静水盈盈

Something Beautiful for Someone Special

End-of-year gifts to the teachers who have been working hard for the kids.

Sophie chose OSU colors to bead the necklace. This is for her classroom teacher.

Laura has 5 teachers she would like to give Thank-You gift. Here are what she has finished so far. She'll need to make one more.

 

Sophie's Suzuki Cello Book 2 Recital

Cookies for the guests:

 

Show Time:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coffee Filter Flowers for the teacher and guests:

Sisters Making Music

OSUSA Head Start / Pre - College Cello Recital 2012

(* OSUSA - Oklahoma State University String Acadamy)

Sisters playing together first time at Seretean Center:

Laura's very first appearance on the stage of OSU Seretean Center for Performing Arts, performing Minuets from Bach's Cello Suite No. 1:

Happiness is A Pile of Books

Just have to show off what I got from this year's Public Libaray Used Book Sale:

Reflections Program State Awards (Visual Arts)

Sophie - Award of Merit (Primary Division)
Laura - Award of Excellence ( Middle Division) (Eligible for final round of national competition)

Happy Easter!

Medieval Fair 2012 @ Norman

Spring Break @ Kansas City

Outdoor Sculpture Park @ Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art:

Water Lilies by Monet @ Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art:

I wish I had taken more pictures of the amazing outdoor sculptures in the city.

 

Happy First Day of Spring!

From Sophie's Doodle Pile

Spring Cleaning. One of the biggest task is to sort Sophie's doodle pile. Not every piece is a keeper, but it's fun to look through all of them. I picked a few and put them into this album.

Thoughts on Dance Studio

Dance is fun. It builds self-confidence and coordination. More appealing to me, dance is music made visible. I love watching my girls giggling, swirling and dancing in the house. "There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them".

I wish I got the chance to learn to do it when I was the right age. Well, I have figured out the other shortcuts over the years. So when Sophie said she wanted to dance(again), natually I started to look for a dance studio for her(again). She's still little, 5, the age that is not quite ready to handle the serious instructions. For this age, you'll most likely to find classes labled "Creative Movements" or "Pre-Ballet". By that, it means a little bit of basic dance steps, a little bit of free movements, and maybe a little bit of jazz and tap dances. Sounds very fun! 

So I sent Sophie to this dance studio. Actually this was her third dance school already. The previous two didn't work out. It went fairly well. She was happy, which was very important. Then came the time to discuss about the end-of-year recital. I realized I made a mistake. 

When Laura was little, she attened this professional ballet school once. For her recital, she danced in her regular dance outfit, like every other girls in her class. They danced with their hearts, and they danced beautifully. But nowadays, I see more and more "Las Vegas" style dance and recitals. Young kids were allowed to put on inappropriate costumes and heavy makeup, and danced with unsuitable music. The end-of-year recital, which is supposed to be the icing on the cake, became the main focal point of the class. Months before the recital, kids started to prepare(drill) for the recital dances. It appears (to me, as a parent) that putting on a grand show is more important than building up a solid foundation of dance basics. It just seems harder and harder to find a dance studio that focuses more on proficiency and artistry. 

Dance is also performing arts, which inevitably will incoorperate acting, muisc, stage and costumes. Especially for little girls, they enjoy the costumes and the exciting performces enormously. But when it's not done appropriately, we're literally telling our little kids (young girls) that the most important thing is how you look (with fake hair and makeup), how you prance on stage, how you shake your butt in front of the audience, and all this obsession with vanity. 

That being said, I want to go back and talk about "fun". Kids usually have fun during the class, that's very important to keep the studio running.  But let's look at "fun" from another perspective. Young kids can have fun from all sorts of non-structured activities - jumping, running, doodling, splashing in the swimming pool - which is equally important. Then there's a longer term sense of joy and sense of achievement, which could only obtained through focused hard work and efforts. It gives kids a valuable experience of seeing how their commitment help them grow stronger. 

Dance is fine arts. Dance is an enrichment experience. But that only happens when the dance school or the studio keeps that kind of philosophy and mission at its heart.

