et lille oejeblik

this weekend

2012-02-17T16:11:00.002+02:00

the forecast says rain and storm. the north and jerusalem will even see snow. but this week gave us some sun and beautiful colors of spring.

and i had the cat ladies fixed. phew. could not handle more cats, even if those kittens are the cutest. the big male cat seems to be jumping the younger male though. i can't get close enough to check if it really is a boy, but i'm pretty sure. is that normal? does male cats jump each other? please don't tell me i have another female cat...

anyway, we'll stay indoors and at home as we once again had some cases of fever and ear pain.

everyone is feeling better, though, so we'll just eat and cuddle up on the couch with the fire burning. i believe there will be a bit of xbox, books, television and board games happening too. and cooking, off course.

have a wonderful weekend.

february tlv beach

2012-02-14T11:47:00.001+02:00

a saturday in february at the beach in tlv. full of contrasts. swimmers, shorts and sun bathers side by side with winter coats, woolen hats and cafe goers wrapped up in blankets.

and then of course contrasts of sand covered smiles and beach monsters rolling in the sand.

D played beach volley, we had milk shake coffee and walked down memory lane, as i mentioned the other day. it's been three years since we moved out of tel aviv, and i still miss a lot of things. it's a great city, it's got an amazing beach, and we lived right next door. who wouldn't miss that?!

the photos up there: i love how the surfers look like seals while waiting for a wave. and i love the view towards jaffo.

last sunday

2012-02-12T22:15:00.003+02:00

as i mentioned, last week started with a walk at the beach with friend and chai. it was sunny and beautiful. there's just nothing like the beach. it rocks.

outside :: inside

2012-02-11T22:41:00.000+02:00

it's been a week. which i started walking the winter beach with a friend, drinking hot chai sitting in the sand. what a perfect start.

then there was continued sickness, ending up in both little D and myself starting antibiotics. the ears, the lungs, and for me, the usual sinusitis.

there was work, plenty of rain, some sun. too much food, lots of coffee and finally setting a time with the vet, after listening to love sick cats through the nights.

and then there was today, the final day of our week. a perfect day, taking a trip down memory lane in tel aviv with the kids, while D played beach volley. we played at the old playground, passed by our old building and looked through the fence into the old kindergarten.

it's been exactly three years since we left tel aviv. pretty much half the lifetime of the twins. i'm not sure how much they really remembered, but they loved walking with me, talking about the people and places.

and then we had milkshakes and coffee under the blue sky down at the beach, passed by family on the way home and got exciting news that we'll be welcoming a new little one this summer into the family (update: that would be the extended family. as in D's younger sister and husband. i'm not pregnant ;).

afternoon in the garden, long shadows, warm light. home made bread for dinner. tired kids in pajamas, snuggling on the couch after a long bath, getting rid of all the sand.

i'm ready for a new week.

on the other hand

2012-02-03T12:41:00.002+02:00

i might have complained a bit too much about rainy weather and sickness in the house. so let me take a moment to tell you that i didn't mean to bitch so much.

it's been good too. it's really green right now, and the air is fresh. plus it makes a lot of puddles and raindrops, some of these even displaying extraordinary beauty.

plus there have been a lot of fun and coziness too while the boys kept me company at home. sometimes i tend to forget all the goodness when i make a status of my day.

also, i think i might just have to fight off an ordinary cold, not fever and flue as i feared yesterday. i really need to remember and appreciate my half full cup.

wishing you a beautiful weekend weekend.

is it already?

2012-02-02T22:43:00.003+02:00

wow. where did january go? if 2012 continues like this 2013 will hit me in the face really hard.

in general it's a little bit insane how time is just accelerating for each year i add to my age. there was a time when last year was a distant memory with its own logic, filled with an existential vibe that had long since been replaced by something new, different, more fitting to the life then lived. but now last year is more like "i wonder where i put those woolen socks..."

but still i get completely stressed out about the fact that i feel the flue in my body and my nose getting stuffed: will i really lose a whole weekend and have to let go of all the plans and to-do lists i'd been putting together in my mind this last week?

will i really have to just sit tight and wait this one out. one day....two days? but, seriously, i have stuff to do!

cross your fingers for my good health - now i'll go dive into that box of oznei hamman cookies D brought back to me from the big city.....wow! is it really already purim. (and since i never got around back then to tell you why hamman's ears are eaten around purim, here you go).

wishing you a good weekend - and month of february.

contemplating

2012-01-31T09:48:00.000+02:00

whether to go in as we walked through the flooded olive fields. they still wearing their pjs, the uniform this last week where they've stayed home most days. today i'm down to two almost-well-again patients, but that's how the day started yesterday too. let's see.

i on the other hand is contemplating how it might be possible to add a few hours to the day, hours that would be all mine. (and how i might get my hands on this dream. maybe when i win the lottery? that i don't play. not any time soon then.)

from in here

2012-01-30T16:23:00.001+02:00

yet another rainy day. i'll have to spice up our food ... our lives, if i could ... as we're spending a lot of times in doors.

the temperatures dropped again it seems, and all three kids are home. not really sick, but also not really well. just about that stage where they are restless in their little bodies, but don't have much energy to really do much for very long. and if you are wondering: yes, that can be a challenge.

on another note, that's one of the outdoor cats up there. he's a giant. the moment we start working in the kitchen they'll hear it and we have one, two, three... four cats sitting there. waiting. they're watching our every move, hoping we'll go to the front door with some leftover food. sometimes it's cute and fun. other times it's kind of creepy. and uncomfortable. i feel like the rich people dining inside the beautiful restaurant while the poor, starving child stands outside in the cold with his nose pressed against the window glass.

i don't know his name, it changes all the time. last time i checked it was choochoo, but it might be johnny by now. he's almost two. and his got twin siblings. they are just about one.

and all this cat talk reminds me: i really have to take the mother cat of all the cats to the vet. cannot have her bring more kittens this spring. four is more than enough.

tillykke

2012-01-29T09:48:00.000+02:00

there are birthdays back home. last week the younger brother, yesterday my mother, tomorrow my father. today they are having family brunch. wish we could be there to celebrate with them.

tillykke til alle jer fra alle os :)

inside :: outside

2012-01-27T15:00:00.000+02:00

apparently i just need to announce that i'll be around here less to in fact be here more. sometimes in blogging - as in life - the big diffeence comes when you feel you don't have to do, then you just do. or maybe that's me... but i don't think so. you know it too, don't you?

the sun was out yesterday, but today is full of rain and thunder. at least we had a little break. anyway, it's weekend and rain is such a good excuse to just cozy up in doors with hot drinks and comfort food.

wishing you a good one.

keeping me company

2012-01-26T19:05:00.000+02:00

one boy kept me company at home today. he slept most of the time while i was working. the other left a mark behind, he was definitely right there by the dinner table at some point yesterday. i never really get upset about drawing or writing on walls or furniture. it usually comes off. maybe i even like it. just like i kind of like to have a sleeping child next to me while i work.

these days

2012-01-24T18:33:00.001+02:00

:: are passing way too fast. i don't seem to get around to do half the stuff i'm planning to do, nor see any of the folks i'd love to spent some time with.

:: i feel behind with everything and occasionally it makes me lose my mental breath. and i really don't like when that ms. hyde of mine.

