Fascinasian

Why is it, I wonder that I am drawn to shiny, tiny lacquer boxes or the vases, urns and other Asian imported and inspired vintage pieces?

click on any descriptor

antique ebonized coaster set

 

lithophane teacups with geisha secret smile

 

satsuma urn






bird of paradise Otagiri keepsake box

vintage moriage teacups

 


tiny urn with scowling emperor

A recent visit to my mother's apartment reminded me...This has been part of her style, since her move from our family home in 1990.
She purchased the large fan at a gift shop in the Southdale Mall but everything else was rescued from garage sales or auction.  The Satsuma hat pin holder was a gift from me, as well as the Japanese mud man. 
I owned a similar black lacquer jewelry box with a tiny, spinning ballerina.  It was a gift from my mother in the mid-sixties.  My grown daughter has it now on her bureau.

Hot Sour Soup

"It's good for what ails you," I heard my old, Asian grandmother whispering in my ear...

My old grandmother could not have been closer to Asia than the east border of Luxembourg but she may have appreciated the pickling if not the spice in this soup.

Since I rarely use measurements, here's the basic recipe.

Fill a large stock pot with 6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock and simmer.
Add thinly sliced, fresh garlic and ginger.
Throw in a generous amount of chopped bok choy, some drained bamboo shoots, dried lily blossoms, fresh or canned straw mushrooms, a squeeze of hot sauce, a dab of fermented bean paste, and a couple of glugs of rice vinegar.
Simmer a while longer.
You can add cubed tofu and green onion.  This time I used cooked, rinsed rice noodles.
Fresh cilantro is a nice garnish.

Make enough soup to share with others and deliver it ASAP.
The soup and the delivery of it can cure heartache, stiff joints or a grouchy disposition.

It can stave off respiratory junk and tastes a whole lot better than nyquil.

Valentines Day 2010

For him...Red Velvet Lofthouse Cookies and crab legs and a copy of Patti Smith's autobio: Just Kids  For me...orange roses, a shawl from Little Tokoyo, and grits and Polish sausage for breakfast disguised as healthy food on a bed of spinach, red pepper, black beans with garlic, onion and roasted sweet potato.  Go Team Orange!  And for both of us...Moto Guzzi in the middle.

Moto is our new cat that chose to live with us sometime in between Christmas and the New Year.  He was an intact tomcat, did not know how to use a litter box, but was immediately very loving and lovable.
He is a quick learner to domesticity.
As he has become more familiar, he has gained the confidence to be more squirrelly and playful.   He is a big, muscular boy, so Richard feels it when he gets broadsided in the shins.
Love hurts.

 

If You Would be So Kind...

I did a little more digging into the eblogger layout help page, and have finally negotiated some pics from my vintage shop at the right side column.
I would appreciate more help in the way of formatting these to a smaller, thumbnail version.
Thanks!

Back from Ely

It was my good fortune to attend the 30th year reunion of the Wild Women's Northern Trek in Ely, MN. The location is the YMCA Camp duNord on beautiful Burntside Lake. I have not been on all consecutive trips. My first year, 1992, I took the polar plunge into the icy waters.

Some of the Wild Women have become mild women. Our lodging at Pine Pointe is luxurious compared to the rustic old cabins. We have a beautiful space at Morning Glory lodge to practice yoga. This year, I babied a tender knee and skied the flat terrain of the lake, rather than the challenging North Arm Trails. However, two girls from our group managed a trip to Ely's emergency room with cuts and staples to the head after their snow sled met a tree.  I won't mention names because, as the pink t-shirts proclaim, "What goes on in Ely, stays in Ely."

Every year there are the newbies that invigorate the group and help to lower the median age. I hope next year to invite my daughter.

On Sunday morning, we left the pristine and the quiet that only two feet of snow can create. By Monday morning, we were digging out from 18 inches at home. Just a little respite before returning to routine.