My Tea Pet’s Backstory

Bonsai is my tiny turtle tea pet. She’s slightly smaller than a quarter. If you aren’t familiar with tea pets, they are used by some people who drink tea in a style where they pour out the first rinse of certain teas. My previous post on tea pets could be helpful to understand more.

Michell Hovey made Bonsai (and other clay tea turtles). She is a tea lover brimming with kindness and affection for small things. Many of us first learned about the sweet clay tea pets she made through the Instagram tea community by following Herb the Traveling Tea Turtle. (Find out more about Michell and Herb in this earlier post.) You can also follow Herb on Instagram.

Bonsai Shares Lessons

Bonsai is smaller than Herb and his siblings (except one other microturtle). Michell absolutely delighted me in the summer of 2022 by sending me Bonsai, her “birth certificate,” a sweet card, and some tea. According to her birth certificate, Bonsai came out of the kiln on July 23, 2022. Hence, she’s two years old the day I’m publishing this post. (You might have noticed that the white shell Bonsai arrived with–in the top photo in this post–is now a lovely brown from all the tea poured over it, as shown in the last photo in this post. The photo with the sunflower shows Bonsai’s shell on her first birthday.)

Bonsai has taught me many things. In honor of her second birthday, she said I could share a few of these lessons.

Lessons from my tea pet:

• Little things can bring so much joy. Make sure to pause to appreciate them.
• CommuniTEA is powerful, far reaching, and meaningful.
• What you do colors your shell–I mean, your life. So, take care what you immerse yourself in.
• Tea time can be a cozy and restorative sanctuary if infused with presence. Be there with your tea when you sip it.

One more important lesson: don’t forget sharing is caring. Share tea with a friend when you can.

The post Lessons from My Tea Pet appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

In this April 2024 Edition

Offerings

Spring Rest Kit for Tea Lovers is Live!

It’s always exciting to work on something for months and then see it out in the world! My online Spring Rest Kit for Tea Lovers is now live.

Instead of waiting for your pre-order, now you can simply purchase the kit and receive it right away. So, if you are looking for practices and inspiration for convenient and mindful tea time, the Spring kit is here to help! It’s also possible to give the kit as a gift.

Teaware Talk: Rosenthal Duchess

April’s highlighted teaware from my collection was passed down through the family.

Backstory of This Teacup

My mother-in-law, Anneli, had boxes with many, many pieces of a Rosenthal Duchess china set. She brought the set in Germany before she married my husband’s father.

She admired them in a specialty store one day. Some time later, she was still thinking about the beautiful china set but not planning to purchase them. She told her fiancé, my future father-in-law, and even took him to see them.

Seeing how she admired it, he encouraged her to get the set. Anneli reminisced about bringing the Rosenthal set to her apartment, writing:

I remember that Friday evening after work, with the whole weekend free before me; I remember the feeling of wellbeing and happiness and satisfaction that I felt.

Her response really touched me. How wonderful that our conversation about this teacup led her to recall the encouragement from her future-husband and the warm feelings of bringing this china set home.

The Set Moves to Our Home

Fast forward decades later in the United States. This set was no longer in use. My husband was helping his mom go through things some years ago. They opened the boxes that contained this china. Generously, Anneli gave us the set.

We use the dinnerware piece from this Rosenthal set often, usually on Shabbat or when we have guests over. Still, we all know we’re here to talk about the TEA cups! Teacups and saucers from this set are in regular rotation for tea time.

The teacups are ivory with a gold and platinum band and a gold loop handle. They have a coordinating saucer. The cups are short and wide, holding 6 ounces (about 200ml) when filled to the very top.

Reasons I Love These Teacups

There are many reasons I often reach for one of these teacups.

I love this pattern! It goes with everything.

The wide opening allows my tea to cool to a comfortable drinking temperature without much delay.

The size is great! I can pour about 4 ounces or about 150ml of tea into this cup, making it perfect for western-style tea or for drinking tea I prepare more toward gongfu style.

Although this Rosenthal Duchess teacup isn’t the traditional teaware for East Frisian tea, I particularly love to drink that tea from it. It’s perfect to drink in three sips.

I’ll stop here to underscore the most important thing.

When I drink tea from a piece from this set, it makes me feel closer to my mother-in-law despite the distance that separates us.

