I’m delighted to have my dear friend, Luanne Castle, here today. Luanne and I are more than blogging friends. We’ve kept in touch with each other on our health and family lives. Luanne has a new release that has received many advance reviews and praises. She also shares with you a story that is not in her book Scrap.
The hybrid flash memoir Scrap: Salvaging a Family explores the stain of childhood fear and anxiety on the adult spirit and the experience of reconciling with an aging or dying parent. A daughter has grown up in a household with an angry and abusive father. He keeps the secret of his biological father’s identity from his daughter for decades. When the elderly man faces his mortality, he finally names his father. The more the daughter learns about her father’s early life and origins, the more she understands him which leads to forgiveness for the past.
Praises for Scrap: Salvaging a Family
Borne of shame and trauma, the secrets uncovered in Luanne Castle’s hybrid memoir reveal her father’s complicated childhood and the impact it had on their relationship. Told in brief, strikingly vivid fragments, and through various perspectives and forms, the book as a whole presents a deeply moving and unforgettable account. We readers are privileged to bear witness to this emotional excavation, one that ultimately reminds us that love is powerful even when it’s painful and that forgiveness is the only way forward. Scrap: Salvaging a Family is a gorgeous and brilliantly original collection. I highly recommend it.
~Kathy Fish, author of Wild Life: Collected Works
The vignettes in Castle’s Scrap are beautifully rendered. With house as vessel, we are voyeurs through her domesticity, the skilled lens of speaker Luanne’s traumas and perseverance as she navigates the rawness and fragility of youth. The book is both powerful and arresting–Castle is a deft miniaturist–each story etched with a fine blade, yet a delicate touch. Scrap is a collection of constellations of the ordinary.
~Robert Vaughan, Editor-in-Chief of Bending Genres, author of ASKEW.
Scrap. A piece cut from cloth. Something left over. Scraps from the table. A small child: a scrap of a girl. An altercation: the kids got in a scrap. Torn fabric, bits of cloth swept from the floor of a dress shop. Fabric remnants. What remains.
Luanne Castle’s Scrap is a memoir in flash. In flashes might be a more accurate term. This is a family story told in bursts of memory and image, puzzle pieces waiting to connect. It’s a young girl’s coming of age, navigating a path to womanhood out of hand-sewn dresses, gym class movies shown behind closed doors, stacks of moldering girlie magazines discovered at the dump. A girl living in the shadow of her father’s anger, violent and unpredictable as the tornadoes her family hides from. Behind the father’s anger, a missing piece. A birth certificate hinting at bastard. A hole where a father should be, a “space of unknowingness” both child and father must try to fill.
This lyrical, beautifully imagistic work is both an exploration of the long roots of generational trauma and identity erasure and a vivid look back at growing up female in mid-century America.
~Kathryn Kulpa, author of A Map of Lost Places
About Luanne Castle
Luanne has been a Fellow at the Center for Ideas and Society at the University of California, Riverside. She studied English and Creative Writing at the University of California, Riverside (PhD); Western Michigan University (MFA); and Stanford University (Certificate). Luanne lives with her husband and four cats in Arizona along a wash that wildlife uses as a thoroughfare.
Luanne Castle’s hybrid flash memoir, Scrap: Salvaging a Family is available for pre-order from ELJ Editions. Her story, “Garden Seasons,” was selected for Best Microfiction 2026. Her poetry and prose have appeared in Copper Nickel, River Teeth, Your Impossible Voice, JMWW, Grist, Fourteen Hills, Verse Daily, Disappointed Housewife, Lunch Ticket, Saranac Review, Pleiades, Cleaver, Moon City, Moon Park, Anti-Heroin Chic, Bending Genres, BULL, The Mackinaw, The Ekphrastic Review, Phoebe, MacQueen’s Quinterly, Gone Lawn, Burningword, Superstition Review, One Art, Roi Fainéant, Dribble Drabble, Flash Boulevard, O:JA&L, Sheila-Na-Gig, Thimble, Antigonish Review, Longridge, Paragraph Planet, Six Sentences, Gooseberry Pie, Switch, and Ginosko. She has published four award-winning poetry collections. Her ekphrastic flash and poetry collection Hunting the Cosmos is forthcoming from Shanti Arts in fall 2026. Her mixed-media art has been showcased at Rogue Agent, Ink in Thirds, Watershed Review, Wildscape, Mad Swirl, Raw Lit, and Thimble.
