Chinese New Year

It has been a miserable weather day today. First pouring rain making a slushy out of the paths to the chicken house and garage. Then fog. As I bid the chickens good night, the fog deepened until I could barely see across the road. And now, just before bed, the winds are howling.

I was very glad for the company of my two sweet cats and a really good book, the conclusion of The Giver by Lois Lowry called Son.
I also took joy in this little forced hyacinth bulb on my kitchen window ledge.

It might be winter outside but this little bloom filled my heart with spring.

In three days time we begin the season of lent and by Easter Sunday, March 31, spring should be truly on its way. I can't fight a lifetime of making lenten promises to myself and so this year my goal is to continue my heart health focus beyond February through til Easter morning. By then perhaps it will be a life long habit. That's the plan.

Jerome's morning email wished me happy Chinese New Year. I had forgotten it was today and was glad for the reminder.
I really enjoy good Chinese food but unfortunately we do not live anywhere near a good Chinese restaurant. I spent some time today remembering two of my favorites, Sun Luck Garden in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and Hung Lung's in Springfield, Ohio. Not surprisingly, the memories are sweeter because they include being with our children. It's been too long since we've eaten at either...
Well, I didn't have any Chinese food today but I did remember a gift I received which I will now keep out on my desk and use more often.
Two years ago my sister Mary and her husband Ed went to China. Mary works hard at finding just the right gifts for people. Gosh I was excited when I opened her package! She brought back a chop for me. Wow.

What you see above is a photograph she took of the artist carving my chop. Imagine, carving into stone with tiny tools and creating my name in English and Chinese characters and doing it backwards.

Here you see my chop, lucky red Chinese ink, and the sample of my name.
Thank you again Mary.
Happy year of the snake.