Amazing how tea and teaware can connect us across time and space, isn’t it? That’s the story of this Rosenthal Duchess teacup.

Recent Teahouse Visits in NYC

“Tea Journey” at T Shop

I trekked into Manhattan to visit T Shop again.

Although I’ve enjoying having gongfu tea there several times before, this was the first time I sat at their counter and enjoyed a “tea journey.”

Hyun Lee, one of the owners, took me through several infusions of two teas and a tisane. (It could have been more infusions and three teas if I weren’t caffeine-sensitive.)

She helped me choose by discussing what kind of teas I like, what I was interested in trying, the weather that day, and so on. I also got to choose which of their teacups to use, which I found fun!

With guidance and her company, Hyun steeped Li Shan Reserve, Hadong Hwang Cha, and (when I couldn’t have more caffeine) Persimmon Leaves from Boseong. The Li Shan is from Taiwan and the Hwang Cha and Persimmon Leaves are from Korea. I really enjoyed all three!

It was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot from tasting and the discussion with Hyun.

Also, did you see the way some of the steeped Hwang Cha leaves, in the photo above, looked like a beautiful, old-fashioned calligraphy “T?” I was very charmed.

For details about T Shop, photos of the interior, etc., see my earlier post Review of T Shop in NYC.

Tea Pet Sibling Reunion at Té Company

I also carried one of my tea pets, Bonsai #TheMightyMicroTurtle, into NYC to meet up with a European tea friend who was visiting New York AND happens to be the human companion of one of Bonsai’s siblings–Rosemarin.

Both turtles are related to Herb the Traveling Tea Turtle and made by Michell Hovey, a generous member of the communiTEA.

We met up at the always delightful Té Company. You can read my review of Té Company here.

I had a lovely time with everyone, including the very kind and delightful human being who is Rosemarin’s human companion. I just how tea brings people together!

ICYMI: Recent on the Blog

This is a story of how I grew up paying attention to the mouthfeel of tea, lost it, and am getting it back.

This post also explains mouthfeel.

Mouthfeel of Tea

Also on the blog recently, I shared how I led my first in-person tea event: Tea as a Gateway to Mindfulness.

I’ve offered dozens of online events over the past few years–many solo, some collaborations.

These online offerings have included my Virtual Tea Table series, Build Your Own Rest Practice workshop, Story of a Teacup, and so on. A few weeks ago, I was excited to finally lead an in-person tea event!

Read more about My In-Person event here

New to Loose-Leaf Tea or Looking for Infuser Ideas?

This is an older post, but still relevant for anyone interested in moving from tea bags to loose-leaf tea or looking for advice about steeping loose-leaf teas.

What are the practical considerations to start using loose leaf tea? It’s relatively easy to use once you know a few basics! This post provide advice on how get started with loose leaf tea.

It explores: what to use to steep loose leaf tea, how much tea to use per serving, and how long to steep.

I’ve also taken a reel that I originally shared on Instagram and added it to YouTube for convenient accessibility.

If you are interested in an under-30-second video that shows my favorite loose-leaf tea infuser baskets, including their pros and cons, this video is for you!

Go to: Let’s Talk Tea Infuser Baskets (Video)

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The post Tea Infusiast News, No. 16 appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

Marriages and friendships have been made and celebrated through a shared love of tea.

Tea, Love, and Marriage

The potter who created @HerbTheTravelingTeaTurtle of Instagram fame, Michell Hovey, first interacted with her future husband through a friend’s Instagram live.* Michell said their tea love story began when Derek said he would be coming to Seattle for the Northwest Tea Festival and was looking for recommendations. Michell messaged him some suggestions and they “chatted a bit each day before his trip.” At the festival, they shared tea and saw each other during his visit. Derek was living in a different state at the time. On day two of his five-day stay, they realized they were falling in love. A year-and-a-half later, he and Michell married each other! Awwwww.

Speaking of tea and marriage, friends and family members were aware of my love for tea when my husband and I became engaged. So, tea is also part of my love story. Friends threw us a lovely tea engagement party at their house. And, my family organized an afternoon tea for my bridal shower. At the shower, Black Currant was one of the teas served. I loved it! To this day, it is one of the few fruit-flavored teas that I enjoy. Every time I see it on a menu or take a sip, I remember that special time in my love story and the kindness of our friends and family.

