Sunday, May 27, 2012

Back to the Norm













Before we departed for Israel I took notice of the Peonies which were just starting to bud out.  It was no surprise to see the majority of them spent when we returned.  The air was hot and humid and the skys were grey for days.  We heard the familiar sound of rolling thunder and on occasion the skys opened up letting down sheets of rain.  Oops forgot that one.





In between it all I hung out my new chimes, cleaned up the back yard garden beds and defined them with the river rock, tamed the honeysuckle, planted two flats of impatients Furm brought home for me, and processed my first bounty of the season from the farm.  The spinach looked amazing and I already incorporated some of it into a salad and some into meatballs and look forward to making spinach quiches tomorrow. 

Boy chores resulted in the docks going in and finally girls had a place to relax with cocktails, melon balls and promise of days on the dock with the sun shining.  It was nice to have some Ruthy time and a visit from Jess this afternoon rounded out the weekend.  We did head out on the Motorcycle this morning but it was raining after breakfast so we came home....getting here before the sky really let loose then finally cleared up some.  Maybe we can make it out on a boat tomorrow...ahhhhhhhhhhh

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Home with Last Photos from Last Night in Israel









On our last night we walked out to check out the first Jewish settlement outside the walls of the ancient city of Jaffa called Neve Tzedek.  It was lovely and quaint with low profile homes and a street of galleries and shops.  We walked into the area of the Suzanne Dellal Center where families were gathering and letting their children play in the fountains.   Eventually our hunger got the best of us and we found a restaurant in the area where we sat under the shade of a tree and had a wonderful dinner.

When we were happily sated, we walked to the sea, and found ourselves amongst the throng of those who enjoy the water, the promenade, and life as do we and took in our very last sunset over the Meditterranean.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Israel Day 13 Last one






Woke up early to the clatter and clang of construction this morning and the back up beeps of a front end loader.  This area is undergoing a revitalization slowly but surely.  Before we went to Jordan this very same parking lot was a staging area for some sort of production and we watched as costumes were distributed...that was much more quiet.

Then out for a simple breakfast at a bakery we could see from our balcony and figured it must be good because there was a crowd there all morning, sitting outside.  We had to get in one more visit to the flea market for some last minute items.  I have no plans to bring home Laurel and Hardy or the three monkeys.  I did see some stuff I would like to bring home but just dont have the room in my luggage.

Leaving early in the morning so I am mostly packed up and do not intend to post again even though we are on our way back out.  SHALOM

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Israel and just an itty bitty problem


Not sure Im going to make it home.

Things started out pretty well here this morning.  Had an opportunity to meet and eat with a most lovely couple:  THE RESNICKS, not only did they share lunch with us, they shared my maiden name.  For the first time ever I saw on their door what it looked like in Hebrew.  And what a coincidence to learn we were both married on August 13th.

I wonder if it was a case of mistaken identity that has gotten me in a little trouble....surely it was not the coffee....maybe it was the book of Jewish Jokes

Thank you Naomi...so sorry I did not pull my camera out to capture beautiful you in blue today. 

Israel Day 11













I am still trying to get caught up since going to Jordan...so really this is yesterday which would be Friday because today is Saturday...which I hope to show you later.  Hope it wont be too much to get two posts from me in one day.  It is very quiet on Saturdays because they take the Sabbath very seriously here. 

We stayed close to the apartment yesterday walking down to the sea in the morning for our breakfast.  We watched men fish with rods and fish with nets and look who made the catch.  I watched this bird for quite a while and then my breakfast was served so I put the camera away and then I wish I didn't because he finally flipped that fish into positition and in three gulps swallowed it down before I could get the camera out of the bag.  DANG.

You dont have to go to a museum around here to see the art.  These paintings were on the walls all around the Jaffa Port area.  We saw the artists on cranes working on some.  The last is a poster which for my friends back home I thought was a riot since we have SHADFEST art and here you see a  BASSFAST poster.  There were a lot more inside a building mostly advertisements and mostly in Hebrew so some were hard to figure out.

Back in the apartment for a midday rest. Furman said he could here music and went out to the balcony.  He called to me to show me that across the way on a  rooftop was a wedding.  I couldn't resist although it was far and I was zoomed out all the way...you can just about make out the bride under the Chupa.

We strolled back out to wander the streets a bit and catch another sunset and then grabbed some yummies from the bakery that were heated up just right in the brick stove to take back to the apartment and eat.

To my UHH friends...thank you so much for watching and commenting..
Ruthy, Im glad you are enjoying the adventure with me.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Israel Day 9 and 10

















On the 16th we left Tel Aviv and flew over the most wonderous desert to Eilat.  No picture I could take seemed to do justice to the colors of the sands.  Eilat is the most southern point of the country and sits on the Red Sea.  It is like any other tourist sight by the sea with all kinds of shops and cafes and water activities.  We would have considered diving  except flying and diving dont go very well together unless you have interest in getting the benz.  So after a nice lunch we went back to our hotel and hung out by the pool.  Notice the bread was served with an olive mix not butter.  I liked it.

The following day we were up quite early for our pick up to take us to the border crossing and into Jordan.  It was a short ride, but took about an hour to get across the border.  Then a two hour ride to the ancient rock city of PETRA, named the  Pink City by the Jordanians and you would understand why if you could see the rock and stone.  The city was built by Nabateans about 600 BC.  Petra was recently voted in as one of the 7 wonders of the world.  It has a history long and vast that is filled with people and natural occurances.  Most important to me was the beauty of the rock and the carvings and heat of the day.  It was a two mile walk down through the rocks which was nice and at time a breeze blew through cooling us.  However, the walk back up was not that nice and although we had a choice to ride a camel or take a chariot we walked.  I had to stop and rest a few times on the way back up. 
 


just a few more images...camel foot and person feet, remnants of a caravan carved into the rock and looking out from inside one of the carved out rooms.