Afternoon Tea on the Bridge ~ and a little mindfulness

Long time readers of High Heeled Life already know I'm all about a good cup of tea in the afternoon. Making time in your afternoon for tea not only provides the opportunity to indulge in a small treat - to carry you through to dinner or the drive home after work; it also gives you a few moments to pause in your day - practice a little mindfulness and recharge the mind.

With the great autumn afternoons we have been blessed with  my afternoon cup of tea at the country home can still be enjoyed outside. this particular afternoon I set myself up down on the small bridge.

 My Lady Carlyle tea cup and side plate  by Royal Albert -  some tasty macarons my friend spoiled me with, from Trader Joe's ... I kid you not they are tres yummy!!

a pillow and blanket ... some leisure reading magazines ... the sun shining it's warm rays and I settled in for some time away from computer, phones, and distractions.

The only sounds ... were chirping birds, the gurgling of the stream beneath the bridge ...

After a little leisure reading  ... I practiced a little mindfulness ... below are some steps I 've shared before to help you practice mindfulness... 

mind·ful·ness

ˈmīndfəlnəs/

noun

noun: mindfulness

1. 1.

   the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.

   "their mindfulness of the wider cinematic tradition"
2. 2.

   a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.

With today's demands for us to always be connected it has become more important than ever to unplug, stop doing things on auto pilot and experience being in the moment. Try these simple steps the next time you brew a cup of tea: 

1. Take notice of your environment, the sound of the water as you fill the kettle. Smile at the thought of fresh water and give thanks for having it.

2. Take note of how your feet feel as you make your way across the room, how the floor feels below your feet.

3. Notice the various shades and textures of the dry tea leaves. If you use tea bags still touch the leaves and breathe in the fragrant scent.

4. Listen to the sound of the water as you pour it into the teapot see how the leaves begin to transform as the hot water envelopes them.

5. As the tea steeps try to quieten your mind focus on your breath - inhaling and exhaling through the nose.

6. Holding teacup with both hands raise teacup to your nose. Take three deep breaths inhaling the warmth and fragrant scent of your tea.

7. Take note of the flavours as the tea rolls over your tongue - see if you can identify their origins.

8. As the tea makes its way past your tongue invite it into your body to nourish and heal.

9. Repeat  steps 6-8 until you finish your cup of tea.

You will be surprised at how much more creative and productive you will feel and be when you take the time to recharge your mind.

If tea is not your thing ... no worries ... have a cup of coffee, or smoothie or a glass of water (we can all drink more water - I'm certain). Get outside - stroll to a near by park, and just sit. Be present in the moment. Allow your mind to take a break from the work day. If mid afternoon doesn't permit getting outside - do it during your lunch hour, or find a spot in the office that you can sit looking out a window ...and take in the nature beyond it.

How do you recharge in your day?

You are the curator of your life so make it luxurious,


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Sharing with: Happiness is Homemade - Sunday ; Inspiration Monday ; No Place Like Home-Mondays ;  Tea Cup Tuesday ;  Inspiration2 -Thursday ; Home and Garden Thursday
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Blog Friend Visit - and a cup of tea

Welcome to Over a Cup of Tea with Celia M. - #7

The week-end started early around the HHL home. Dolce and Gabbana eagerly awaited the arrival of a special guest to our home ...

Miss Ava from Ava Grace's Closet came by for a visit with her mama ... while the little ones played we enjoyed a cup of black tea (Casablanca) from Mariage Freres and some scrumptious, sinfully delicious cannoli - which Ava and her mama picked up before setting on their drive to our country home.    

The morning went by so quickly ...and with so much entertainment from the little ones ... I forgot all about capturing our tea in photos. The next day I did enjoy some Early Grey black tea from Harney & Sons with a a cannoli (or two) from the previous day. These were still as yummy the next day!

I used the same teacup ... the Lady Carlyle by Royal Albert. 

Thank you Susan ... these were still heavenly the next day. And the fresh bakery bread - gone that same day!!!

With all the excitement of company ... Dolce and Gabbana were ready to head out for a drive.

So, off to Yorkdale Shopping Centre ... where furbabies are welcomed.

Everything is starting to look a lot like Christmas ... The Swarovski Crystal tree is breathe taking!

Even Dolce and Gabbana thought so....

Thank you for visiting today,


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sharing this post with:  Mosaic Monday ~Le chateau des fleurs  ~  Inspire Me Tuesday ~  A Return to Loveliness ~  Antiques and Teacups for Tuesday Cuppa Tea ~ Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea time Tuesday ~ Artful Affirmations and Martha's favorites for Teacup Tuesday ~ 

Are You worth 30 Minutes in YOUR day?

"Preparing the tea is all part of the process of quietening our mind from the chaos that is sometimes our life ." ~ Celia M.

