Bamboo Sketches
by Charity Lee Jennings
My Art Gallery
I long for peace - that longing is what keeps me picking up my sketch book. Stepping away from demands and drawing brings that serenity that so often seems out of reach. I hope you can enjoy a bit of peace too as you watch the slideshow below. You can also view it by...
Church In The Mountains
Scrolling through pictures of our last trip to Canada for my Canada Day post, I was drawn to a little church in the mountains. Here's my drawing that celebrates this beacon of faith.
Canada Day Surprise!
As predicted, Canada Day was special. No parade, no fireworks, but my kids weren’t expecting those.
They begged me to play Canada-opoly – a game without an end. The snacks were endless too, thanks to a friend… (click the title to read more)
So, Today Is Canada’s Birthday?
“So, today is Canada Day?” my daughter asked. “Um hum,” I said, looking and the clock and calculating. It’s July 1st here, but ten p.m., on June 30th in Ontario. “And Canada is 150 years old?” Excitement built with each word. “Yeah.” I wanted to join in her excitement...
Want A Beautiful Smile, China Style?
What? You wanted privacy? Not only could I see this girl getting her teeth worked on, as I walked by, but a screen caught my eye. It displayed a close-up of her molars! Thanks for the invite Noble Beauty Dental Clinic, but I'll wait 'til we return to Canada to...
Culture Snapshot – A Dragon’s Welcome
I’ve never seen a dragon boat race but I’ve joined many Chinese people in eating zongzi, a rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves, to remember the life of one of China’s greatest poets and scholars, Qu Yuan. Human nature hasn’t changed since the 3rd century BC. Qu...
Revolving Restaurants
Dumplings for lunch became a pleasant part of our lives, as did interactions with the dumpling makers. One day, low on groceries, my son and I again took the horseshoe walk to the bao zi shop, but instead of steaming dumplings we found a lock and chains. We peered...
Dumplings For Lunch
“Is he selling bao zi?” I asked Brian as I motioned to a new vendor. “Looks like it.” We both walked toward a shop as small as a closet. Excitement and apprehension knotted together in my stomach. I like trying new things, so why apprehension? The taste of the food?...
Fishing Through The Window
The houses were packed in, separated only by a narrow boardwalk on which I sat. As I sketched, I embraced the wonder of the Lim Jetty, a world beyond my own. Yet there were familiar elements. The migrant fishermen who built the jetties in Penang, Malaysia, came from...
Sketches Of The Lim Jetty
“I’m alone, in a place I don’t belong. I want to explore but my uncertainty intimidates me.” Route 101 - Penang, Malaysia I did it. I stepped onto that bus, alone, not knowing where it was going. And it led to a peaceful afternoon sitting on planks that join the...
A Mother’s Choice – Part 2
I cracked an egg and poured out the white, holding back the yoke with the other half of the shell. My daughter, Blossom, watched, eyes wide. “Can I try?” “Sure,” she made a crack but couldn’t push through so she picked at the shell, bit by bit. Once a small space of...
A Mother’s Choice
I’ll let Blossom watch a movie. An hour and a half of peace. Life hasn’t been peaceful lately. Learning to parent through the teen years, and tutoring my boys in challenging subjects like physics and pre-algebra is forcing me to new heights. Toss in visa runs every...