Sunday, August 03, 2008

rural break, short cut, Oolong plus

Posted by PicasaNowadays I do not often have the chance to look at, photograph or draw cows from life. So I was glad the other day to be able to use the zoom on the new camera, while on my way to visit my invalid friend, who is recovering in the country. I love the way the ears of cows often stick out at right angles from their heads. It is a coincidence that Lucy's black and white cows, one of which has a glowing orange label on it ear, appeared on Box Elder a few days ago.

Among the front gardens, which I pass, one is attractively unkempt with all sort of garden flowers mingling with their wild cousins. The owner of the house, a reluctant gardener, has hit on an unusual method of restraining weeds. She simply heaps layers of compost on top of the weed and plants shrubs and the like on the compost.

Heidi's daughter Caroline is staying with us at the moment. Where Caroline goes, teas - unusual teas from China - are never far behind. Last year her, Christmas present was a number of immaculately packed examples of such teas. On this visit, she brings some Dragon Eye Oolong tea, described as "Green oolong tea with sunflower and marigold flowers, and ginger, peach and apricot flowers". It has an amazing perfume - scented but never cloying and leaves a fresh, lingering after taste, like a Spring breeze.

1 comment:

Lucy said...

Cows have all sorts of interesting angles to them. It used to frustrate me as a child, that though I developed reasonably successful formulae for drawing horses, dogs, cats, even frogs, cows eluded me! I still take too many photos of them.