:: i have been sending birthday wishes and lots of thoughts to my younger brother. he's so creative and talented. now is his time.

:: are quite cold. the other day it was 3 degrees celsius in the morning and there's snow in the north. that's cold in these parts of the world.

:: i am eating comfort food all the time. warm and spicy. and drinking lots of chai.

:: the kitchen is full of lovely spices after i discovered this amazing little spice shop last week.

:: i am full of hope that the old man back home will stay on a healthy path and quit smoking (yes, i'm talking about you dad, if you're reading this ;)

:: i am waiting for the lemons to get really juicy on the trees in the garden so i can try makinge lemon curd for the first time.

:: it's raining most days. which is good for the garden and pretty much the whole region i live in. still, it's getting a bit too much if i may be a bit selfish for a moment... no?

:: i long for a good book that can get me all caught up. i seem to lose my patience with most books i begin reading these days.

:: the strawberries are a dream. seriously. there's a place close by where you can choose from four different sorts. we of course choose the sweetest of them all. and then they go pick them right there while you wait.

:: the news are bothering me more than usual. this part of the world is such a crazy place. why... how... on earth did i end up here?!

:: this blog is probably entering a phase of less regular posting, and blog reading in general will be less frequent.

:: i still dream about running that marathon in 2012.

at home

2012-01-20T19:33:00.000+02:00

it's weekend. we're all home. chicken and vegetables in the oven. tulips on the table.

in denmark my dad is home too after he was released from the hospital yesterday. he's fine, but still in treatment, and has been told to consider his eating, drinking, and smoking habits, and maybe add a bit of exercise to his daily routines. basically he needs give his heart first class treatment from now on, as it seems it was getting a bit tired of his ways.

i've been eating soup like crazy. cauliflower, spinach and pumpkin. my new thing is to add avocado or egg. i always tend to like pureed vegetable soups better with something dairy. like feta, cream cheese, parmesan or yoghurt. but now i discovered that a chopped avocado or an egg that i "poach" in the soup by the end gives the same kind of richness and flavor that i like. and since right now is avocado season and the markets are full of the loveliest avocados, there's no end in sight for this new favorite of mine.

sometimes i'm even lucky enough to find a newly fallen, ripe avocado when i pass through the nearby avocado orchard when i run. that's one of those times when i love to live right here, in the middle of farmland. especially when it's served on the pumpkin soup made from next door neighbor's pumpkin.

wishing you a lovely weekend.

likes and dislikes

2012-01-16T23:29:00.000+02:00

i like this egg cup which i bought for myself when i was in denmark for christmas. just one, for me.

i dislike folding laundry. i just folded so much laundry you won't believe it. washing and hanging it is ok. but folding, sorting and placing it.... the worst. the guestroom has functioned as a clean-laundry piling room for two weeks. it just got bigger and bigger and more and more impossible to deal with, and we've been pulling clothes from the pile in the morning. but not anymore. oh no. i beat the pile today. which i like

i dislike that my dad is still in the hospital, but i like that he's in good spirit and hopefully will be home again very soon.

feels like childhood

2012-01-16T11:30:00.000+02:00

there's something so familiar in the feel of this video. it makes me sentimental about childhood. which perfectly suits my mood. my dad is in the hospital, he's fine now and everything is - relatively - ok.

but still. i'm not sure how i feel about being here. far away and entering this part of life.

video found via the always inspiring little postcards

breaking of the vessels

2012-01-15T14:23:00.000+02:00

or shevirat hakelim. which is the title of the impressive anselm kiefer exhibition that was planned especially for the opening of the new building at the tel aviv museum.

we were guided through this as a part of our december tour at the museum. it was quite impressive, beautiful and highly recommended to see should life bring you anywhere near the tel aviv museum of art.

wishing you a wonderful week.

seriously

2012-01-12T23:04:00.000+02:00

how could i not just be madly in love with these guys?

i had one of those challenging days yesterday. where i ended up shouting and bitching a bit too much. because well, they can be a challenge sometimes on these cold, gray and rainy days.

today was better, and now they are sleeping tight. i went through my photos and then i fell over these from denmark. *sigh*. excuse me for now. i think i'll have to go and kiss my sleeping beauties.

it's that time

2012-01-11T15:18:00.003+02:00

it's strawberry season! oh, and these are the best i ever had. so sweet! if it wasn't for the polar kind of living room temperature we keep inside the house these days, it reminds me of danish summer. we have ever changing weather, rain, then sun, just like a danish summer. with fresh strawberries on the side.

gotta go! i still have a bunch of strawberries to finish.

random bits

2012-01-10T14:36:00.000+02:00

i just opened the windows to get some heat in. the house is so cold! yesterday and in the night was changing weather, occasional rain and a bit windy. and that we feel to our bones.

i went running and got myself to 18K today. had hoped for 20k, but the dirt roads were so muddy i had to jump and go off trail quite a lot and by the end i was so exhausted i started to be afraid to fall flat into the mud, in which case i'm not sure i would have been able to get up again. so i walked the last two kilometers. and now i need to figure out how to wash these trainers properly.

yesterday i got a drawing. this guy hates to draw. he'll pick up pen and a paper once in a blue moon. this one was created very reluctantly. he wanted to play on my iphone, but his evil mother demanded payment up front: first a drawing, then the iphone... muahaha. so he made me a family of flowers. *sigh*. what a girl's got to do to get flowers, eh?

the only right thing

2012-01-08T16:38:00.001+02:00

on a cold and windy day is soup. the left over from the cauliflower and leak soup with a few brussel sprouts and parmesan. at least if you ask me. the kids don't like soup. as in any soup. i cannot wrap my mind around that... how did that happen?

this soup was a spur-of-the-moment thing. cauliflower and the white part of the leak cooked with some water and tarragon leaves til it's all soft, then added the green parts of the leak and a bit of cream. taste with salt and pepper. and off course, you can add brussel sprouts if you're in to those like me.

it's almost as good as this one. and pretty perfect with this bread on the side.

happy sunday to you.

the beach, again

2012-01-07T20:25:00.001+02:00

it was a beautiful day and we went to the beach all of us wearing more or less pj-like outfits. always makes the world so much better. the beach that is, but a day in pj isn't so bad either :)

J was a leopard. he's got a thing with animals. always had. and he's really good at imitating their moves. he can run full speed like a little lion, or whatever it is he is that day.

tomorrow starts a new week. let's have a good one, shall we?

outside :: inside

2012-01-06T16:00:00.000+02:00

last night was stormy with thunder and rain. still this morning. i baked the bread and had some left-over cauliflower and leak soup for lunch. the sun came back and we went for a walk in the fields and the puddles with the boys. no ninjas on this little trip, but a spiderman and a batman. not sure what's up with the dressing up. maybe they are warming up to purim.

the sick ninja woke up from his fever sleep early evening yesterday and was all good. which was strange (high fever for 6 hours, then fresh as a fish, completely awake till we went to bed around 11pm), but awesome (well, because no sickness in the house is always awesome).

we've got two movies to choose between tonight. hangover II (yes, i really thought the first was funny. i'm that immature) and tree of life (which i'm really looking forward to - see i'm a little bit mature too).