Dad held the blanketed bundle in his arms as if it were a baby. When he unwrapped the violin, I murmured in anticipation, reaching out to stroke the reddish-brown wood. Dad urged me to be careful but nodded at my eagerness. He asked if I knew what it was.
The only musical instruments I’d seen up close were my mother’s spinet piano that had a walnut finish so glossy it looked fake–and the inexpensive acoustic guitar my parents gave me for Christmas in 7th grade. After a few lessons I realized I hated the feeling of the sharp metal strings under my fingertips and went back to my piano lessons.
“It’s a violin, right?” I glanced at him, anxiously.
He tipped his head with a trace of arrogance. “Not just any old violin. This is a Stradivarius violin. The finest in the world. From the 1700s. It’s worth a fortune.”
“How did you get it?”
“Uh,” Dad paused. “Somebody owed me some money. He couldn’t pay and gave me this instead.”
“Isn’t it too valuable?”
“Yes, but what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
My mother walked into the room, coffee cup in hand. “What is that? Did you get the money today?”
My father explained that he had taken the violin in exchange for the money my mother needed to pay the bills on her desk. “Oh, Rudy!!!”
I headed to my bedroom.
Next day I noticed the Stradivarius hanging on the wall, adjacent to Grandma’s Victorian Crazy Quilt. I felt comforted that we could sell it if we needed the money badly enough.
Friday night, like every Friday night, my parents were out with their golf league and I had to babysit my brother. After I put him to bed, my boyfriend and I sat on the living room couch, listening to Manfred Mann’s Do Wah Diddy Diddy. When he stretched his arms over his head, his fingers grazed the tuners on the violin, which hung over the couch back.
“Watch it! That’s a valuable antique!”
He turned his head askance. “What? That violin?”
My voice sounded anxious, too earnest. “It’s a Stradivarius!”
“If that’s a Stradivarius, I drive a Rolls and live at the Waldorf.” The night was ruined. I just wanted him to go home. Instead, my boyfriend took the violin off the wall and examined it, then showed me the hallmarks of its inferior quality. “There isn’t even a label.”
I wasn’t sure whether to think that Dad had purposely lied to me and to my mother or if he believed the violin was valuable. Maybe he wanted to believe it.
I’m honored to be part of This Is How We Eat: Stories about Food, Culture, and Connection, an anthology that brings together 17 writers reflecting on the ways food shapes our identity, memory, and sense of belonging. There is a place at this table for you.
In my contribution, I share how food transformed my life. I learned to rethink the way we spend money on meals, approach grocery shopping with intention, and choose what to eat (and what to avoid) to stay healthy.
Book information
Blurb
This Is How We Eat: Stories about Food, Culture, and Connection gathers seventeen diverse voices in an anthology that blends memoir, fiction, and poetic reflection. What began as an open invitation to explore “how we eat” unfolded into a deeply personal collection grounded in episodic memory and lived experience.
Within these pages, readers will encounter stories of migration and hospitality, body image and intuitive eating, gardening with grandchildren, solo dumpling dinners, budgeting with food, faith expressed through meals, and everyday rituals that shaped identity. Two layered fiction chapters provide a strong narrative close, reminding us that food can connect strangers, calm the body, and carry emotional depth.
While vivid food descriptions and a handful of recipes appear throughout, this is not simply a book about food. It is an exploration of human experience, belonging, culture, and the relationships formed away from and around the table. The anthology invites readers to reflect on their own tables — the choices they have made, the flavors that anchored their meals, and the connections that continue to shape who they are.
Excerpt from my chapter “Food, Money, and Health”
Eventually, health demanded the same level of attention. Lynton once had a sweet tooth that seemed harmless. He favored 85% dark chocolate bars, then switched to unsweetened chocolate chips, eating about a third of a bowl most evenings while watching television. Slowly, his blood tests told a different story. His A1C levels crept into the prediabetic range.
Diabetes was not unfamiliar to us. His mother lived with type 2 diabetes most of her adult life. My mother did as well. In 2003, while I was celebrating New Year’s in Vancouver with my sister and her husband, she received a call from our mother’s doctor in Hong Kong. An open wound on our mother’s leg would not heal. He asked if we wanted to proceed with amputation. My sister and I chose comfort with pain medicine over further suffering. Six weeks later, our mother passed away.
That memory stayed with me. When Lynton shared his test results, I joked that I didn’t want his toes amputated, but beneath the humor was real fear. He took the warning seriously, gave up sweets, and reduced carbohydrates, understanding how easily they convert to sugar in the body.
