I’ve been fascinated by the 24 solar terms: by their indications of the alternations of seasons and climate changes in ancient China, by the way they were used to bring structure and harmony to agricultural lifestyles, by their poetic names, by the folk tales and proverbs that surround them, by how they continue to be relevant through their associations with nature, food, health and wellness.
今天是二十四節氣中小寒的開始。倫敦很冷,我也病了。呆在家裡用電腦時,我都借著毛毯,毛被,毛襪和熱水壺取暖。今午從這本書中找到了潤肺的藥膳食譜,聽起來很適合我的病狀,所以花了三小時的功夫熬成這一道蘋果玉竹沙參湯。

Today is the start of a two-week period of Moderate Cold (xiǎo hán in Chinese, shōkan in Japanese). I’ve caught a moderate cold too, together with a sore throat and a cough. I’ve been sensible, trying to stay indoors as much as possible. When I’m on the computer, I’m seldom far from my ammunition of sheepskin rug, wool blanket (from Chiara), wool socks and hot water bottle, with my pillow strategically placed so I have my back to the heater.

It’s also a good day to experiment with my store of Chinese herbs since most recipes require a long cooking time. One from this book, to nourish the lungs and stomach, sounds exactly like what I need.

The trio of Glehnia Root, Solomon’s Seal Rhizome and Semen Armeniacae are measured and washed. Apples are scrubbed, cored and quartered. All added to a pot of boiling water with a lump of rock sugar.

