Find some cookies not that sweet…
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Chessmen cookies
Try to find some cookies that are not that sweet…
Weekly shot: Gifts from the rain
After a late afternoon shower, mushrooms pop out in the yard.
As a native Chinese, my gut tells at the first place, “Are they edible? They look so fresh and thick… ”
But I dare not to try. Food poisoning can be a big issue.
Posted in novelty hunter
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Weekly shot: Florida Springs
In Ginne Springs, Florida.
Posted in Festivals and holidays
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Weekly shot: Something to Cool Down
You’ve got your way to cool down. I have mine.
Posted in Festivals and holidays
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Weekly shot:Summer in Blooms
Hi, I am back to earth! To which planet did I travel in the last 3 months, you may ask. Somewhere had been called “Otaku”. Well, I confess I have become so sluggish during the summer holidays. The reason in me was gnawed by guilt, while the emotions controlled my behavior. From now on, I am determined to put myself back on track, get rid of that evil little haven and do something seriously…So my blog had been updated…
Living in a state with lush vegetation all year around, you will not surprised at the variety of wild flowers. Those flowers caught my attention when I was walking through a state preserve park. Our mission is to find some giant alligators. It is unfortunate that gators did not show up. They cooled themself in the lake in order not to be fried by the crazy midday sun.
Instead, a purple flower greeted me with its elegant color. Next to it, I felt a contrast between a gentle white flower in delicate shape and its aggressive-looking leaves. How does the two tones shape the plant as a whole? Interesting.
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Weekly shot: the Summer’s Rainbow
My skin sends me a warning: my first summer in Florida takes the chariot of the sun, having arrived at Gainesville. In the afternoons, the sizzling sunshine turns my roommate’s car into a food steamer. We sit inside as if some Chinese steamed buns were ready to be cooked. The bright rays try to burn my skin whenever they touch it. But the mornings and evenings are nice and cool. This is the summer in the sunshine state…
I feel better while seeing the rainbow, a gift from the glaring fire ball overhead. It is not hard to find a rainbow if you notice what the lawns on campus urge for. The water sprays quench their thirst in mornings and afternoons. They happen to be the sun’s canvas.
You might find a rainbow nearby. They are not always the large arch crossing over the sky. They can be as tiny as something that adorns your lawn.
Enjoy the iridescent summer days! ^o^
Posted in novelty hunter
Tagged Florida, hot, nature, photography, rainbow, summer, sunshine state, usa
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Weekly shot: How spicy is spicy?
Let’s turn our mental camera on. In both America and China, we sometimes find the dishes crowned (or mixed) with scarlet red (seasoning, sauce, soup or whatever). Then we zoom in for a close-up. It’s 90% probable that the red sauce in Chinese dish is hot chili peppers. For American dishes, that is ketchup or things playing with tomatoes.
Some of my Chinese friends complain that they seldom discover something spicy when they dine out in town. What quotes “spicy /hot” on the menu does not mean what it says. Gainesville seems to be such a tiny place that authentic Chinese restaurants are rare. Or maybe many people are contented with Americanized Chinese food. But I finally know a place to serve the niche that is looking for the authenticity.
Gator Suyaki, scores poorly on yelp, a popular restaurant reviewing website. However, it is the only place in town that offers Chinese food that are close to the authentic flavor(There may be more options that I haven’t figured out). Leave its sushi or buffet aside because I’ve never tried them. Let me concentrate on what I ordered for supper.
Chongqing fried chicken (medium hot). You’ve already met it in the weekly picture. As for me, it is so irresistible that I do not care about my limited ability to handle spicy food. If you lack the confidence to pass the test, there is the another path to help you through: Why not ordering a drink to moderate it?
Mung Bean shake (cold drink) is highly recommended in Summer.
Boiled fish in chili sauce (slight hot). It should be the top choice.
Mapo tofu (not hot)
If you are looking for some really hot sauce, try these two.
Sriracha hot chili sauce (to your left) is quite prevailing in many Asian restaurants. Why do they write Chinese on the bottle of a Thai sauce? Wouldn’t it be confusing? You can get one from Ward’s.
The hottest sauce (to your right) of Tijuana Flats, a chain restaurant for Mexican food, is the other way to go.
I only have these few collections so far. Congratulations to those who are OK with the sauce above! The bonus is that you do not need to fear the aggressive red dressing in most Chinese spicy food.
Would you like to have some authentic Chinese food or challenge the hot chili sauce during the weekend?
Life is an adventure. The choice has been left to you.
Birds of Florida
More photos from my recent trip, this time of my avian friends. I could seriously take up birdwatching as a hobby if I lived there!
I've blogged on the mallard and Florida ibis earlier. Here's a post on some other water birds in the sunshine state from April's Atelier. Bird lovers, animal lovers and whoever loves nature, attention please! Florida is a paradise!
Posted in animal album
Tagged florida birds, heron, nature, photography, usa, water birds
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Weekly shot: the Miracle during Sunset
Hurrah! I am still alive, surviving from the whirlpool of final deadlines. Scattered showers have come to Gainesville this week. But the Florida sunlight soon returns to the stage as if it just left for a coffee break. Yep, the weather plays the prelude for the incoming Florida summer(many may argue we’re already there).
I have a question as the appetite .
What is your favourite part of the day?
My top choice will be the sunset. Midnight rank the second. I am an owl who enjoys the quiet and soothing darkness if I am awake or asleep. However, the sunset is unbeatable. You cannot imagine the nature’s talent to work on the sky palette. The light and colors are stunning. Something touches me deeply inside, that I always call it the “holy moment”.
The rainbow picture was shot in sunset after an unusual torrential rain last month. The color in that afternoon turned dark at a sudden. Then it was dyed golden orange. Can you spot the second rainbow? I didn’t saw it at the beginning since it appeared to be so blur. But it is in there.
“ Primary rainbow, the arc shows red on the outer part, and violet on the inner side. A second arc is seen outside the primary arc, and has the order of its colours reversed.”
Thanks, Wikipedia. Thanks, my roommate(science student) who told me the differences between the two. She said our Chinese ancestors named them with different characters.
虹(the primary arch) 霓( the second arch) Check here to see the Chinese oracle for the character.
The researcher in me googled more references. Wow…(Google is our good friend)
Can you guess why the rainbow has five colors?
I am not asking for the normal answer( we ALL know it). The Chinese myths gives the different answer, which is more intriguing. Once upon a time, a battle between two gods destroyed the pillar supporting the heaven. The wall of sky was broken that the enormous floods came down from the hollow. To stop the calamity, Nüwa, a goddess( her major role is the mother of human beings) took many measures to repair the sky including melting some stones in five colors to seal the hole.
In the Greek Myths, Iris is the goddess of rainbow. She is the messenger of heaven who also connects the sea with clouds. I’ve witnessed that the span of rainbows increasing while snapshoting. They extended and ascended higher and higher. I felt like somebody above the clouds took the bridges back.
Why not leave a comment and share something else about rainbow? Or to chat about your favourite part of the day? “I will be right here waiting for you.” ^o^
Posted in novelty hunter
Tagged beautiful sunset, color, double rainbow, favourite part of the day, Florida, photography, rain, rainbow, shower, summer, sunset, weather
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