As for me, sugar has always made its opinion known. Even a small afternoon treat can send my energy soaring and leave me awake all night. I avoid dessert after dinner, though once or twice a year I indulge at parties, fully aware of the cost. In a strange way, that sensitivity has been a gift. It forces me to listen closely to my body.
As we’ve aged, our eating habits have naturally evolved. Lynton no longer orders the largest steak on the menu, and the portions we serve at home have grown smaller as well. Instead of three large meals, we now eat modest meals with small, frequent snacks. Our days are less physically demanding, and our bodies simply require fewer calories, but not fewer nutrients. In fact, nutrition matters more than ever when you’re eating less. Every bite must count.
The following is from Yvette Prior’s closing of the book tour. She summarized each author’s chapter. She also did a limerick for each author.
The Family Table
Burnt Toast by Donna Connolly opens our book and brings us into her kitchen with a family story of a close-call survival with her mother. We are right there in the moment with Donna as she says, “As I stood thinking, my husband handed me a piece of his unburnt toast.” Donna was also able to share this book with her mother, who is in her 90s, and this continues to bring a smile. Thanks to Donna for reminding all of us to “slow down, release perfectionism, and be more in the moment.”
Nancy’s Potatoes by Nancy Franz had some readers share their warm memories of the classic potato casserole. These casseroles are not fancy, but they sure are filling and can be a welcome guests. Nancy noted: “There are other dishes I could be known for. And yet, somehow, these potatoes are the ones that stuck. The ones people ask about. The ones people wait for. Not because they are fancy or new, but because they show up faithfully, year after year, carrying with them the comfort of familiarity, the pleasure of abundance, and the quiet joy of feeding people I love.” A reminder that we do not always know how food will land—and that the simplest dishes can nurture and carry the strongest memories.
Conversations over Cream by Marnie Birch gives us a pleasant story of merging families and shows an example of when in-laws truly become a gift. She shares how farm life, and new family (with hearty eating) anchored her soul with food, energy, and love: “By contrast, my one-child home was pin-drop quiet. Marrying into this large extended family was daunting at first.” And later, “Lydia’s own special recipe of hearty food and hospitality, a place to connect and a place to belong. Lydia knew this, my husband and his nine siblings knew this.”
Unique Ritual of Pancakes by Gary A. Wilson lets us trail along with an involved dad as he makes pancakes on the first Saturday snow day. The light humor Gary brings into his writing comes through in lines like: “But carrots; they work in carrot cake, so why not pancakes? So I made an EDD (Executive Dad Decision)—carrots were going to go where none had gone before…” As he notes, the outcome was so good he became a “pancake influencer.” Gary offers a model for investing in family through food and shows how rituals turn ordinary meals into lasting traditions.
Seasoned by Time and Place by chef and food writer Carol Ann Taylor gives us multiple recipes, including a tutorial for apple pie, along with rich reflective memoir. I especially liked how she shared: “Table manners were important to my parents: no speaking with our mouths full and definitely no elbows on the table. The correct cutlery was used, which I still do today. It causes my husband great merriment, as to him a fork is a fork and a spoon is a spoon. Not so in my world. There are forks, fish forks and cake forks, and differences in spoons too.” Time and place shape how we remember what we eat and memories carry us in the now.
The Cultural Table
Solo Dining and Chineseness by Mabel Kwong lets us feel the quietude of dining out on delicious dumplings in solo mode, as she eloquently reflects on cultural shifts: “In many Chinese cultures, both eating itself and eating together is regarded as the heartbeat of everyday life. As the Chinese proverb goes, mín yǐ shí wéi tiān (民以食為天)—translated as ‘food is the most important for people’. To put it in another way, ‘food is heaven for all’; eating is seen as the foundation of life and connection.” Another takeaway is that solo dining can become a meaningful part of the everyday culture we choose.
Food Is Faith by Joseph J. Dwyer had me craving Indian cuisine—you can almost smell the curry while reading. A key takeaway from his chapter is the way meals can be an expression of belief, not just nourishment. Joe’s writing always lets us feel his personality, especially in this ode to chai: “Chai is more than tea; it is an art form. The mixture and proportion of black tea, cardamom, ginger, clove, and other spices can make or break the experience. Chai is also soothing. Somehow, a good cup of chai can stop the world in its tracks and make you slow down. Sorry, Earl Grey, you have been dethroned.”