i also asked our movie dealer for drive with ryan gosling and carey mulligan as well. that one i really look forward to see. the director is danish. in fact we went to high school together, but i can't brag that we were friends. i thought he was weird. well, he was. completely obsessed with horror and splatter movies. but i'm glad he turned his obsession into awesome film making.

one ninja down

2012-01-05T16:41:00.000+02:00

got a call from the kindergarten teacher. one of my ninjas went down with a fever. picked them all and put one to bed. he's still sleeping, not too hot, but he definitely needs to rest and be spoiled.

did i tell you how much i love that tiny bracelet from dear friend in denmark? well, i love it. and those japanese rice paper fish i bought in paris. love them too (and you might think they hang in one of the boys' room.... but no, they're mine).

we have weekend now. and i ran 12k, cleaned the house, worked a bit and got a new washing machine installed (meaning i'm now working my way through mount ever-laundry-rest that piled up while waiting for new machine to arrive). all before the ninja called in sick, so now i can feel good about just being there.

hope you got around to do what you planned for too

getting started

2012-01-04T03:20:00.000+02:00

i was about to write about starting a new year, plans, goals and all that. but then i just couldn't get my mind around it. truth is i feel a little exhausted emotionally. not sure why, cause i really didn't have anything special happening. it's just like i'm not ready to wrap my mind around it, to put my pen to the paper of that blank page that is a new year.

but still, i'm thinking about what i want to do this year. like running a marathon. still didn't make up my mind. my mind is full of things i might want to do, but i still need to make up my mind. which is to be honest always the case. it's just very up front right now, this beginning of the year.

i'm not much of a list maker. but i'm thinking i should make a list of things to get started on, figured out or changed. this year or whenever. they say if you put it down on paper you can stop worrying and move on. and that is what i need. to move right on and get started on twenty twelve.

something about food

2012-01-03T22:16:00.000+02:00

i had such an amazing seafood meal with an old friend back in copenhagen. it made me long for more so new years eve D and i made seafood dinner. it was good, but not as good as i had hoped it would be. i will definitely go back to that place when in denmark again.

today has been a strange day. after i went running i felt so tired and heavy. i couldn't take a nap, as i had a schedule and for some reason ended up with the house full of kids all afternoon. but i feel like i was in a bit of a daze, disconnected. and tired. without really getting anything done, except feeling hungry and eating crappy unhealthy snacks all the time to keep me going. so much for a new and healthy diet...

nothing to do but start all over again tomorrow. so, a good night from me to you.

like, right now

2012-01-03T11:30:00.000+02:00

i like the season. i like the colors, the gray tones mixed with colors of new beginnings. it's winter here, but here in the middle east it means colors of autumn that instantly mix with the green fresh tones of spring brought by the rain and the sun that is the middle eastern winter.

i like the beginning of the new, the freshness and the lightness of a new, blank page.

i like the quietness of home, the little moments in between when the i notice the light pouring through the windows.

i like the tastes and smell of the season, hot chai and already fading memories of last year.

------------------------------------------------

i'm thinking of things i wish to accomplish in the new year. dreaming of a marathon, a better diet to support this dream, more creativity and being in the moment. simplicity, coming to terms with certain things and follow up on what needs changing.

12:12

2012-01-01T15:21:00.001+02:00

1:12

2:12

3:12

4:12

5:12

6:12

7:12

8:12

9:12

10:12

11:12

12:12

one year, twelve months.

(inspired by isabelle and ida. thank you)

wishing you a good one

2011-12-31T19:24:00.000+02:00

the last night of the year. time to celebrate, look ahead, wonder and consider, maybe reconsider, try again, something new. whatever lies ahead of everyone of us, i hope it will be good and meaningful.

happy new year!

here, now

2011-12-26T21:10:00.000+02:00

tired and dizzy, mentally and physically. as exhausting it is i feel it makes sense. this removing ourselves, the traveling, returning. taking us from one place to another, from one home to another. it makes the difference between there and here.

tomorrow i will think clearly again. now i must sleep.

wrapping up

2011-12-25T21:27:00.000+02:00

kids running around as i write among all the stuff that i somehow have to fit into our suitcases. i always end up with som much more when i'm going home, but after christmas, it's just ridiculous. the amount of luggage that comes with travelling with three kids that were spoiled by our sweet family.

the good thing is that somehow it all always seem to end up inside those bags along with all the good memories. this time from ten days that flew by really fast but were full of so much good time with friends and family.

ok, deep breath, packing and travelling ahead.

holiday greetings

2011-12-24T02:20:00.001+02:00

it's wet and dark, but cozy and not too cold. we're eating too much (or at least i am) and feeling lazy (or at least i am).

tonight is little christmas eve and i have been wrapping gifts with my mother and had rice porridge as a late night snack.

merry christmas and happy hanukkah.

one year on the phone

2011-12-20T14:30:00.000+02:00

one year on my phone. i never really go through these photos, just shoot and forget. when i finally browse through them it's such a treat of random memories.

the new building

2011-12-19T01:00:00.000+02:00

just a quick hello to share a few of the building photos from our tour at the tel aviv museum. i really liked the new building.

-----------------------------------

we're in denmark, eating too much, seeing family and friends. it's good. today we went for the christmas tree. it was quite wet and the littlest of the boys had a breakdown from the cold and the rain. not exactly a dream trip, but we did get a tree home.

wishing you a very merry week.

myths on the table

2011-12-15T22:00:00.000+02:00

what a bit of play-doh and tape can't do... J is all into unicorns, dragons and pegasuses and is making creatures from his toys.

i wish i could say it's me introducing them to tales and myths, but really it's about beyblades doing that but hey, i can take a cue. so i've been checking up on my mythology to get my answers polished.

-------------------------------

we're off to denmark tomorrow. wishing you all a great weekend, and - in case i won't be back so soon - happy holidays.

december beach

2011-12-12T15:09:00.002+02:00

how i like the beach. blues and white. wind and waves. happiness and little things.

the museum presents itself

2011-12-11T20:00:00.000+02:00

we had a special tour with D's work at the new building of the tel aviv museum of art. and i was allowed to take photos, which they usually don't let you. yay!

first part of the tour was a permanent selection of modern israeli art, the museum presents itself. photos above are from here.

the new building was beautiful, simple and light. powerful, but without taking the attention from the art itself.

weekend blur

2011-12-10T17:29:00.001+02:00

weekend almost over. it's been pretty lazy.

did have a chanukkah party in the kindergarten, family dinner and a trip to the beach, though. we even treated the kids to a macdonald's meal. that's how lazy we were - scoring easy, junk food points with the kids.

they tried it the first time a couple of months back. they only like fries and milk shakes, but all three agree that it's the best restaurant in the world?! seriously, where did we go wrong....?

a new week starts tomorrow here at my spot. wishing you a good one.

randomly for the weekend

2011-12-09T23:00:00.000+02:00

i have been eating so much spinach lately you wouldn't believe it. i think my face might turn green soon. if not from the spinach then because of envy of all those women out there who can make be fat braids. i just will never be able to do that with my scandinavian, fine hair (big sigh). i can only dream - and draw.

that fish-like thing up there was in the aquarium in copenhagen. i wish i had filmed it. i don't think you get to say cute about a fish that often, but this really was the cutest thing ever (i am now wondering if it's considered a fish at all?) it went up and down oh-so gracefully like a little ballet dancer. then i would have watched that little film clip now.