二十九 蒸馒头 ； 三十晚上 熬一宿；大年初一 扭一扭

也有说，“二十九，做米酒”的，不管怎么说，米酒和馒头都没做！（照片是以前的，拿出来充充数。）

妈妈和爸爸都是无锡人，那边地方的人把除夕的前一天叫“小年夜”，也就是二十九。妈妈很少做面食，家里大多数时间吃米饭，喝米粥。只有过年才会包一次饺子。年夜饭很早就开始准备了。像笋干差不多两个星期前就开始泡了。泡了，切，切了，再泡，再煮，再泡，这样到最后，笋干发得胖胖的，经过这么多次“洗礼”，居然还是笋香阵阵的，然后再和熬得鲜鲜的猪肉上慢火炖，那是我小时候最最喜欢的一道菜。其他每年必备的菜还有鸡蛋饺，酱牛肉，蒸熏鱼，红烧黄花鱼，和红烧带鱼。妈妈的凉拌菜腐竹拌芹菜也是我的最爱。（喜欢的都是素的，嗒嗒这点儿像妈妈)。

小年夜吃什么呢？好多好吃的都已经做好了，可是记忆里只有除夕那天桌上才是满满的。饺子也是除夕吃完晚饭才开始包。看着春晚包。到快午夜的时候，饺子下锅，听着震耳欲聋的鞭炮声，全家一起在电视机前吃刚出锅的，热气腾腾的饺子。

蛙蛙和嗒嗒一听“熬一宿”，兴奋得不得了。“妈妈，能熬一宿吗？Please!” 现在知道了，答应她们就是了，免得孩子们扫兴。实际上，让她们熬，她们都熬不住！这不，刚过十一点，俩丫头倒头就睡着了！压根儿就忘了这个茬儿！ 也难为她们了，第二天还得上学呢！

“妈妈，为什么熬了一宿，还要上学呀？”嗒嗒问道。
“因为这儿过年不放假！你要是在中国，过年的时候要放三个多星期呢！过完十五才开学。这样除夕晚上就可以晚晚地睡，因为第二天不用上学！第二天，妈妈可以带着你和姐姐去逛地坛的庙会，吃棉花糖，糖葫芦，买风车，买面人儿；第三天，咱们可以上北海去看腊梅花；第四天，我们去陶然亭划冰车；再下一天，妈妈带你们去大观园看“元妃省亲”；然后还有颐和园的宫廷庙会，龙潭湖的民间杂技，天桥的老北京绝活... ... ”
“我想回中国过年！妈妈！”

我也是。 

(蛙蛙05年回国过春节的部分照片）

二十八 画年画

“...
二十八，把面发；
... ”

朋友送来满满一大口袋的发面豆沙包，因为前些天我们刚刚给他们送了新鲜鱼。这么多的包子，省得我发面啦！二十八，改成“画年画”吧！

龙年，就画龙吧！

“妈妈，我不会画龙。”嗒嗒显然不太喜欢我的建议。
“龙嘛，叫姐姐说说龙是什么样子的！蛙蛙！” 蛙蛙从里屋跑过来，“什么事？”
“妹妹想知道龙是什么样子的。”
“噢！龙是蛇的身子，鱼的鳞，鹿的角，鹰的爪子， 还有须子！”
“就按你自己的想象画吧！”

 左边是姐姐的龙，叫“红红”；右边的是妹妹的，叫“小小”。

 

