Kites, bubbles and sand

Two weeks ago strong winds from the hurricane moved through here and knocked out power in some areas for days (we lucked out and didn't lose power at all). That morning, before the weather got scary, we took advantage of the wind by attempting to fly the dollar store kite in the yard, which is basically impossible with the many low phone and power lines. Don't worry - we know the difference.

L is determined to be a princess for Halloween, and she practiced wearing her dress and butterfly wings while blowing bubbles on the patio recently.

In other news, the annual back-to-school Archaeology and Art History picnic was held last weekend and was a success. Activities included eating fried chicken, mummifying Andrea and otherwise playing in the volleyball sand pit at Wesselman Woods.

September is nearly over and I am waiting for fall to fully arrive already.

One evening on the Kinneret

We are still in Evansville and still without camera, but I like these pictures and so wanted to post them.
Although it's good to be back in infinite ways, there are things to be missed. One major one is the landscape. Evansville lacks a landscape, and its body of water - the Ohio River - is not overwhelmingly picturesque at this bend in the river. The Jordan Valley, however, is one of the most beautiful places in the world I think (although way too hot in the summer to fully appreciate). The sea of Galilee - the Kinneret - is low these days which is bad news. But we did enjoy spending an evening at one of the beaches (from the name of the boat I guess it's Berenike) - deserted at that hour - near Degania, where the water is so low that I swear undiscovered sites are emerging (Ohalo is very close to this). I picked up one flint, but am clueless and can't date it. Anyway, it's beautiful there before sunset, even with the garbage.

Unintentionally artsy photo

We're back .... and I'm awake at 4:30 am on the east coast, tapping into some neighbor's wifi.

This is the last picture from the camera. I am not sure where it was taken or by whom, but I think I was trying to see how outdoor photos would turn out. It kind of looks like a bunch of Santas running through a mall. We will definitely buy a new camera soon ...

Gan and Death of a Camera

Daycare/preschool ('gan') at the kibbutz is not what one would find at home. From the beginning L was the best-dressed kid there (not intentionally; we just didn't bring clothes with giant stains and holes) and the least likely to get dirty (they play outside in the mud a lot and L would have none of it). These pics show the creative use of broken household appliances, cleaning supplies and muddy water at the gan.



And then the camera broke. Here are two of the final pics out of our deceased camera; L and Or are sitting on the futon in the rented Jerusalem apartment eating cucumbers and cold pasta.

Brave New Girl and more of Jerusalem

We are pretty big recyclers and so it pains me to see the state of affairs here. This is one of the huge water-bottle cages that one can find on city streets here; they are perpetually overflowing and stuffed with all kinds of other crap usually. Sometimes there are also newspaper recycling containers around, but that's it, and it feels pretty retro to throw away cans, glass containers, paper, plastic bags, etc. on a daily basis. Everything here is over-packaged to death as well.

Here is one shot of L in the shuk in Jerusalem, which is the big outdoor market in the new city. It was right near the apt we rented while we were there, and we went often as M (and I) have fond memories of shopping there when we lived in Jerusalem. The day we arrived L had a fever and was all tired and lethargic so I stayed with her in the apt while M went out to shop just before the market closed for shabbat on Friday in late afternoon. Everyone is trying to dump everything then because the shuk is closed on Sat so things were ridiculously cheap. Among fruit, veg, bread, etc., he returned with a large sack of really good mixed nuts that we are still working on.

L has changed a lot since we arrived I think, although we'll only know for sure when we are settled in at home I guess. We have schlepped her all over this country over the past 2 months and she has seen a lot of people and dogs, made a lot of friends, gotten over her dislike of dirt somewhat (by necessity), etc. Here she is in the sand in a Jerusalem playground; frolicking voluntarily in sand is definitely something new for her.

She's also wanted to be on her own a lot more. Here, for example, she sits at the 'Coffee Bar Y' which was this literal hole-in-wall neighborhood cafe right near our rented apt (excellent coffee) with a woman who works there and her friend. They thought she was cute and so took her outside to talk and whenever M went outside to check on her she would say 'go away Abba!' M told her that they were students (which they are - at Hebrew U) and so she referred to them later as 'my students.' She's done this with other people she hardly knows as well, which is REALLY new.

And it's amazing how well she's been playing with kids she hardly knows. Yesterday she totally hit it off with a new friend Netta, who is one of M's best friend's kids, and again sent M away while she played at Netta's grandmother's house on the kibbutz for over an hour. Here she is in Jerusalem with Yoel and Ella's sons at a park near their house; we stayed with them the last night we were in Jerusalem.

Fruit Tour of Israel 1

Before the camera broke, M spent many hours documenting the various exotic fruits on the kibbutz. All of these aren't commercially grown; some were planted as ornamentals here years ago and random people can pick and eat them. Do you know these fruits?

Sapota (or sapodilla). The inside is purplish brown and it tastes like cotton candy. Lilah loves it, and J thinks it's foul (although pro-cotton candy).

Papaya.
Sabra (prickly pear).
One of the many varieties of dates around here.

Avocado.

Lilah and figs (ate many of them).

Spondias dulcis (Tahitian apple).

Kumquat.
Passionfruit. It's ubiquitous here, in chocolate bars, drinks, gum, cosmetics and everything else.

Pomegranate. We went to a winery that makes only pomegranate wine today. The dessert wine was pretty good. Unfortunately, we left the bottle in the car for two hours and the cork popped.

Ode to the BFF (in celebration of her birthday)

New playgrounds are fun

But you are so far away

I miss you, Svea!