Best of ’09: Tea #best09

When I was pregnant with Lauren, I was running a freelance writing business from home. I felt the urge to create something other than a press release or feature story. Something more … artistic. I’ve never claimed to be a visual artist, and I have absolutely no training, but there was something about painting that just felt right during that time.

I found myself at Color Me Mine on those days. The pottery-painting store, then located in Denver’s Cherry Creek North neighborhood, became my home away from home. In about six months, I painted a butter dish, several bowls and serving plates, and this mug.

Dragonflies are one of my animal totems, and I felt particularly engaged with the animals when I was pregnant. I saw them everywhere I looked–flying through my backyard, painted on the side of a VW bus. It was a time when I focused on merging my head (air) and my heart (water), which is what a dragonfly does as it skitters above ponds and through the day. When I see them now, as I do from time to time, I remember how important it is not to let my overactive, bossy brain run me all the time, to slow down, spend some time feeling.

Nine years have passed, and the mug shows the time with chips and faded paint. I’ve never had a cup of coffee in it. This is my Tea Mug. When I have tea, this is what I drink it from. Lately, I’ve been drinking Tazo’s jasmine green tea with just a little honey. I love the subtle silkiness of the floral, which smooths out the bitterness of the green tea eaves. It’s my Best Tea of ’09

Blogger Extraordinaire Gwen Bell has issued a blogging challenge for each day of December–a “Best of” for 2009. I’m joining in as I have time and as the topics interest me.