sam feeds some turtles

When we visited Lotus Lake last week, my brother found some turtles that needed feeding.  And when I say some--I mean LOTS!!  Have a look, and hear his excitement. 

At the moment, this one activity is ranked in the top three things he has enjoyed most here.

The other day he said something that warmed my heart.  While we were on the moped he asked about how he could come here other than teaching.  I asked him, "are you thinking about coming back to Taiwan?"  He said, "Oh, I definately know I will be back here one day!" 

how to make old man's tea

One of my writing students, Juliet, wrote about "old man's tea" for her process essay this last year.  I thought in continuing the theme of tea in Taiwan I would share with you her essay.  Keep in mind she English is her foreign language and this was an assignment for her class.  Otherwise: enjoy learning how to make old man's tea from a Taiwanese young person!

"Old man’s tea" is an old Chinese convention. It is a nice kind of rest and recreation for leisure. Many people in Taiwan like “old man’s” tea and my boyfriend likes, too. He is older that me, so he is an old man, so he enjoys “old man’s” tea. My boyfriend thinks drinking the tea can help our body’s metabolism, and make our spirits become well. Would you like your health to get better? Would you like to learn how to make “old man’s” tea? Making “old man’s” tea is not difficult when you follow these three steps.

The first step to making “old man’s” tea is to get the things you need. You should choose a kind of tea you like because the tea has many different types and tastes. If you like mild flavors you should choose green tea, black tea, or wu long tea for a sweet and sharp taste. If you want to drink a fragrant, sweet tea, try one of the flower teas. They are not dry and coarse. After you choose your tea, then you need to prepare other stuff. You need to have a fire stove for boiling water, some drinking water a tea pot, tongs, tall narrow “smell cups” and a cloth. You need to have them all ready.

After you have completely prepared every thing, with nothing missing, you can start to make tea. First, put tea leaves in the tea pot. Next, boil the water and pour the water in the tea pot. It should soak for about three minutes. Take the first brew and wash the tea cups with it. This makes them hot. Also, pour the first brew into the “tall smell cups” to smell the tea. But, the first brew had is messy, so the first brew is not usually drank. Then put the hot water in the pot again. Remember, do not soak for too long of a time because, the tea will have an astringent taste.

Finally, the last step of making “old man’s” tea is to drink and enjoy the tea. First, give every one a smell cup and a tea cup. Then pour the second brew of tea into the smell cup. Then pour the tea from the smell cup into the tea cup. You can smell the smell cup’s scent. After wards, you can drink the tea. The tea will be hot, so you should be careful not to burn your mouth. When the second brew is gone, you can use the same tea leaves again to brew more tea. But, after soaking about five or six times, the tea leaves will have not taste. There fore you should change to new leaves and repeat the 2 and 3 steps.
   

No matter what, these three steps are very important: Prepare for, make and enjoy “old men’s” tea. Each one can not be forget on. Making “old man’s” tea is not difficult when you follow these steps. So you can try to learn to make “old man’s” tea and you will feel it is interesting. And, at the some time you will be experiencing a special part of Taiwanese culture.

taiwan tea

Taiwan's mountains are covered with tea farms. 

Here are some pictures of tea in Taiwan at different stages:

Pictures from various flickr accounts: 1. Tea-picking at the Taida Experimental Tea Garden 01, 2. IMG_8065, 3. pinglin + sandiaoling 019, 4. pinglin + sandiaoling 005, 5. pinglin + sandiaoling 008, 6. Alishan Forest Recreation Area, 7. Tea shop @ Taipei, 8. Teapot, 9. and more tea

old man's tea

Even though it was nine years ago, I still remember the very first time I saw a coffee mug full of green leaves and water.  I was shocked!  "What is that?"  My student laughed at me and said, "It's tea."  TEA!?!?!  To me, tea was some brown substance folded inside a small white filter (AKA: a tea bag), brewed hot, drunk cold. 

