From Grits to Chopsticks

On a Sunday afternoon two weeks ago while the weather was still sunny and warm, we enjoyed taking a walk through the park.  At first glance, the pine trees almost remind you of the forests back home in South Carolina:

But then, it always helps to back up a step and take in the full view from a different perspective (our local park has a wonderful bonsai garden):

While the bonsai trees are tightly controlled in their own miniature environments, the shallow water leading to the main lake has out-of-control water hyacinths.  These tour boats have to plow their way through a floating jungle every time they leave the dock:

The overload of hyacinths provided an interesting idea for this sculpture, ironing the rough green vegetation into a smooth surface:

We rented a pedal boat for a peaceful ride around the lake.  Of course this is China, and regardless of where you go, you will usually find a traffic jam:

One of the many differences between China and America has to do with kite flying.  In the USA, kite flying is usually child’s play.  But not in China – kites are almost always flown by retired men with some pretty fancy gear:

As we enter the cold rainy season, we’ll try to hang onto this memory of the warm blue sky.  In the last few days, we transitioned from short-sleeves to sweaters and have cranked up the dehumidifier to try and keep the mold at bay for a while…