Roam Love and Frens-ship

Speaking of beloved teas, Crimson Lotus Tea forms a thread that stitches together Michell, me, and several tea pet friendships!

Michell told me that she and Derek first shared tea from Crimson Lotus Tea. I had heard of this tea company, but never had any of their tea until Michell generously sent me some of their Roam, a loosely pressed Dian Hong. She included it in a package along with Bonsai, an adorable tiny clay tea pet turtle she made. Bonsai and I were fast friends at first sight! It really was love at first sight. As for the tea, I enjoyed Roam so much that I began to purchase it from Crimson Lotus. This tea isn’t showy. It’s cozy and comforting, like your favorite cardigan on a chilly day.

Another person is woven into this Roam tea love story–namely, the “hooman,” as he would say, who runs the Instagram tea account @GeraldAndFrens. This Instagram account shares the shenanigans of his three tea pets, Gerald (a dog), Ringo (a pig), and Hops (a turtle). When Michell sent Hops (another tea pet turtle she made!) to him, she included some Roam tea. Like Bonsai, it was Hops’ first tea. All the tea pets and their hooman reported loving “the cozy aspect of the tea and [how it] really helped create a sense of home and belonging.”

Sharing Tea Love in Community

In addition to the love spread for Roam tea, @HerbtheTravelingTeaTurtle and his siblings are forging new tea and friendship love stories. They have created a community of friendship through mutual love of Herb and following his travels around the U.S. (and abroad). Likewise, tea lovers lucky enough to become a human companion to one of Herb’s tea pet siblings tend to follow, get to know, and support each other, too. It’s a lovely tea story!

I was honored, for example, to help Michell organize an online event in late January. About a dozen tea lovers joined to drink tea and share our stories and love for Herb and tea pets. Those who gathered were among former hosts of Herb and/or have one of his tea pet siblings. We’re all part of Herb’s bale now! (And some of us, including me, had to look up the word “bale!”) It was lovely to honor Michell for all the tea and turtle love she has brought into this world and share our mutual love for our tea pets and their stories.

Bonding over Tea

I’ve made so many connections, absolutely lovely friends, through the online tea community! One of the lovely tea friends whom I have also had the pleasure of meeting in person is Taniya from @YogaTeaPoetry. I first saw Taniya reading her original and powerful poetry at a Being Tea Women’s Day event several years ago. Then, we started following each other and interacting a bit on Instagram. We also attended a lot of the same weekly Being Tea sessions and other events. Without planning, we both signed up for Being Tea Teacher Training at the same time! We spent seven months of roughly biweekly and very interactive classes together, plus attending each other’s graduation class. And, we spoke a lot in between! Since then, she’s joined me as a special guest or co-host on at least two virtual tea events.

This past autumn, luckily for me, Taniya traveled to New York City–just a short train ride away from where I live. And, we met at tea house. It was so nice to finally get to drink tea with Taniya in real life! (We’ve done so virtually many times.)

I’ll leave Taniya with the last words here about tea and love. She dreamily shares: “If heaven exists, it’s in a cup of tea. There is so much to learn and love with tea.”

Do you have a tea love story–romantic, friendly, tea-pet related, etc.? We’d love you to share your story with us in the comments.

*You can read more about Herb the Traveling Tea Turtle at my post, “What a Tea Pet Can Add to Your Practice.“

Interested in teas and tisanes particularly suited for Valentine’s Day vibes, check out my post, “Valentine’s Tea and Tisanes.”

The post Tea Love Stories appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

Herb, the Instagram-Famous Tea Turtle

If you follow tea accounts on Instagram, you may have seen the handiwork of potter Michell Hovey. She created the ceramic tea pet, Herb, and a number of other turtle tea pets that show up in the Instagram photos of various tea lovers.

Michell created Herb–the OG traveling tea pet–and sent him and a journal to a tea lover with the request to document Herb’s experience and then pass him along to another tea lover of their choosing. The host who has Herb when his journal pages run out is asked to return him to Michell. Drawing on public posts shared by his hosts, Michell chronicles Herb’s adventures and travels on Instagram at @HerbTheTravelingTeaTurtle. The account also shares Herb’s current location. I was lucky enough to host Herb in the spring of 2022.