He offered me a little paper cup full of green leaves topped off with hot water. I tried it, and it was B.I.T.T.E.R.

Now, I love that bitter drink and serve it myself.  In fact, if you want to really "serve tea" in Taiwan there is an entire process that must be followed.  However, unlike the Japanese tea ritual, the tea ritual in Taiwan is more relaxed.  But, it does last a long time.  Brew a little, pour a little, drink a little.  Brew some more, pour some more, drink a little more.  Repeat.  This process is lovingly referred to as "old man's tea."

All over Taiwan, you can find groups of people sitting around drinking tea and socializing: at a souviener shop, in a temple, at the automechanic's, in front of their homes. 

Everytime I see a group of people sitting around drinking tea, I think: "that could be a church!"  I pray that one day it will be a group of believers sitting around discussing what God is doing in their lives as they sip their green tea at the end of the day, a Bible study group meeting to discuss the book of John, a family gathering to pray for each other and their lost neighbors. 

Oh, may it one day be true!!

In order to reach other cultures for Christ, we do not necessarily need to "change" them.  God can redeem cultural traditions in order to bring greater glory to Himself.  Isn't that cool?

This post was submitted to the Carnival of Beauty hosted and sponsored by Sallie at A Gracious Home.  This week the theme was The Beauty of Coffee and Tea.
 

nifty

Owlhaven recently had a fun post trying to find out the ABC's of her readers' whereabouts.  And she bestowed upon me her Very Interesting Person Award for my comment on her post. 

I don't have many mommy blogs in my bloglines, but I have been keeping an eye on the Owlhaven blog ever since I read about her garden--that's when I found out she had a large family.  I also really liked her stars, but once I saw her family picture and read a little more about her family, I was hooked. 

I was hooked because she is living the life I dreamed about as a teenager--oh except that I had dreamed of 12 kids, not just 8. ;)  However, maybe her family's not complete yet I don't know.  You wanna know a little secret?  I even had lists of possible names for all 12 children.  Sometimes they were named in alphbetical order (yes, I had a male and female choice for each letter), sometimes they were all Biblical. 

Anyway, since I am busy with grading finals and sick with a terrible cold, why don't you pop over and say hi.  You can check out her lastest garage sale finds.

yes is yes; no is no

Why do we needlessly feel that we must explain ourselves?  And, why do we ask others to promise that they really mean what they say?

During wedding week, my mom and I started saying "no explaination needed."  Yes, we will have different opinions and ideas, but since we were all competent women we could trust that even though they were different they were still all good ideas.  There was no real need to explain and justify every decision we made.  Oh, it made life so much easier.  We didn't have to defend everything; we argued less because we just trusted each other and quit justifying everything.

Recently when someone was going on ad nauseum about their answer when a simple "yes" or "no" would have sufficed, I remembered something my dad taught me a long time ago.  I had asked him to do something.  He said "yes."  I then asked him to "pinkie swear" that he really would do it.  He responded that his "yes was enough."   He then quoted the second half of James 5:12 "Let your 'Yes' be yes, and your 'No,' no."

My eathly father was teaching me, but my Heavenly Father was convicting me.  I really did not need to ask others to promise above and beyond their "yes" and "no."  I needed to trust others and allow my own "yes"s and "no"s to simply be yes and no.

You know what?  Life is actually much easier when we know someone's "yes" is yes and their "no" is no.  No need to doubt.  No need to question or beg.  We can trust that they mean what they say.  Life is also eaiser when we don't have to "pinkie promise" or explain why.

So, I am consiously trying to once again be aware of the command in James 5:12--and be obedient.  Trust me; it's not as easy at it might seem.

a good thing (芒果剉冰)

This tasty treat is  芒果剉冰 (pronounced: mang gou chouw bing).

It is ice topped with fresh mango and condensed milk.  It costs about $1.25 USD. 

I love this dessert!  It is perfect on a hot summer afternoon after bike riding. 

If you ever happen to be near FengShan, give me a ring and I'll treat you to a bowl.