Kay Bratt's Blog, page 34

Warning: Shocking and provoking article. But honestly, shutting out what is real...

Warning: Shocking and provoking article. But honestly, shutting out what is really happening in the world helps no one. Awareness is key.


Russians do not want to adopt Russian children
www.opendemocracy.net
Americans can no longer adopt Russian children, so now the government is encouraging more Russians to adopt. But without much success.

Timeline PhotosProcess of Feng Huang Dan cong Tea. i am a...

Timeline Photos
Process of Feng Huang Dan cong Tea. i am amazed by this traditional method of processing chinese Tea

Maine couple starts family by adopting threewww.boothbayr...

Maine couple starts family by adopting three
www.boothbayregister.com
Like hundreds of families, the McLaughlins visited the Boothbay Railway Village on Oct.

Perhaps this beautiful print can help you imagine my favorite Christmas memory t...

Perhaps this beautiful print can help you imagine my favorite Christmas memory this year. It was the moment I snuck away with my sweet, sweet granddaughter, Tiana Kay, in my arms and took her away from the chaos and into my quiet room, then sang to her as I rocked her to sleep. Though coughing, sneezing, and giving little faint cries to tell me how bad she felt, she still burrowed deep and let me love her. Only eleven months old but already I can't imagine this world without her, and thank God for the special moment he gave us. ♥

Merry 'Almost' Christmas!

Merry 'Almost' Christmas!

Can't wait to read this. Mingmei Yip's Secret of a Thousand Beauties

Can't wait to read this. Mingmei Yip's Secret of a Thousand Beauties


Secret of a Thousand Beauties
www.amazon.com
Set against the vibrant and intrigue-laden backdrop of 1930s China, Mingmei Yip's enthralling novel explores one woman's defiant pursuit of independence.Spring Swallow was promised in marriage while still in her mother's belly. When the groom dies before a wedding can take place, seventeen-year-o...

Timeline PhotosNew York Times blog, Motherlode, asks,“Wh...

Timeline Photos
New York Times blog, Motherlode, asks,
“What charities have inspired your children to give of their own time or money, and why?”

If your children have been inspired to support Half the Sky, please consider submitting your story to Motherlode by Tuesday, December 23rd.
Motherlode is looking for ways to involve children in giving, and if your story is chosen, they will post it along with a link to Half the Sky Foundation.

Visit: bit.ly/nytgiving to learn more, and contact: kj.dellantonia@nytimes.com or @[327974257285106:274:Ron Lieber and The Opposite of Spoiled] to submit your story.

I write about this quite a bit....the bird-keeping in China. (Oh, and I have som...

I write about this quite a bit....the bird-keeping in China. (Oh, and I have some of those same birdhouses shown in the background!)


Timeline Photos
"I believe foreigners and some of the middle class people here see bird keeping as something inappropriate or unacceptably cruel. Thanks to them and especially the ones like you, who put pictures of this on their blogs will this tradition cease to exist. Well after all it's good news in general but it makes us keepers loose our jobs and look very bad in the society. "

"Let me tell you that people keep caged birds and take them for a walk in local parks since the Qing Dynasty. Songbirds are just a common pet in China and to care for one properly involves a daily regimen of walks and socialization. It’s an ingrained part of Chinese culture and you can see many old men scattered around in parks with their amazing little birds for small singing competitions. Some of these small creatures can cost up to 60k kuai.

---
"我告诉你，中国人从清朝开始就养鸟遛鸟。鸣鸟在中国是一种常见的宠物，要把它养好需要每天规律的散步和社交活动。这是中国传统文化的一部分，你可以看到公园里到处是老头带着他们的小鸟赛歌。有些鸟值六万块呢。”

“我相信很多外国人和一些中国的中产阶级把养鸟看作是不妥当或者不能接受的残酷行为。因为他们的缘故，包括像你这样的人，把照片放到网上，有关部门早晚要取缔这个产业。虽然从大局来看是好事，但是让我们这些养鸟人丢了饭碗，不算太好。”

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- met him in Shanghai

Romance is not dead. At least not in China. <3

Romance is not dead. At least not in China. ♥


Elderly scrap-collector in Xinjiang buys wife diamond ring with cash saved up for years
shanghaiist.com
Reports of an elderly man who took his wife to the

From article: 'Adoptive parents who are parenting kids who spent time in foster...

From article: 'Adoptive parents who are parenting kids who spent time in foster care, who were adopted at an older age, or who experienced abandonment may want to preview the movie first. All adoptive parents should leave time and space after the movie to process, as it's likely to bring up a variety of feelings for our kids.'


Rage Against the Minivan: What adoptive parents will want to know about the new ANNIE movie
www.rageagainsttheminivan.com