Storms brewing

We've got a winter storm coming, but you wouldn't know it by the sunshine we had today.  High winds are expected, which will wreak havoc on this already windblown bush on the 7th floor balcony.  The sun was so bright that it made the face of my phone almost impossible to see, but this was the best shot I got.  We may have snow tomorrow, and Monday is expected to be the coldest day of the year.

Today being Saturday, I was at the library working with my Vietnamese student, who told me it was the end of their three day Lunar New Year.  They celebrated with parties, visits to the temple, and twelve special dishes of food that the women spent days preparing beforehand.  I also learned how Pho is made - pieces of bone soaked in salt water for four hours, then rinsed and cooked for six hours,  after which the the meat and other ingredients are added and the whole cooked for another eight hours. I think there was yet another eight hour cooking, but I don't remember why!.  Something to think about the next time you have Pho.