Thinking of China

Dear Diary,

The Chinese New Year always gets me thinking about my trip there in 2002.  I photographed a shelf in my studio with my calligraphy supplies on it.  Three items were bought in China on that trip...the hand carved tortoise chop I got in Xian, the blue and white container of red seal paste and the set of 5 calligraphy brushes.  I always taught units on Chinese landscape painting and calligraphy when I was a teacher.  It is a land and history that always fascinated me.  Extra is me at the Summer Palace outside of Beijing.  My traveling companion insisted on posing me with my parasol (crucial for keeping the blistering sun off) and her fan.  If I were there now I would be wearing a face mask the city has become so polluted.  Now, that would really be a funny picture!

Our lovely weather is over and I woke to a mixed bag of freezing rain, sleet and snow.  Won't amount to much thankfully.