we got a new car this week. a volvo. but until i started this post i didn't even think of taking a photo of that car. cars are just not that interesting, are they? but for some irrational reason i feel good about it being scandinavian.

i would, though, take a photo if that lamp up there was mine. but it's not. it's hanging in my brother and his girl friend's apartment in the building where i used to live. i guess i took the photo anyway :)

and by the way, the spinach i'm eating these days is just a simple soup kinda thing. I defrost some spinach leaves, fry a bit of finely chopped onion, add some water, the spinach leaves. add some salt, then a bit of cream, and finally some nutmeg. sometimes i add a bit of feta on top or parmesan, but mostly just super simple and so tasty. (can you eat too much spinach?)

have a nice weekend.

weekend coming up

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000+02:00

it was raining yesterday. stayed indoor most of the day except for a few errands and a 6k run before the rain started. picked the kids up and had hot chocolate and baked chocolate chip cookies. also had a few bumps on the road with them.

i can't seem to figure out if i'm extra sensitive or if it really is them testing me lately. there's a lot of going to the limit. and then beyond. in a different, new way. they get older. the giggling and making faces, it can really get on my nerve. i probably need to work on that as i can imagine i will see more of that as they get older. or then again, maybe it's just a phase.

started a new book, a real book, for bedtime story. astrid lindgren's brothers lionheart. it's the first time we try out an actual book, and to be honest i have my doubts. i'm not sure they were ready. the first chapter with the young kid talking about being sick and dying, and then the older brother dying... they constantly interrupted to ask about this whole death thing. which i guess is ok. we'll see how it goes.

december so far

2011-12-07T21:46:00.001+02:00

we're getting there. a bit of christmas toys and some christmas jingles from the computer games. so far no sick days. but i must admit that as much as i dislike sickness in the house it was kind of cozy to have them home one after the other last week. isn't he just the cutest as he's lying there with a fever, the poor thing?

i went on a special tour at the new building of the tel aviv museum the other day. liked it a lot. i must get the photos sorted so i can show you some of the good stuff.

where's the spirit?

2011-12-05T15:00:00.000+02:00

i cannot seem to find my christmas vibe. and i know the middle eastern weather is partly to blame, but last year i had breakfast in the garden with the advent candle burning, and i felt more in the spirit than i do now. it's just too soon. i'm still hanging on to this feeling of fall and rain and soup. ok, it's not rain these days, but it's cold enough to call soup weather.

i digged out the christmas box. we have a few things, little elfs, felted hearts, som angel candle holders. i was surprised - in the good way - to see how the boys immediately remembered and got excited. even here, so far from christmas and everything that has to do with it, i can give them something of mine. something that we share and treasure. mixed up with all the chanukkah that is also happening right now. it's all good.

anyway, i emptied the box but i'm still looking for the christmas spirit. could be i left it in denmark last year. we'll see when i get there.

happy week to you.

the last of paris

2011-12-04T18:30:00.000+02:00

happy advent to you :)

just because

2011-12-02T17:50:00.000+02:00

it is good to know that we will be spending the holidays in denmark. a quite different denmark than the above, i hope, but even without the snow i'm sure it will be good to be home.

it's weekend, we're lazy, the house is super clean, a bouquet of flowers on the dining table. steaks waiting in the fridge for dinner, baked a no-knead bread in the morning.

happy weekend to you. and if you have a cold house like me, this might heat you up a bit. or not.... :)

here with me

2011-11-30T14:00:00.000+02:00

they have been taking turns with the fever. the other day all three at home, then as i thought they were good, one woke with a new round of fever. then today the last of them, the one that wasn't really sick, but nevertheless stayed home as his brothers recovered. well, now he is sick. even worse than the others (did that make any sense at all?)

i cannot tell you how thankful i am that i am again working from home. that i don't have to juggle with the various feelings of guilt that comes with sickdays at home. this is truly everyday-life luxury. the fact that my biggest regret from these days of sickness is not having had the chance to go for a run, says it all, how lucky i really am.

so he's here with me today, at home. he is sleeping close to me on the couch, i can hear his heavy breathing, and i am here everythime he wakes up and needs to be comforted.

as much as i don't like him to be sick, to be tied to this house for days, i feel grateful that i can be here today.

keeping it cool

2011-11-28T23:00:00.000+02:00

it's so cold. i know, nothing like snow and frost, but the houses around here are not build for 12 degrees. at all. they are build to stay cold in the long, humid summers. and they sure keep cold.

people look at me with surprise when i say it's just too cold. as in how can a scandinavian woman complain about freezing. but the thing is, back home the houses are warm and cozy when it's cold. it's cold outside, not inside. here it's like living in a fridge. seriously. during the day when the sun is shining, it's warm outside, but go inside and after an hour you feel like putting gloves on. as i said, the houses here stay cold, and they do it well!

the other day after the rain the kids ran around barefeet in the mud (and looking back i realize that might be the reason why the kids got a bit sick).

they were all good today, but the two that had had fever yesterday got an extra day at home. and the third guy was just too offended about being the only one off to kindergarten, that i let him stay home too. i think it was around 10:43am i realized they should all have gone today, at least half the day. way too much energy and restlesness going on while i was trying to get some work done. at least my temper got a bit heated once in a while today.

i really like this.

loving right now

2011-11-27T14:00:00.000+02:00

the light, taste and smell of fall. golden colors, pumpkin soup, long afternoon shadows, pecan pie, the fresh air, the oranges, clementines and lemons.

love less that two out of three boys are sick with running noses and a bit of fever. but i guess it's a package deal. and fortunately they are well enough to play and cozy up on the couch with books and movies.

hope you're loving something good too.

weekend treat

2011-11-26T09:21:00.001+02:00

the shrine / an argument from sean pecknold on vimeo. enjoy!

a fish tale

2011-11-25T13:00:00.000+02:00

we stopped in the middle of the fish cleaning to let the kids marvel at the content of the cod's stomach, crabs and all. and then i stopped to marvel at this bloody mess. fascinating and gross at the same time.

it's becoming a tradition that D goes cod fishing when we're in denmark. filling our stomachs - and my parents freezer - with fresh fish.

paris gold

2011-11-24T10:00:00.000+02:00

the paris photos continue. i didn't feel as if i took that many photos, but i guess i did :)
you'll find the other paris photo posts here and here.

paris thoughts

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000+02:00

our last three days in paris were sunny. i spent some time on the second day on my own walking around without a plan while husband met up with a friend to play tennis (yes, i know?! tennis, in paris... but why? i have no idea).

it was great. back in the days when i studied literature i spent a fall semester in paris. i've visited since, but this time it was fall again. the same light, the same colors. beside the fact that it brings back memories, i love how a certain place, smell, music can change your mindset. for a moment. or more. it's like your thoughts on life, presence, are mixing with something that was, making things here and now seem the same, but something feels different.

i'm not making sense, right? guess i'm not sure what i'm trying to say. i did buy a cloud, thoug. nothing makes a blue sky brighter than a little white cloud.

and happy b-day, big brother

sweet orange

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000+02:00

we're enjoying clementines these days. some freshly peeled, but mostly we make juice. they are good this year, very juicy. this friday D collected a couple of buckets and made 6 liter (in the meantime, i was having brunch and shopping with my parents. mostly my mom. my dad and shopping shouldn't even be in the same sentence). anyway, 48 hours later it was all gone.

