September Tea

Hopping bunny stops
To sniff a morning glory
Vining through lettuce

— Tracy Cates

Return to tea,
Return to friends.
Love and blessings everyone!

— Kate Shane

glowing jars of autumn bounty
bunny madonnas
crickets at my window
it’s autumn!

— Kathy Lyons

Hippity HOPPING, mind-a-bopping!
Then the pause and “aaaahs” of Tea with friends.
Perfect start to a spectacular September.
Domo arigato gozaimasu!

— Kyoko Hummel

Madonna and child.
Home filled with their images.
Now I see in moon.

— Sheila Fling

This almost Fall day
Praying mantis on a leaf
Matches my green tea

– Chad Oba

The circle forever spins,
the oscillation never ends,
in this life we watch and live

— Arlo Calvin

December Tea ’24

Siddiq Is beginner’s mind / a big thing or a small thing? / No mind is theanswer Tracy Why respond with “no”? / Give freely beyond request / Hindered bynothing Sakina I judge, therefore I am / shoddy foam, perfect foam / can I loveevery bubble? Tracy Three and a half...

August Tea ’24

Kim Tea Space is the perfect host / as the sky hosts clouds / and GreatMind hosts all thoughts Siddiq The imperfection / how shall I learn to treasure / just the way it is? Ulrich No student far or near - you are the task Tracy Aging into tea / No more kneeling, I...

May Tea ’24

From Randy W. "Prayer for Our World" In the midst of thisHorrifying imageThe only solaceFour survivorsPerhaps a familyHolding togetherThe grace of lifeAs if our worldMight be whole againAdorned with treesAnd lemons. From Deborah MN: I'm getting my first lily of the...

April Tea ’24

From Jean K: Thank you for welcoming Chloe to our practice today. I think she will enjoy learningmore about how to fold the fukusa when she and I practice together. We are leaving you allnow to work on the garden. Many spring blessings to all!! From Lesley M: we are...

March Tea ’24

From Susan R: Quiet here this moment, but like returning salmon, the flow was powerful From Lesley M: Stopping the battle … Letting the foam have bubbles … Spring and Autumn mix From Dean O: In the middle of tea / the great-tailed grackles / returned to my yard today...

February Tea ’24

“Luck is the Guest that turned up.” Lesley   From Willi S: I am borrowing the words of Gary Snyder, which I think are uniquely applicable today.  We can all individually decide what he means by WILD.  "People often think of art as the most highly cultured, the most...

January Tea ’24

​From Jean K: Our lives / shirts on the ironing board / tears of grief and gratitude / with water and whisk we blend them all / and sip From Kate S: Hurrying to a place where I yearn to slow down, to listen to the sounds of making tea and the jumbled thoughts in my...

December Tea ’23

From Kathy:Running Teachers!! Shiwasu! From Jean:running teachers know the value of mistakes From Lesley:making tea to a single point … a knock at the door … a tap at the window … points in flowing motion From Jean:Phone call, I’m at the door, interruptions happen,...

November Tea ’23

  From VictoriaThe comments on sprouting and awareness of the abundance of kindnesses reminds of the Thanksgiving poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, which starts:We walk on starry fields of whiteAnd do not see the daisies;For blessings common in our sightWe rarely...

October Tea ’23

  From Kathy:   10 Virtues of Tea by Rikyu:  Blessed by gods / shakes off sleepiness / discharges filial duties / wards off disease/ makes one love and respect people / frees one from earthly desires / keeps one healthy / has contact withnobility / prolongs life...