Starvation stalks Indian tea plantations

This is a sad story. Apparently, several unfavorable conditions arose at the same time and damaged the tea crops. Additionally, it seems that the mechanisms of organized labor failed at a time when they were needed most. The result? Tea workers are starving to death.

Link to globeandmail.com: Starvation stalks Indian tea plantations

I am hoping my brother bloggers here, GreenTeaGeek and inimino, will have something to say about this. At the moment, all I can say is that this sad story reminds me of human interconnection. As you can see from the video I posted here a few weeks ago, a lot of people do a lot of work to make the tea that we enjoy. And that's just the humans who do the work, to say nothing of the work of the insects, microorganisms, soil, rain, sun, and innumerable other beings whose efforts must all happen just right to get that awesome tea from the fields to your cup.

I don't want to trivialize the value of being aware of all that hard work. In fact, cultivating an awareness and appreciation of the effort seems like an important first step in addressing the problems facing the tea workers in this news story. It just never seems like enough.

Enjoying Earl Grey While Working on a Sunny Friday Afternoon

I have my notebook computer and am writing this from the Argo Tea cafe at State and Randolph streets in Chicago. I am supposedly working, but I am having a hard time concentrating because of concerns about my uncle who suffers from schizophrenia and has been quite delusional lately. I'm still reeling a bit from having spent all of Wednesday night visiting with him. Alright, so I am understating it: my mind is all over the universe today. Anyway, today is a new day and as long as I stay mentally in the present moment, I'll be OK.

I was hoping my brother would be able to join me here today, since his office is just a little over one block from here. However, he has to attend a parents' meeting at my nephew's school this afternoon, so he wasn't able to be here. We'll try to meet for a tea break next week. Paul and I were last at this cafe together about 2 months ago and it was enjoyable just to relax and enjoy some good tea with him.

Today, I'm enjoying Argo Tea's Earl Grey Crème. I like Earl Grey tea generally, but this variety as a bit more of the flavor of the bergamot orange, or the Citrus aurantium bergamia if you prefer. Even so, the bergamot is not overdone; the flavors in this blend are pretty well balanced. I also tried the Earl Grey latte, which is quite good. While espresso takes a break, tea steps in to do the job. It's an enjoyable variation on the classic latte, even if the milk may undo some of the heart health benefits of the tea. At least I had mine with skim milk.

Lunch was a vegetable sandwich. (Yes, I am spending a long time here today.) I had a desert of chocolate ruggelah. Filled with chocolate and raisins, they triggered a happy memory for me: some chocolate and raisin oatmeal cookies my mother once baked when I was a boy. More than 30 years later, I can still taste those cookies. How sweet. How delicious. How simple. Ah, a glimpse of heaven in a small baked food!

From the Fields to Your Cup: Watching My First Tea Video

Tea video? Yes, that's what I wondered when I saw the title of the link at CB's fine blog called Steepology Tea Info. Of course, being the insatiably curious type, I had to take a closer look. Here's what I found. (Thanks for the link, CB!) I hope you will enjoy it.