paris glimpses

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000+02:00

top photo from first night in paris, dinner at anahi on rue volta, an old butcher's shop made in to south amrican restaurant. that is, a meat restaurant. loved the place, the athmosphere.

the following day was foggy. loved how the eiffel tower just disappeared into the clouds that day.

more to come...

outside :: inside

2011-11-19T21:30:00.000+02:00

two of the best things right now: the wild flowers in the fields that reminds me of something back home and the pecans falling from the tree.

i hope you're enjoying favorite things too.

people and places

2011-11-18T07:00:00.000+02:00

i was planning to post some photos from paris, but i didn't get them sorted yet. which reminded me that i never really posted that many photos from this summer in denmark. so here we go. while waiting for paris some random shots of the people we love to see and spend time with when visiting denmark. i believe there are more to come.

have a wonderful weekend.

on a rainy day

2011-11-16T00:30:00.000+02:00

it's raining heavy today. a perfect day to sit indoor catching dreams and pulling strings. instead i'm going to work. which is ok too. i like to go to tel aviv.

rain or shine - i hope you're doing something you like too.

top three

2011-11-14T12:50:00.000+02:00

i'm forty now. it feels the same, but that doesn't stop me from thinking about time that passed. my top three of favorite things that happened in the last decade is right up there, Noam, Daniel and Jonathan. no particular order. or rather no order at all. three times number 1s of awesome little souls.

paris was great. loved it. and we were so lucky with the wather. sunny and beautiful fall colors all around. returned home this morning and the rain has been pouring down most of the day. a great excuse to just stay indoors in comfy clothes and drink tea. perfect.

4 days for 40 years

2011-11-09T11:19:00.002+02:00

november came and she brought colder weather and last week even rain and thunder. now the un is out again, but the season has changed. the nights are cold, the air dry and crisp. we even pulled out the heavy winter duvets.

the other day i picked the kids from kindergarten in heavy rain and we walked home. i was without a car, so it wasn't out of choice, but i decided to make it fun and so i didn't even try to make it home with dry kids. we walked through the dirt roads, all muddy and full of puddles. i don't think we missed one as they jumped (and fell) into every single one. when we came back we were all soaking wet, but laughing. and we were treated with hot cocoa and pancakes by my mother who is visiting.

the desktop up there is the october treat from geninne. and of course november is ready now, beautiful as always. i have it already. november is my month, the month i was born.

today my dad will arrive and tomorrow i'm off with the husband, leaving the kids behind to be terribly spoiled by their grandparents.

we'll leave for 4 days and i'll turn 40 in paris.

holding on to october

2011-10-28T10:38:00.000+02:00

it's october. i like this month here. the cooling down, the afternoon light.

the twins celebrated their sixth birthday yesterday. the day before my mom had arrived from denmark, so they had the day off.

times is flying these days, seriously. i don't get around to do half of what i plan.

did i tell you i started running? well, i did. i ran in the spring, and started to be serious while in denmark this summer. it's the first time in my life i'm really getting hooked on doing sports.

wishing you a great late october weekend.

kisses in jerusalem

2011-10-21T13:29:00.001+02:00

neshikot - kisses - from the jerusalem market back in august. i don't really like them, but they do look pretty.

we're on the last days of our vacation. there's fall in the air. middle eastern fall. meaning we're pulling out the long sleeves for the evening. i don't mind this change. it feels good.

happy weekend.

we'll be here

2011-10-13T09:54:00.000+02:00

it's succot vacation and we're off for the beach. tent, food and towels are packed. i suspect lot of jumping and tent full of sand. sounds good, no?

enjoy the rest of your week, succot celebrations or not.

oh so quiet

2011-10-08T17:04:00.001+02:00

yom kippur is almost over. it's been quiet as always.

in tel aviv yom kippur is magical, the streets filled with people, bikes, talking laughter. there's no music, no traffic, no sounds of modern world. only people. here in the countryside there's not much difference from any other holiday. but then again. even here there's always the sound of a car, traffic, bits of sign from a car radio, a television through an open window. but not today. it's really just oh so quiet.

wishing you a wonderful new week.

after the zoo

2011-10-06T00:01:00.001+02:00

at the end of a long day in the jerusalem zoo with the sweetest aunt. hanging, hiding and cooling off with "artik".

last time i was in the jerusalem zoo was when little D was only a couple of months old and the older boys not even two. i remember being tired from running after the twins, trying to get them interested in the animals when they'd much rather just run or climb around.

with that in mind i felt a bit sorry for all of us new parents that are trying so hard to get out and about with the little ones, giving them great experiences and adventures. really, most of the time a not-even-two year old just wants a playground, a stroll, a park, beach or maybe - and really simple - home. i know they learn and experience when we take them to museums and zoos and all the other things, but really, it is just so much better to do these kind of things with children that are a bit older and participate, ask questions, have opinions, and really remembers.

moens klint

2011-10-01T15:43:00.002+03:00

it had been years since my last visit to moens klint. i've been wanting to go for the last few years when visiting denmark, but just never seemed to get around to make the two hour drive down south from copenhagen.

this summer D and i finally went. just the two of us, leaving the boys back home with my family. it was awesome! and the weather was sun and rain, gray sky, dark clouds changing to blue sky and brightness every moment. and i like that.

------------------------------

we celebrated rosh hashana, the jewish new year, a couple of days ago. i hope this year will bring some goodness to this part of the world, but i'm honestly not so sure it will happen anytime soon. which is so sad. i truly wish that a miracle will happen and two states will live side by side in peace. if i could decide palestine would be declared a state today. not that it would do anything about all the challenges on the ground, but at least in theory we'd be moving somewhere.

happy new year.

shades of gray

2011-09-15T22:10:00.004+03:00

did i tell you that it rained a lot in denmark. yes? ok, well, but it really did rain. a lot. in fact i'd say grey was a bit of a theme this summer in denmark. but grey can be pretty. i like grey.

--------------------------

funny thing, that grey sky and heavy clouds makes a of green. i am always surprised at the lush greens in denmark. the parks, gardens, fields, forests. we have a few months here in israel, by the end of winter, around march and april, sometimes even into may, where it seems green here. but that's only because the last month of summer and fall is so dry, so dusty and the surface of the earth so burned, that it seems like magic when the world gets colorful again after only a few months of cooler weather and rainy days.

when i get home to denmark i remember what green really is. because it's all around and in all shades. even august, or maybe especially in august, if the summer has been so generous on water as this summer was.