It’s in a Jar of Jam by Ana Linden lets us feel scarcity and Romanian culture from decades ago, compared to a present with more abundance. She shows how times of meal prep can be bonding without words, how scarcity fuels appreciation, and how something like snow white cake can symbolize life’s lighter side. A key takeaway is captured in her words: “So after years of fumbling in the dark, I choose to see and treasure the world of feelings, memories and emotions within a jar of jam. It may be discrete, it may not be impressive or expensive, but sometimes a chocolate bar, peach jam or a less than perfect festive meal will say more than the most extravagant gifts imaginable.”
Breakfast in America by Sherri Matthews lets us feel music, culture shock, family resilience, and life in California in the 1980s. Sherri’s chapter offers a contrast between where we’ve been and where we are, noting that life can carry angst, yet the piece is alive with spark: “I loved my job and my car. No more ties to the now ex-boyfriend… I wanted adventure. Daring. Maybe one day. I was sure of this: I did not want another entanglement. And that was when I met him.” Food can reveal the contrast between past and present in powerful ways.
Food: The Great Uniter by Pete Springer reminds us that no matter our differences, food has a way of bringing people together. He also shows thoughtful teaching, using questions and cookie prep as a way to connect and instruct. A key takeaway comes through in his closing note about a multicultural event at his school—you can almost feel the energy in this moment: “One of the Hmong girls serving on the committee suggested we invite the dance group she was in. Their colorful outfits and beautiful, choreographed movements were among the evening’s highlights.” Friends, let us remember that eating can create space for connection across cultures.
The Personal Table
Who I Am, Defined by What I Have Eaten by Frank Prem moves through memory, heritage, and shifting identity in a poetic reflection on village food, migration, and change. The creative blend of poem and prose lets us feel language differences and layered meaning. One takeaway comes through in this passage: “Visits to my parents are a trip back into the soft smother of old memories and old ways. Unspoken competitive tensions between the maternal and the spousal. Spoiling of the children. Unfamiliar familiarity. And food. It is palačinke with pekmez, rezanci, šnicle and šunka (my favourites). Kolači and Torta.” And in his rich closing: “It is true: food maketh the man, and I am, without doubt, comprised of all the things I have eaten.”
Eat to Live! by Cindy Georgakas highlights her years of learning about eating habits across many roles—beauty queen, fitness expert, wellness coach, mother, grandmother, and author. A key takeaway is captured here: “Ever since I can remember, food was a source of pleasure, pain, joy, sadness, fear, embarrassment, worry, guilt, love, and struggle, and I ate for all of those reasons other than simply when I was hungry or needed nourishment. It’s no wonder we have to go back and look at food triggers at a later age so we can establish a healthy relationship with food.” The theme of generativity is layered throughout, as she offers insight on self-awareness, parenting, and investing in future generations.
Overexercising and Restriction by Robbie Cheadle allows us to know her more deeply through memoir and poetry, as she shares about early school experiences, sports, discipline, and evolving eating patterns—from strict training habits to now enjoying meals like oxtail casserole. For those who follow Robbie, we see how her lived experience shapes her perspective. A turning point came when she discovered she was pregnant with her first child: “In the blink of an eye my obsession shifted. Overexercising was out, and my baby was in… I was on a path to doing significant harm to my body… Overexercising is a recognized condition in a similar vein to anorexia and bulimia.”
When Food Is Not Just Food by Marsha Ingrao reminds us that food can carry emotional weight far beyond the plate. Marsha shares about the addictive pull of sugar, and the chapter deepens when she reveals her cancer has returned. She also shows how writing becomes a way to process and cope: “The ultrasound machine saw it, too. Sure enough, it was cancer—again! Humor has always been my way of staying upright when the ground shifts. So I write. When prose fails me, poetry dispenses the truth faster and in safer doses.” Marsha’s takeaway is a reminder to stay resilient and let faith carry you.
Food, Money and Health by Miriam Hurdle reflects on eating habits over the years, with a strong focus on budgeting and access. I’m glad this topic came up in her chapter, because the economic side of eating is often overlooked. Miriam shares practical wisdom on being frugal while still eating well: “Watching her taught me how to stretch every dollar. I still shop that way today, and there’s genuine satisfaction in eating well while knowing I didn’t overspend.” And “We didn’t lower our standards. We became more intentional. By consistently saving small amounts over twenty years, we reached a point where we no longer had house or car payments. That financial freedom didn’t come from one dramatic sacrifice, but from hundreds of small, thoughtful choices.” Many chapters offered information for teaching the next generation – and I especially appreciated Miriam’s money talk.
