The "New Me"

Can you see what's new? 

The glasses are my new distance glasses.  I just got them yesterday. Just about a month ago, when I went to watch my son play tackle football in IFL Kraft Stadium I suddenly found it very difficult to find him on the field, read the players' names and numbers.  And then a short while after that I had to ask someone which number bus was approaching.

It was confirmed by the eye doctor and then at the prescription test at the optician.

I was told to wait re:bifocals, or multifocals.  At this stage I should use the distance from afternoon on all the time.  I had really wanted different frames but decided to get cheaper ones.  I hope I didn't make a mistake.  My new stronger reading lenses were put in the old frames. 

It's going to be a challenge to juggle all the eyeglasses including the sunglasses which  I wear all year round, except in the rain and nighttime outdoors.  There's a pretty good chance that next year, and I was instructed to get checked every year, not every two years, I'll have to invest heavy money in multifocals which turn into sunglasses in the bright sun.

Ancient Buildings Sure Last Longer...

Or do you have a better caption?

I took this picture at Shiloh HaKedumah, Ancient Shiloh at Tel Shiloh last Friday when I was there to pray Erev, on the Eve of Rosh Chodesh Shevat.  You can still see some remains of the snow, but it was the pre-snow wind storm that damaged the work tents and knocked over the chemical/portable toilets set up for the workers who dig and sort at the busy archaeological site.

Post-Snow Sh'vat, But Winter's Not Over

In the Jewish world it's another month already, Shvat or Shevat or Sh'vat שבט.  We're in the heart of winter but it's the time of the year when we can already see the signs of spring.  In less than two weeks it's the Holiday of TU B'Shvat, the 15th of Shvat when the early fruit trees begin to bloom.

After over forty years here in Israel, I wouldn't quite put away my snow equipment, since we have had snow on Purim, which is over a month from now.

Here are some pictures from my walk to the Tel Shiloh on Rosh Chodesh Shvat.  I ended up going alone, but it was very nice and there were other people there for an event.  Before I show you the pictures, please mark Rosh Chodesh Adar in your calendar, ladies.  G-d willing we'll have a large group to pray at Tel Shiloh then.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh
Rosh Chodesh Adar
Monday, February 11, 2013
1 Adar 5773 8:30am
Tour of Tel & Dvar Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים
ראש חודש אדר בתל שילה
יום ב' 11-2 א' אדר תשע"ג 8:30
יהיה דבר תורה קצר וסיור בתל
נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

 

And don't forget that the Tel Shiloh, aka Shiloh HaKedumah is open for visitors six days a week.  For information call 02-994-4019.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing "Cheap" About Frugal & Kosher's KCC

Chodesh Shvat Tov!

The latest Kosher Cooking Carnival is hosted by the Frugal and Kosher site.

Being winter, there are a few soups and lots of desserts among the posts included.  Be sure to check them out.

I started the Kosher Cooking Carnival as a reaction to having a recipe of mine rejected by a recipe carnival, because that edition had the theme, pork.  I figured that there was a need and desire by all of us kosher cooking bloggers for our very own kosher blog carnival.  And, bli eyen haraa, we've been going strong monthly ever since.

Next month's KCC will be hosted by Adventures in Mamaland.  You can send in your links, anything concerning kosher cooking from traditions, tips, recipes, halacha (Jewish Law,) cookbook and restaurant reviews via blog carnival or emailing: Jay3fer "at" gmail "dot" com.  You're also invited to join our facebook group, and if you want to host an edition, which appears each Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the Jewish Month, contact me, thanks.

BINGO!

You're probably wondering what this picture has to do with Bingo, right?

So, I'll tell you. 

On the first night of Chanukah, which was a Saturday night, we (the workers of the Sha'ar Binyamin branch of Yafiz)  had a staff party at which we played games and there were prizes.  I was about the last to win a prize.  We had been playing Bingo, and when I called out

BINGO!

I was given these bright pink legwarmers!

They came in very handy during the cold spell we've been having, B"H

Havel Havelim Makes Aliyah

Yes, this week Havel Havelim is on Bat Aliyah.  Rivkah did a great job including some of her own personal favorite blogs.  That's what we're supposed to do wheon hosting.  You're certainly welcome to join our  facebook page  where you can volunteer to host an addition or find out who's hosting.  Next week's  HH will be hosted by Esser Agaroth; click to send in your post from this week on topics concerning Israel and Judaism. 

