While  working in the Seattle neighborhood of Leschi I walked around an abandoned corner lot. There was broken-down house on it that was boarded up and fenced in. As I walked by the lot I noticed a few things that set me in a dreamy mood. Lining the chain link fence were several rose bushes blooming in bold pink. Growing in a rock ravaged pile  were several globe artichoke plants, towering and in bloom. As I continued in awe down the sidewalk a sweet musky fragrance wafted my way. I looked up on the big soft leaves of a fig tree, full of fruit–some had let go already and become a pink smear underfoot. It was such a lovely juxtaposition to witness. Since then I’ve noticed fruit laden shrubs spilling on to the sidewalk in the central district–salmonberries, gooseberries, white red and purple. several fiery shades of plums and the purple kind that are pastel purple and blue. I passed by thick downy plots of borage in full bloom–which I haven’t seen along the sidewalk here before. Calendula abounds as well as Himalayan blackberry. I was touched when I passed a home that had obviously cultivated their  curbside patch of blackberries– allowing them to  grow tall and thick in a 2×4 ft area– enough to hang over the sidewalk as an offering for the tempted passerby. Another abandoned home  had apples spilling onto the roof -layers lying in the grass– tiny yellow plums mottled the sidewalk and exuded a intensely tart and balmy aroma. This time of year is all about the bursting of fruits and flowers and smells and color — a sensual abundance overload-soak it up!

Roses have been on my mind.  I have just been loving something about rose.  As I have been reformulating the tea blends we package here at Rainbow, I find myself wanting to add some rose petals nearly every time.  I also ran across an old journal of mine from during one of my pregnancies…I had written about roses, I was loving them then too, maybe why I added a touch to the Nursing Mother’s Tea.  After all the roses in my mind, it felt fitting to have rose be my first single herb tea to drink for a bit…get it in my body and see how it felt.

I found a source for organic rose petals, so happy about that.  They are currently $3.15/oz.  The petals are a very dark pink and smell  amazing.   My first cup of rose tea was while here at work.  By happenstance I picked up a white tea mug (I’ll tell you why that is important later) and filled one of our disposable paper tea bags (by Finum) with about 2 Tbsp of rose petals.   After pouring hot water over the tea bag, into the cup, it immediately began to infuse the water with a delicate pink tone.  Oh and there is why the white cup is key…it really allows you to see the beautiful colors change and for me, totally enhanced my tea drinking experience.  It was exciting, I know…I really thought about that word choice, exciting…but it does fit, I was excited about the color of this tea and it showed up as all warm and fuzzy and big in my heart area.  After a few minutes the color changes to a pink/orange-ish color…as the rose petals, still in the paper tea bag, turn from their dark pink to a pale white pink. The aroma of the tea is like sticking your nose right in the jar of dried rose petals.  I swear, I don’t think it changed a bit.  The taste is pleasant and subtle.    The taste took my mind to that rose garden in Woodland Park Zoo.  The tea and that garden both bring up this whole Victorian vibe in me.  Not something I am accustomed to feeling in this modern city…unless you go to said rose garden in Woodland Park.  What a beautiful and serene place…takes me right out of Seattle and into a fantasy world where I expect to see characters from Alice in Wonderland popping by.  I was just there yesterday and fell in love with it all over again.  This time of year is when everything is in bloom.  I highly suggest a trip there…bring a cup of rose tea, I was wishing I had mine.

Another tea time, I steeped the rose petals in my metal tea cup with strainer.  The taste was just not the same.  It was slightly bitter and had this strange, sorta numb feeling in my mouth.  I was trying to remember, did I just brush my teeth?  (see, i have three loud active kids…for me it can be easy to forget whether I just brushed my teeth or not)  You know how things taste and feel weird in your mouth after you brush your teeth?  I didn’t even finish the cup…so my recommendation, do not brew rose petals in metal.

I have to say I have felt inspired to be more loving to myself these past two weeks, to take better care of my body and spirit.  Could be coincidence.  Could be the rose infusing my heart with self-love.  Whatever it is, it’s feeling good.

Hey Rainbow blog readers….

This is Melissa, I am the herbalist here at Rainbow.  Well, actually I am one of the herbalists here…just happen to be the one with a degree in herbal medicine, but everyone here has been in the world of herbs for quite some time and has something valuable to offer in that realm.  Rainbow really does do a fantastic job at finding knowledgeable staff, so know that when you come in, you will be truly served.  Anyway, back to the subject, I wanted you all to know about this new journal I will be posting to our blog.  My plan is to drink a single herb tea every month and simply write what comes up…in me, in the world, about the herb, customer comments, etc.  It is not my intention to be teaching any intricate pharmacokinetics or plant chemistry…more an experiential view of the plant as seen through my drinking it.  I would love to inspire more of you to drink some herbal teas….including myself.  I can tend to be more of a tincture kind of gal, so I look forward to this experiment.  If you enjoy it, want to discuss a plant I have been drinking or have a suggestion…stop on by and let’s chat.