In My A to Z by Yvette Prior offers 26 notes of memoir as she reflects on supplements, enjoying food, the balance between restraint and celebration. and sharing how a local eatery became a place of connection for family and friends over many years. She also shows how food can transform everyday experiences, as in this moment from teaching evening college classes: “Evening students were usually older, coming straight from work, and they were hungry too. I became the queen of crockpot meals. I could eat, and they could have a few bowls. It was easy and inexpensive, and it changed the tone of the room.” The chapter closing shows her current approach to health and choice: “Writers such as Mark Sisson and Dave Asprey, who explore metabolic flexibility, fat adaptation, and food quality, influenced our thinking. Focusing on real, minimally processed food has brought mental clarity and a good amount of energy. If needed, please do the investigative work to determine what truly supports your body. As Mel often said, ‘Health and healing are the sum of many parts,’ so pray, research, and stay open to new information, but do not be too quick to accept or dismiss what you hear. The goal is not conformity to a label but clarity about what works for you.”
The Fictional Table
That Special Meal by Kelvin M. Knight focuses on Arran, a character with neurodivergent traits, as he navigates the complexities of expressing love for the first time. His story brings us into shopping trips, kitchen scenes, and moments of family connection—woven with themes of humanity, change, kindness, rigidity, transformation, symbolism, and literary depth. Kelvin’s choice to portray a character with neurodivergent traits is done with care and respect. Here is a tasty sampling from his chapter:
“Once he’d dried his hands, he put on his chef’s apron and flicked through his collection of cookbooks—the one left to him by his father when his work was finally done, and the ones he’d picked up from charity shops since that sad, sad day his father had finally ascended to the Pearly Whirly Gates. There were so many recipes, all with lovely names, all with beautiful pictures, but none as beautifully lovely as Susan King, and certainly none which could become part of the feast he wanted to make for her. Rolling his eyes, he slammed shut the cookbooks, returned them to the kitchen shelf above the kettle, then reached into his bumbag for one of his thinking caps. Out came a blue one. Good, a blue thinking cap for blue sky thinking, followed by a red thinking cap for meat… As he pulled it out, a piece of green card fell to the floor. He gasped. The card was a menu for the Green Lagoon, his local Chinese takeaway restaurant. Without stopping to remove his thinking caps, he put on his duffel coat and set off down the road.”
Unchecked Baggage by Gary A. Wilson is realistic fiction where food and eating are woven subtly and effectively into the story. Right away, we see Carson noticing how the seatbelt fits and mentally connecting it to cutting back on carbs. Then comes the fun use of ginger—first with Carson’s ginger chews, later in K’s tea—and the line about ginger repairing DNA gives the reader a moment to smile. Gary’s chapter highlights the unexpected connections between passengers, with a surprising turn that also invites us to reflect on our own long flights and the people we’ve encountered along the way. A key takeaway is the inclusion of the diabetic conversation—perhaps not the most exciting topic on the surface, but a crucial part of today’s food landscape. I was glad to see it included in a book about eating. It’s handled with clarity and realism, adding another layer of lived experience:
“My wife would applaud you, but I suspect someone like you could help me make real changes. My doctor is giving me talking points and sound bites about changing my diet, and I’ve been resisting her efforts. She wants me to consider these GLP-1 shots, better balance my sugar and carbs with fiber or protein, and eat more perishable versus processed and preserved food…”Kari laughed out loud but quickly calmed as she arranged her reply. “Yea—I can imagine how the poor doctor, who has less than 10 minutes to get you on board, would not explain about those gums… oh. Does that smirk betray who actually mentioned soylent greens first? You said it to her, right…? Yea, I thought so.”
Did you know that Prior created a closing limerick for each author chapter? Here they are:
Limerick for Donna Who would have thought burnt toast would reveal our well-seasoned host, how her life once was spared before her long road was prepared, now she lifts a glass for a different toast.
Limerick for Nancy Nancy, the queen of hospitality, makes potatoes of finest quality. She seasons with care, and TLC fills the air— serving warmth with pure cordiality
Limerick for Marnie Marnie, thanks for snapshots outside, where tea and stories collide; a horse joined the scene, unexpected, family team, with warm sconesfilling inside.