二十七 宰公鸡

公鸡？在哪儿？ 要不是老公常钓鲜鱼回来，家里的刀就是切菜用的，哪儿见过血呀？

为什么到过年才宰公鸡？小时候平时就只吃猪肉么？不记得了。可是我记得小时候看外婆和妈妈宰鸡。

上小学前我跟着外婆住在无锡乡下。妈妈爸爸要上班，没空照顾我。哥哥跟着奶奶住，也在无锡，但不在一个镇子上。我住的虽然说不上是深宅大院，可对我来说，那可也是个大宅子。进大门，是个很大的天井。左手边是一间房，因为窗户的原因吧，记忆里那间屋子总是暗暗的，里面有什么家具都记不得了，因为平时很少去那间屋子，只有追猫的时候才会进去。猫是外婆养的，因为我老追，最后跑丢了，这都是题外话。廊檐下是砖砌的水道，排雨水的。正前面是灶房。之所以说是灶房，因为里面一点儿都不像现在的厨房。里面靠墙是一个砖砌的灶台，进灶房右手边是一个大水缸，有人会定期给我们担水。水缸的木头盖子上放着快水用的瓢。灶房和追猫的屋子之间夹的是睡房。宽大的屋子尽头是一张有四根帷柱的木床。木床上有精美的雕花装饰，床幔一年四季都挂着，只是夏天会换上薄如蝉翼的纱帐。每次和小蛙讲起来，蛙蛙都会睁大了眼睛，“妈妈，你小时候睡那么高级的床呀？” 除了大床，还有一个类似衣橱的高柜子。之所以说高，因为过年妈妈给我寄来的包裹就放在那柜子顶上。我踮着脚尖儿，仰着头，也只能看见包裹的一个角儿。包裹里是妈妈亲自缝制的棉袄和花罩衣。睡房的门口儿是猫睡觉的垫子。每天一大早，外婆去赶早市的时候，会把猫赶出睡房，然后把门关上，因为我一个人在屋子里的时候， 外婆不想猫来捣乱。

现在回到天井。天井的一角是鸡窝。外婆请人搭的，分上下层，里面至少有四五只鸡。其中一只芦花公鸡是我最喜欢的。高高的，大大的，黑白花色的毛，走起路来，昂首挺胸的，可威武了！别的鸡很少出院子，可芦花喜欢乱跑，院门开着，它就自己出门了。但到傍晚它总能回来，进窝歇息。外婆傍晚喂食的时候，它也不出来，外婆说，芦花在外面吃饱了。可是有一次，芦花到了晚上也没回来。外婆站在大门口，往巷子里张望了很久，也没有芦花的身影。这样过了两天吧，外婆带着我上街去找。我记得看见芦花的时候它正在过马路。街上人来车往的，可就数我的芦花不紧不慢，跺着它特有的方步。我一眼就认出了芦花，尽管它身上的毛耷拉着，还沾满了污泥。

芦花被带回了家，外婆说得把它杀了。我应该很伤心，可记忆里不是伤心的眼泪，而是那一盆鲜红的鸡血。外婆动作很快，等我明白过来，芦花都已经放在开水里在退毛了。地上是一大盆鲜红色，热腾腾的鸡血。鸡汤肯定很好喝，走地鸡嘛。可盛鸡的沙锅放在灶房的窗台上，没关窗户，半夜给野猫叼走了。外婆说的。

后来妈妈把我接回北京，外婆不在，过年宰鸡的时候，妈妈得自己动手。妈妈手不够快，而且没有把鸡的喉管割透，结果吓得妈妈冲出厨房，把鸡关在狭小的厨房里，任它在里面乱扑腾。我从厨房门上的玻璃窗可以看进去，那可怜的鸡扇着翅膀，像没头的苍蝇一样，四处乱撞。等最后消停下来，妈妈确认鸡已经没气儿了，这才推开厨房门。哪儿还有地方下脚呀！到处是沾满了血的鸡毛！

以后这道工序就省了。每次过年买鸡，都是在集市上，让人杀好了，退了毛，才买回家。熬鸡汤的时候，满屋子的香，揭开沙锅盖，上面一层金黄色的油，那汤可鲜了。

蛙蛙和嗒嗒从没喝过这么新鲜的鸡汤。偶尔买一只“天价”的有机走地鸡回家，可怎么熬也熬不出记忆里那个味道。回忆有时候令人望而却步。一点点，包裹在心灵上感觉最坚实的壳慢慢破裂，里面的碎片散落出来，看看这片，摸摸那片，不舍得放手。喜悦，惆怅，眷恋，更多的，是思念。

二十六 炖年肉

一听炖肉，小蛙的眼睛都亮起来了！

“耶！耶！” 嗒嗒也在一边跟着起哄。
“天天不都有肉吗？” 我指着饭桌上的清蒸鱼，“鱼肉不是肉？”
“不是，妈妈。肉是猪肉，排骨，什么的！”

孩子馋肉了。怎么像我们小时候似的。年龄相仿的朋友一定还记得肉票吧。每家每户，定期定量供应。记得那时我拿着肉票，到“9号楼” --- 副食店在9号居民楼的一层 --- 去买肉。排队，眼巴巴地，还很紧张，因为生怕等轮到我的时候，那片肉太瘦。得是有肥又有瘦的才好。肥肉妈妈可以给我和哥哥炸油渣吃。刚炸好的时候，满厨房的香。洒点盐，脆脆的，还烫着就吃完了。瘦肉妈妈用来炒肉丝。妈妈会放酱油，再加水，这样连汤带肉的可以做出一大碗。接下来的几天，每次炒菜的时候，妈妈就往里面扒拉点儿肉，不用太多，有肉香就行啦！