(Not sure what tea pets are and/or would like to learn more about Herb’s backstory and see photos of him? Checkout my post “What Can a Tea Pet Add to Your Practice.”)

Tea Turtles with Unglazed Shells

While hosting Herb, and since then, I have enjoyed interacting with Michell, who affectionately thinks of herself as the “mom” of the turtles she has created. Michell came up with the idea to make ceramic turtles with unglazed shells. (The rest of their body is glazed.) This way, their creamy white shells darken and change color over time as they are showered with tea. The first turtle hatchlings were born in Kentucky, but more recent turtles were born in Washington state, where Michell and her family moved.

Through my interactions with Michell, and my heartfelt appreciation of some tiny turtles she posted in a photo, I was incredibly honored to receive one of her creations. Bonsai is a smol (and mighty, she would like you to know!) younger sibling of Herb. She fits almost perfectly on a fingertip and is about the size of a U.S. quarter. Michell sent Bonsai to me with some tea and a little birth certificate that listed her name and her birthday–AKA the day she emerged from the kiln. My first tea pet, Rocco (a ram), and I are so grateful to have a friend like Bonsai to share our home, too.

Tea Pet Genealogy for Michell’s Turtles

Although Herb may be the most Instagram-famous of his tea pet siblings, he isn’t the oldest! Michell let us know that Herb “has four older siblings.” Clover, the oldest, lives with Michell. Two other turtles–from other hatches–live at her house as well. Her husband is the guardian of one from the second batch of turtles. He named his turtle friend Kanar. When Michell names a turtle, as she does before gifting some, she chooses a name related to plants. Thyme, born around 2018, is the only other micro-turtle besides Bonsai.

Creating Community One Shell At a Time

Besides the kindness and fun that Michell’s tea pet turtles have brought Herb’s hosts and the human companions of those with forever homes, they have connected tea drinkers in new ways. Who follows Herb’s Instagram account? How many previous hosts and admirers now follow each other? Who doesn’t enjoy seeing the shenanigans of some of the tea pet friends that Herb stayed with along the way? For example, tea pets that met Herb (but aren’t related to him) Gerald and Frens have their own Instagram account, too! And, how many people have been (or will be) delighted to hear Herb’s first foray into the musical world? With the help of one of his hosts, Justin Other, he released Herb The Traveling Turtle Presents: The H Isn’t Silent (The Mixtape). (The link isn’t working anymore, unfortunately.)

In other words, these little clay turtles have brought more than their shells and some tea with them, they have showered us with fun, companionship, and communiTEA. I’m so grateful to Michell for her generous spirit and ceramic creations. Michell said she doesn’t publicly sell much of her ceramics online. But, when she does, she tends to update @theclayteapot on Instagram.

Do you have a tea pet? We’d love to share their name and some details in the comments!

Been thinking about the role tea plays in your life? You might enjoy my post “Embrace Your Tea Path” or this fun quiz “What Kind of a Tea Drinker Are You?”

The post Turtle Tea Pets and the Potter Who Creates Them appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

Before I share three of my favorite things about tea pets, let’s clarify what they are. Tea pets are not tea mascots. (I have another blog post about tea mascots.) Tea pets are small clay figurines, often unglazed. They can take the shape of animals, people, fruits–almost anything. Tea drinkers pour some tea on them during tea sessions. Tea pets are said to bring good fortune. They are, as you can imagine, fun to use. For more information, Brigitte from Treasure Green gives a great “Introduction to Tea Pets.”

There are many reasons to love tea pets and what they can add to your practice. I will share a few that stand out to me: a tea pet can help mark teatime as special, provide a sense of companionship, and add a visual reminder of the passage of time.

Marking Teatime as Special

You can look at every part of preparing your space and making tea as a meaningful element of your tea practice. A tea pet is another element can transform teatime into more than making ourselves something to drink.

When we drink tea every day, it’s easy to rush through the process. Even on a busy day, however, pausing for a second to do something not strictly necessary—e.g., giving a tea shower to your tea pet–can become a way to make even a quick teatime special.