Limerick for Gary Can making pancakes be fun? Gary claims the rivalry’s none; feeding his clan is always the plan— I just wish we could taste some.
Limerick for Carol There’s no excuse not to cook, it’s not like you’re castling a rook; just listen to Carol, let courage unbarrel— read, cook, then go eat in your nook.
Limerick for Mabel Did I dream of dumplings so hot? No, memory says I did not ’twas Mabel’s rich fare that welcomed us there, an invite to savor what we’ve got
Limerick for Joe You said food is faith forged in fire, those Indian meals met with desire; with spice layered deep, and warmth to keep— they feed and lift the soul higher
Limerick for Ana Those scarce days now past, mundane helped forge memories to last; cooking helped to bond, to survive together, and fully alive, delicately filling up in the overcast
Limerick for Sherri I heard Supertramp on a loop, earworm while writing ’bout food; through bacon and brew, her chowder came through— California sunshine to scoop.
Limerick for Pete Making those cookies in class, quiet patience with the task; lessons folded in dough, confidence continuing to grow— then many devoured them fast.
Limerick for Frank I spent some time alone, deciphering Frank’s artful poem; then it clicked in my head— what his mother once said— and culture through food was known.
Limerick for Cindy Cindy shared, eat simply, be wise, no gimmicks, no glossy disguise; then and now on display, steadying day after day, she models what balance implies.
Limerick for Robbie Robbie took us to playground turf, where teasing first tested her worth; through seasons and shifts, with cakes and with gifts— she seasoned new life from that earth.
Limerick for Marsha When food is more than a plate, choices grow harder to navigate; why so confusing, what needs undoing? let’s pause and eat with faith
Limerick for Miriam Food, money, health, indeed shaped by the habits we seed; “Pay attention,” Miriam warns, to your habits each morn— for harvest grows from each deed.
Limerick for Prior Protein, Reubens, lemon cake, it’s food talk, for goodness’ sake; from A down to Z, now let’s all get busy and savor each bite we take.
Limerick for Kelvin That special meal spoke humanity, of dignity, difference, and clarity; neurodivergent joy, no pity to deploy— just kindness layered with sincerity.
Limerick #2 for Gary Bonding mid-flight on a plane, learning you’re kin—kinda insane; stories shared far, no matter where you are, two strangers not landing the same.
Chinese New Year in 2026 falls on Tuesday, February 17th, starting the 16-day Spring Festival, concluding with the Lantern Festival on March 3, 2026. It is primarily celebrated in China, (including Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan), Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Mongolia, and Brunei. It is also widely celebrated in Chinatowns globally.
In Chinese astrology, it combines the 12 animal signs with the 5 elements to create a 60-year cycle. Each year is represented by a unique pairing of an animal and an element.
The 12 animal signs are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
Rat: Intelligent, resourceful, adaptable, charming, ambitious, and sociable, but can be secretive and materialistic.
Ox: Diligent, dependable, strong-willed, patient, honest, and hardworking, but can be stubborn and inflexible.
Tiger: Courageous, passionate, confident, competitive, and enthusiastic, but can be impulsive and temperamental.
Rabbit: Gentle, kind, compassionate, artistic, lucky, and diplomatic, but can be indecisive and overly cautious.
Dragon: Powerful, confident, ambitious, enthusiastic, intelligent, and lucky, but can be arrogant and domineering.
Snake: Wise, intuitive, elegant, mysterious, and intelligent, but can be secretive and possessive.
Horse: Energetic, independent, free-spirited, adventurous, and popular, but can be impatient and restless.
Goat (or Sheep): Gentle, kind, compassionate, artistic, and sympathetic, but can be indecisive and pessimistic.
Monkey: Clever, curious, playful, mischievous, and adaptable, but can be manipulative and unreliable.
Rooster: Confident, hardworking, meticulous, outspoken, and honest, but can be arrogant and critical.
Dog: Loyal, honest, trustworthy, protective, and just, but can be overly critical and stubborn.
Pig: Honest, compassionate, generous, kind-hearted, and easy-going, but can be naive and gullible.
The 5 elements are: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth.
The Five Elements personalities:
Wood (growth & determination): Athletic, competitive, and vision oriented. They are natural entrepreneurs or leaders who are proactive but can get angry easily or become workaholics.
Fire (passion & joy): Charismatic, energetic, and highly social. They love connection and pleasure but can be impulsive, scattered, or overly dramatic
Earth (nurturing & stability): Empathetic, honest, and reliable caretakers. They create harmony but may struggle with excessive worrying, overthinking, and caretaking to their own detriment.
