Bamboo Sketches
by Charity Lee Jennings
Mandarin Minute – Merry Christmas
Say Merry Christmas with JiaJia and I, and learn what it's like to spend Christmas in China. And here's a super short clip so you can practice. For more about Christmas abroad, read: 3 Things I Miss About Christmas In Canada Come back next week for an...
Gift For A Spouse?
I’m not going to give you any gift ideas for my spouse - I don’t have enough to share. Sure I have a bundle of ideas - but they’re for the kids, or things Brian can buy for me. I’ve tried shopping the top lists of things for men, but my husband’s pretty practical. He...
Mandarin Minute #4 – One to Ten
Join JiaJia and I as we chant from one to ten, with a twist!
December’s Blossom
“Mom, we should collect these to decorate for Christmas.”
“I wish we brought a bag.” But that didn’t deter her. Blossom gathered a handful of the eucalyptus seed pods that littered the path. We use them in place of pinecones, which we rarely find, their earthiness brings the warmth of Christmas.
“Mmm, mom, smell.” Blossom held a pod to my nose and I breathed it all in: the healing scent, the sun catching her blonde hair after weeks of smog, her shining face turned toward mine.
Baby Bonsai
Here it is: my baby bonsai. Have you read the inspiration behind Baby Bonsai?
One Thanksgiving, Then Another
"Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world." Sarah Ban Breathnach Fall means one Thanksgiving, then another. That’s how I...
Dad Might Come!
I confess, I’ve been nervous about sharing this post. So nervous it took me months to finish. I fear disappointing people and didn’t know if Brian’s dad would be comfortable with me sharing my own disappointment. Thanks Dad J for sitting with me, answering my...
From the Studio – Running Water
Click "read more" to see the drawing, and read about the inspiration for this work at Water's Out.
Water’s Out
How many days can I go without a shower? I ask myself this as I fill pots with water, and arrange them on the counter, creating a strange sort of art. I have twenty more minutes. When Brian got the message last night, we got the boys filling buckets then I took...
Post 101
I can be pretty hard on myself, set the bar so high that even when I do something well I reason it away, saying it’s not good enough. But ya know, I’ve made some good friends over past years, and not one of them treats me this way. Would I want a friend...
Culture Snapshot – Random Hair
Sorry, nothing in me wants to get a new “do” at Random Hair. I imagine a guy with a huge pair of scissors thinking, “I’ll cut a chunk here, sure - how about another chunk there? Yeah, why not. I’ve never tried anything quite like this before.” As I walk by, I...
Mandarin Minute #3 – Part 2
Last week, on Mandarin Minute #3, Jia Jia taught us to count from six to ten. This is part two and jumps right into it with a chant from one to ten. Ready? Here we go!