jiao zi

i went to China in may. i miss it. i saw and experienced more than i imagined. i

i am still processing.

i want to go back.

one night i went to my friends' family home and we made jiao zi (dumplings). they were fantastic.

the best part of the day wasn't the food, it was the time spent with 3 generations of a family making them. what a privilege to spend time in their home, cook side by side, laugh in different languages and share a meal.

making the dough seems to take the most time...it is rolled out into 3 inch circles...


the filling for these jiao zi was made of ground pork with egg and seasonings...

these are the beautiful hands of an elderly Chinese woman...she has made thousands of jiao zi, seen the dramatic changes of her homeland, and has a lifetime of stories...


it takes practice to make the jiao zi...

i ate about half of these...

to be continued...

the news

okay, so Runner Boy hates the news. i enjoy the news...most of the time.

tonight was the perfect example of why Runner Boy hates the news.

there was a story about sun screen. the dangers of sunscreen. why? because some brands contain forms of vitamin A which can intensify some of the sun's dangerous effects. some brands contain oxybenzone--a chemical which can disrupt hormones.

so, some sun screens are DANGEROUS.

then, the reporter went to the local medical school/teaching hospital to talk to one of the experts. the doctor notes that some of the science behind concerns over sunscreen is sketchy. therefore, he would recommend DAILY use of sun screen to protect skin from the harmful effects of the sun.

now we know that sun screen is DANGEROUS and that it should be used DAILY.

that's why runner boy hates the news.

growing up...

Kate: "Momma, when I grow up will I have big hips?"

Me: "Huh?"

Kate: "When I grow up will I have big hips...like you?"

Me: "Do you think I have big hips Kate?"

Kate: "Yes"


...ouch...