Metal (precision & order): Disciplined, methodical, and honorable. They are perfectionists concerned with structure and justice, but they may become rigid, critical, or struggle with grief.
Water (wisdom & flexibility): Gentle, reflective, and deep thinkers. They are adaptable, intuitive, and philosophical, yet can become fearful, isolated, or timid.
The last number of the years 0 or 1 is Metal, 2 or 3 is Water, 4 or 5 is Wood, 6 or 7 is Fire, and 8 or 9 is Earth.
The 2026 Year of the Fire Horse is a once every 60 years cycle event. It symbolizes intense energy, rapid transformation, and significant, bold change. It represents a blend of powerful Yang fire and the independent Horse, it is a time for ambition, swift action, and navigating high-pressure, potentially chaotic situations, with a focus on personal freedom.
Why Chinese New Year is on a different date each year and what is a leap year?
Chinese New Year is based on the ancient Chinese lunar calendar. It functioned as a religious, dynastic, and social guide. Oracle bones inscribed with astronomical records show the calendar existed as early as the 14th century B.C. when the Shang Dynasty was in power.
The alignment of the first day of the first month in lunar calendar falls on different date in the solar calendar
The Gregorian or solar calendar tracks days, weeks, months and years to align with Earth’s orbit around the sun. It has an average of 365.25 days a year, and therefore 365 days a year with 366 days in a leap year every four years.
A lunar calendar is based on the monthly cycles of the Moon’s phases and alternate between 29 and 30 days a month which results in 354 or 355 days a year. Lunar calendars are 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year.
The Chinese calendar adds a leap month roughly every two to three years, or more precisely, seven times every 19 years, to synchronize the lunar and solar calendars. The way to identify a leap year is to count the number of new moons between the 11th month (Winter Solstice) of one year to the 11th month of the next. If there are 13, a leap month must be added. 2025 was a leap year and the next few leap years are 2028 (Leap 5th month), 2031 (Leap 3rd month), and 2033 (Leap 11th month).
I grew up seeing a daily tear-off calendar that has both solar and lunar calendars in it. Many Chinese in the Asian countries still consider the Chinese almanac are vital tools for planning their business and daily life.
The following daily calendar shows the solar and lunar calendars on the top half. The lower half is the daily almanac of which actions are suitable or taboo to help individuals live in harmony with time. It also includes the Chinese zodiac, the Five Elements, and fortune-telling. Since I’ve never used the Chinese almanac, I don’t understand all the indications on this calendar.
Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) traditions focus on welcoming luck, prosperity, and family reunions through cleaning, wearing red, exchanging red envelopes, and sharing symbolic meals. Key customs include a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, firing fireworks to scare away evil spirits, and visiting relatives. The followings are interesting images from https://www.chinahighlights.com/
.
.
Chinese New Year is a bittersweet occasion for my family. Both of my parents passed away on Chinese New Year’s Eves four years apart. My dad had a stroke and died 18 months later. My mom already had Alzheimer’s disease when my dad died. She continued to survive for four more years and died of a complication of heart and Alzheimer’s diseases. When it dawned on us siblings that they both passed away on Chinese New Year’s Eves, we had goosebumps. Did my mom chose which day to go to meet my dad?
My youngest sister was holding the urn of my dad ready to place it in the niche big enough for two urns.
My sisters and I at my mom’s funeral service.
My siblings in Hong Kong and Los Angeles in the Chinese community celebrate this significant event yet can’t help but remember the passing of our parents.
Most of my years living in the US, I didn’t live close to the Chinese community. I continue to give Lucky Money envelopes to my grandkids, but we don’t do too much in terms of celebration.
2025 was a special year for me. Family and friends are always an important part of my life. In addition, I’m thankful for reasonable health, for resuming travel and singing.
January brought me the view of Mount Hood from the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) balcony and a visit of Oregon artist Christopher Marley’s “Exquisite Creatures” at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI).
Mount Hood
OMSI
.
.
February was the snowiest month, with snow more than once. Downtown Portland recorded approximately 1.7 to 3.5 inches during a significant storm around February 13-14.
.
.
March delighted me with the first bloom of rhododendron and my granddaughter Nora’s 5th birthday with two ice cream cakes, strawberry and chocolate flavors. For the weather, there was a thunder followed by heavy hail on the 13th of this month.
