It’s Sunday morning and time to share a cup of coffee – or tea, if you prefer, I can brew you up a tisane in no time or maybe you would like some of the Rooibos (Redbush
After more than 12 months of renovating house, land and lake, and an autumn season of Mindfulness Meditation Retreats with Horses, we finally found time to go on holiday. We needed a complete break and we also needed to see neglected friends and family, so we were away for several weeks. When I came home on Thursday, I was very grateful to discover that:
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No-one had killed anyone else
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No-one has gotten anyone else pregnant
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No-one has pigged out and gained loads of weight
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No-one got ill requiring expensive medical care
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No-one has absconded or been kidnapped
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No one has driven the people who looked after them round the bend
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No-one has torn their winter wardrobe to shreds
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No-one has injured themselves (accidently or on purpose) that would require lots of time off work
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No-one gave birth (yet)
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No-one has had a friend over to stay (permanently)
Everyone looked healthy and happy to see me. There were some complaints about the quality and quantity of food served in my absence, there was a lot of talk about the recent storms, rain and prevailing muddy conditions, one or two mentioned how nice it was not to have to work while I was away (lazy slobs) and there was a lot of good-humoured reporting of Leo’s exasperating antics.
Got to love ’em, bless their feathered fetlocks.
Only 38 days until spring and the start of our mindfulness meditation retreat with horses season, time to get this lot back into work, methinks.
Talking about the retreats, redbush tea is one of our retreat guests’ favorite drinks (only the water from out springs is more popular). Guests can brew a pot 24/7 in the guest wing’s kitchen and in the summer there is often a jug of iced redbush tea in the fridge so that guests can benefit from the tea’s various qualities. Possible health benefits of Red RooibosTea include (more studies are needed to confirm these):
Redbush tea contains polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antimutagenic properties. Polyphenols are antioxidants that act as destructors of free radicals, the detrimental byproducts of cell metabolism that can cause illnesses like cancer and heart disease.
Redbush tea is caffeine-free, which means people who suffer from insomnia and crave a hot drink at bedtime can drink it without fear of caffeine causing them to lie awake the whole night long.
Redbush tea is believed to relieve stress, anxiety and hypertensive conditions. Hypertension can lead to dangerous diseases like heart attacks and strokes.
Redbush tea is rich in calcium, manganese and fluoride – minerals that can assist in maintaining bone structure and strong teeth. These minerals can reduce one’s chances of developing conditions like osteoporosis. Manganese stimulates the enzymes that build and repair bone. Fluoride is related to dental health and is often found in mouthwashes and toothpaste.
Quercetin, another powerful antioxidant found in redbush tea, has been linked to the prevention of a wide variety of heart conditions. It is believed to be anti-inflammatory and to reduce blood pressure by destroying free radicals. It promotes an increase in HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and inhibits the LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) that block blood vessels (atherosclerosis) causing heart attacks and strokes. Quercetin and bioflavonoids may also help to prevent hemorrhaging.
Anecdotally, redbush tea can be used to soothe children suffering from colic(stomach pain). The exact mechanism by which it soothes colic is unknown.
Aspalathin, a rare antioxidant found in redbush tea, may help to balance blood sugar levels, improve insulin resistance, increase the glucose absorption by muscles and boost the insulin secretion from the pancreas, helping to prevent type II Diabetes.
The alpha hydroxy acid and zinc in redbush tea can reduce the signs of wrinkles and other premature aging symptoms.
As there is no oxalic acid in redbush tea, it does not cause or worsens kidney stones.
Redbush tea contains antispasmodic agents that can ease severe stomach cramps and abdominal pains.
Redbush tea is also used to alleviate allergies like eczema, hayfever and allergy-related bronchitis.
I love iced redbush tea with lemon; I don’t know how many gallons I drank while on holiday. If you would like to try some, you can place an order here: The Redbush Tea Company: 80 Original Redbush Teabags
This post is part of the MJP Gratitude Challenge and the Ten Things of Thankful Challenge (#10Thankful). If you click on either of these links, you will find several more similar posts to read and you may even decide to add one yourself.
This post is also part of the #Weekend Coffee Share collection of blog posts, hosted by Diana of Parttime Monster.com.
Equine Guided Growth 
Is that Leo in with the girls!?! That has warmed my heart ❤️
Yes, he has come on leaps and bounds!
So glad everyone survived your absence. The tea sounds wonderful. I am a tea drinker but seem stuck on my two or three favorites. I will try this one soon and toast you.