过年才吃“大肉”呢。爸爸掌勺，会烧一大锅的红烧肉！盛在大碗里，可不能一次吃完，得慢慢地吃。一碗热气腾腾的红烧肉摆在饭桌最中间，感觉很隆重。爸爸会给我和哥哥一人夹一大块，然后微笑着，看着我们吃。红烧肉放在米饭上，鲜红的肉汁儿会渗到米饭里，一会儿半碗饭就下肚了。再想吃一块，理论上是可以的。可是我和哥哥很懂事 --- 这碗肉下一顿还得吃呢！哥哥忍不住，会趁着爸爸离桌去添饭的时候，迅速地夹一块，埋在米饭里，然后再把大碗里的肉扒拉扒拉，回复原样，好像没人动过一样。妈妈便会再夹一块，放在我的碗里。不是爸爸妈妈不给吃，好东西得慢慢享用啊！

买来五花肉，蒸了一碗梅菜扣肉。

蛙蛙激动得很夸张，嗒嗒很淡定。尝了一块，“有一点点好吃。” 就是不好吃的意思。多照顾妈妈的情绪呀！小蛙呢，一块，两块，三块... 
“蛙蛙，吃! 啊！能吃多少就吃多少！” 蛙蛙无比幸福，感激地冲我笑着。
“年肉, 年肉，一年就这一顿！”

？！ 

 

 

二十五 糊窗户

姐姐剪的大提琴和立体的春字。四个小“刺球”( Sophie calls them spike balls ) 是嗒嗒的杰作！

Happy Paper Cutting!

二十四 扫房子

春节的装饰都摆出来了，圣诞树只好被请出去了后院儿。我还真舍不得！摆在那儿，把灯开上，可好看了！

小时候过年，妈妈从两个星期前就开始大扫除了。

妈妈细心，家里什么都得洗干净，换干净才能过年。床单，被罩，窗帘，沙发套，电视罩，椅垫，桌布，靠垫套子... 也许是北京多灰，妈妈习惯什么都要做个套子。罩子，套子都是妈妈自己做的。沙发是帆布做的，边角都有滚边装饰；靠垫是耐脏的花布做的，电视罩子是深红色的天鹅绒，窗帘是淡金色的锦缎稠... 做得比店里买来的还服帖，还好看！只是我没跟妈妈学来这手艺。那时没有洗衣机，都是手洗。洗完了，再清干净，晾在楼下的院子里，等拿上来的时候，往往硬得像块板儿。太冷了，都冻上了。

 

现在有洗衣服，有烘干机，可人比妈妈那会儿懒多了。过年，又是蛙蛙的本命年，怎么也得隆重点儿。来美国，有多少年没有回家过年，已经记不清了。春节对我来说，是缠绵无尽的乡愁，也是记忆里最美好的往事。而这都是妈妈给我的。

洗被褥，扫地，洗尘... 看！就数我们嗒嗒最勤快了！

二十三 糖瓜粘

进城，置年货，给两个丫头买冬瓜糖(吃不够的糖！），连这歌谣都给改了：

“小孩儿，小孩儿，你别可以馋，
过了腊八就是年！
腊八粥，喝几天，呖呖啦拉二十三。

二十三，糖瓜粘，
二十四，扫房子， 还是糖瓜粘，
二十五，糊窗户糖瓜，
二十六，蒸年肉糖瓜，
二十七，宰公鸡糖瓜(?)，
二十八，把面发糖瓜，
二十九，做米酒糖瓜，
三十晚上熬吃一宿糖瓜，
大年初一扭一扭糖瓜！ 

 

 

OKC Museum of Art

We went there for the Exhibition "Illuminations: Rediscovering the Art of Dale Chihuly". He actually got his first degree from University of Washington in Seattle! The collection here at MOA in OKC is one of the most comprehensive one of his glass in the world. In the slide show below, if you watch patiently, you could see several oil paintings in there. They're done by Dale Chihuly, too.

Go check it out when you get a chance.

Philbrook Museum of Art