....right now, this second the cats we have outdoors just interrupted me. too much excitement on the terrace. turns out they were playing with a mouse. why do they have to do that? i get that they have to go for the mice. that's what cats do. fine. but the playing around first, sitting watching the mouse, then pushing it with a paw to make it move, only to catch it, then let it go again. just eat and move on. no?

and now we're at the wild outdoors that is my garden: for the last couple of days we've had a tiny porcupine showing up. i'm not a specialist, but i'd say it's a baby and it's close to being the cutest thing ever. we fed him snails this evening (sorry snail lovers, he seemed really hungry and he asked for snails).

by the way, we still only have one chick in the coop. still waiting, impatiently, for her (she's got to be a her!) to get some sisters to play with.

wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

days in denmark

2011-09-08T14:53:00.001+03:00

look at that sweater! and the rain clothes! hard to imagine now when we're back and the heat is on. as in really hot.

i'm getting cold feet re the dog. not sure if we're really ready for it. the boys have been busy getting back in to every day life and didn't talk about it either.

we do have a tiny chick in the coop, though. so cute, so sweet. crossing our fingers that we'll soon have more (honestly, we deserve it! the rooster out there wakes some of us - me! - up at 4 or 5 in the morning. i need at least 6 chicks to melt my heart enough to forgive him).

wishing you a wonderful weekend. here it's soon getting started.

a dog or not a dog?

2011-09-02T16:21:00.003+03:00

back in may my family was here for ten days. that is, my parents and older brother with his wife and daughters. younger brother and girlfriend had exams so we missed out on their company. still, it was absolutely lovely. one of the days we went to a nearby kibbutz where there are different animals for the kids to pet. it's a beautiful little place.

this summer in denmark we met the new little dog of my nieces. his name is alvin and he is adorable (for some reason i don't have any photos of him, and any way i didn't get around to go through my photos from denmark).

now our boys started talking about a dog. and i think i'm quite against it. i think they are too young and it's too much work and responsibility. if we'd had one from before they were born, but that would have been a different story.

on the other hand, having a dog does appeal to me. we have perfect surroundings for it, living here in the countryside. and i must admit that after the break ins we had in the spring, it makes me wonder if a dog would make us feel a bit safer.

what do you think?

back home

2011-08-30T09:37:00.002+03:00

back from denmark, slowly defrosting. so much rain there this summer, so the change of weather is great. we had a wonderful time though. saw and experienced a lot. friends, family, food, places and moments.

still enjoying some time of with the kids before they start kindergarten. today we'll be going to jerusalem.

hope you've enjoyed your summer too.

summer in denmark

2011-07-31T23:39:00.001+03:00

well, this seems to capture our days pretty well. ok, we're not really walking around in yellow fields now as we are in surburbian copenhagen.but doesn't it just say vacation and sweet nordic summer, with heavy clouds and sun? constantly changing. right behind this field is the blue ocean.

today we were sitting in the garden. it was hot and humid. suddenly the rain started, heavy drops and almost tropical. we ran in, the kids ran out in bathing suits.

how's your summer?

on the move

2011-07-28T17:29:00.003+03:00

monday D will arrive. for now it's just me and the boys. they've been good travel companions (most of the time) - on the flight, on the boat of friends and on the tiny ferry that took us and the car from roervig to hundested as we were visiting friends in the north of zealand.

this is not what i see

2011-07-24T10:57:00.003+03:00

as in no beach, kids in swim wear or sunsets. no sun at all, in fact. it's pretty much been raining gently - and less gently - ever since we arrived wednesday. for now it's ok. a welcome change from the midle eastern heat and humidity. and i have been seeing family and friends, so no complaints.

hope you're enjoying your summer, rain or sun, warm or cold.

-----------------------------

what happened in oslo is so sad. it will never make sense. i don't know what to say, but i'm sorry. for everyone.

they are back

2011-07-19T10:18:00.003+03:00

tough 'n tattooed. just like the weight-lifting smurf.

for some reason the smurfs are back. weird how these marketing people manage to find their way into our lives. suddenly you realize that your kids know the smurfs. i thought they died out back in the 80s. apparently a new movie is soon out and the kids pick up on this stuff.

i'm packing. or, rather, i should be packing. tomorrow we're off. my mom still has a big box of my smurf gear from back in the days. then i get to feel we beat that big ol' material world just a tiny bit: see we'll be recycling my old toys and - try to - stay away from all your new merchandized smurf stuff.

thanks for the welcome backs comments. it's good to be here again.

it's been a while

2011-07-17T08:24:00.000+03:00

i think i'm back. the back-to-work adventure came to an end last month. we simply couldn't handle it as a family. even if everything was arranged, with afternoon nanny a couple of times a week, helpful grandparents and a wonderful woman to clean the house for us. maybe we just didn't try it long enough, maybe we would have gotten used to it. but after four month of coming home late afternoon or early evenings and rushing through the end-of-day routines with three kids, hungry for attention and craving to be seen, we had enough. all of us, really.

so for the past three weeks i've been making up. giving the kids days off, one at a time. to have some alone time with each. and short days in the kindergarten to all. in three days we'll be going to denmark for the summer. where the rumors say the weather is nasty cold and rainy. which means we've been working on an overdose of sun, beach and heat. the heat doesn't take much of an effort, though. it's here, 24/7, sticking to us with air humidity in the 70 plus percentages. luckily we have the pool in the moshav and the beach.

happy easter - hag pesach sameach

2011-04-23T13:16:00.002+03:00

wishing you all a very happy easter and pesach.

we're enjoying the time off, at home, in the garden, with friends, family and each other.

xo

we're good

2011-04-17T21:01:00.000+03:00

a while back i went for a walk with N. in the spring green. it's still green, but summer hit us yesterday. i'm head over heels happy about that. i didn't realize how much i missed the heat until it - literally - hit me in the face.

these photos are the last i uploaded to the internet before the camera got stolen. and thank you for all your lovely comments to my last post after the break in. i appreciate everyone's concern and support. it was awful, and we're no longer leaving the windows unlocked at night. but otherwise i'm ok with it now. bad things happen, but we move on.

and since my lovely husband brought me a new camera the other day, i am once again equipped to take photos. i am happy, though, that i got to keep the one above of my boy. he gave me a flower and placed it behind my ear. then he wanted one too and asked me if i thought he looked like a girl now. i said he looked absolute cute, boy or girl, with or without strawbeey juice down his chin :)

yesterday we were at the beach, kids in the water, me definitely not ready to go in, but excited to start the summer. on the way to the car i said "so, that's it. from now on we'll go to the beach most weekends", and D said "hey, that's not the worst place to spent the weekends". i couldn't agree more.

tomorrow is pesach, it's 30 degrees celcius at 9pm, and i'm having a cold beer as i write. yup, we're good.
hag pesach sameach - happy easter

inside :: outside

2011-04-07T07:39:00.035+03:00

little details. in the living room and in the garden.

the title of today's inside :: outside post gets another layer of meaning this time. someone broke into our house the other night. i woke up at six with the littlest, sat on the couch and looked at the open window. wondered who'd left it open without the net (we need nets here to keep out mosquitos, flies, snakes, mice, rats, cats...you name it, this is farm land). anyway, it took my numb morning brain a few seconds before i instinctively looked towards the laptop usually placed on a small table by the wall, the shelf where i'd left the camera the night before and the bag with my work laptop by the door. all gone.

the person came in while we were sleeping. the windows weren't locked in the living room. which i never really bothered much about, because, well, i just felt safe.

the morning it happened i had mixed feelings. i was sad since i lost a lot of photos, as in most of those taken ince october. they were on the laptop and i'd been too lazy to save them on our desktop or the external hard drive. what i have is what i have here, on flickr and on facebook. i sent a few to my brother and D, but that's about it. those up there is from a few days before, and i'd already uploaded them to the blog.