Hope you enjoy it, Anna. Most people drink it with a slice of lemon and some honey, but we grew up drinking it strong with lots of milk and sugar. I am a coffee drinker, this is the only tea I drink. I find it very soothing – probably because it reminds me of my childhood.
I love your list, and while I have a feeling it refers to horses rather than children, it is a very appropriate list for left behind children as well. When I go away, my children complain about food (or lack of) the entire time I am gone.
That made me laugh. Yes, I suppose it can apply to children too!
Always always wanted horses, and still plan on a round-up week with my mom’s neighbor in Montana. Love your teas and the offers of iced and different types!
Rooibos is wonderful indeed – been drinking it for years.
Glad all is well and you’re settled in again!
Love those photos of the horses—what beautiful creatures! Also, had a good laugh about your thankfuls. Those are things to be thankful for, indeed!
I’m glad you were able to get away and take a break. And that all was well when you returned. I always feel nervous when we leave our farm. The people taking care of it are perfectly capable, but so many things can happen despite that.
Home is always the best after being away. It is great to sleep in your own bed. The rooibos tea sounds good. My brother brought some back fom Africa. I did enjoy it.
These days you can buy it just about everywhere, even here in France in the supermarkets!
It been awhile since I look at the teas. I have been buying ready made. I never thought I would do this as I am so fuzzy a out my tea.
Your horses are beautiful, and I love the idea of practicing mindfulness with horses. I adore rooibus tea. I started drinking it years ago when I quit smoking, and it helped me through many a craving (was probably a good detox as well). Thank you for the tea, and all of the wonderful information about the tea. 🙂
Reblogged this on Maria Jansson Photography and commented:
I’m heading out with my camera, and will be back tomorrow. Today you’ll get to enjoy this beautiful contribution to my gratitude challenge 🙂
I hope that your week have been filled with good things. I would love it, if you would join my Gratitude Challenge! Write about something you are grateful for, tag your post MJP Gratitude Challenge, and link to my original post https://mariajanssonphotography.wordpress.com/2016/02/20/mjp-gratitude-challenge-10/. I always re-blog some of the posts that I see every week, so please show me your gratitude! What are you grateful for today?
Have an amazing Sunday!
Yours,
Maria
I am not sure this one is good enough for a reblog, Maria, thank you so much anyway and I shall certainly try to write a better post next week. I am thinking of writing about the things I am grateful about in the garden…
Of course it is! Your posts always have soul.
Welcome home! I know how difficult it is to leave your furry family in someone else’s care, even if you trust them, and have faith in them. I’m happy everything was the way you left it. I bet you have a very busy time ahead of you, until your first spring retreats start?
I enjoy rooibos tea. It was a while ago since I’ve had some. I like ending my day with a soothing tea, and try to have different kinds at home. Right now my favorite is Yogi Bedtime; valerian root, passionflower, licorice root, spearmint leaf, chamomile, skullcap, cardamom, cinnamon, rose hip, lavender.
(I start the day with coffee. It’s 5.28am , and I’m having my first cup now. BLACK.)
Thank you for joining my gratitude challenge!
Maria
That sounds absolutely wonderful! Could do with a cup of that first thing in the morning too – I have to get up at 5 to write as you are right, we rather have a lot of things to do here and only 3 days of rainless weather to do it in. The washing machine is running for the third time today: sheets, towels, bath mats first, then holiday clothes, lights and darks, then dog bedding etc etc etc and the sun will soon be setting! Actually, I could do with a cup of your tea right now to keep me going. Must dig out my medicine chest to see if I have anything for ringworm, Iess has bare, roundish patches on both sides of her nose. Otherwise I’ll have to go to the pharmacy tomorrow. Never a dull moment. Coming up to 3 and I have not had lunch yet…Hope all is well with you and your little one. Margaretha
You are one busy lady! Only the dog and I are up, in our house. Going to close my computer and read a little, before heading to the mountains with my camera. All is well 🙂
Give Maverick a hug from me and enjoy the mountains!
I will! Thank you!
Glad to know all’s well now you’re back. I’m raising my mug of rooibos to you – who knew it had all that good stuff going on! And iced? Sounds good for summer 🙂
Very good for jetlag too!
Good, I’ve been drinking it all week!
They have been a well behaved bunch. No juicy tales to mull over with a cup of coffee 😄
It definitely is a miracle, although I might have exaggerated no 6 a tad: our house sitters looked slightly worse for wear.