Pearls of Daily Life

Title: Pearls of Daily Life

Author: Antonia Loschner

Publisher: independently published by author, 2016

Pages: 117

Genre: short stories, poetry

Obtained: from author in exchange for an honest review






Summary: A collection of short stories and poems as a reminder of the importance of self.

Thoughts: I just loved this little gem.  When it arrived, my first thought on seeing the cover, was what a wonderful gift this would make.  I am not someone that usually gets into poetry, but the simple poetry in this book had meaning to me.  The short stories each had something to do with self... rediscovery, self-care, being present, passion, etc..  The stories were independent with various characters on their own life journeys.  More than one of these stories encouraged and inspired me in my personal life.  The stories were not what I expected.  They were not your usual inspirational stories. They got me thinking.  I believe there really is something for everyone in this little book.

The book is translated from German to English. In a couple of places the writing seems a bit awkward, but the meaning is very clear.  I would use the book by reading a story or poem each morning to have something to reflect on throughout the day.  It might also be a good book to carry with you, reading a story on your lunch break or while waiting for someone.  This is a book that can be read over and over.  The stories may have distinct meanings at different points in life.

This book would make a meaningful Mother's Day gift, birthday gift, Christmas gift, or thinking of you gift.  It would also be a wonderful present to give to yourself.




                                                                       

For Christmas this year I received the Glass Teavana Perfectea Maker.  This plastic tea maker works by pressing a button to open the lid.  Put in the leaves.  Pour in the hot water. Close the cover.  Let it steep.  Put the maker on top of a cup.  The pressure to the bottom releases the tea into the cup. When the cup is full, lift the tea maker.

There are a couple of cons to this maker. It is not dish washer safe.  It does not work with wide rimmed tea cups. You can't see if your cup is full if you don't use a glass one.

I really liked that this maker held 16 ounces of water.  This is just enough tea for me. It is very simple to use and easy to rinse out.  It would be great for small blooming teas. 

Today I made jasmine pearls from Art of Tea, one of my favorites. I enjoyed watching the leaves unfurl.  This added a sense of peace as I prepared my tea.  I will be using this tea maker often.