Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wisconsin Bar

Thank you, Jasmine! I have learned a lot from your class!

Reading one by one in! Isn't it a good way to learn? Especially in a tavern! Cool !!!



Wisconsin bar, a place which you can not miss for sure. Of course you have to be older than 21!
Enjoy the bar, enjoy the music, enjoy the beer, enjoy the leasure time with your friends. This is the really Wisconsin life!
The Irish bar, which provides nice food! We are having our super there. And the price is reasonable!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Dazzling Fireworks Display in Chicago

Outside the Art Institude, there is the Lake Michigan. Along the lake, there are many ducks and sea gulls swimming and flying around. People are just sitting there feeding them.

Many beautiful yachts are anchoring along the lake.


Yachts, ducks, sea gulls and people--what a peaceful scene!


People can walk or ride along the pathway to enjoy the breeze and sunshine!


Some people go there in the afternoon th take the best spot for the evening fireworks. A lot of families sit beside the lake, chatting, eating and drinking.


On the lawn, we found a lot of glowworms flying!


When it was getting dark, policemen were riding on horseback to keep order, which I have never seen before in China.

A boat was sailing from south to north along the shore. People were cheering for the 2016 Chicago Olympic Games. Music started to play! The firework show was coming!

Fireworks!
Navy Pier presents a dazzling fireworks display every Wednesday and Saturday from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. This summer Chicago lights up the night with 32 spectacular shows over Lake Michigan, synchronized to the music of seven different soundtracks.



Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Hmong People in Wisconsin


Hmong People,Their Life and Their Tradition

On arriving Eau Claire, I have heard people talking about "Hmong" People for many times. I took it for granted that they should be people from Mogolia. But I am wrong, totally wrong! Yesterday in Jasmine's class, I got to know, for the first time, that they are people whose ancestors fled from China! That is why many people told me that they are trading Asian grocery.

Don't stop there! After I learned the history, I took much sympathy on them. They fled from their home to Laos in the late 1800's, just because they wanted to keep their tradition, which is supposed to be people's right! They fled again from Laos to Thailand, just because they helped the enemy of the goverment. But in Thailand, they lived in misery. Where were their brothers and friends? Where was their God? Finally, they got the agreement to live in US. That's why I can see many Asian faces here, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Is here their final home? In the poem Journey to America, I can read a kind of helplessness as well as strong will to live on with dignity and honor. The history has taught them so much about how to endure any difficulties and tortures, how to keep living in the chink between powerful nations. Death, hunger, illness, all kind of miseries can not beat a nation if there is a strong will. I like the last part of the peom: " They conquered our homeland, but they cannot conquer us." Even though they were conquered by other peoples, they still had free soul! This is the spirit which keeps a nation standing in the forests fo nations, though it is the minor one.

Hail to freedom, and God bless Hmong people!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Dinner In Host Family

Today I was honored to be invited to Patti See's house for dinner. Patti and Bruce are our old friends since they stayed at our campus for a month giving lectures. It's really good to see them again at their cosy home!



This is me with Maggi, a large white dog. No mistake! She is a dog instead of a sheep, though she looks really like a sheep! Haha... She is famous on our campus, because Patti mentioned it to us last year. Finally I meet her! She is 13 years old, which means she's quite old. But she is no less lovely!
Maggi, an obedient and friendly dog!


Can you figure it out what is on the ground? Hail! On the moment of our leaving, it started to rain, which has been expected for a long time. At beginning we heard something, then we found it was hailing! We seldom see hails in Zhuhai, China. We could smell the rain, wet and fresh. It has not rained since we arrived here more than two weeks ago. How much we need rain! But by the time we came back to Chancellors Hall, the rain had stopped!



One Of My Favorite Chinese Recipes



Stir-Fried Shrimp with Garlic and Chile Sauce
Marian (China)

Since I was brought up in a seaside city and I am living in Zhuhai, a seaside city too, I am obsessed with seafood so much that I cook seafood twice a week on average. One of my favorite dishes is a platter of succulent stir-fried orange-pink shrimp which symbolizes gold coins (wealth) and good fortune for the coming year. We have this dish especially for holidays.

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients
· 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
· 2 teaspoons cornstarch
· 1 teaspoon sugar
· 2 teaspoons Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) or dry sherry
· 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
· 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
· 1 tablespoon oil
· 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
· 2 tablespoons minced garlic
· 1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
· 1 hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped
· 1/2 cup (1-inch) slices green onions
· 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
· Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
2. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add oil to pan.
3. Add shrimp to pan; stir-fry 1 minute or until shrimp begin to turn pink.
4. Add garlic, ginger, and hot pepper; stir-fry 1 minute.
5. Stir in broth mixture; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done and sauce is thickened, stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat; stir in onions and sesame oil.
7. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 120 (0.0% from fat)
Fat: 3.5g (sat 0.5g,mono 1.4g,poly 1.2g)
Protein: 17.7g
Carbohydrate: 3.4g
Fiber: 0.3g
Cholesterol: 129mg
Iron: 2.2mg
Sodium: 200mg
Calcium: 53mg
Try it! It's not difficult but dilicious!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Visiting Clairemont Nursing And Rehabilitation

Have you ever visited a nursing house to care about the old people? This afternoon we went to Clairemont Nursing And Rehabilitation to visit sinior people there. We played Bingo with them!