Three hours later.
Replies
Jen, hanna, Indie Mom and the Reluctant Banker, Martin, Mette, Helen and Kate: It looks like the Nordic countries are emerging as the most popular city locations to visit!
Marion and maria: I went to Berlin once but before I got a Lomo LC-A. I remember, Berlin will be quite photogenic for the Lomo.
Patty and graziella: One of my friends is from Italy and we talk about visiting. I am especially interested to see Florence and Rome. The countryside would be good too, especially for food, but I would need someone to drive and navigate! Noted on Hong Kong too!
Marian: One of the things I try to do when using external imagery is to have my touch to it or to have done as much “work” as I possibly can such as the screen grabs from films. I don’t often blog with other photographers’ images but included my Flickr favourites in Links to share. Will give more thought about how to share my influences or inspirations, thanks!
Vicki and Lucy: Yes, I’ll try to do that! I often end up in the same places too in London and constantly go on about wanting to see new things. I should really make a list.
melissa, Louisa, Erandi, MNg, Natasya, SiewHoon: Vienna, noted! Africa, noted! Japan, noted! Barcelona, noted! Books, noted! Postcards, noted! Hong Kong, noted!
sarah, read me…, Yvonne, nico and Nia: Recipes and home photos, I’ll try to make more of an effort. As for Happy Canteen, I’m afraid that’s it for now but you can try more of Alison’s baking at CC’s in Queen’s Park.
stuffedmice: Music, I’d love recommendations!
July: I’m happy you want the green tea KitKat because I do have one for you!
Theodora: I bake simple things such as scones, pound cakes and biscuits but I haven’t done for a while. Noted on Geffrye Museum, sounds like one for when the weather turns warmer.
EniaIs(Almost)Here: A while ago, when we went to Cambridge, the other location we were debating was Oxford. I guess I will make it there some point this year. Spain, noted!
STEFANIE: I will, I love doing film posts (though time-consuming). Glad you found some films you like!
viv and tasha: The current header is a temporary one. I’m giving myself until February to finish the redesign. The “proper” one will be closer in aesthetics to the old header, I promise, though different.
viv: It’s my first time seeing a Japanese ear pick. I didn’t know it is unique to Japan because I’ve never particularly checked ear picks before.
tasha: Noted on Arizona (might be difficult because I don’t drive) and recipes. Sometimes I feel that it’s embarassing to post a recipe because it’s so simple but perhaps I could do more step-by-step photography.
Tyler and alice: I try to save on bandwidth hence the partial content on RSS readers (simple fix). When I finish with the blog redesign (February), I’ll try out different options to see what else I can do.
Martin and may: I actually made a conscious effort to write less because I was told by a friend who doesn’t bother with my words at all that she only checks the pictures. I’ll try to balance words and pictures, perhaps in certain posts, better in the future.
Jason: I could do that, indexing the series, with the tags. Will work on it together with the redesign for February. Thanks!
Jason, Omar McFarlane, sherry and Rachel: It’s a tricky balance, talking about work. I guess the difficult thing is when it involves other people so I’m not particularly open to writing about work. I will try to share whenever I feel OK about it… And Rachel, moving to London, it was difficult at first!
editor: I’m afraid you might not like my new idea for headers very much. I am planning to change it every two weeks! I wanted it to reflect the nature in London but we’ll see if I have the energy to keep it up. I’ve not even started yet. As for profile picture, I don’t change it until I have a new haircut but this current one is great because there’s no indication. I think I will keep it for a while. There is a Lo-Fi London map in Google though I don’t find that the format works particularly well. Still searching for another good application to use.
petoskystone: I had some photos of fireworks recently but they were taken with an iPhone and not particularly spectacular. Thank you for sharing the story of your grandmother, owls and thimbles.
Abigail: China is definitely a place high on my to-visit list. Alison and I have been talking about a trip since our families came from the same place in China. Perhaps work might take me there in 2010, I hope so!
sopchan: Shiba-inu! Lucky you, they’re not so common here. As for bigger pictures, I’m afraid I have to say no as I’m already at the tip of my bandwidth limit. Walking guides, that’s quite nice. I’ll try to work on that perhaps as expansions of my usual “day out” posts.
grace: Here are some to start you off: Whitecross Street market, my birthday cupcakes, Violet’s at Broadway Market… I also have Hummingbird in Lo-Fi London. I heard that Violet’s will be opening soon so check back, I will definitely be checking their shop.
PenName: I did things rather different to my current work when I was in school. I was also studying in a different country. Perhaps because it’s slightly unorthodox hence I didn’t really share but I’m always happy to answer questions if you send me a message or post a comment.
christie: I seem to have completed forgotten about the London souvenir series. Thanks for reminding me. Perhaps it might not seem apparent but a lot of the things recommended, particularly food, are affordable. I just tend not to talk about prices so much… high or low…
elizabeth: Mmm… This one? It’s my favourite Polaroid picture of me!
yuko: I received your box this afternoon but was waiting for AB to get back before opening it. Thank you! They’re in the sink now waiting to be washed (and used very soon)!
[z:six]: I will try, I’ve also been eating out terribly for the last few months but want to try to be healthy at least for the start of the year. As for wooden cutlery, maybe you can try Daiso?
Sandy: Noted your requests, thank you for articulating what I do better than I could. Santa Cat, I was at an Italian place (Michelango, maybe?) in Daikanyama. Maybe next time?
Wing: Noted! Happy 2010 to you too.
Francoise: I haven’t visited Sapporo. I know someone who is from there though so could find out if you want to know.
sopchan: I am always amused by the sutamina dishes!
Amy: You are right about the scanning. I instinctively reach for the camera. Another reason would be trying to balance supporting a publication (by publicising it) without infringing on creative rights.
weina: I will try with the bilingual or trilingual posts but I take such a long time sometimes I lose patience!
Graham Hutson and Gordon: I just realised I neglected Camera FAQ. Will try to update that more often. Gordon, I’m not using a point-and-shoot anymore. The G1 is pretty close to a DSLR.
Angelique and Lucy: Thank you!
claudia: Congratulations on the baby! Will look out for your requests on stationery places, tea towels…
Asubiame: Ah, I’m afraid that will be difficult, to update more often. I already think I’m spending too much time…
jk: First two weeks of February will be best for me. As for music, I don’t care for music as much as I care for visual arts… Or perhaps I don’t have the energy to seek out music I like as much as I do with other things. I would love recommendations! Prints, I never thought about it. It’s flattering you asked. Good luck with your projects!
zainab, Mouse, Julia: Taking pictures of people, myself or others, is not something I feel that I’m particularly good at but I do want to try to change it!
bollettieri: Thanks for the encouragement! I do want to try to do something again but it’s in the stage of planning.
Sneakymagpie: Asian restaurants, very tough! I guess I enjoy the street food in Asia and it’s impossible to replicate here. But more about food in London, yes definitely. I wish postage prices were not so exorbitant in the UK, the enamelware are perfect souvenirs from Tokyo as they’re so hard to find elsewhere.
sade: I thought the rye bread at Nordic Bakery was lighter than expected. I particularly like it with eggs and anchovies. I also had doughnut there once and liked it a lot but never seen it for sale again. This year, I will try to make more use of being in London and experience new things!
Charlotte: I’m afraid I have lost my Blythe photos! Old computer died. I think about it sometimes and sigh.
Ell: I will try to answer your questions, some if not all, indirectly and directly, over the next few months. Thanks for checking and commenting often!
Nhu: Perhaps I will try to think of an easier way of accessing archives. A recap would seem strange to me because it feels like I’m re-reading and re-presenting a diary. But I like the idea of reflections. Tutorial on photography, I honestly think that the G1 is a great camera and I swear, I don’t have many tricks.
LIU Huayin: 两人三个行李箱。为了多出的那个行李箱付了美金六十元。还可以啦。去年我是用EMS寄回伦敦。mill是朋友做的,所以更特别!
A note on: chinese, cooking, food, health, home, lifestyle, panasonic lumix dmc-g1, solar term, tcm









