Japanese Friendship Garden

My friends Bill and Jon invited me to join them at the Japanese Friendship Garden for a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and tour of the gardens. My mom and great friend Shannon were able to come along too! It was a beautiful day for visiting the garden, that is tucked in the middle of downtown Phoenix! Once inside you have no idea you are practically the top of the deck park tunnel of the I-10 freeway.

















We had a brief tour leading us back to the authentic Japanese tea house where we were served matcha the traditional green tea, lets just say it's an acquired taste, but the ceremony was beautiful!.

Before entering the tea house we all took turns washing our hands, which is part of the ritual, at stone fountain outside.

















































Once inside there is more to learn about the ritual






























Then we are seated for the ceremony

Like I said it's an acquired taste, you are to slurp your tea if you like it....not everyone was slurping.

It was a great day to spend with great friends.

And yes Bill and I look fantastic in our matching aubergine but no we did not plan this...it must just be our impeccable fashion taste knowing how great it would make us look against the beautiful backdrop of the garden.

If you get the chance to visit here it is a wonderful place to see!

Winter Choir Concert

Emily has been singing with her school's girls choir this semester. They practice one day a week before school, and tonight was their winter concert. Several music classes also performed and the high school choir performed as well.
It was a beautiful show an Em did so well!

Kind of hard to see her in the video...sorry...she is in the back row middle.
The song is called The Sleigh.