an interview with snap of twisty lane

next up, we have an interview with the charming snap of tales from twisty lane. it seems that i always find myself fixing a cup of tea after i've read her blog, tho' i do tend to drink my tea in giant starbucks mugs, after this, i'm going to have to get out the fine china a bit more often. the photos are snap's...

1. it's obvious from your blog that you're a tea person. tell us one of your most perfect tea-related moments.

I’m a Southern girl and drinking tea - iced, cold and sweet is a fact of life.  In my early twenties, my Mother and I were friends with a mother (Vada) and daughter (Donna) who liked tea hot. We spent many an afternoon sharing a wonderful meal, drinking tea out of beautiful cups, and reading tea leaves! It was Vada and Donna who got me interested in tea.

2. why don't people use their fine tea sets anymore? what can you say to convince us we need to?

I think it's like using your good china, or silver, grandmother’s special dishes. You think you’ll save them for a special occasion. They are too much trouble to take out and use -- all those excuses. My thinking is what occasion could be more special than a celebration of yourself? Tea is one of those things that can be enlightening, stress relieving. Look at the cup before the tea is poured. REally look at what it is made of, how it is decorated. Pour the tea. Smell the tea. Taste the tea. Hold the tea cup in your hands. Feel the warmth. Let the rest of the world go by. Relax. Enjoy. No one is more special than you and you deserve a little quiet time. If you can share this with friends and love ones - great. Take time for yourself. Pamper yourself. Be mindful. If you don’t use the tea set who will????

3. cat person or dog person?

We had dogs when I was growing up. Mr. Dragon isn’t much of a dog person, so we have cats.

4.what do you love most about blogging?

Meeting the people. Bloggers are generous, supportive, interesting, talented, intelligent. Never a dull moment and always a story to tell.

5. when you go antiquing, what items do you look for?

I don’t go antiquing often (good thing). I have more than enough stuff and should be downsizing rather than adding. But I have a soft spot for china (Fitz and Floyd), salt and pepper shakers, teacups and tea pots, old linens, books. I love old children’s books.

6. what IS it about dragons?

For me, a dragon was my imaginary friend. He was more the Puff the Magic Dragon type rather than the fiery type. Some believe its in our genes (really), left over from the days of dinosaurs. There’s no doubt that dragon mythology is found in many cultures and continues to be popular today.

7. can you recommend any dragon-related literature?

Where to start and where to stop?!!! Dragons have appeared in literature from around the world. There's the dragon in Beowulf, the dragons in Chinese mythology, and on down to Tolkien's Smaug.

Many are children's books like Kenneth Grahame's The Reluctant Dragon (1898) that was made into a children's feature film by Disney in 1941.

Fantasy novels (just a few) include Robert Heinlein's Between the Planets (1961), one of my favorites Ursula K. LeGuin, and the world of Earthsea (1964), Anne McCaffrey, Dragonriders of Pern (1966) (I think the earliest Pern novels are the best); Laurence Yep and his Dragon series (1982-1992); Melanie Rawn. My all time favorite is a mystery/fantasy combination by R. A. MacAvoy, Tea with the Black Dragon (1983) and my current favorite the Temeraire series of Naomi Novik (dragons and the Napoleonic wars).

8. do you think there might really be dragons?

Of course!!!!!!!!!

IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN DRAGONS
If you don't believe in dragons,
It is curiously true
That the dragons you disparage
Choose to not believe in you.

~ From THE DRAGONS ARE SINGING TONIGHT by Jack Prelutsky (poems) and Peter Sis (pictures)

* * *

thank you snap! i've got to check out those novik books - dragons and the napoleonic wars, that sounds like a combination that's gotta be good!