the mysterious tree

I have settled back in to Vancouver. Re entry (once I got past the jetlag) was startling easy. I caught up on Entourage, Gray’s Anatomy, Heroes and some reality based contest shows that I’m embarrassed to admit that I watch. I did all my laundry and unpacked everything and visited my hairdresser and kissed my friends. I distributed the posters that I brought back with me as I had done the incredibly tacky touristy thing and bought Cultural Revolution era posters, example- Mao reading on a podium, big red fist squashing LBJ and that other dude can’t-remember-his-name. I had to keep the posters of the communist girls. They’re so calm and serene while holding a machine gun, some of them dancing even in perfect ballet point while holding the gun aloft, so awesome.

I had a moment earlier today where everything felt so ‘back to normal’, felt like I hadn’t been away at all, and that perhaps my China trip was just a dream. So odd.

Then I look out into my garden and realize that in my two months absence a weird tree has managed to grow- I swear when I left it was just dirt there. The diameter of the trunk is about 3 inches and it measures about 6 feet. Can trees grow that fast?

S*

I love this sign. I came across it while climbing the Great Wall.