But when I moved here, it was to help support the little church down on North Bridge street, the block building that doesn't look so impressive from the outside, but inside has the words of life and a people who love God and each other and hope for everyone in this town and beyond.  And after ten years here, I especially love this place, and this country, and am proud to have become a citizen of it.

Took a longer walk this morning - just felt like I needed it.  Went beyond my usual and was plagued a bit by bugs, but overall it was a good walk and a beautiful day and I might just go out for another one later!

Walk length: 50 minutes

Day 55: Good Earth Sweet & Spicy

I’m home in Scotland today.  It is so good to be home.  I love traveling and visiting my family and seeing new places and doing weddings, but there is nothing like walking in my front door to my warm and cosy flat (okay, cold and chilly, but it WILL be warm soon), all tidy and clean like I rarely get to see it! J

I had no idea what my tea of the day would be.  I thought of getting one at the airport, but other than Starbucks (which really doesn’t do tea), there weren’t many options.  And I do like to enjoy a cup of tea, and my traveling today, whilst not stressful, wasn’t relaxed and easy-going, either.  I actually finally got called over the announcements for the first time!! “Miss Karen Reyburn, please come urgently to gate A3, where your flight to Edinburgh is closing.”  The hilarious part was, there were 15.25 and 15.50 flights to Edinburgh boarding right next to each other, and I had it in my head that I was boarding at 15.50, so I was sitting comfortably at gate A2, checking to make sure it wasn’t boarding yet, and typing up blog posts while I waited.  It’s amazing how there can be so many announcements which just pour over your mind like water, and then suddenly your own name is spoken and alertness comes roaring back! Fortunately I didn’t have far to go, so I picked up my bags and took a few steps to the right and all the gate attendants were laughing at me.  (No, with me!)  At any rate, it was quite comfortable really – I wasn’t stressed at all, and I didn’t have to queue up, and I didn’t miss my flight! Perfect!

So, when I got home, amongst the pile of junk mail, magazines, bank statements, pleading letters from Scottish Hydro, gas bills, and other incredibly boring mail, I had this amazing letter from my friend Emily, complete with my cup of tea for the day – and it’s even caffeine free, so I don’t have to fear that I won’t sleep tonight! (I had a grand total of 1 hour of sleep during my 15 hour journey overnight, so I think I’ll sleep well.) 

I’ve never had Good Earth Sweet & Spicy before.  I’ve had Good Earth and I like it, but this is on a whole different playing field. It’s an incredible tea.  For a teabag (ie non-loose-leaf), it packs a serious punch, with more flavours than you could imagine pressing into one little package.  Right off I noticed the sweetness – it was like someone had put in a huge spoonful of honey or brown sugar. I was shocked to discover that it’s all natural sweetness.  On my own I could taste cinnamon and orange and rooibos, but other than that I had to go to the packet to see what else was amazing me in this tea.  It has (according to the back of the packet): Red Rooibos, Chicory Root, Rosehips, Cinnamon, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Papaya, Chamomile, Panax Ginseng, Anise Seed, Dandelion Root, Ginger Root, Orange Oil, Orange Peel.  Wow.  Almost every single flavour is intense in and of itself – ginger, cinnamon, lemongrass, ginseng – you don’t mess with those guys.  They’re the mobsters of the tea world, but really nice once you get to know them.  That is, as long as you’re on their side, and you hang out with them in the right company.  Mix in the wrong fellows and you will wish you never took a sip.  It’s not personal, it’s tea.

I’m off to bed now.  It’s raining outside, and my walk for the day has consisted of a fairly long stretch through Heathrow’s Terminal 5, as well as Phoenix Sky Harbour’s Terminal 4.  I think I’m good for the day.