early morning ice flowers

ice chrystals on the window. they disappear as the sun rises and the house is warmed up. but in the morning they are there for a while to admire and enjoy.

we're back in israel. it's warm here, not summer, but nice. once again, left home, to go home. my mom came back with us, and it went well. going and coming back were without delays or trouble, which made me feel very fortunate. so many people stuck in airports all over europe over christmas.

here life is normal, no holiday no limbo, as the days between christmas and new years usually is in denmark. just everyday life. and that is good too.

christmas sweets

the theme is definitely food. and with a snow storm even more so - you have to sit inside and warm your body and soul with good food and treats. and luckily there's time to cook and bake.

yesterday i went to a friends house. we baked cookies with five boys. it was sweet, energetic and very loud.

i'm happy we're just staying here for christmas. the entire country is on a stand still because of a blizzard, making driving almost impossible. this evening we went to my brother's house for dinner, luckily he's not living far away, so we put the kids on the sleds and walked there. as much as it slows down everything, calls for planning and extra effort, it also makes for such a special time, which i really enjoy and treasure.

merry christmas to everyone from me xoxo

snow time

we landed friday to a white fairytale world. the first day and a half i spent in pjs, occasionally putting on ski clothes to join the kids in the snow. we have enjoyed it so much. it's beautiful and great fun for us to have all this snow and full days to play in.

ok, to be honest, little D is a bit ambivalent toward the snow. in theory he likes it, but all the clothes and the cold hands tend to get in the way. he'll grow into it, i'm sure :)

we've had snow fights, sliding sleds, built snowmen and we even went to the countryside to cut our own tree. and we've had lots of hot cocoa and "aebleskiver".

today i met an old friend, and so went to the city for the first time. gloegg and warm soup. this is really good.

hope you enjoy your week as much as we do.

where's my phone?

the moment i put my iphone down it disappears into little hands. all three of them are completely hooked on talking animals, angry birds etc. even the three year old has it completely under control. sometimes i feel so lucky to have an iphone to stick into the hands of an impatient child, but most days i just don't have a clue where it is or who's using it.

before the rain

from the garden, before the rain while we were still suffering from the unusual warm weather, everything dry, even the air. the boys all had dry skin and red eyes. the lack of water the entire fall has given us pecans tinyer than usual. even the oranges are small, which would be cute if it wasn't for the fact that they are hard as little colorful rocks. sadly there's not going to be much of that fresh orange juice this winter.

tomorrow i'm paking up the kids and flying to denmark. i have a few posts up my sleeve in case i won't  make it to the computer. in that case i'll wish you a personal cyber merry christmas and a happy holiday right away.

oh, i am so excited. there's lots and lots of snow in denmark and the kids have been talking about making snowmen - with carrot noses, of course - for the last week. now i just need to survive a 4.5 hour plane ride solo with three little ones. wish me luck :)

ps. see the lush greens up there? we build a new and bigger chicken coop and made a veggie garden where the old one was. the soil is like magic (thank you, chicken ladies, for that). when i return from denmark our potatoes should be ready. and maybe even the tomatoes.

inside :: outside

the fire died out, the storm is over. how ironic and sad life is sometimes. the moment the fire that left 43 dead and thousands without homes, we had a week of rain, culminating in the worst winter storm in many years with flooding and destruction. now it's once again a blue sky and warmer wind. but it is definately winter. or as much it can be winter in the middle east. the light has changed, the air is different.

it feels good.

and now i'll go and get some christmas shopping done. it's going to be a low key holdiay, but still, no christmas without a little bit of spending, right?

loving this season

chanukah is over. the evening of the 8th candle we had a regular festival of light in the living room, as all three kids made their own chanukiah in their kindergartens. and we have our own as well. so lots of little colored candles and pretty light.

christmas is light this year around here. since i know i will be leaving i am not doing much. a christmas calendar candle is a must, and then there are my grandmother's red apples out of wood and the felted heart ornaments i made last year. plus a little danish solider and a drum. pretty much it. we'll go christmas nuts in copenhagen.

as i write i hear the thunder and the rain. that;s the closest we've come to winter this year. and it came today, within an hour after my father had left for the airport. pretty good timing, as he enjoyed the sunny, warm weather while he was here, but the rest of us are more than ready for some colder winds. and anyway, in a week from now it'll be me and the kids on our way to a (hopefully) white christmas in copenhagen. we'll leave D behind this year, but he'll survive without christmas. me on the other hand....

wishing you a wonderful weekend :)

still shapes

shadow and light. in the afternoon the light plays through the trees outside. playful shapes on the wall. almost magical. like blur, what is, but without the rough edges. i like it like that, even if i am standing pretty solid on the ground as i take it in.

i am in the middle of changing my mind again. will it ever be it? i envy those who feel so sure about their goals. in life and from day to day. and funny how i found myself blurring up my motives just as my path ahead is hard to make out.

it rained last night. drops of sweet water falling softly on all the dried-out land. for those who lost their loved ones or their homes it was too late, and will only mirror the sorrow they feel, the tears they cry.

now let's just hope there will be more water for us in those heavy clouds. the galilee sea needs it, the country needs it. and on a more selfish note, i need that snow in denmark to wait for me. i want to play in the snow with my boys :)

tetragon and doughnuts

seasonal flavors of december have entered the household. one a tradition, one new. our neighbor told us last year that he's got all this new zealand spinach growing wild all over his land and that we were welcome to take it. i had absolutely no clue what that was, and never got around to look it up. or collect any for that matter.

this year he took matters into his own hands and came by our house the other day with an enormous load of this luscious green plant. well, with my entire sink full of it i looked it up and found out it's tetragon. which i must admit i never tasted, but at least there was a familiar ring to it. and after a bit more searching around i found this recipe. sounds yummy, no? should you know of any other tasty ways to enjoy tetragon - aka new zealand spinach - i'd love to hear about it.

and then maybe, if we eat enough green we will be ok. even if we are munching way too many doughnuts these days. because it is chanukah afterall - even if the days are still unbelievably hot. which also means tat we're still having bbqs in the garden, and picnics at the beach. not your usual chanukah

happy chanukah