Israel
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The Thorny Caper Weed Now In Bloom Leads To An Interesting Discovery!
The thorny caper, which generally grows as a weed here in Israel, has such a lovely exotic flower, that one can't help but notice it! I've seen this "weed" growing all over the place, and have always thought that it was much too lovely for something that can be a bit obnoxious. And as you'll see from all the photos that follow in this post, I was atually quite captivated by its beauty earilier this week. The funny thing is that I had no idea what this plant actually was called, and had no success in my google search, until I remembered that I have seen the same plant growing…
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Pomegranate Trees In Bloom In Northern Israel
Yes, dear readers, if you take a walk around my neighborhood you too can witness the transition of the flowers on the pomegranate tree to that of tiny fruit! There is something so very special about the yearly cycle of all of the holy seven plant/tree species that grow here in Israel, but those that we can observe in our very own backyard, namely pomegranates, grapes, figs and olives are near and dear! And the pomegranate tree is especially lovely as its blooms are bright red, and currently dotting the landscape all over town. When the trees become filled with nearly ripened fruit, towards the end of summer, well that too…
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Sunset Over Mount Meron On Rosh Chodesh Sivan
Chodesh tov, wishing you a joyful new month, dear readers! Every month on the Jewish calendar has its own special qualities, and the first day of the month, rosh chodesh, is a mini holiday of sorts. We have a special affection for the cycle of the year and the numerous celebrations it includes as well as the periods of mourning and fast days to remember the sad times. As it turns out, the month of Sivan contains the special holiday of Shavuot, on which we celebrate the giving of the Torah, and receive the Torah each and every year. The four days between the beginning of the month of Sivan…
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The Ancient Cemetary Of Safed Covered In Yellow Wild Flowers
The fields of Northern Israel are indeed a world unto their own, and I just love to watch the progressive show as wildflowers and maidenhair fern and thistle, to name a few, each bloom during their own special time slot, only to dry up and be replaced by the next species in line. It really is truly magnificent, and while of course this show has a general theme that is the same year to year, this year I noticed that a particular yellow dasy-like wild flower seems to have really taken over, and the hills are golden and lovely, well at least they were two weeks ago when I took…
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Simply Beautiful Tin Can Container Garden
You don't need to spend money on beautiful containers to have a lovely container garden, and here dear readers is the proof! This tin can container garden is not my own garden, but rather something I spotted in the neighborhood a few days ago, and I finally got the chance to return with camera in hand yesterday. There is just something about the combination of these new cans packed with a mix of blooming plants this is truly delightful, and, because these cans are in front of a rather worn and neglected stone home, well they fight right in, as they would say on a gritty fire escape in New…
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Fallen Soldier Memorial Day In Israel
Yesterday was Memorial Day here in Israel, the day in which the entire nation remembers those who have given their lives for our country, for our safety, and for us, as a people. One minute of silence is observed country-wide with a siren that sounds in the morning……..and if one happens to be on the freeway at that time, well it is truly a moving sight as all traffic stops and everyone gets out of their cars. I have a feeling this doesn't happen anywhere else in the world, and it is truly a beautiful thing. Despite our differences politically and religiously, at the end of the day we really…