Many times new bloggers ask me how to increase their blog's visitors/stats, and one of the best ways is to get involved in participating and hosting blog carnivals, such as Havel Havelim. 

If you sometimes blog about kosher food, any aspect, halacha (Jewish Law,) customs, recipes, cookbook or restaurant reviews, you are invited to send you posts to the montly Kosher Cooking Carnival.  We also have a facebook page.  Hosts are also welcome; contact me for details, thanks.  Stay tuned.  Some time today the Shvat edition will be posted on Frugal and Kosher.

Enjoy!  Have a wonderful week!!

...That Was Easy...

The title's a "spoiler;" sorry.

This morning, when I chose my earrings, I had a feeling that it may be a dumb move to wear the pair I wanted, because they sometimes open.  And winter with scarves, high collars and all make opening  even more possible.  But, I just wanted them.  I like the color with the sweater and tichel I had chosen.

Of course, you guessed it.  After going to shul, (synagogue,) being at kiddush (post-prayer nosh,) walking to the yeshiva for another kiddush, then walking half  a kilometer to a neighbor for lunch, I took off my coat and scarf and suddenly noticed... yes, one of the earrings was gone.

So, I shook out my scarf and coat and jacket and tried to discretely feel inside my sweater to see if it had somehow gotten caught "close to home."  Zero, nothing.  Oh, well.

My hostess was concerned, but I now believe that we must never get too hysterical about things like that.

Kapporah!

Yes, if it's lost, it should be instead of a life or health or something really important.

But I anyhow planned to send a "Lost, maybe you've seen" notice to our local email list with a picture.

And then later on after walking home, checking the to see if my wayward earring was waiting on the way... A while after arriving home I felt something sort of sharp sticking into me in my sweater.  Yes, you guessed... the earring.

Have a wonderful week!

I Can Dream; Can't I?

That's our swimming pool, בריכת שחיה שילה Breichat S'chi'ah Shiloh, Shiloh Swimming Pool.

It's surrounded by snow as you can see.  G-d willing in a few months, the grass will be green, the "walls" will be up and the pool will be full of legally chlorinated water for our swimming safety and pleasure.

In the meantime, I'm dreaming...

Snow in Shiloh! #1 Before The Sun is Shining

I took these pictures before the sun was lighting the sky.  And G-d willing, I'll take more later.  I had to open the door to take most of the pictures.  It's freezing cold outside.  What sacrifices I make for blogging, gevalt.  SMS messages were already sent out that school's cancelled and people shouldn't drive around.

More to come, bli neder, but I don't promise to go far.  I may not even leave the house.

The Winds Whistle and The Soup's Cooking

Even though my house is pretty well insulated, double walls and double windows, I can still feel that it's cold and windy outside.  And yes, cold enough for the hail and sleet to stick a bit, even a couple of hours later when I took a walk.  A rare move for me, I even took the forecasts seriously and didn't travel in to Jerusalem for my Bible classes in Matan.  I guess it was a smart move, because the second class was canceled, when the Jerusalem Municipality announced that schools were closing early.  And bus service was very irregular.

PM at Israel Police traffic control center 
Photo: GPO / Kobi Gideon

Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu made a very public inspection of "headquarters," since he's running for office.

Almost everyone will agree that the best food on a cold, windy day is hot soup, so I made yet another version of vegetable soup.  And  I found just the right movie to watch when cooking, Julia and Julie.  But please don't expect this recipe to be anything French or fancy!  It's a new version of my "Two Pot Vegetable Soup."

Ingredients

• a cup brown lentils
• large onion in small pieces
• a few carrots, cut
• garlic
• tomato concentrate/past
• oil
• cabbage, cut
• water

Instructions, by Illustrations

Let the lentils soak in boiling water, covered, before cooking.  Then boil them, and it won't take long.

Saute onions, carrots and garlic in oil.

Add some tomato concentrate/paste

Then add the cooked lentils to the vegetables along with boiling water.

Add the cabbage, more boiling water if needed, plus your salt and pepper

Let it all cook on a low flame for about half an hour.