If I had the required herbs I’d definitely try this out, I love apples and this looks like something I’d be happy to eat!
your apple and Chinese herbs seem soothing. I have to try it one of these days. :)
your london google map saved us, as i was having my husband put all your locations in to his map and he was about ready to cancel my ticket. :o
how did the apple-y drink taste?? the simplicity of the recipe/instructions and the necessity to forget about it for 3 hours perfectly matches up with my skills, abilities and inclinations in the kitchen.
ack! changing it every 2 weeks? that would be very unsettling for me. as you know, people like to bond with their brands, and you are a brand of sorts. whatever you do will be lovely, i have no doubt. i’ll adjust – but i will grumble to myself about it. ;)
still need that google map for paris though. :D
Every time I go to Shanghai, I think I should start learning a little about traditional Chinese medicine and supplements. But then I never do. Part of the reason is that my Chinese isn’t that great, and slightly more complex explanations completely fly over my head. Does it really work for you?
That broth looks like something my mom would cook.
Do you use any English-language books to get recipes for those types of Chinese herbal medicines/broths?
“moving to London, it was difficult at first!”
:(
I heard it’s pretty tough for foreigners to get a work pass in UK/England—is that true? I’ll be graduating in 2012 and if things work out in my favour, I want to be there 2013. Did you plan a lot before you left SG, or was it an impromptu decision?
I want to ask a lot more questions actually, haha..
get well soon!
do you know a good Chinese herbal medicine book in English? Care to share?
as your blog is my first check while i am logging to the net, an i am reading you each day, and you secure so many imaginary education to me ;) i would like to give you something-this a site of a very touching photo-pieces. my friend told me some of them made him cry. maybe you will like them too.(http://hassel.fotolog.pl/)
liza dalby (the american anthropologist who spent a year in pontocho in the 70s training and living with geisha) wrote an interesting semiautobiographical book that incorporated the japanese and chinese solar terms… it is called ‘east wind melts the ice’ – if your interest is indeed piqued by the chinese solar terms, this is a fascinating, and yet pretty comfortable read.
looks yummy, i have no idea of what the herbs are, but would love a post on chinese herbs and how to use them, or, chinese yummy recipes (i’ll go to chinatown). i have a chinese cookbook in french and it all seem so complicated, i never tried and i have no idea what it’d be like in english now.
actually when i saw all the comments yesterday i was amazed. how to see how many people really read you: give away something! you also did a tremendous job answering…
要好好照顾自己啊,最近天气都很冷,今天我们这还下雪了。
我不知道你是否知道那个冰糖敦梨的方子,就把梨切好后,放些冰糖,拿去蒸,蒸透了就可以吃了。很好吃。他们说这个是清肺的,就算没病的时候也可以吃,是秋冬季节的好东西。我今年开始弄这个吃,很好吃,每次想起来弄了,就吃一些,就当吃甜点了。
你不是超级喜欢“我的父亲母亲”嘛。张艺谋的下一部片子是改编自“山楂树之恋” 这本书。也讲的是那个年代的爱情,是真实故事改编的。书非常好看,网上有,你要是有时间感兴趣的话可以去看看,呵呵。我希望老谋子能拍出“父亲母亲”的那个水平来。
I thought about you today: we went to Journal de Luxe in Palais Royal and I bought a shirt + pair of amazing jeans. We might go back on Saturday. I can’t resist!
Can’t wait to get a taste of that green tea kit kat, I’m so happy that you managed to keep one for me!!!!
That looks like something I would LOVE to drink before going to bed..gotta try it out! I love herbal soups and my mother packed a whole lotta these remedies when i came to London and I’ve been too lazy to try them out. NO excuses especially with those pretty shots. Ok, that sheep skin rug totally helps too ;)
Semen Armeniacae???
that made ME cough hehehehehehehehehe.
Seriously – sorry to hear you have a cold – I just had one – and my GOODNESS that’s a lot of comments you’ve replied to.
By the way I don’t suppose you know of one or two ‘thisisnaive’ endorsed places in Berlin ? I am going next week.
Keep warm and lots of ginger
hoping you feel better soon — the herbs + apples sound perfect.
(and thanks for the link to 24 solar terms, i’m fascinated now, too)
I do hope you’re feeling better after that special concoction! I know I would be; it most certainly looks comforting :)
Thanks for the heads up on the wooden cutlery. I’ve tried looking at Daiso a couple of times, but have never found it. Perhaps I had been looking at the wrong departments :P
Oh, looks exciting, what did it taste of and did it help? I am on a manuka/lemon/ginger drink.
Tommy.. oh that little spoon in the last photo… and the cup ans saucer… I wish I were at home sipping on this concoction. I know I would be feeling a whole lot better if I were!
Looks like a really cosy set up!
This sounds very soothing and that book looks interesting! I love natural remedies.
This looks so good! What was the recipe?