Flowers as Art

There are many objects that can be used for media when it comes to art. Flowers, with their variety in shape, color, and texture, come to mind when I get the urge to create something. Sometimes it is fun to experiment with new shapes and ideas. As a general rule, I feel most comfortable with traditional and symmetrical shapes, especially when it comes to flower arranging! But, with the beautiful flowers this May, I thought it might be time to try something a bit more challenging, so I ordered a floral frog and putty. What an experiment! I immediately learned of several things that I did wrong! But, since it is "art" I've decided to appreciate my first attempt and count it as a happy experiment. Arranging on a low plane changes the entire structure and formula for floral design. There's so much to learn, both artistically and mechanically.

But, although this arrangement has fatal flaws, I also appreciate the casual lines and the natural form and shape that flowers provide. Each kind has its own unique droop and flair. It didn't seem fair to try to coax them into a way that was unnatural to how they grew, so I let them be.

This picture replicates the effect that occurs when you squint your eyes and look at something in order to see what pops out at you! What do you see in this picture? Purple? Red? Or are they equal to you? My desire was that the red compliment the purple, but I really think it worked out to be the other way around.

Flowers represent such uniqueness. Just like human faces, each is special in its own way. I will keep working on my asymmetrical, floral frog arrangements until I get it right. But, just for fun I'm sharing my first attempt with you today. Breathe deeply and imagine the fragrance. See the colors, shapes and sizes. Look for radiation, repetition, and gradation. Imagine the harmony and unity that could be there but is yet not seen. See if there is a fragment of harmony and unity already there. Search for dominance in size and color. And seek the balance in the whole. Tomorrow is another day. I will try again.

Seeking Tea in Tombstone

Grandpa in Tombstone

It's always pleasant to visit friends and family. And it becomes even more fun for me when I have the opportunity to search for tea! Grandpa spends several months of each year in Arizona and invited us to come and be his guests. It was an enjoyable experience and we visited several interesting sites nearby. Today I'm sharing about a stop in Tombstone. Have you ever been there? It is one of my favorite places. While most are interested in the story of gunfights and the wild west, I have enjoyed seeking out little things that interest me, like a museum of historical costumes and clothing, the local guild quilt museum, finding places that sell sarsaparilla so I can bring it home to the (now adult) kids, and browsing the antique shops. Pioneer life and the wild west interests me so.

Tour guide at Bird Cage Theater

Our first stop was at the Bird Cage Theater. A tour guide beckons tourists in from the door and once a crowd has gathered, explains the history of this historic theater. She names famous people who have been guests there in a list that is a mile long! And many of the names are those that are familiar from history books. This small, but interesting theater was opened in 1881 and was named for the fourteen "boxes" that were placed on two balconies on either side of the main central hall. Although there was a stage and an orchestra pit, the theater is best known for its gambling and the ladies of the night who entertained there. It really was a fairly unsavory place, although now it's interesting to visit and see the historical items on display. It's said that the longest card game ever took place in this location, lasting eight years, five months, and three days. The New York Times, in 1882, declared that "this theater was the wildest, wickedest night spot between Basin Street and the Barbary Coast". More than 120 bullet holes can be seen throughout the building, and our tour guide was quick to point out several right there in the lobby. But let's move along, shall we?

Stagecoaches steal the show on Main Street

Tombstone was founded in 1879 and is in the southeastern part of Arizona. It was a silver mining town and grew from one hundred people to 14,000 in a few short years. It was a bustling little town! By 1881 it had not only a bowling alley, four churches, a school, two banks, three newspapers, and an ice house --- it also had 110 saloons and 14 gambling halls as well as numerous dancing halls and brothels. There was nothing quiet, nor proper about Tombstone!

Common attire of the day!

Tombstone is famous for the shoot-out at O.K. Corral. It is an event that is re-enacted daily.  A deadly conflict between a gang who stole cattle from ranchers and law enforcement has given Tombstone a place in history. The Earp brothers all assumed roles as lawmen and ended up in a confrontation with the Cowboy gang. Wyatt is probably the most famous of the Earp brothers. Interwoven into the history of the area is a love affair between Doc Holliday and Big Nose Kate. If you see her picture, you can tell she was aptly named! An interesting and generally unknown fact is that Doc Holliday was a cousin by marriage to Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With the Wind. The longer one spends researching the history of a place like Tombstone, the more connections can be made with other famous Americans of the day.

Crystal Palace Saloon

Of the 110 saloons in Tombstone, the Crystal Palace Saloon and Big Nose Kate's Saloon are probably two of the most famous. Both are still a part of the Tombstone scene, open daily and frequented by dozens of curious tourists who visit there. The ambiance and decor of each of them is much the same as it was in the late 1880's. Authenticity reigns in Tombstone.

Cowboy Garb

In the present time, Tombstone holds connections that tie our family together with memories. A cousin of eight years old visited the town on a girls trip with me and my mom and mother-in-law. A few years later, she was married in true western style at a Tombstone church. And an interesting man we knew from a church nearby played an authentic role as an actor in scenes from the town's history. Trips with our kids to this western community have proven fun over the years. Lessons in history are much more easily learned with such colorful object lessons.

Wooden boardwalks line Main Street

But, where does the tea come in? As we walked along Main Street, I was surprised to see a small little shop at the entrance to a shooting gallery. Inside was a friendly woman who was dressed in frontier garb. Teapots and baked goods were displayed at the back of her small eating establishment. Could it be? Would it be possible to have tea in Tombstone? Yes! And she was happy to share about her experience.