Delicious!

G-d's Gifts, By The Bucketful, B"H

This may seem a bit crazy for those of you who live in climates and locations where water is always plentiful and can be taken for granted.  But Israel is a totally different story when it comes to water.  We have very little natural water for normal use, and it only rains less than half the year.  Traditional agriculture, Biblical and Jewish, revolve around trees and vines, not vegetables. 

This coming Shabbat is Rosh Chodesh (the beginning of the Jewish Month of) Shvat, when we celebrate Jewish agriculture, primarily the "Seven Species."

Deuteronomy 8:8 tells us that Israel was "a land of wheat, barley, grapevines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of oil olives and date honey."
The seven species are:

• Wheat (chitah in Hebrew)
• Barley (se'orah in Hebrew)
• Grapes (gefen in Hebrew), usually consumed as wine
• Figs (te'enah in Hebrew)
• Pomegranates (rimon in Hebrew)
• Olives (zayit in Hebrew), usually consumed in oil form
• Dates (tamar or d'vash in Hebrew)

In addition, since this is the HolyLand, and G-d controls the rain, there are spiritual criteria He demands from us.  It's written in the Bible that we won't get enough rain if we sin.  Also, rain can be both a blessing and a curse if at the wrong time and place.

Our headlines in the papers, TV and internet news sites revolve around how many centimeters the Kinneret rose this week or month or day and how much rain, and what percentage versus an "average year" have fallen etc.  Insufficient rain and a major part of our economy will collapse, agriculture.  And you can't tell tourists to limit their showers to 30 seconds per day either.

So, here are some recent rain pictures taken while traveling to and from Shiloh, Jerusalem and Sha'ar Binyamin.

without electricity, security gate had to be operated manually

Venice-like canal in Shvut Rachel

Venice-like canal in Shvut Rachel

I wonder what the Arabs are doing in the mountains to cause this "white flooding."

I'm glad I'm not the driver.

Nachal Shiloh filling up.

Nachal Shiloh filling up.

Recharging Batteries...

Those rechargeable batteries are a lot like people; they don't last forever.  I needed some new rechargeables for my digital camera which uses 4 at all times. 

I was going to go to Talpiyot to get some in a chain store that takes the shopping gift certificates I have, but yesterday's wet, thank G-d for the rain, day made that seem too inconvenient.  A neighbor had given me a ride to town, downtown Jerusalem, and I found myself passing one of the popular camera stores, Schwartz on Mordechai Ben Hillel, so I went in.

They sent me to the "department" a few steps down where the salesman took out a package.  He said it works, can be recharged in a chargers.  I pulled out my camera, and he inserted them.  Instinctively, he checked that it worked and took a look at the lens, which was declared filthy.  So he cleaned it and cleaned it again.  Between the sandstorms and hot cooking food, lots of grime covered had it.  Then he took this picture.

Great service! 
ps I told him I'd write it up, and now I've done it.

And Will The Rains Stop Us?

I have planned on praying at Tel Shiloh Erev, on the EVe of Rosh Chodesh Shvat.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh
Erev Rosh Chodesh Shevat
Friday, January 11, 2013
29 Tevet 5773 8:30am
Tour of Tel & Dvar Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים
ערב ראש חודש שבט בתל שילה
יום ו' 11-1 כט' טבת תשע"ג 8:30
יהיה דבר תורה קצר וסיור בתל
נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

I go there every month on Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the Jewish Month.

 

This week has been very rainy.  The experts say that we've gotten a month's worth of rain in a week.  Let it be for a blessing.  And if t he rain keeps me from praying at Tel Shiloh this month, may it be a blessing, too.  If G-d wants us there, He'll tell the rain  to take a break.

The "Emergency" That...

As many of you know, we've been without nice hot water during this past cold winter week.  And this is only a couple of months since we got -bought- our new washing machine.  So, when the neighbor called my at work yesterday, to report that there was water pouring from our roof, and it looked like we had a major leak from the hot water solar tank, I could only mutter my thanks and "what next?"

We had been expecting the electrician to check on the short whenever I turned on the water heater, but I hadn't heard from him.  I called the plumber to apprise him of the situation and then the electrician who said that he had opened the valve in order to drain the tank. 

