Jade Oolong

This is Arbor Tea's organic Jade oolong.
The tea is a Taiwanese tea, produced in Nantuo. I am not sure about what year, but I am assuming it is from last year's batch.

The dry leaf smells of roasted graham, honey clover, and in the background there is a light, wavering floral aspect. The small pearls are inconsistent as far as size, shape, and color are concerned, but they are not at all a bad looking bunch of leaves.

The teapot is filled, and there is the slightest detection of the aroma of the leaf inside.

The liquor brings forth toasty, sweet, and almost a caramel type scent. On the palate; hay, and sweet calendula.
The texture is nice and brothy, and coats the mouth quite well.
As it cools, a saline aspect is brought out.

The second immersion in water creates a liquid that is very heavy, with a weak aroma, and a flat, dull taste.

I decide to stop the session.
This is not a horrible tea, but it was a bit boring.
Could I drink this as an everyday oolong? Definitely I could.
But could I have another rousing session with it, definitely not. It does not hold my interest.

I have been very pleased with all of the Arbor Tea samples that I have tried thus far, so this was a bit surprising.
You win some, you lose some.



~billy

Dorm Life

I have successfully moved into the dorm and am assimilating quite nicely!
The floor that I am on is filled with great people and I am excited to participate in the social events and such.
Anderson, Indiana is a great place!

As far as tea goes, I have brought a few of my things and organized them and used them!
I will be back to regular posting now that most of the freshman events are through, and classes start on August 30th.

A new environment will have a good effect overall for me.



~billy

Wabi Sabi

"Wabi Sabi embodies the Zen nihilistic cosmic view and seeks beauty in the imperfections found as all things, in a constant state of flux, evolve from nothing and devolve back too nothing.

Wabi Sabi is an intuitive appreciation of a transient beauty in the physical world that reflects the irreversible flow of life in the spiritual world. It is an understated beauty that exists in the modest, rustic, imperfect, and even decayed, an aesthetic sensibility that finds a melancholy beauty in the impermanence of all things."
-Andrew Juniper


In my own words, the art and practice of simplicity.

No fancy tea ware, just the bare essentials in creating the perfect cup of tea.

A time of reflection and internal cleansing is needed periodically.

I will be moving from my comfortable home in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and braving the world in the state of Indiana.
My dorm room awaits me.

With this state of mind, Wabi Sabi, I think about the necessities that I will need.
Selective packing is on my schedule for the next two days.

Simplicity.

One can only wonder what I shall chance upon in the future.

"Wabi Sabi: it appreciates the fleeting moment for itself, not for what the future may or may not bring."
-Solala Towler

I will take the moments in as they are presented to me.

God willing, I will have opportunity to do His will, work for Him, and trust in Him. Amen.

I shall not be posting for a while, due to the hustle and bustle of modern society and the journey of relocation.
So until then, God bless.



~billy