It’s mainly about dead and mangled stuff lately. A sick rabbit hunched under the daylilies while I gardened last week; its flattened remains now add a touch of gray (with skeleton) to the area it must have staggered to in front of the rhododendrons. While Les UDs dined outside last night (July/August has been shockingly low-humidity), three crazed deer came bombing out of the woods. They’d been fighting or playing or running hard. One had a loose antler hanging over its face.
Dead, mangled, and endangered: Caroline, UD‘s master-gardener neighbor, pointed out to UD that butterflies have been pretty scarce this season. UD is so thrilled by the hummingbird sightings that she hasn’t really registered the relative absence of butterflies; but yes, now that she thinks about it, there have been fewer this year. The Washington Post explains the natural and human-made reasons for the drop in number.
Les UDs usually go to their upstate New York house in August, but they seem to have decided to stay in Garrett Park, so while preparing to teach in a couple of weeks, UD can also do a lot of garden and yard work. She loves garden and yard work. She looks forward to raking leaves.
By the way: Faithful readers know UD is a serious tea drinker. She usually goes in for black fruit teas (Mariage Freres’ Marco Polo is an old favorite), but is lately giving green a try (healthier, blahblah). Predictably, they’re very weak to her dissolute palate. Plus someone who visited her at some point not long ago gave her a canister of Pu-erh tea, and she’s been sipping some of that while writing this post. It’s certainly stronger than the greens she’s been sampling… It’s black Pu-erh, after all… But there’s the same struggle with that grassy organic taste…
August 4th, 2014 at 2:31PM
There’s lot of different kinds of green tea, although I almost exclusively drink Japanese versions. Some of them can be quite strong, and the tannins can be powerful if left to steep too long (to the point of undrinkable bitterness, and I like bitter tea).
You might try one of my personal favorites, hojicha, which is a kind of roasted green tea, and has a more pronounced, less vegetal flavor, IMO. But again, I’d try Japanese brands first.
Good jasmine green teas are also spectacular, and really floral without being cloying, IMO. Jasmine dragon pearls can be expensive but are usually worth the price.
August 4th, 2014 at 3:02PM
Daniel: Many thanks! I hoped someone might recommend good green teas for me – the jasmine dragon pearl idea sounds wonderful. I’m going there.
August 5th, 2014 at 7:00AM
When I was first introduced to Pu-Er tea many years ago, it was in combination with chrysanthenum flowers, a delightful combination wherein the floral component of the flowers somewhat masked the ‘earthiness’ of Pu-Er. When visiting China a few years later, I learned that chrysanthenum tea is quite popular by itself, and have enjoyed it ever since. Suggest you might give it a try.
V/r,
— TK
August 5th, 2014 at 7:48AM
Troedel: Chrysanthemum tea it is. I’ll give it a try. Thanks. UD
August 5th, 2014 at 7:56AM
Just brewed a cup of Korean Sejak, my current favorite among the green teas. Somewhat stronger than some of the Japanese and Chinese green teas I’ve sampled.
August 5th, 2014 at 8:38AM
Jeffrey: It’s going on my list.
August 5th, 2014 at 9:24AM
Hello Margaret!
Surprised to read that you’re bypassing your traditional trip to upstate New York. The humidity in Maryland must be much lower than usual if you’ve decided to spend the rest of the summer there.
Our family is staying put as well. This seems like a good time for Israelis to stay at home.
Best,
Janet