Tea on Thursday 20 : Liquid Jade

Today's tea tantaliser is a book . I am currently reading "Liquid Jade - The Story of Tea from East to West". I am thoroughly enjoying this social history of tea, finding beautiful poetry, funny and fascinating stories, interesting facts and new knowledge about tea and its integral part in the history of 'East meets West' .
Here is an extract from the blurb :
... Liquid Jade's rich narrative history explores tea in all its social and cultural aspects... . Entertaining yet informative and extensively researched, Liquid Jade tells the story of Western greed and Eastern bliss ... also depicts tea's beauty and delights, not only with myths about the beginnings of tea or the lovers' legend in the familiar blue and white porcelain willow pattern, but also with a rich and varied selection of works of art and historical photographs, which form a rare and comprehensive visual tea record... Connecting past and present and spanning five thousand years, Beatrice Hohenegger's captivating and muti-layered account of tea will enhance the experience of a steaming "cuppa" for tea lovers the world over. ....

The chapters have such enticing titles :

And I leave you with one snippet from this book - the list is much longer, but I include 5 of the particular"vertues" of tea, outlined by Thomas Garaway, renowned tea merchant in England in the 1660's '
- It maketh the body active and lusty.
- It helpeth the Head-ach, giddiness and heavyness thereof.
- It removeth the obstructions of the Spleen.
- It is very good against stone and gravel, cleansing the Kidneys and Uriters, being drank with Virgin Honey instead of Sugar.
- It taketh away the difficulty of breathing, opening Obstructions.....

"Liqud Jade" was first published in 2006, by St Martin's Press. The copy I am currently reading is borrowed from the Newcastle (NSW) City Library and I recommend it to all tea devotees.

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Fish and Sticks : Art Dolls

This week I've been working on fish and sticks .... The sticks are the message stick art dolls which were very popular, attracting some attention and a few orders at the Wise Women exhibition. Each of the message stick dolls are from the Wise Women series, each with her own personality and message of wisdom, handwritten on a handmade timber tag. I gather the sticks during my walks around my neighbourhood and the tags are made from special bits of timber, some collected by me or my husband or from off cuts gifted to us from another doll making friend whose husband makes bagpipes. These dolls start off very simply with a wrap around a stick, in the general shape of a body. 'Naked" message stick dolls - strips of wadding wrapped around found sticks. Then I usually wrap other layers of fabric, wool, and/or fibres, over which I do some simple embroidery. I sculpt or mould small face masks for these dolls. I really like using "sari ribbon" as w...

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Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

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