"Everything's under control"   he said.

So I reported that message to the plumber and the neighbor and told her that she's a fantastic neighbor and told the plumber that I had as different job for him to do in a couple of weeks. 

So, Baruch Hashem, when I got home the light was on showing that the water was heating, and now, I'll have my first hot shower, G-d willing, in a week.

It's never dull when you own a home, is it?

Some Quick Blog Visits aka an Unofficial Havel Havelim

Since very few bloggers have been signing up to host Havel Havelim recently on our facebook page, I have decided to do a quick, simple unofficial version.  Here are a few posts in other blogs worth visiting:

First my Shiloh Musings, King David, Paralyzed by Guilt and Traitors, 1 Kings Chapter 1 מְלָכִים א
and Tikkun Olam It's All About Energy...
Lorri's  Friday Sunset and Interesting Links
Ilana-Davita's Bookish Weekly Review
Our Shiputzim's Freshly Baked Goods Friday: Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes Edition
Ester's The Last Jew: A Smithsonian Institute Exhibition
Shirat Devorah's Egos and the Laws of Forgiveness


That's it for now, since I must get on with my day.  Please visit the other blogs, comment and send my regards....

and please jbloggers out there, join and get active in our  Havel Havelim and our facebook page

Winter, and the Water is Cold

Early last week our hot water boiler starting shorting the electricity in the house.  I woke up early to a very dark house.  It was pretty obvious what had happened, especially when I noticed light outside.  So I threw on a robe and hat so I could flip the switch of the fuse, then  turned off the boiler switch and made my way to the front door and out to the electric box.  Magic, the light went back on.

Then I made my way back to the boiler switch, turned it on, walked towards my room and... off it all went again.  So I repeated it all, almost.  Since then I haven't turned on the boiler.  We've had, until today, some hot/warm water from the solar panels. They only work when the sun can reach them.  I know that the sun was out, but the rain clouds were hiding it, and no doubt we have no hot water.  That means, freezing water for washing dishes and washing ourselves.

The electrician is expected tomorrow, G-d willing.  And he has warned us that it probably means a new boiler.  That's a major expense very soon after having to buy a washing machine.  But we have no choice.  There are things you just must buy whether you want to or not.  Yes, you must buy them no matter how much money you have.  You just must find a way.

We thought we'd be spending a lot on a new back door, but luckily our son-in-law fixed it.  We just must pay for the materials.  He came over yesterday afternoon before Shabbat with the grandkids.  My husband took the kids to the playground, while I was busy cooking in my house and my daughter was busy in hers.  Yes, everyone was busy. 

Owning a home is never dull and although there are usually quiet times without major expenses, the expensive times always return.

As long as we're all healthy.....

Recycling? Do You?

Maybe it's what we're used to that seems easiest...

When my parents still lived and owned their home on Long Island, recycling and garbage preparation for collection was so complicated.  They had a slew of color-coded garbage containers that had to be kept hermetically covered, so the garbage stayed in and the animals out.  They also had to make sure the right type of garbage was inserted or the "garbage police" would fine them or something like that.  And on just the right day of the week, the correct can had to be left out on the side of the road, rain, shine snow or sleet.

Here in Shiloh, we have a number of neighborhood garbage disposal things, well-guarded by the felines population on every street, every certain number of homes and also a couple of neighborhood recycling "centers."

 

 

We also have receptacles for paper and cardboard/cartons.  There's no law requiring us to sort and recycle our garbage.  Some people do it and some don't.   One thing for sure.  The recycling receptacles are filling more and more quickly every month, so my guess is that more people have started using them.

A couple of weeks ago, I advertised in our local email that we had quite a few bottles that were available for those who want to use the deposits for charity, and one of the local teachers took them from us.  His class uses the deposits for projects.  I was glad to get them out of the kitchen.

Winter Beauty... Results of Rain

A beautiful day in the winter in the Holyland is a rainy one, and it's due to the rain that we now see sites like these:

Thank G-d!

Keeping Busy

Ahhh the grandkids....

Spelling Snafus, Is It Only In Israel?

With all it costs a person to open a business, why don't they invest a bit in a proofreader?

Why do Israelis think they know how to spell English when they don't?

How many spelling errors can you find?