Sense of Companionship

Despite their small size, tea pets can add a mighty dose of companionship to your practice. The responsibility (joy!) to “feed” another being–even an inanimate one–can bring such a sense of connection and companionship. Giving our clay friend a regular tea shower builds a relationship to your tea-pet friend. You are sharing tea together. Over time, they can become a steadfast, smol tea friend. You might be surprised by the relationship that grows between you and your tea pet! The sense of companionship is hands down my favorite part of sharing my tea tray with a tea pet.

Visual Reminder of the Passage of Time

Another bonus a tea pet can add to your practice is a way to visually mark time. There are the moments they go from dry to dripping with tea. Later, we notice them become dry again. Additionally, unglazed tea pets build up a beautiful patina with use over time. So, you can see them transform from duller to glossier over months and years. It’s very satisfying to see them develop that tea “glow.”

Special Gratitude to a Traveling Tea Pet

This spring, I was honored to host Herb the Traveling Tea Turtle. Herb was created by Michell and Derek Hovey when they lived in Richmond, Kentucky (USA). A tea friend, Jenn @barefoottealady, sent me Herb. He arrived with a leather journal. Inside the journal were directions from the Hoveys and entries from previous hosts. Jenn, very generously, also sent lots of teas with Herb. (Thanks, Jenn!)

The Instagram account @HerbTheTravelingTeaTurtle documents parts of his adventures. (You can also follow his hashtag #HerbTheTravelingTeaTurtle.) The journal, as you might imagine, is far more detailed. I was delighted–far beyond what I could image—reading the journal entries. Herb was with people during highs and lows–some while they celebrated their birthdays and holidays, some while wildfires raged nearby. He inspired children to draw photos of him. Herb went on desert and mountain hikes, met a bunch of other turtles, and hung out with other tea pets (including my own, Rocco). Herb also joined book club and tea group meetings, crashed with some college students for a spell, and went on picnics.

In addition to joining me and Rocco as part of my daily practice, Herb was nearby when I met online with many of my college students at the end of the semester. (I taught mostly in person, but our one-on-one meetings were online.) Herb also attended a number of Being Tea online tea workshops and mindfulness sessions with me. And, he joined our family on a trip to a local tea shop on Long Island (New York) that sells homemade chai and bubble teas. (He couldn’t sip teas with milk, of course, but he reported enjoying seeing the bubbles swirl in the milk teas and smelling the delightful chai spices!)

Multiplying the Tea Pet Magic

I was inspired to spread Herb’s magic and the gift of connection. So, while Herb was visiting me, I searched for a new tea pet to give to a friend. I hope this tea pet will make her practice more meaningful. I gave that tea pet–a cat–its first tea shower alongside Herb and Rocco. It tickles me to think of how this cat is now part of Herb’s story and Herb is part of theirs! (The new tea pet, by the way, did not disclose their gender or name to me—assuming they will after they arrive at my friend’s home.)

As I spent time with Herb and thought about his creators, hosts, and travels, I felt so connected to this little turtle and all the hands that held him and served him tea. He is a small tea pet with a big impact! Herb has done so much to enchant and connect the communiTEA. I am very grateful–as are Rocco and our new tea pet friend. On the last day of May 2022, that happy clay cat departed to their forever home–the same day that I sent Herb to his new host. The tea tray feels a little empty now. But, I know our tea friends are on journeys to bring more good tea vibes and make more tea connections. Herb’s journey continues. If you have a tea pet, we’d love you to share a bit about them in the comments!

Post Script

P.S. I am not the first person to write a blog post about Herb! You can read one by Herb’s first tea host, Geoffrey AKA Lazy Literatus! That post also shows the color of Herb’s shell before he started getting regular tea showers. By the way, I was delighted to find out that Herb’s first tea was an East Frisian blend. I’m a big fan of East Frisian tea and have written a couple of posts about it: “The What and How of East Frisian Tea” and comparing “Two East Frisian Tea Blends.“

Eric, the next host after Geoffrey, also wrote a post about Herb. It has lots of fun photos, too!

When Herb made his overseas trip to London, he also appeared in at least one YouTube video with Don from Mei Leaf!

Two trips after he left my home, Herb has made his first foray into the musical world with the help of his host Justin Other! Check out: Herb The Traveling Turtle Presents: The H Isn’t Silent (The Mixtape).

Interested in different ways to practice tea? You might enjoy reading my post “Embrace Your Tea Path.”

The post What Can a Tea Pet Add to Your Practice? appeared first on Tea Infusiast.