See the old Grandmas were playing Bingo seriously!













We were playing with Bee, who is 62 but has been suffering from diabetes from age of 24. She is so fat that she can hardly move by herself. In my eye she is not that old, but she had stroke several years ago, so her left side of the body can not move at all. We playes games and talked with her. I can see she was happy. When we tlod her we were leaving, she told us:"I don't want you to leave." At that moment I was almost unable to hold my tears! I could seethe loneliness from Bee's eyes. Maybe later if I have time, I will come back to see you again, Bee!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Dogs on Eat My Fish farm

Nelly, a shepherd dog, a shy one too, but very much devoted to her duty. On arriving the fish farm, two dogs were running down to greet us. When we visited the farm, Sunny was always following us, playful but obedient. I noticed that Nelly was running away to a farther palce, crouching at the road side. I wondered what she was doing. Can you figure it out?

Yes, here she was! Is this kind of dog is called Husky? I am not sure. But what I can be sure is that this is the kind that my daughter loves most. (By the way, my daughter loves all the dogs in the world!) Well, Nelly was supposed to watch sheep. But can you see she was watching pigs, and so dutifully? Those pigs were so much bigger than Nelly. She really impressed me! She was too shy to take pictures with visitors. I got the one with her only with the help of David.


Another interesting thing is that she was always keeping ready to catch ball. Crouching a bit, eyes fixing on the ball in your hand, ready to run any second toward the ball, I felt it so cute that I wanted to take her home! If I had it in my house, I would not worry about thief. She would fulfill her duty much better than any lock!

Here is Sunny, a large dog but friendly and docile. She was waiting quietly for the skins of the fish wh didn't want to eat. She was wandering from table to table, ready to have his supper. I tried to feed him something, and found that he was not picky for food. He ate skin of roast fish, bread, meat of fish, bread, rice, biscuit and chocolate. That is why he is so big!
He was playful, too! When locked out side, he played with a ball. He tried to push the ball as far as possible, ran fast to catch it, went back holding it in the mounth, and then put it in front of you, looking into your eyes, as if he was saying: "See, am I talented?" I knew he was expecting praise. I stroked his head and say "good boy". He was so complacent, and ready for the next game with you.


Have you noticed that Nelly has got two eys of different colors, one blue and the other yellow!


Comparing the two dogs, I found that Sunny was more able to attract visitors' favor. All of us loved him. When we left, we did not forget to say goodbye to him. See you Sunny!







Tuesday, July 14, 2009

14th July 2009--excursion to Eat My Fish farm

Our class



pickled fish--yummy!


The hospitable host--Herby--toasting fish



Look at my first harvest!



I am fishing!



The host--Herby's household!



14th July, 2009



Isn't it so nice to find that it is cloudy with cool wind blowing around you in the afternoon when you are most tired and sleepy, especially when you have something to expect? That's it! This afternoon is just like this.


Excited and curious, we hurried back to dorm room to pack up and waited 15 minutes early at the door of Chancellor" Hall. Fish farm! It's very strange to me, because as a city woman I have the only experience of going out fishing with friends once. Even on that fishing trip, I was forced to sit there watching, waiting to eat the fish they would catch. How pity I was! This time it's my turn!



On the way to the farm, large farm lands and farm houses appeared in front of me. Green and yellow with crops which I could not name. Anytime I see farm land i will be excited, let alone the huge size of farmland! I was impressed with the peace brought by the green color. That's "silo" and "silage". Not bad, I have matched the new words with the real thing!


On arriving, two large dogs rushed out to us before the host Herby (as I remember) gave us the warm welcome. Dogs, and so big! I was even more excited. My daughter loves dogs so much! How wish she could be here! The tour of the fish house was exciting, I missed some of the words though. It doesn't matter, I am "LaoWai" ( a foreigner), isn't it!


Starting fishing, I found my self clumsy-handed. Is it "be all thumbs" in proverb? I am not sure. Anyway, I could give up, because I had to find food for my supper ! (kidding) I tried "N" times before I finally managed to cast the fishing cord far into the pond. Not bad that I caught two, enough for mu supper! (Kidding again, since my classmates had caught enough for me!)


The fish was roasted with herbs. I was glad to help Herby serve the table. The fish was really fresh and yummy! My stomach was satified at last!


It was really nice trip! If I had given up, I would have regretted for a whole life! It is such a valuable member that I have to write it down though i still want to write about the dogs. Well, put it off to tomorrow!