Heavy hail in Beaverton
April was the birds’ busy month. There are Duck Crossing signs in Beaverton city and frequent sight of Canada geese. My backyard was full of dark-eyed juncos, sparrows, robins, mourning doves, hummingbirds, northern flickers, and Steller’s jays. In this photo, the Steller’s jays gathered twigs to build their nest. We were late visiting the Tulip farm but there were still many gorgeous tulips.
May was lovely to celebrate Mother’s Day when my grandkids gave their gift to my daughter. We also visited the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, Oregon, which features over 10,000 rose bushes, representing over 610different varieties.
Happy Mother’s Day
Tea Rose
June was an exciting month to have family visiting us from California. A great blue heron met us at the lake. On the morning of our departure to Italy, we attended our granddaughters’ dance performance. We then went on our 10-day trip to Italy sisiting Rome, Florence, Pisa, and Venice, our first international travel since 2019.
Great Blue Heron
July‘s warm weather allowed annuals and perennials in my garden to open their most vibrant flowers. It was also a pleasant month to visit the Japanese Garden in Portland.
Japanese Garden
August was another exciting month when my grandkids presented their gift for their dad’s birthday. Another exciting occasion was meeting our fellow bloggers Terri, Diana, and Marsha.
The girls were proud of their creation for their dad.
Diana, Marsha, Terri, Miriam
September brought us a birthday celebration when Autumn turned 8. Instead of a birthday cake, she wanted her friends to decorate their own donuts.
Pass the vanilla frosting, please!
October was a perfect month to enjoy the autumn foliage and watch the “raining” of orange leaves.
The weight of the rain water helped the leaves to fall faster
November was my birthday month, and my daughter touched my heart with this card. Then, after our California Thanksgiving dinner, I was in awe of this beautiful sunset.
A BD card from my daughter
December was a full month, and I made a December post before my daughter’s birthday. In this photo, the grandkids gave their birthday gift to my daughter.
Thank you for reading! Wishing you peace and blessings in 2026!
December is always a full month for our family, and this year was no exception—each week brought its own music, traditions, and moments worth savoring. Esther Chilton’s Christmmas Eve Writing Prompt is Family. I tagged this post to her prompt.
On Sunday, December 7, our entire family attended The Wizard of Oz, a stage production by the Northwest Children’s Theater & School. The acting and singing were impressive, and even five-year-old Nora stayed completely engaged from beginning to end. For the past three years, we’ve taken the girls to see The Nutcracker, but since they were performing in it this year, we changed things up and followed the yellow brick road instead.
On Thursday, December 11, Mercy and I enjoyed a special mother-daughter evening at the Messiah highlight concert. Rather than the full three-and-a-half-hour performance, this two-hour version focused on all the solo parts and most of my favorite choruses—perfect, especially since Mercy had to work the next day. It was a lovely night of beautiful music and time together.
Saturday, December 13, was especially busy for me, with two Christmas performances at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. I joined Blueprint Ensemble Arts this past September, and Christmas marked my second performance with the group. With four seasons of concerts each year, it’s been exciting to be part of something musically rich.
On Monday, December 15, I attended the Women’s Advent meeting at West Hills Covenant Church. It was a quiet, candlelit, reflective evening filled with traditional Christmas carols and scripture readings. Mercy and Nora were there as well, which made it even more meaningful. I would happily attend more gatherings like this—an hour or two devoted entirely to singing traditional hymns feels like a gift in itself.
Then, on Friday, December 19, Lynton and I enjoyed a Candlelight Carol Concert featuring a wind quartet. They performed about twenty well-loved carols, filling the evening with familiar melodies and festive warmth.
The weekend of Sunday, December 20–21, brought a special moment for Autumn and Nora, who performed in The Nutcracker as mice. Watching them on stage was a joy and a reminder of how quickly they’re growing.
On Monday, December 22, we gathered for an early family Christmas dinner at my daughter’s house. Since the girls were out of school for two weeks, we spent the day watching them on Monday and returned them home in the late afternoon. They opened some Christmas gifts before dinner and saved the rest afterward. They were proud of the gifts they made for their mom and dad.
My daughter and her family have traveled to a Christmas town in Washington to celebrate the holiday and her special milestone birthday. We’ll have her birthday dinner once they return—another celebration to look forward to as the season continues.
With My Whole Heart, Wishing You a Joyous Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
From our family to you and yours! See you in 2026!
The Showers of Blessings 