2/2/10

Monastery Tea


I've been meaning to join Kimmie at Art in Red Wagons for Tuesday Tea for quite some time, given how much tea I drink! This weekend we finally visited St. Paraskevi Monastery up near Brenham, Texas. Unfortunately we forgot our camera, or I would share some photos. Their temple was astoundingly beautiful, radiating peace and quiet. My husband and I and two friends from church were the only visitors that day, perhaps owing to the rare chilly weather. The abbess kindly visited with us for quite some time, sharing stories about the founding of her original monastery in Greece and plans for her monastery in Texas. She brewed a delicious pot of Greek mountain tea for us, which I'd never before had. It was lovely! Fortunately, they sell it in their bookstore so I was able to bring some home. The nuns served a delicious meal to us that included some of their homemade feta cheese and wine from the winery that helps press their own grapes. We were blessed to spend a few hours there. At home yesterday, I brewed some of their tea and added honey from St. Tikhon's Monastery in Pennsylvania in my new Charley Harper mug. I am sure this tea will always remind me of a chilly Texas day under the pine trees.

11 comments:

~*~Patty Szymkowicz said...

such a lovely and interesting tea post!
something about monasteries always draws me in ... someone recently had a monastery soup cookbook in a post (I'll remember who/where at some point)
Happy T Tuesday to you!
oxo

~*~Patty Szymkowicz said...

and I adore your tea cup!

Unknown said...

Wow that is just so cool! The meal sounds wonderful - and how special to have tea you can brew from time to time and bring back the memories of such a special outing!
Happy T today! I'm so glad you could play :)
Hugs, Kimmie

BadPenny said...

How lovely - I had Sage tea on a retreat in Greece last October.

Mimi said...

That's the most beautiful cup of tea I've ever seen! Sigh!
Enjoy!

ELK said...

this is a great way to spend a little time...

elizabeth said...

beautiful! I have had monastery tea from the Greek monastery near to me here... such a blessing.

so glad you were able to go and have the lovely opportunity to speak with the Abbess. What a blessing.

Cindy said...

What a wonderful time you must have had. Your description resonates with me and I'm sure I would have enjoyed it too.

Janelle said...

Oh, oh! Wish you had some pictures! But it sounds like one of those days you never forget. Love the mug!

Martha said...

Charley Harper was a Cincinnatian...I love his bird art. I was just talking to my sister today about him. That teacup is darling. That tea looks so fresh...yum!

Michelle M. said...

My husband was just commenting today how much he desires to go to a monastery during Lent. Fortunately, we have a couple with in fours hours of us. So I am sure he'll be making the trip at some point.
That tea looks beautiful, too.