the other feeling was relief. that they didn't take more, that they didn't take our bags, iphones, go through our stuff, enter the guest room where my mom was sleeping and take some other cameras, her laptop, passports, take... i don't know, that little jewlery i have, old silver ware, nothing too valuable, but impossible to replace for me. it seemed like a quick break in and out.

then later i started to freak. the feeling that you're not safe in your house. that we were lucky. what if someone had woken up. me, my mom...the kids. maybe that was the case. maybe they didn't take more because they heard little D calling like i did around 3, where i went to get him water. maybe they heard when J came to our bed around 5. maybe they were interrupted in the darkness when my mom went to the bathroom. D wasn't even home that night. just me, my mom and the children.

someone was in the house while we were there. what if it had been someone that panicked when i half asleep walked to my child's room? what if it had been someone full of hatred, ready to hurt, capable of violence? this country has more than its fair share of hate and violence.

i went through the house the following evening with my mom. made sure everything was locked. and hated the fact that i will now worry about this. which i probably should have worried about before, but hey, at least i got a few years feeling that i could go to bed without locking my doors or windows. that's more than most. and i will continue to lock the house in the night, but i hope that sooner or later i will no longer glance into the dark corners when i'm going to get one of the kids a glass of water in the night. or just quickly look over the living room when i get up in the morning to see if anything is missing or broken.

Luckily the kids never really got to understand what had happened, and luckily we didn't lose much, nor had our house turned upside down. the worst part about what happened is all those "what ifs". which i guess is lucky too.

---------------------------------------------

on another nicer and happier note, thank you so much to those of you who still find their way in here, even if i have not been commenting anywhere myself. i'm visiting blogs now and then, but time has been limited. so thank you, i really appreciate that.

wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

march

2011-04-03T07:24:00.002+03:00

march was a beautiful month. lots of rain, flowers, green and spring feel. where you leave with sweaters and coats int he cold mornings and walk around in t-shirt and bare feet by noon. one days dark and rainy, the next filled with sunshine and warm wind.

it was a month of change, and here, in our house there were big changes too. i returned to work, full time. leaving the house every morning like everyone else.

we have had my parents here to help in the transition. also because this month is D's nightmare, the end of the financial year, and a month of non-stop work into the early morning hours for him. awful. i found a wonderful young woman who picks up the kids twice a week. when they greet me in the evening they are exhausted, dirty and excited from adventures around the village, with or without there friends. she's energetic and loves the outdoors. how perfect is that!

and hey, we have a cleaner too. she's worked with our neighbors for years and has agreed to come and help us out too. so, as you can understand, it's different around here. some of the differences are good, and some are less good.

we are still adjusting, and so, when people ask how it is, i say i don't know. not yet. so far it's been ok, but let's see when things settle in.

the photos above are from a few weeks back. on a sunny day, after a few days of heavy spring rain. they just about sum up the weather in this month of march :)

wishing you a wonderful april.

funny face

2011-04-01T19:23:00.001+03:00

my mom is still here. i don't know how we'd how managed this first month of work without first my dad, then her in the house. march is also the last month of the financial year, and as in previous years, D has been working insane this month. for the last two weeks his been working most hours of the days, only sleeping 3-4 hours a night.

the photo above is from my mom's last visit. we'd just been eating pumpkin pie, and i was playing with the camera to take a photo. see how she's just about to burst into laughter? she's waiting for me to notice how she placed the fox with the plate and the spoon. just too funny, and cute too.

hope you're enjoying your weekend. we had summer today. really hot. 2 out of three kids went into the water at the beach today, the rest of us just melted. love it.

beach bird

2011-03-19T08:42:00.000+02:00

just a quick hello. still here. went to the beach last week on one of those spring days. started out with boots and fleece, and ended up in t-shirts and bare feet. the kids took it one step further and ended up all naked. wanted to swim, but only got to the knees.the water is still really cold.

work is good too. getting into it, but i still have my parents here to make the week days run smoothly. we had purim, so the kids have been dressed up all week. superheroes are in around here. superman, batman and the absolute favorite, spiderman. with a bit of ben10 too. i must admit i wasn't even trying to sell any wonderful creative ideas for outfits as it suited me just fine to buy a synthetic, ready-made costume in the shop this year. creativity is very limited around here these days and i have decided to be cool about it. it will return, but now is not the time.

wishing you a beautiful week.

in the air

2011-03-08T23:58:00.001+02:00

it's blooming. flowers appearing, sweet smell in the air. our orange trees are covered in white dots greeting me in the evening with their sweet smell. for some reason the smell is stronger in the evening. and these rotem flowers, tiny and plentyful on bushes spread out through the landscape i watch while riding the train in the morning, adding sweetness to all the green, to the beginning of my day, that is now so different than before.

the beginning of our new family life has begun. i started working, but so far it's ok, as we have lined up support (my parents are visiting this month) for an easy transition for everyone. and i think, it will be fine. i have, though, cut down on many other activities for the time being, including blogging - posting as well as commenting and visiting. i am not sure when i will be able return to regular blogging habits, but i guess time will show. until then ... xoxo

still after silence

2011-02-23T22:27:00.001+02:00

i have been silent for a while. time flies. weather constantly changing. this is what is happening.

:: i'm starting work next week. big changes coming up.

:: one change is that we hired a lovely lady to clean our house every week. she started yesterday, and since i'm not working yet it was kind of strange to have someone else go nuts with the soap in my dirty kitchen drawers (yup, she went through everything) while i ran errands. ok, honestly, it was strange, but mostly it was awesome to return home.

:: especially because i've been sorting everything in the past few weeks. our clothes, toys and kitchen ware, and washed every pillow case, throw, blanket and basically everything that could fit into the washing machine. this house is so organized and clean you almost feel you should be whispering not to disturb it. luckily my boys will make it feel like home before i can whisper 'take your muddy shoes off before you come in'.

:: plus i had my last exam of the semester. thought i better finish what i could, since i spent an intense semester (and money) studying for an english teaching degree. before i decided to drop out, because, really, i'm not going to be a teacher (for a whole lot of reasons that i will spare you).

:: but all that time i didn't spent blogging and commenting was not only used sorting and organizing. i've watched movies too, and finally got around to check out the 'mad men'. and watched 'the kids are all right' the other day. which i loved (even if i did feel terribly sad for mark ruffalo's character. i know i'm not objective here, since i have a celebrity crush on this guy, but still, does he really deserve them to be so hard on him...?)

