立夏 lìxià / 立夏 rikka / 입하 ipha
槐月十一 / eleventh day of the sophora month

Clouds outside my window. Clouds pretty much for the week the phone prophesies.

I went back to lie in bed for a bit; I got up when I thought I will get through today in a bright tangerine red jumper.

I put the jumper on. I thought I'll like to try a tea from last week's deliveries of spring greens.

This is dongting biluochun, harvested from the east mountain on lake tai in early March. It makes me go, "aa-h", in surprise and wonder when I drink it.

I made the tea by dropping the leaves into the water one after another as they sink to the bottom of the cup. I stopped when it looked like the leaves were not sinking as quickly and a couple were floating on the surface.

I think I stopped too soon; it could probably take more.

This method coaxes one's eyes and fingers to admire each tea leaf. I think only beautiful leaves can make good tea.

立夏 lìxià / 立夏 rikka / 입하 ipha
槐月初十 / tenth day of the sophora month

Hellebores, with all leaves picked except for a pair of conjoined twins and two sets I missed, with the leaves and branches from another.

立夏 lìxià / 立夏 rikka / 입하 ipha
槐月初十 / tenth day of the sophora month

This week's herbs is an aesthetically pleasing mix but yields a decoction that makes me go, "aaayykkkhhh" after I down it.

立夏 lìxià / 立夏 rikka / 입하 ipha
槐月初九 / ninth day of the sophora month

On the notice board downstairs.

No gods, no masters...... No servants.

立夏 lìxià / 立夏 rikka / 입하 ipha
槐月初九 / ninth day of the sophora month

Picked this after the market on the way to work. When I got to work, Ali mentioned that there were beautiful "bleeding-hearts" on the Circus. I took this out and, yes she said, it's a "bleeding-heart".