China part 2

I have over 4,000 photos to choose from! Not that I took all of them myself, but there was a group of us, all invited by Zixu for his sister's wedding, and we decided to share photos since it was ridiculous to all be taking photos of the same thing. (photo shows us sitting, at the far right Zixu and his sister (Zijing) and her fiance Tao (with the squirt gun), and the rest are Zixu's college friends that came). It's hard to believe that over 4,000 photos can be taken in 2 weeks! What were we thinking? I have this theory that we take so many photos because we want to bring it back with us, but we never can. Also, digital photography has made excess just as possible for the ordinary folks as for the professionals -- now WE can take 10 photos to capture just the right light or expression -- and we do!

But, WHATEVER! I am grateful that we can. If we can't bring it back with us, we can at least remember better. So, with that said, here are more photos of China. The above photo, as well as the previous post's nature photos, were taken on our hike past the Black Dragon Pools and waterfalls. The hike was in the mountains near Miyun, Zixu's home, about 45 minutes north of Beijing. It's not like we haven't hiked before, but a hike in China certainly has a different flavor --shapes, colors, how a public trail is run -- there were concession stands ( photo on right) and souvenir stalls where we are used to ranger stations and small museums. But having easy access to ice cream bars (bean, lychee, mango flavors) was very nice!

Afterwards we went to a lovely restaurant, also in the mountains, and ate, as usual, too much. They have a great idea in China! Big round tables with huge lazy susans in the middle, and then they just pile plates of food on them, and you snag whatever you want as it rotates past you. I need not say that we ate exclusively with chopsticks the whole time we were there -- and managed to gain weight despite this handicap. There was fish, beef, chicken, and lots of vegetables, very few of which we recognized. All completely delicious!


The next day we visited the Emperor's hunting lodge and summer retreat (mostly built by the Qing dynasty (1600's to 1911), the last dynasty before Communism took over) in the cooler mountains in the north -- photos also on previous post. Escape from the oppressive heat and humidity of Beijing -- the main seat of government historically and presently -- is very important! Indeed it was quite cold when we were there, and the umbrellas we bought were useful to keep us dry in the rain that fell at the beginning -- and all during the trip provided shelter from either rain, or relentless sun. Anyways -- All government business moved to this huge walled preserve in which we took an 11 km unforgettable scary open air tour bus ride (no seat belts, no railings, narrow road, steep road, cliffs and sharp curves, breakneck speed and
seemingly indifferent bus driver--although we did survive, so he apparently knew what he was doing). Zixu also gave us the opportunity to get a boat ride over to a hot spring, which, as it was warm weather, really didn't look all that remarkable although there were more cool buildings. The most remarkable part was when the boaters had an argument. We couldn't understand any of it, of course, but it SEEMS they were arguing about who would have the job of poling us over there. Apparently the guy who was sleeping wasn't awake enough to say, "not me" because they woke him up and he was one of the two that took us over.

Many days we ate at restaurants, but even when we didn't, Zixu's mom had wonderful food ready for us. If you look real carefully, you can see the rooster's head in the meat dish. We didn't eat that! but everything else was wonderful. We also got some basic cooking lessons, in part to reduce the work for Zixu's mother and aunt, and in part so I would learn to cook it so Zixu could have more homey food when he returns to Washington. It will take some practice before my cooking looks as good, is prepared as efficiently, and tastes as great as what they prepared, but apparently my efforts were good enough that they have hope for me. Still, much as we enjoyed all that genuine "chinese food", by the end of the trip, we missed good old bread, jam, and peanut butter!

So, next post, the Great Wall...

China part 1, Black Dragon waterfalls and Emperor's Mountain Villa

We had the opportunity, once again, to visit China, as guests of Zixu and his family, this time to witness the marriage of Zixu's sister, but, of course, they made sure that we enjoyed more than just the wedding..



Words cannot do justice to this experience, so this post will be mainly photos.....











Different sights as we hiked along the Black Dragon Waterfall trail.




















After our hike, we ate at a restaurant nearby, that had this lovely little garden filled with statues of comrades who played significant roles in modern Chinese history.









Zixu's family arranged for a driver to take us to the Emporer's Mountain Villa -- and we spent several hours enjoying this seat of government in the mountains away from the oppressive heat of Beijing.




Some places were serene and beautiful.











Others were ancient and beautiful.










It doesn't look cozy, but it is certainly magnificent.












Love the clothes! Although no one now wears the traditional garb of the emperor or scholar!













This place was so huge (the walls surrounded several square miles/kilometers of wooded and grassy grounds filled with occasional buildings -- besides being the summer seat of government this was also the Emperor's hunting lodge and filled with game). I could post endless photos.


This ---->
is a home built for a concubine who was no longer in favor with the Emporer -- it is far away from the main complex of buildings.





The nice thing about a hunting lodge is that there are many gardens, and there are few gardens as magnificent as the garden of a Chinese Emperor.

More offerings from my creative writing class

Sticky Love

I've heard of butterfly kisses,

how delicately they fall

from lips of tiny princesses

on our cheeks and

hearts.

But I've only a tiny prince

with fists full of sticks and dirt

who gives

peanut butter kisses;

sticky memories on my face.