:: also, i didn't photograph much lately, but those i did take seem to show very well where i'm at right now. taking in the quiet days at home, in the still, before the boys get home. it'll be different now. i hope we'll like it. but at least it will be a lot cleaner :)

hope you're enjoying your week.

ps: aren't the new chicks adorable?

looking far

2011-02-13T14:27:00.001+02:00

spring days make everything look brigther. spring days just are that much brigther. it was a good weekend. getting our hands dirty, walking, resting, painting, playing, looking far ahead, noticing the green, the little things.

we bought some new little chicks. tiny ones and at the moment living in a one of these boxes on the porch under a warming lamp. they are so cute you cannot believe it.

days

2011-02-07T09:13:00.000+02:00

time is passing fast, and yet, it feels like i'm stuck somewhere in between. it's one of those days. it's been for a while. what can i say.

we've been through a lot of sickness. from one to the next, nothing serious, but not really letting go. it makes me feel tired and out of sync. i just hung the laundry and then it started raining. it's been raining a lot. everything is green and lush, a fresh start. i'd like that.

natural changes

2011-01-24T19:33:00.001+02:00

i like the winter right now. i know we need more rain, but i like these bright days, blue sky and nice warm days. and i like that it's chilly at night, making the mornings clear and beautiful. the nature right now is a perfect mix of what's left from the summer, the new green and the first flowers, and the light. oh that long, soft afternoon light.

i am probably going back to work. i am not really fit for this freelance work. maybe because of lack of motivation, or maybe it's work discipline i'm lacking. could be both, now i think about it. usually they go together. i miss an evening being an evening and a weekend being a weekend. not always having some unfinished work project breathing down my neck.

it will be hard and it will mean changes. it scares me, and at the same time i think it might be good for us with some leveling out. meaning sharing the parenting and the money making. i hope it will be good for the kids too, but i cannot help but thinking they might end up being the losers in this deal. i hope not. whatever way it's done, change or not, there's always compromising. we'll see. first i need a contract, i guess. but if it's not this job, then it will be the next. i will be going back to work.

the beautiful blues

2011-01-20T21:25:00.002+02:00

my mom left yesterday. it's always sad to say good bye, i like having her here. but she'll be back.

i have a stronger than usual crush on my boys. as much as i love them there are periods where they can be a challenge. i mean, i had three children in less than two years, so i've had my fair share of crying, sickness and not feeling good enough. i still have that occasionally, but somehow it seems like something has happened in the last few month.

maybe it's awareness, maybe it's just rythm, maybe it's how it is when they mature, grow older. not sure, but it feels good. i find myself watching them and my heart is melting. i know they are not perfect, but they are.

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today is tu b'schwat, the new year celebration of the trees. isn't that just a perfect thing to celebrate? the children have planted flowers and trees with their kindergartens this week.

so here's to a happy and fruitful new year, to the trees and to us.

inside : : outside

2011-01-17T11:22:00.001+02:00

i love how a seasonal flower brings beauty and the memory of last year. isn't that what makes something good, when form and content go hand in hand and intertwines to something more.

we're going through some mild sickness, that is anyway strong enough to leave me exhausted. today all kids are off to kindergarten and i'm catching up. i still love this weather, though. there's something really good about winter this year. well, this kind of middle eastern winter, anyway. definitely not ready for warmer days just yet. i will be, but not now.

and i love how the dried out flowers from the summer are standing string in the fields, soon they'll disappear in the lush green that is spring around here. but still they have the chance to show off their simple, quiet beauty.

fighting waves

2011-01-15T22:01:00.000+02:00

las weekend we went to the beach. it was a beautiful day with fresh air and white waves. and the little one brought his sword that we'd made that same morning out of cardboard and red tape.

he said he was fighting the waves. i'm not sure he realized the magnitude of his opponent, but anyway, he won, so not to worry.

wishing you a wonderful new week. and remember - there's nothing that cannot be won with a red cardboard sword.

winter like this

2011-01-12T21:50:00.002+02:00

it's time for sparkling morning dew and colors of fall, the light is a treat and the food a feast. partly because my mom is here and is making good stuff. like lasagna and cauliflower souffle.

see that third photo? i bought a second-hand knitted wool poncho i denmark (you can just about catch a glimpse of it) and i've been living in it ever since. i have another all black, but it doesn't have wholes in the side for the arms, making it cozy, but not very practical. well, this one has, and it's now my official winter uniform. how can you not just love to walk around like you're wrapped-up in a woolen blanket?

and i must admit, as much as i enjoyed the snow and the frosty winter in denmark, i like a winter like this. the air is clear and the light is bright, and you only have to throw a poncho on to go outside.

good things

2011-01-10T11:26:00.002+02:00

strawberry season. winter. it still gets me happily confused. like kiwis in december, tomatoes in the spring, and the sweet smell of apple trees blooming in the fall.

we are only a few weeks away from our first potato batch of the year. the pecans are still to be found, and the avocados are also in season now. i found some on the ground in one of the avocado groves around the village (and i figured it was ok i took them home). and we're still enjoying eating our olives too. sweet. not to mention the pumpkin treats.

whatever the season, rain or shine, are there good things happening around you right now?

happy week to ya'll

inside :: outside

2011-01-07T21:59:00.000+02:00

those pumpkins are huge. we got a few from the neighbor and passed around to family. my mom is here and she made some amazing pumpkin-ginger jam and marinated sweet pumpkin.

i took the last bit, baked it and made puree for a nutmeg, clove and cinnamon spiced pumpkin pie. i've never made pumpkin pie, but it's a favorite. i mean, how can anyone not love something smooth and creamy with those spices inside?

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last year i started a 365 - a photo a day project - on flickr. i made it to 150 before i finally gave up. too much pressure. this year i am trying a 52 - a photo a week - instead. because i like the idea of a photographic diary. hopefully this is a challenge that will be easier for me to succeed in.

sculls and magic

2011-01-07T00:19:00.000+02:00

our last day in denmark. and yes, it took me a good while to post these. i'm afraid i cannot keep track of my own life these days, not to mention document it here or on flickr.

i love this museum - zoologisk museum. it's perfect for kids: they can run on their own without getting lost due to great floor layout, and everything they can touch, they're allowed to touch. there are amazing things to see for all ages, and well, i just love myself a good scull. luckily, the kids do too.

we went there with my cousin on december 26. needles to say we had it pretty much to ourselves on. so one of the staff pulled out the weirdest deep-sea creatures for us to have a closer look at.

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it's been raining the last few days, and this morning there was the most wonderful rainbow stretching over the fields. we could see it from one end to the other. it was amazing. i told the kids it was a sign that this day would be magic. and i told myself that sometimes you just need a rainbow to remember that.

wishing you a magic weekend.

early morning ice flowers

2010-12-29T18:14:00.001+02:00

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

2010-12-23T22:48:00.000+02:00

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

2010-12-22T00:48:00.000+02:00

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?

2010-12-19T10:00:00.001+02:00

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

2010-12-16T22:36:00.005+02:00

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

2010-12-15T11:04:00.002+02:00

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

2010-12-10T15:26:00.001+02:00

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

2010-12-06T21:56:00.001+02:00

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

2010-12-02T18:43:00.002+02:00

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

neve tsedek :: yaffo

2010-11-28T21:53:00.000+02:00

the day my friend left we went to neve tsedek for brunch. that's me right up there. i'm all over the place with portraits of moi these days, but this one i really liked. my friend took it and i love that you see her reflected in the glasses. and i love the sunflares and how the direct sunlight makes everything on the left side all soft. and it was a good meal too :)

then we strolled to yaffo for the fleamarket before i took her to the airport. in yaffo i found some really cheap type setter trays, and so i bought one as a birthday gift and another for myself. i found them in a shop with old wooden stuff all over the place. pretty much my idea of heaven.

and then there was this other shop. new stuff, made of discarded industrial wood. awesome stuff. like this plate shelf. the plates was instant love too. the texts are in hebrew and says "with love", "feel at home", bon appetit" etc.

it's still summer around here. but the nights are getting quite cold, so i've been digging for the woolen stuff. finally.

wishing you a beautiful first advent and a wonderful week.