Hi, so glad you dropped by, it’s lovely to have you here for our time together…have you got your favorite beverage & delicious treat ready….Are you in a comfy spot to relax, linger & reflect…
Maple tea is my choice today, my daughter bought it back as a gift from a recent trip to Canada. I love baking muffins, so my treat for our time together is a Cinnamon & Pecan muffin, these are particularly delicious slightly warmed with a smidgen of nut butter.
The tea is a black Ceylon tea, flavoured with syrup derived from the sap of the Maple tree. As I sip, munch & reflect, I am enjoying the unusual taste of sweet spice, nut earthiness & the aromas of the muffin & tea together. Mmmm delightful!
I think trees are wonderful things they give us so much, I enjoy watching the movement of the wind upon their foliage & I particularly like the fruit, flowers & edible delights they produce, like maple syrup & cinnamon.
Our backyard, has the most majestical Jacaranda tree, which covers our entire backyard with its canopy, of cool shade in our very hot summers. Then dropping its leaves during the cold winter months allowing the sun to give us a warm place to sit in the sunshine. In late spring it then comes alive with brilliant lilac flowers, slowly dropping them to the ground creating a lilac & green carpet upon the lawn! Simply, breathtaking!
Trees have been created to gradually grow strong trunks, boughs & branches from seed, producing leaves, flowers & fruit. Their roots growing in the invisible depths below to balance what is visible above.
Most trees have a main tap root to anchor it within the soil, while feeder roots branch out within the ground creating a network of supporting roots to balance & provide nutrition for the tree’s canopy above. The greatest test comes when the storms & extreme weather strike, as to how these supports help the tree to stand.
This Jacaranda, has been hit by some particularly severe storms, which has cruelly buffeted it, slamming it’s beautiful branches, leaves & flowers from side to side, pelting it with torrential rain & large hail stones. It lost a few branches & many of its leaves & flowers, during those storms, but it held its ground. Its resilience in being solidly anchored firstly by its tap root then by its well nourished network roots, held fast.
Storms come to us all, its a part of life, how we weather those storms depends on how our roots are being continually nourished & what we have allowed our tap root to be anchored into. We need to ask ourselves are we continually nourishing ourselves with what is good for us or is it actually poisonous & toxic? What have we allowed our tap root, our precious souls to be anchored into?
My network of roots are in many areas which continually nourish me in body, mind & spirit; in healthy relationships, in interests that give joy & delight, in the little everyday choices I make, in meditating & reflecting on the anchor of my soul.
The Creator of the universe, whose nourishment has helped me to stand against the severest of storms in the loss of my two children & them my late husband…shared in Emotional processes… & Home sweet home
I may have lost some branches, leaves & flowers during the storms, but they have been replaced with a seasoned network for new blossoms to bloom…
Well my tea & muffin are now delightfully consumed, until next time dear friend…
Jennifer
© teawithjennifer.blog All rights reserved. Photo by Pexels.com
Wonderful post and welcome to the Salon. I hope you continue to join us.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Bernadette, it is lovely to be a part of such a talented & creative group!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a beautiful post Jennifer. I love your Jacaranda tree. I have never seen one before.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, they are majestical trees, our neighbour’s on each side have ones too in their front yards & the show when they all are in bloom is spectacular.
We also have a town nearby that has a street of 100 year old ones lining each side of the entire street & its like a fairytale experience to drive through, so beautiful!
LikeLike
You are very blessed. 🍃
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another beautiful post! The essence is captured beautifully in your closing analogy. 🙂 xo
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Bette, I’m glad you enjoyed our time together.
I appreciate your kind words & encouragement.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad I stopped by via Brigid’s lovely blog! I live in Canada and have yet to purchase some Maple tea, after spending some time here, I think it will be my next purchase! Thank you for sharing this beautiful post and image of the Jacaranda tree, one of my favourite trees I often came across in travels to Mexico!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was lovely to have you drop by, yes I believe the Jacaranda originates in Mexico, they do particularly well here in Australia. We even have a Jacaranda festival in a coastal town many hours from us! The whole town grows them, I have seen the display, it is breath taking!
Enjoy your maple tea & your welcome to drop by anytime 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are most welcome 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can hardly wait to try those muffins and some maple Tea… maple anything , really! Thank you for the inspiring words. What we are rooted in matters so much…a beautiful portrait of a truth you painted with your words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Kam, yes we need to anchor & nurture our roots constantly & consistently, as it is life for our very souls! Happy maple treating! I hope you enjoy both 🙂
LikeLike
Your photo didn’t come up for me, but we have a plethora of jacaranda, primavera,royal poinciannas and African tulip trees where I live. I love them, but Achoo! Enjoyed your post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You live in a beautiful area of the world too! Not sure why the photos didn’t appear but think the issue is rectified now. I haven’t seen African tulip trees.
We have red poinsettas, in our side garden…are they in the same family as poinciannas?
It was lovely having you drop by! You are welcome anytime.
LikeLike
No. royal poincianas are a different flowering tree. See a photo of the flower here: https://judydykstrabrown.com/2017/04/10/royal-poinciana-flower-of-the-day-apr-10-2017/
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, I haven’t seen those, they are beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
LikeLike
What a beautiful post. I’m relaxed just by listening to your words of peace and wisdom. We so need our strong anchor. We also need more of what you mentioned-surrounding ourselves with moments that bring joy. I loved it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you enjoyed our time together Crista & thank you for your kind words.
Joyful moments are definitely around us if we just take time to notice them.
Today I saw some beautiful Rainbow Lorikeets (very colorful birds) sitting & singing in our Jacaranda. Then a Kookaburra landed on the clothes line nearby laughing out to its family! So joyful & precious gifts from above.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds amazing! It’s 20 degrees here, not a leaf on a tree, and the color grey dominates the landscape. Our Spring is in a few months. Until then, I choose to focus on the landscape of my family’s faces and beautiful imagery like your words. Thanks again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome, keep warm!
LikeLiked by 1 person
hello Jennifer that is beautiful, and I love the colour, thank you for educating me about the jacaranda tree. Those muffins sound delishus 🙂 I did not have any tea or treats right now but earlier I had a small bar of nut chocolate from a well known European supermarket with my regular black tea which I take with soya milk. Sending you well wishes dear, and thank you for following my blog. Much love across the miles 🙂 from Shar. x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your wishes across the miles Shar, it was lovely to have you drop by, it is a beautiful tree & is a delight.
The nut chocolate sounds yummy too…the muffins are delicious…feel free to try my recipe on the page link I supplied.
Jennifer
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahh righty ho 🙂 disregard my request on other comment then, as I asked just that! Thank you for recipe.
Shar.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, hope you enjoy them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful tree, Jennifer! And great reflective analogy. Visiting from Counting My Blessings. Have a great day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Kelly… it is a beautiful tree, it is just getting ready to lose its leaves & start budding again!
Lovely to have you drop by.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jennifer, that tree is absolutely gorgeous and I love your reminder of the importance of deep roots. Thanks for this beautiful time of tea and muffins. God bless you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you enjoyed our time together Deb.
LikeLike