Chamomile Tea

Tuesday afternoon when you finally woke from your jetlag slumber, you began exploring the terrain around you. One tiny little flower in Yiayia’s garden beckoned to you. Before I could warn you that Yiayia might want it, your little fingers plucked the tiny, single yellow and white flower from the soil pulling out roots and all! We tucked the little roots back into the soil and you presented the lone flower to Yiayia. She told us that it was chamomile and that she wanted it to drop seeds into the soil for additional blooms but she didn’t fret; Yiayia placed that little flower in a pint sized jar for us all to admire its beauty.

The evening summer air in the village embracing us on the veranda was cool so I requested chamomile tea. You quickly added, “I want some too!” Yiayia poured us cups of fresh chamomile tea and the two of us enjoyed drinking it together as I explained to you that the little yellow and white flowers are picked from the mountainous terrain, dried, and boiled to make the cups of chamomile tea that we are drinking. Your little inquisitive mind wanted to know more---How? Where? 

After enjoying our warm, soothing chamomile tea, we ventured into the kitchen to find Yiayia’s tea kettle that housed the dried chamomile blooms. I let you touch and see the blooms that were boiled to make our tea. You also practiced pouring tea into the cup eagerly watching the net and strainer catch the boiled tea blooms.

The next day, we ventured into the city of Ioannina from the village, Zitsa. On a street corner, you were able to see bundles of chamomile flowers freshly picked that were being sold to passing customers. You ventured closer to smell and see the blooms. 

Ioannina, Greece: Chamomile Tea Flowers For Sale

Additionally, we were able to see a table top of chamomile blooms drying for tea at Yiayia’s house. They were out of our way and lay drying on the third floor of our family home’s kitchen table. These little blooms will make their way into baggies and/or jars for us to travel with when we venture home. We’ll store the dried chamomile tea and boil it as we seek that warm fresh cup of tea that will journey our minds and hearts back to the little story of the first little bloom you picked in Greece this summer of 2014.

Zitsa, Greece: Chamomile Blooms Drying Out

“It feels warm going down!” were your little voiced words as we sat enjoying yet another cup of chamomile tea on the veranda on our second day of vacation. As we walk around the countryside enjoying the views, you’ll stop when you spot little mounds of chamomile blooms. You touch their petals, pluck a few to flowers present to Mommy and mouth, “Chamomile!"

Unexpected moments of joy......and one by one, the little joys unfolded...from flower to tea cup...to kettle to blooms on the street corner.....to a table full of drying chamomile....and the sheer delight of anticipation of these blooms flying across the seas with us to be stored in our pantry for tea cups full of joy with you----family and friends!

I love the discovery of the world's treasures with you little one!

XOXOXO