Proof

For those who do not believe Ben EVER answers his phone--I witnessed it myself. Sometimes....he does.
.
.
.
I have proof.

(This is not a posed photo)

Handkercheifs

I have been working my way through a creative writing course lately, and some of what I write seems appropriate for this blog. I am surprised how much of my writing concerns my family history, or my own history. Here is a sample:



Full Circle

They are only pieces of cloth—small squares of fabric printed bright primary colors that delighted the heart of the child I was. My favorites show dainty fairy folk going about their dainty fairy business dressed in leaves and buds while their ladybug pets look on. These little handkerchiefs have always been part of my life—bits of a past in another country that seems so far away that it might as well be in fairyland too. I gathered them up and hoarded them in my storage boxes, treasured in closets, under beds, or wherever there was space as I grew up, left home, and had children of my own. Perhaps, one day, I'll make them into a quilt, I would dream, as they lay hidden, silent, in the dark.

Eventually, I became a Grandma, “Oma” to my sweet newlings so my German roots can help them distinguish me from their other people. I watch my own mother more carefully—Mutti is a stranger to me—a keeper of secrets and holder of my past. Even from three states away I see courage that I never recognized now that she is alone and has no one to defer to. I have not known her, but I see her in me and I want to know who she is. I surprised her by persisting in asking her to write her story, and she surprised me by agreeing. She says this helps fill her time, and I think she is pleased. She is taking a writing class at the Senior Center, and we talk. We talk more than we ever have before.

So it was that without prompting Mutti told me the story of my handkerchiefs. She used to hang them on the clothesline when I was little and I would watch them fluttering in the breeze. They were given to me by her Oma. Her grandmother? Suddenly, new sprung from family legend, this lady who has no place in my memories came into my life. My circle of love expanded. I have presents from my great-grandmother! They have been gifted to me twice! My cherished handkerchiefs speak at last, and will have a place of honor on my walls.

My dear friend Lisa

As I've been dealing with my own personal issues, problems, obstacles, pleasures, and crises the past few months, I have lost track more and more of all my friends. Poking my head above the surface for air, I notice one of my dearest friends has become a cancer case. Her blog is full of doctor appointments, MRI's, abnormal and normal days, hair loss, and gratitude for those who support her. I haven't seen her for over a month. She doesn't look like the Lisa I know, and yet, she does. She IS Lisa. A friend I have cherished for many years.

I want to write about the Lisa I know, the one who is still lurking in there among all the anxiety and medical talk. She tells me that she is slow to make friends, that it takes her a long time to get comfortable with people, but it didn't take long with me. Back then she had only two kids, and she would trade me photo albums for babysitting. It was all a plot, because I got hooked into scrapbooking, and have since purchased more than she ever traded me. She makes the most beautiful albums--simple, elegant, and to the point. I've learned a lot from her. I can't believe that with all the photos I take (she must take some responsibility for this), I can't find a photo of her!

She helped me go through my books when we moved, trying to get rid of enough to fit the remainder into the house. Sadly, she has the same tastes as me, and narrowly avoided transferring my excess into her home. She laughed at me--"you don't like empty walls, do you?", but I had the last laugh when her child quotient increased to five, and her walls filled with shelves. She laughs a lot--at different things than me--and she laughs now despite cancer.



We've taken our families and watched the 4th of July fireworks together for years. We keep on taking photos of their displays and keep on scrapbooking them--although, seriously, how can you tell them apart year to year? We have taken not enough little breaks to enjoy our friendship, but both of us know the BYU campus, the roses at the Library, and the canyons around Mount Rainier better because we visited them together. Her house has always been surrounded by beautiful flowers and plants, and most years her garden has even produced some fruit that survived kids and dogs.


I have watched in admiration as she has adopted five kids--most of whom require more than average attention and wisdom. When asked, in the process of adopting some of them, why I thought she wanted more, my first thought was "because she's crazy", but that's not what I wrote on the adoption agency's reference that was the source of the question. And she adopted more. And year after year she has dispensed that more than average attention and wisdom her children need.

As jobs and kids demanded more and more of our time, it was, and is, a comfort to know that we have someone there who will listen with understanding when we had to tell SOMEONE!!! Even when we don't take advantage of that opportunity very often anymore.


We have come a long way since we first met--we both have much larger circles of friendship, family, and inner resources than we did back then. Funny how much we can change, without changing at all. I am grateful for my dear friend Lisa.

Shiva revisited

You may have heard of Shiva, the Hindu goddess of destruction. Granted, I am fairly ignorant of Hinduism, but "destruction" seems a fairly clear word. There are those who say Shiva destroys evil, and that Shiva also creates, but, lets face it, destruction is destruction. Simple.

So what do I do about my delightful daughter, who did this (below) to the furniture from my living room?













Before that, the dining room used to be a nice room--it used to look like this....













After we dealt with that mess, she did THIS to my dining room!












All of that lead to THIS..............................................and THIS


However, the final result was THIS.

Maybe there's something to the creation side of of the goddess of destruction after all.




However, we still call Julie "Shiva"



Did I mention that my mother just told me that when I was a kid I started stripping the wallpaper off her bedroom wall so she would start repainting?......