This is Deputy Digby Pancake. If there was a ever a time to stop and smell the roses or the flowers, it is now.  If there was ever a time to forget about everything that is going on in the world that is not so happy and find some happy, that time for all of us is now.  Actually, no matter what is happening, there is always time for happy.  If we make the time. And we found out too, that in South Carolina, there is always time for tea.

Yesterday, we had a little time.  Time to be tourists.  Time to look and smell and not rush and just look and learn.  I think all of us need that sometimes.  We need a day without routine. We need a day to learn about something that we might take for granted everyday.  Now.  First of all, let me tell you this.  Dogs should not drink tea and I don’t want tea.

But I will drink out of tea cup on a hot, Charleston, South Carolina day when it has fresh ice water in it.  Oh, yes.  Yes, I will.

So we took a trip out to the Charleston Tea Plantation.  The only tea plantation in the whole United States.

Since Girl Person had already told us that we could not actually drink the tea, but that we could only look at it, I didn’t know what to think.  Except it wasn’t like we were going to a pancake plantation.  I figured it wouldn’t bother me too bad to not eat leaves. Good things, because it takes 2000 leaves to make one pound of finished tea. Even my stomach isn’t that big. When we got there, there were trails and there was a front porch to sit on.  You have to sit on a front porch when you are in the South.  It is required.

The persons seemed to be pretty relaxed here at this Tea Plantation place.  Girl Person said that probably not many people would think about what made up a glass of tea or a cup of tea.  She said that there are things we take for granted each and every day.  That we just expect them to be there.  And I suppose that sometimes, we can even take each other for granted.  Seems to me that a cup of tea for everyone would remedy that.  If everyone just took a moment to look inside their cup.  Girl Person says there is poetry in there.  Poetry?

Maybe she drank so much tea that she went a little loony. And when you are already a little loony it doesn’t take much.

So I looked.  I looked deep in my cup.  Yes, it had water in there, but I imagined it had tea.  I looked at Girl Person’s tea for some inspiration.  And it spoke to me.  So loud in fact that even Sheriff Brickle had to listen.  And he listens to no one but himself.

Here I am

A cup of tea

I have always been here, but I was empty, you see.

Until you filled me up, I didn’t know what to be.

When you poured tea into me, I knew

That I could be it all,

Warmth on a cold day, or a pick me up when you stall.

But everyone has to make the time 

To find my joy. 

And you can,

Whether you are on land,

Or yelling “ships ahoy!”.

Life is about filing your cup 

With what you love

So take your cup

And make room for tea.

Only then, when you enjoy the simple things of life

Will you see how wonderful it can be.

Yeah, that cup was really long winded.  But I got the point.  It has only been recently that we found our cup of tea.  No, not in a perfect situation, or a perfect house or a perfect itinerary.  No, our cup of tea was enjoying the moment.  Not rushing.  Just being still more often.  Because although we have to keep moving, sometimes, the best view is right in front of us.  At high tea in low country, Charleston, South Carolina on a front porch.

If you have a cup that you haven’t filled in a long while, it is waiting.  What will you pour inside?

-Deputy Digby Pancake

Don’t forget to watch our newest “cook for your dog” episode, Friday at 9 a.m. ET on Instagram TV and our Facebook page as Girl Person makes Barbecue Hamburgers For Dogs and People To Share, South Carolina style!  

Then, remember to catch us LIVE on Facebook at NOON ET Friday when we talk about the difference CBD products from Pet Releaf have changed our lives. Use coupon code 2TD at checkout to save 10% off of your order!