Kickin' It Old Skool: Beginnings

Throughout December I'm Kickin' it Old Skool with Jamie Ridler, Sharon Ridler and a wonderful group of creatives!  We're having loads of fun remembering when blogging was just that...fun!   Join us any time!

Taking a look back to the beginning of this blog today.  I've been blogging here since 2011.  I remember what a huge step out setting up this website and blog felt.  I had opened my livejournal up for comments when I started participating in Jamie's Wishcasting Wednesday in September of 2010 and this space felt as though I was walking down the street naked!    As I re-read this first post I can see how cautious I was trying to be by just writing observations of what was happening around me and a bit of Tea Priestess knowledge.  I remember this as a time of discovering my identity after my mom's passing and my adjustment to being the matriarch of memories for my family of origin.  I didn't share that part as much at first and I remember comparing my blog harshly to some of my favorites who had been blogging more publicly.  

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Tea Time with Dionne 
3/14/2011

Spring day temperatures with utterly scrumptious warmth are coaxing people out of their homes to go for leisurely strolls absorbing the joy of being outdoors.  Of course with the warmth, I've started turning my garden soil in my mind and trying to decide what herbs for tea I'd like to grow this year.  Tisane is an infusion made from any herbs that do no specifically carry the camellia sinensis or 'tea' plant in it.  Around this Tea Priestess' household one tisane that is always grown is least 2 (though often many more) kinds of mint. Mint is part of the Lamiaceae family of herbs which includes other culinary favorites as basil, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, thyme, lavender, and perilla.   Associated with the Greek God Pluto (aka Hades), mint is said to have such healing properties as to ease problems like nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, stomach upset and baby colic (I have personally used mint for these problems and have had great success...your mileage may vary)

I have found peppermint (mentha piperita) and lemon balm (melissa officinalis) to be easy to grow and particularly lovely to  snap off a few leaves of each, throw them into a cup and brew a stomach soothing draft of lemon mint tea or to add them to a salad or fresh fruit as a surprise burst of flavor.  These sisters do particularly well in pots so even if you live in an apartment you could grow either of these in a window box garden.  If you have the luxury of planting outdoors, I would highly advise potting mint as it tends to be an invasive ground cover when planted directly into Mama Gaia.  Check out your favorite garden store or farmer's market as you may be blessed with other flavors of mint including orange, pineapple, apple and chocolate!!  As things start to warm up in my part of the world, be sure to check my photo stream as I will post pictures of my herb garden as it grows.  

Looking at this post again today I feel such compassion for 2011 me trying so hard to find her way.  And I can see how much I've grown in my confidence of sharing myself and my gifts online.  It also makes me very happy to note that though much has changed since I started this space (the name of my site was originally sacred space tea dates!) there is one thing that remains the same.   I am a Tea Priestess offering the wisdom, comfort and connection to the elements and the divine feminine through the magic of tea.  It's not just a lofty title...it's part of who I am and who I was born to be.  

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