this, that & gen mai cha...

The past few days have felt very hectic.

Friday I spent time in the studio, only to have a day of the EITTTS (everything I touch turns to shit {blatantly stolen from Madam Ric Rac}). It's so frustrating, when this is the only day I get & the circuit that links my brain to my hands decides to go on strike. Seriously, it was klutz central. Luckily only fabrics were harmed & there were no scissor incidents.

Saturday was spent driving up town & back. I got myself a haircut, we had some yummy lunch & picked up a huge colourful kilim rug for our lounge. It's so amazing, total transformation. Everytime I see it, I smile. Lovely.

Today was kitchen day, I made bread, pikelets, dahl & stew. We lit the first fire of the season & have enjoyed a quiet day pottering about. Huckle & I played numerous games of shape sorter, blocks & stacking rings. 

I have drunk many pots of gen mai cha this past week. I find it calming & the smell just takes me back to Japan. If you haven't tried it before, it's a green tea with roasted brown rice. It has a lovely robust & nutty flavour. 

When making your pot of gen mai cha (or any green tea for that matter), it's important to infuse it in water that is between 70 & 80 degrees celsius. Too hot & the water will scald the tea, creating a bitter flavour. If you don't have a thermometer, a good way of measuring this is to pour boiling water into your pot & let it sit for a few minutes before adding the tea.

After the effort of preparing the tea, sit, relax & take in the lovely aroma, then sip away & feel the warmth soothe your mind. Aaah, bliss.

For the dear ladies who commented on my sunflower post... I just couldn't choose four. 

So you all shall have sunflower seeds to grow in your garden. Thank you for commenting.

I hope your weekend was full of happiness.

I'm off to lounge about in front of the fire & admire my rug.