For some reason I can't stop taking photos of my kitchen window. If you read here very often, you will likely recognize these white tiled sills and ever-changing plant and flower arrangements. Maybe it's because it is one of the few well-lit places in our apartment. Maybe it's because I usually put whatever flowers I have on display there. Today it's because I found this cute little robin's egg planter while I was at the plant shop today.
One of the wonderful things about China is the ridiculously cheap prices for plants, flowers, and vegetables. In the States I would consider each one of those things somewhat of a luxury, a break-my-meager-pocket-book purchase. They were things I always wanted to indulge in but rarely could. I mean, we bought vegetables, but not always fresh ones and when I did it usually meant a "fun" discussion about the amount of our grocery bill. So, it is freeing and a source of delight to be able to regularly indulge in fresh flowers, green plants, and fresh veggies on a regular basis.
This cute little jewel of a plant only cost me about $1.35. (Ahem, China friends... if I paid too much you can tell me later). Even though the price is hard to beat, there is a bit of stress that mounts in the back of my shoulders every time I head out to the rows of vendors and shopkeepers who make up this large plant market. I don't know if I'm paying a ridiculous price. I don't know if the healthy looking little number I'm buying is being held together by chemicals foreign to the natural world and the poor thing will start deteriorating the moment I step out the door (this has happened to me a lot).
Today I also had the Little Scout with me which was an additional stress, or adventure I guess you could say. Before leaving the house this morning she had already shoved a toothbrush down the bathroom sink drain, poured sesame oil all over our floor, couch, and living room rug (yes, it still smells like some delicious Korean food is cooking in our living room), and all this under my watchful eye. I'm not kidding, I do watch her. She is just fast.
So we headed out to the market and I asked about potting soil prices (trying to get some delivered to our house so I can do some back patio planting!) while my sidekick stuck her hands in little waterfalls, tried to stop the water wheels, grabbed handfuls of dirt, pulled petals off of elegant orchids, and smiled sweetly with all her cute gusto at the shop ladies following her around. She really is quite charming, even though there is no telling what will happen in her wake.
So, in honor of my sweet Little Scout and her busy, charming way, and as a tribute to my husband who says from the looks of our photo files it would seem I do nothing but stand around taking pictures looking down at my daughter all day, I leave with you yet another shot of her chubby cuteness. I'm not sure who is getting more attention these days, those blue eyes or my window sill.
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