Opening day of Buns & Guns

It just happened to be the opening of her very first day in her quaint little cafe and bakery. She'd earned her way, carefully dressing with authenticity and baking homemade treats in a rented space in a commercial kitchen. For two years she was a walking bakery, carrying baskets of her home-baked goodies up and down the boardwalks, selling them to passers-by. A city committee oversees each business, making sure they meet the standards of authenticity that they require as part of the historic portions of their town. She worked carefully to meet the requirements and after her years of hard work, she was finally able to rent a space where she could open her store-front cafe. She told me that she was the first bakery in 100 years in Tombstone.

Favorite teapot

Buns & Guns

I admire her hard work and enthusiasm for her tasks! And I hope that the next time I am privileged to visit Tombstone, that she is still there and that her business is thriving! It's wonderful that a cup of tea can now be found in Tombstone!

The soda bar

I've shared pictures from the bar at a Tombstone saloon, and a bakery bar that serves tea just down the street. It's only right that I share one last bar before the tour of Tombstone is over. Down at the end of the street the soda bar was filled with kids, enjoying sodas and ice cream. It appears that Tombstone has something for every one's taste! If you ever have a chance to visit Tombstone, I recommend it. And be sure to take time to go off the beat and track. Sometimes the best places are those that are not the most touristy places, but rather the nooks and little places along the way. Some day I will share about the time we took tea and a picnic in the Tombstone city park on New Year's Day. Explore and enjoy!

Rain & Tea

Rain

I love rainy days with

a blanket and a cup of tea

and a book.

Thousand Days Red Jasmine

Mighty Leaf Tea Company

www.mightyleaf.com

The lavender is in bloom!

H * O * P * E

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches 

in the soul and sings the tune without words --- And never stops at all."

Emily Dickinson

~

“My times are in your hand.” Psalm 31:15

Slipper Gems of the Forest

The first thing I did when I got out of the pick-up truck was to walk behind the woodshed. There's a shady trail there, and it is usually where I find the first Calypso Lady-slipper Orchids of the season. I thought it might be a bit early yet, but I was pleasantly surprised. I found one of these pretty purple gems nestled next to a wild ginger plant. If there's one, there has to be more, so the search was on! Before the day was over I'd found many groupings of them as I traipsed through the woods. They could be found in hollows and in groupings along the forest floor.

The scientific name of this tiny flower is Calypso Bulbosa. But, my mother always called them Lady-slipper Orchids because of the unique shape of the blossom, so that's the name I know it by. Doesn't it look like the elegant slipper that a lady would wear? It's also called a Fairy-slipper Orchid or Hider-of-the-North. 

This orchid is very tiny, standing no more than 20 cm tall with a blossom that is about 3 cm long. The blossom droops, facing the earth, making it difficult to see its full beauty. It's a flower that I usually don't pick, because it's somewhat rare and if the blossom is picked the plant may not regrow next season. So, they are a cherished and charmed little plant in our woods.

The Western Calypso bulbosa var. occidentalis is found only in the Cascade mountain range and west of the Rockies in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Montana. It is distinguished by a white beard and a heavily spotted lip in a purple-brown color. 

I call them "little gems" because they are such beautiful treasures of the forest. Their life span is short and they appear only for a few weeks in the springtime. Taking pictures of them is a huge challenge for me. Essentially, I have to nearly stand on my head to get a picture! Because their blossoms droop, they photograph best from the ground up. Have you tried taking a picture from ground level recently? And was it in focus? Yikes! It's a tough assignment. The experience was a reminder that I am not a teen-ager any more!

A Brick of Tea

If only you could smell this brick of tea! It's so fragrant and lovely! It's also very heavy, and when I lift it, my fingers get black, as though I were touching charcoal! The back side is scored, so that it can be broken into blocks and used as a tea beverage. This type of 'tea' was common and popular not only in China, but with the pioneers who came to the west. This brick of tea was purchased at the Fort Vancouver Historical Reserve Visitor's Center. Along with the brick, they sent a type-written copy of information telling about 'brick tea'. It reads as:

This brick tea is made by the same Chinese company that produced and shipped it to the Hudson Bay Company of London in 1845. It is still popular in China today.

It was popular with the fur trappers because it was so concentrated that only a small amount scraped into a cup of boiling water would make a warming drink. If kept wrapped (in animal hides, brown paper or zip-lock bags), it keeps very well. Use a vegetable scraper or knife to scrape the desired amount of tea into your cup.

The tea is processed into a 6" x 10" brick that has scoring on the back side so it can easily be divided into smaller sections. The front side has an Oriental scene and the following inscription in Old Chinese:

China Tea Company

Manufactured by Zhao Li Bridge Brick Tea Factory

Brick tea is not green tea nor black tea (called red tea in China). It is a specific combination of several teas that is recognizes as 'brick' tea. 'Brick' also refers to the way of processing tea into the distinctive compressed rectangle.

This information came from a young Chinese woman and her parents who were excited to find the tea at the Visitor's Center at Fort Vancouver Historical Reserve. Old Chinese is no longer commonly used in China but everyone is required to take classes so they can read and translate Old Chinese. It is read from right to left; and one, two or even three characters often form idea rather than a specific word. Zhao and Li are very common surnames in China similar to Smith and Jones in the United States.