On the journey of recovery post accident- physical and emotional injuries - I discovered that taking time (for me) from all the medical appointments in my day was as crucial to my recovery as the therapy appointments. The challenge was getting my mind to quieten so that I could truly be in the moment and reap the benefits of calmness. And also doing something that was relaxing and still made me feel like I was "doing something" other than just sitting.

Over time, we started to notice that when I took the time to prepare tea (instead of just throwing a teabag in a regular mug and pouring boiling water in - and drinking it as I moved about) and actually took a few minutes to sit while I sipped my tea ~ a calming effect occurred, that medication could not achieve.

Making tea part of my day has an incredible calming effect on my mind and soul. I look forward to tea time (ME Time). Making time for tea is making time for myself - to recharge, mind, body, spirit each day is important and I'm worth it! AND SO ARE YOU...

Benefits of making time for tea:
~Hydration - one of the things that I am not very good at is drinking enough water throughout the day. Tea is a healthy drink that has no additives which can contribute to poorer health (i.e. soft drinks). Tea also has antioxidant benefits which may be beneficial for overall health.

~ Calm activity - inherently drinking tea is a calm and relaxing activity, which allows you to sit for  a few moments and relax/decompress. As someone with anxiety, doing things that help me to relax is crucial for my health. This simple act of relaxing is most healthy for ones spirit. 

~ Routine - incorporating tea into your day provides a structured time to actually sit back and enjoy some peaceful time in your day. I can't believe I'm about to write this - Routine is a good thing, as it is relaxing to know what comes next. When scheduled into your day - it becomes as important an appointment as all other things in your day. Actually it should be even more important - as the appointment is with YOURSELF.

The simple act of drinking any decaffeinated tea can have a positive impact on your ability to slow down and pause for a few rejuvenating moments in your day.  

Now that I have reminded you of some of the benefits of making time for tea, I'm going to share my process of preparing my cup of tea.

I'm so happy you stopped by for tea ... the kettle is on, 

the teacup and saucer, a little treat, teapot and since we are having loose leaf tea, a tea strainer is all ready to go.

Today it's Oolong tea ... so I've set the water temperature accordingly. If you don't have a pre-programmed water temperature kettle, don't worry - before I was gifted this one by the furbabies - I would let the water settle a bit after boiling before adding it to teapot. 

The Oolong tea is from Angelina and is one of my favourite teas. Some Oolong teas require 3-4 minutes of steep time, while others may require 6-8 minutes. You may either follow the instructions on the bag or do a little experimenting to find the right amount of steeping time for your liking. 

Enjoying just a cup of tea is good ... but when you add a tiny treat it becomes marvelous! Remember I said tiny - not a whole cake. A savory treat can also be a great option. 

When the steep time is done pour your tea into a china teacup. There is something magical about drinking tea from a teacup with a saucer. For me drinking from a teacup and saucer - automatically triggers a relaxing effect at the anticipation of sipping the tea.

This Royal Albert -Chelsea Bird teacup is one of my favourite teacups. 

Choose a spot in your home that is quiet, has natural daylight, and has comfy sitting.

There are various spaces throughout our home (inside and outside - depending on weather and season) in which I enjoy my afternoon tea. Today, I'm sitting in our kitchen looking out at the gardens. Fresh cut flowers always bring a smile to my day, so when the gardens are sleeping over winter and have not yet awaken ~ a bouquet from the local market is perfect.

In this little cozy corner I usually keep an inspirational book, something that can be read a page or two at a time. Currently I'm enjoying - Daily Guidance from your Angels by Doreen Virtue.

Now ....

Turn off ALL technology that could be distracting ... no calls, no checking emails/texts. If there are others that live in your home - let them know unless it's an emergency you are not to be disturbed (what's for dinner? and have you seen my socks? are not emergencies) AND ....

GO MAKE YOURSELF A CUP OF TEA!

When was the last time you made time
 in YOUR day for you?

Making Tea Part of Your Day and Taking Time for Yourself.

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Sharing this post with ... Mosaic Monday ~ Antiques and Teacups for Tuesday Cuppa Tea ~ Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea time Tuesday ~ Artful Affirmations and Martha's favorites for Teacup Tuesday  Table Top Tuesday ~  A Return to Loveliness Tuesday

Tea with Elizabeth and Lady Carlye

My dear friend Elizabeth, who spent the last 3 months of 2011 and the better part of 2012 traveling the world, finally returned home. After coordinating our schedules we were able to catch up in late summer over a cup of tea and some yummy treats. The weather was extremely hot so, we sat comfortably inside looking out  to the gardens. Come along and join us for tea...

I had not seen Elizabeth since our trip to Paris in October 2011 ~ at the end of our week in Paris, I flew home, while Elizabeth went off to see the world. 

During our time in Paris,  Elizabeth introduced me to Mariage Frères Maison de Thé  (definitely a must go to - when you are in Paris). To celebrate her return home I decided Casablanca tea from Mariage Frères would be perfect! served in my Lady Carlyle teapot by Royal Albert,

For the desserts I choose this hand painted robin egg blue pedestal plate, Porcelain de France.