Nature called...
Today was a day more about the natural elements of Charleston. We began by learning all about tea at the Charleston Tea Plantation, the home of American Classic Tea, the ONLY tea grown in America. It is located on picturesque Wadmalaw Island in the heart of South Carolina's Lowcountry. Its grounds include 127 acres of Camellia Sinensis tea plants (320 varieties), a working Tea Factory and, of course, a gift shop.
Wadmalaw Island, itself, is an incredible place that provides the perfect environment for propagating tea. With its sandy soils, sub-tropical climate and average rainfall of 52 inches per year, Wadmalaw possesses idyllic conditions for the tea plant and for an explore by the Haerrs. We learned so much about all that is involved in a simple cup of tea. Wow.
To explain the second photo, we learned, while at a tea plantation in China, that only virgins harvested the tea, never touching it with their own hands, but instead using golden scissors and bowls to collect the tea leaves. The emperor lips were the first to touch the tea, so here's Emperor Steve.
After tea, we were awed by Angel Oak, Towering over 65 feet high, the Angel Oak has shaded John's Island, South Carolina, for over 1400 years, and would have sprouted 1000 years before Columbus' arrival in the New World. Today the live oak has a diameter of spread reaching 160 feet, a circumference of nearly 25 feet, and covers 17,100 square feet of ground. Definitely awe-inspiring!
The rest of the afternoon was spent at Folly Beach gazing at the Morris Island Lighthouse (1876). The beaches here are very different... slight waves, no seaweed, perfectly formed shells and warm water. We will return this week to spend the day!
Wadmalaw Island, itself, is an incredible place that provides the perfect environment for propagating tea. With its sandy soils, sub-tropical climate and average rainfall of 52 inches per year, Wadmalaw possesses idyllic conditions for the tea plant and for an explore by the Haerrs. We learned so much about all that is involved in a simple cup of tea. Wow.
To explain the second photo, we learned, while at a tea plantation in China, that only virgins harvested the tea, never touching it with their own hands, but instead using golden scissors and bowls to collect the tea leaves. The emperor lips were the first to touch the tea, so here's Emperor Steve.
After tea, we were awed by Angel Oak, Towering over 65 feet high, the Angel Oak has shaded John's Island, South Carolina, for over 1400 years, and would have sprouted 1000 years before Columbus' arrival in the New World. Today the live oak has a diameter of spread reaching 160 feet, a circumference of nearly 25 feet, and covers 17,100 square feet of ground. Definitely awe-inspiring!
The rest of the afternoon was spent at Folly Beach gazing at the Morris Island Lighthouse (1876). The beaches here are very different... slight waves, no seaweed, perfectly formed shells and warm water. We will return this week to spend the day!
Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage.
~Catherine Douzel
~Catherine Douzel
1 comments:
Thats where lisa's brother got merried it's so beautiful their right next to the old tree. I have never been their but I will see it soon or someday. Too much fun.
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