The Healing Power Of Tea ~

This is the teapot / teacup combo I bought as a practical souvenir while in Hawaii a few years ago.

The teapot holds enough for two cups of tea . This is a good thing ( as Martha Stewart might say ) because everyone knows a person cannot have just one cup of tea when tea is the healing beverage of choice.

Our granddaughter was in the hospital recently for almost a week, and I was there with her. After 3 nights spent with her in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, my husband sat with her for a few hours while I went home to care for the animals, freshen up, and pack some things to keep me occupied while she slept. I also packed this teapot / teacup, and I am so glad I did. I think the healing power of hot tea and the simple act of sitting up, stirring the sugar in, and sipping the tea went a long way towards her getting out of the hospital a day or so earlier.

"Designed In Hawaii ". Our granddaughter needed to take in more fluids, but water does not appeal to her and the apple juice she loves was upsetting her stomach. I made her pot after pot of peppermint tea and gave her all the sugar she wanted, to stir into the tea. She told me "I like to stir the sugar in " and smiled. She also told me she liked the sound of the spoon clinking as she stirred. She loves peppermint tea with lots of sugar, so she drank a lot of tea. And it helped. I also made her get out of bed .I pulled up a side table in the hospital room , placed it on a rug I finished locker-hooking while I was there and set up a chair from the other side of the hospital room. A perfect tea table just for her !

I had her sit up and out of bed for her meals, and gave her play-dough, things to color, comforting and calming children's DVD's to watch. She had her doll and stuffed animals for company too. This did make a difference ! We went home sooner than the doctor thought we would and we were both very happy to be home. ( Our granddaughter is completely well & healthy now. )

How many times have you read in books or seen in movies people who are traumatized being offered or served tea ? Just the words "would you like a cup of tea" seem to evoke a coziness and sense of well-being in me. But practically, the hot peppermint tea, and yes, the sugar, were restorative. I am thinking from now on when I have friends or family in the hospital, I am going to show up with a teapot, a nice teacup, healing teas, maybe a snack to go with it, and leave them all behind for the patient to enjoy throughout their hospital stay. It certainly would not hurt , and most likely will go a long way towards their healing. " Come along inside...We'll see if tea and buns can make the world a better place." Kenneth Grahame , Wind In The Willows

I am linking with these blogs for Tea~ Time Tuesday :

Martha's Favorites *
Rose Chintz Cottage *
Bernideen's Tea Time Blog *

Bird Of Paradise Tea For One

One of my few souvenirs to remind me of my trip to Hawaii with my 3 younger sisters, this teapot / teacup combo. The colors are true to the tropical foliage painted on them. Teapot on top of teacup, on saucer. Look at the Bird Of Paradise flower and foliage painted on them. They are just as I remember the Bird Of Paradise plants my mother and father had growing in our gardens when we lived in Hawaii. Growing these beautiful flowers in Hawaii is very easy, and the flowers really do look like exotic birds, hence the name. Do you know when you get off the plane in Honolulu and stroll through the airport you first encounter beautiful gardens full of these flowers? "Designed In Hawaii, Hand painted in China" is written on the bottom of the set, and the company name "Island Plantations". This set is called "Bird Of Paradise Tea For One".

The set looks like pottery but is very fine in feel and heft.

Although I cannot grow the beautiful Birds Of Paradise here,I do have orchids that will bloom again and again for me in my sun room. Bird of Paradise, meet my yellow bunny and her orchid! To see more tea cups, and all things tea, warm yourself by sipping a hot cup of your favorite tea and visit these ladies:

• Martha at Martha's Favorites *
• Terri at Artful Affirmations *
• Wanda Lee at The Silken Purse *
• Lady Katherine at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor *
• Pam at Breath Of Fresh Air *
• Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage *