Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Sea Time is Tea Time: Part 2

Starting point is 00:00:00 Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios and is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and premium members. If you'd like to listen ad-free and access weekly bonus episodes, extra long stories and our entire back catalogue, you can try out premium free for seven days by following the link in the episode notes. Now, a quick word from our sponsors. This episode is sponsored by Better Help. The new year has arrived, and that doesn't have to mean a totally new you, but perhaps a less burdened, more self-caring you, is a worthwhile resolution. Therapy can help you more easily identify what weighs you down

Starting point is 00:00:45 by offering an understanding ear and an unbiased perspective, and BetterHelp is a great place to start your journey in therapy. For me, speaking to a therapist has often been. and proved so effective for breaking down those negative perspectives of oneself that we all tend to hold. Sometimes we just need a reminder that we are enough just as we are. BetterHelp does the initial matching work for you with a short questionnaire, helping to identify your needs and preferences, and if you aren't happy with your match, you can switch to a different therapist at any time. BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online.

Starting point is 00:01:26 with a qualified therapist. As a Get Sleepy listener, you can sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com slash get sleepy. That's BetterHELP.com slash get sleepy. Everyone needs help with something.

Starting point is 00:01:48 If investing is your something, we get it. Cooperator's financial representatives are here to help with genuine advice that puts your needs first. We got you. For all your holistic investment

Starting point is 00:01:58 and life insurance advice needs. Talk to us today. Cooperators, investing in your future together. Mutual funds are offered through Cooperators Financial Investment Services Inc. to Canadian residents except those in Quebec in the territories. Segregated funds are administered by cooperators' life insurance company. Life insurance is underwritten by Cooperators Life Insurance Company. Welcome to get sleepy. Where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas and I I'm your host. Thank you for joining us for the second part of Taylor's Seaside Adventure. Don't worry too much if you've not heard part one yet, which we released yesterday.

Starting point is 00:02:46 Just to fill you in, last time she visited to the beach of her childhood, and she had just discovered a charming house, which she'd never seen before. We'll continue our story in just a moment. We'll continue our story in just a moment and a big thanks again to Chase for writing it and to Vanessa who'll be reading it for us before we join Taylor once again. Let's take a moment to relax and get ready for a good night's sleep once you're settled. Allow your mind to empty as you let go of any thoughts or worries. Then begin to slow your breathing, breathing in deeply and back out slowly. Imagine that your breaths are like the ocean waves. Slow and regular, they are guiding you towards the state of calm and whenever you're ready, you'll drift into a restful sleep.

Starting point is 00:04:26 But for now, let's pick up where we left off and return to the beach. This is where our story begins. Taylor strolls down the wooden boardwalk, extending out into the ocean. Awaiting her at the end of it is a spectacular house on stilts. From where she is, it looks like a lighthouse, or a teapot that fell from the heavens and landed in the water. House is a pale yellow color and is shaped like an octagon. There's a white wraparound porch and a circular red roof with windows jutting out all around.

Starting point is 00:05:49 rising up at the top is a single room that climbs high into the sky. It seems to be almost all windows, and it has its own wraparound porch. This part of the building reminds Taylor of a lighthouse, while the red roof looks just like the lid of a teapot. As Taylor gets closer to it, she realizes that somehow it works. It is a work of art, much more than a simple house. Filled with curiosity, Taylor knows she has to get a more in-depth look at it.

Starting point is 00:06:48 The wooden planks are supportive beneath her feet. But as she treads in some places, they creak under the weight. Taylor stops halfway down the length of the walkway to prop her elbows up on the rail and gaze out across the ocean. The view from here is astounding. She doesn't know how far out she is, but it's far enough to feel like she is surrounded on all sides by water. The sun is right at the horizon, dipping below her. dipping below it just a little and casting red, orange, and gold rays of brilliance

Starting point is 00:07:43 that sparkle on the water. It is a moment of extraordinary beauty, not wanting to miss a moment of this magnificent sunset. Taylor stays there and watches in silence. Just then, She hears footsteps on the boardwalk, and as she turns her head in the direction of the sound, she realizes that an older woman is approaching her from the house.

Starting point is 00:08:26 The woman's hair is a bright, beautiful red, the color catching the light. As she walks towards Taylor, her paisley kimono swishes around. her legs. Even from here, the woman has an infectious smile that causes Taylor to smile back. The woman finally reaches her and leans against the rail, smiling into the sun. She introduces herself as Anne and asks Taylor how her day is going. It is evident to Taylor that this woman is warm and kind, and she fights herself relaxing even more.

Starting point is 00:09:27 They exchange a few more pleasantries before settling into a comfortable silence. As they both watch the sun go down, the sky lights up in a shimmering rainbow of colors. It is a magical moment. and one of the best sunsets of her life, Taylor decides. The two women stand watching until the sun has dipped beneath the horizon. The waters are now an endless cascade of orange and indigo. Taylor can't help herself. She reaches from within her jacket pocket to grab her phone

Starting point is 00:10:27 and snap a picture. It's such a spectacular sunset. She feels she has to take it with her as a memento. Anne says that lately, the sunsets have been this brilliant, and at times even better. Taylor has a hard time believing it. Then, Anne asks Taylor if she would care of,

Starting point is 00:11:03 to join her for tea. An offer Taylor simply can't refuse. At the mention of tea, Taylor asks if the house was meant to resemble a teapot as well as a lighthouse. Yes, it was. Anne replies with a smile. The whole situation feels whimsical and surreal, Taylor thinks. as they head down the boardwalk towards the house. The closer they get, the more awestruck she feels. It's an architectural gem, and it looks amazingly similar to an actual teapot. From Taylor's perspective,

Starting point is 00:12:04 the right side of the house looks like the handle. and tells her that it's actually a booknuck. Extending out from the building. To the left is an awning, which looks like the spout. It's incredible. Taylor exclaims as they stop right in front of the house, laughing, and ushers her through the door.

Starting point is 00:12:44 The second Taylor crosses the threshold and enters the, the house, she comes to an abrupt stop. She looks around, taking in the contents of the room, all the exquisite details. It's the most beautiful foyer. Next, she enters what appears to be the living room. It is spacious, a wide open circle with a dome, stained glass ceiling above. There are two reading alcoves built into either side of the back walls. And there's a large, comfy sofa

Starting point is 00:13:37 in the middle of the room with an ornate jewel-encrusted coffee table in front of it. The walls are lined with shells, which have every kind of teapot that one could imagine of every shape and size and in a variety of creative shapes. Taylor looks around an amazement. She knew that novelty teapots existed, but as she looks around the room, she realizes that these ones are masterpieces of craftsmanship,

Starting point is 00:14:25 Each exquisite teapot is one of a kind. One resembles a pile of books stacked on top of each other. With a cup of tea as the lid, so clever, thinks Taylor. Another teapot has a body that is a bright blue toaster oven, while its lid is a slice of bread. There is even a lighthouse teapot that looks just like the house itself, but it is the teapot resting on the nearest shelf that grabs Taylor's attention. It's shaped like a pale turquoise conch,

Starting point is 00:15:29 and it looks like the shell that she just found. on the beach. Taylor walks over to the conch teapot and runs her fingers gently over its smooth ridges. She can't resist lifting up the lid to peer within. And chuckles at Taylor's obvious fascination. She clears the sofa for them to sit, motioning Taylor over. Taylor pauses for a moment, reflecting on how happy she is that she went on this excursion today. It feels as though she has stumbled upon buried treasure. This place is a teapot haven, or heaven. Taylor walks towards the sofa, her eyes roving over the room, to a absorb every last detail. While Anne prepares their tea in the adjacent kitchen, Taylor makes herself

Starting point is 00:16:58 comfortable, snuggling into the folds of the sofa. It molds itself to her body, like it was made for her. And comes back in, a remote in her hand. She points in her point in her hand. She points in towards the fireplace that Taylor didn't even notice before, despite it being right in front of her. Roars to life. It's orange flames licking the air like shooting stars. Crackling sounds create a cozy ambiance and an even deeper sense of calm. There's nothing quite like sitting by a fire Taylor realizes. She closes her eyes in bliss, enjoying the warmth radiating off it. She then covers herself with a fleece throw as she reclines back into the cushions. A moment later, she hears Anne go back into the kitchen and the sounds of teeth.

Starting point is 00:18:33 being prepared. Everything else fades into the background. This might be the most comfortable she's ever been. Next thing Taylor knows, she is being roused from her nap by a gentle hand. She opens her eyes to see Anne sitting next to her. A tray with a deep red clay teapot rests on Anne's lap. It looks rather plain, thinks Taylor, especially compared to the ornate teapots displayed all over the room. She sits up rubbing her eyes and asks. And as how long she was out for, reassures her it wasn't long. She places the tray on the coffee table and proceeds to pour out two cups of piping hot tea. Teapot isn't that plain, Taylor realizes, as she takes another look at it.

Starting point is 00:20:09 She admires its functional appearance. as well as the fine, detailed etchings around the bowl, with birds in flight on the lid. To top it off, the details are complemented by elegant gold accents on the very tops of the handle, lid and spout, and it all looks so fluid. The details. are connected by a gold chain, draped right along the contours of the teapot.

Starting point is 00:20:57 Seeing Taylor's reaction, Anne tells her that this teapot looks like the first teapots that were ever made. She asks Taylor if she'd like to hear a story. Taylor nods her head enthusiastically as she shifts into a more comfortable sitting position. She's definitely in the mood for a story and she can sense that it's going to be a good one and smiles and says that first they must begin with the origin of tea itself. According to legend, tea was like, so many great things in life, discovered by accident. It all started in the year 2737 BCE. The Chinese emperor, Shenong, saw leaves drop in the water that his servant was preparing for him to drink. After that, Anne explains, people used pans to boil.

Starting point is 00:22:28 the leaves in water together and then wine uarts. These were adapted to allow the tea leaves to steep over time. But it wasn't until the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty in China that the first teapots were made. Then picks up the small clay teapot off the tray. Just like this one, she says. The first teapots were made using special red-brown clay. It came from the Yiching province in China,

Starting point is 00:23:21 which is considered to be the birthplace of the teapots we know today. It didn't take long for tea to spread to Europe, and the Yiching teapots found their way there too. They were packed alongside stocks of tea that were imported by the Portuguese and Dutch. By the late 17th century, tea was growing in popularity in Britain. The English teapot was born, along with the national hobby of afternoon tea. drinking tea even became a fashionable thing. It was popularized by Catherine of Braganza,

Starting point is 00:24:24 the Portuguese princess who married Charles II. Partly thanks to her influence, tea became a symbol of wealth and status and something to be enjoyed. among an elite gathering at lunch. It was so stylish that families of high status would even be depicted drinking tea in paintings. The tradition of afternoon tea is still practiced today, says Anne. This is something Taylor knew already, but it's something Taylor knew already,

Starting point is 00:25:17 but it's nice to know the background of such a popular activity, which has enjoyed in nearly every country in the world. And now, she knows that it all began with simple clay teapots like this one. All these other novelty teapots have nothing on the original. Taylor thinks to herself. The tea smells heavenly, a delicious aroma tickling Taylor's nose. She asks what kind it is, and Anne replies that it is chai, the national tea of India, which tastes like a warm embrace. Taylor smiles and reaches for her country. up, eager to have a taste of this embrace. She takes her first sit and feels as though she could

Starting point is 00:26:35 melt into the sofa. It is so soothing and so delicious. It's like nothing she has ever tasted before. The tea is sweet, but not too sweet. and a bit spiced and heady, with what tastes like cinnamon, and a blend of spices that she can't quite name. For the second time tonight, she closes her eyes in pure bliss, enjoying this perfect moment. She hears a chuckle from Anne, who says that the tea she is drinking is a combination

Starting point is 00:27:30 of cinnamon, cardam, ginger, star anise, peppercorn, and clove. As Taylor continues to sip on the enticing drink and tells her more, India is one of the largest producers of tea in the world, and chai is so popular that it can be found on almost every street corner where it's sold day and night. Taylor can certainly understand why. It may be the most delicious thing she has ever consumed in her life. She has already drained her first cup and asks Anne for another.

Starting point is 00:28:34 Before Anne pours them both another cup, She asks Taylor if she would like to help her make cinnamon apple scones to eat with their chai tea. Taylor smiles and nods as she has always wanted to learn how to make scones. So they both walk into the kitchen. This room is just as inviting as the living room. It's an open space with beautiful stained glass windows all along the curved wall. At the far end is a door which leads out onto the wraparound porch hanging from the kitchen ceiling is an impressive collection of copper pots and pans as artfully arranged as the teapot.

Starting point is 00:29:49 in the living room. Perfectly positioned in an hourglass face is an eye-catching bouquet of flowers. It's a lush arrangement of the loveliest pink roses, which are tucked alongside lilies, red and yellow tulips, and a few well-placed orchids. Taylor finds herself drawing. on to the flowers as Anne sets to work behind her, pulling out all the ingredients and dishware they will need. Everything fades from Taylor's mind as she bends over to smell the flowers. She closes her eyes, breathing in the irresistible fragrance. The combined floral notes take her to a grassy meadow where wild flowers grow and the sun shines on her face the scent is so sweet so pure she could stay here forever enraptured but at last she opens her eyes she goes over to join anne as they lay out

Starting point is 00:31:38 all of the ingredients, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and granulated sugar to sweeten the dough. Then there's unsalted butter cut into small chunks, vanilla extract for flavor, cinnamon baking chips, and coarse sugar. This will be sweetened. sprinkled on top of the scones before baking to produce a perfect rusty top. Taylor and Anne peel a few tart granny smith apples and dice them. They sprinkle ground cinnamon on top, as well as some lemon juice on the apple chunks to prevent them from turning brown. has already preheated the oven, prepared a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lined an 8-inch

Starting point is 00:33:10 cake pan. Next, they whisk the applesauce, milk, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl, before using another bowl to combine the dry ingredients. They use a pastry blender to add the cut butter into the mixture until only the smallest pieces remain. Then the apples and cinnamon chips are added. After pouring in the milk concoction, They fold the mixture until there is no trace of dry flour. An even eight-inch round of dough is formed by their combined effort.

Starting point is 00:34:19 As they gently press it into the prepared cake pan, they place the dough into the freezer for a few minutes to make sure that that the layers will be flaky and buttery and to prevent spreading. While they wait, they keep chatting. Taylor is enjoying this evening so much. She feels like she has known Anne her entire life. It is such an incredible gift. meeting someone so randomly

Starting point is 00:35:12 then sharing wonderful moments like these. It seems like the universe pulled them together tonight. They continue to talk and laugh while waiting for the timer to go off after the dough is retrieved from the freezer and places it on the baking sheet. discarding the plastic wrap, she hands Taylor the knife and asks her to cut the dough into eight separate wedges. Eight must be a magic number. Taylor muses as she completes the task.

Starting point is 00:36:13 She follows it up by lightly brushing the eight pieces with melted butter and sprinkling the the coarse sugar all over the tops. Finally, they separate the scones on the baking sheet and pop them in the oven for 20 minutes. The two women amble back to the living room to pick up where they left off. As they sit together on the sofa, Anne tells Taylor all about novelty teapots. In the 18th century, teapot designs in Britain became somewhat extravagant. Over time, more elaborately designed pots took over. ones that hardly seemed practical, essentially, says Anne.

Starting point is 00:37:30 These were some of the first novelty teapots. They were often shaped like fruit or vegetables. For instance, an early example of a novelty teapot from the mid-18th century is shaped like a pineapple. The fruit had been brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus and first appeared in Britain in the year 1668. It was so rare and exotic. It soon became a status symbol.

Starting point is 00:38:22 In fact, people would even rent a pineapple for the night, just so they could display it at their party. A century later, the fruit was still considered a luxury. Its exotic appearance inspired artists and designers, even leading to the creation of a quirky pineapple-shaped teapot. These kinds of pots soon became sought after. Potters came up with increasingly creative designs, turning the teapot itself into a kind of status symbol or even a work of art. So that explains the existence of all of these, says Anne, with a flourish of her hand towards the teapots in the room.

Starting point is 00:39:40 Taylor finds it all so fascinating. She's almost a little disappointed when the timer in the kitchen goes off. The scones are now ready to eat. Quick work of retrieving the scones from the oven and brings them in on another platter to set down by their tea. She hands tailor a plate with two scones as she pours them another cup of the chai.

Starting point is 00:40:33 This word actually means tea, Anne explains, saying chai tea is like saying Tee-Tee-T-testing tid-bit in t-y-treating tid-bit in Indeed, Taylor thinks to herself, she delicately picks up one of the warm, blakey treats, and brings it up to her notes. She breathes in the wonderful aroma that immediately makes her mouth water. There's a distinct smell of. of cinnamon and apple.

Starting point is 00:41:46 She takes her first bite and it melts in her mouth. Tastes like, likey, buttery goodness, with just the right amount of cinnamon and apple. She could eat it all in one go, but with great restraint. She focuses on one bite at a time, sipping the chai, which perfectly complements the pastry. These two things were meant to be enjoyed together, thanks Taylor. She reaches for her second scorn, and Anne laughs at her obvious joy. It seems like no time has passed when both are done, and everything is cleaned up.

Starting point is 00:43:21 Its festivities are now coming to an end. Taylor, if she would like some company on the walk back. Surprised, Taylor asks her if she's sure it's prompt. reply is that she just enjoys long walks on the beach then give the whimsical home and with the star sparkling up for the sandy shore

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Sea Time is Tea Time: Part 2

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.