Neve Zedek Window

I haven't had too much time for photography the past few months but for the sake of both my muse and my sanity it's high time to MAKE the time, so yesterday when I found myself with a few hours free I grabbed my camera and my car keys and headed into Tel Aviv for a walk around one of my very favorite neighborhoods. Neve Zedek is a study in contradictions - old and decrepit, new and gentrified beyond the price range of mere mortals, sparkling new residential towers full of glass and curved lines (which would look fabulous in a more modern neighborhood but are sinfully out of place in this one).

Here's a glimpse of the older side of the neighborhood - look fast, it probably won't last much longer...

Supermoon - and a super-proud mama

First there was the supermoon...

And then there were the super-proud parents when this super-kid graduated from 6th grade last night. He's turning into a wonderful young man before our very eyes and we couldn't be more proud. Next stop, junior high! (Well, after a fun-filled summer in New Hampshire first that is. Can't rush through summer vacation...)

The shirt he's wearing is a commemorative t-shirt given to all the kids in the grade for their graduation ceremony. Israelis don't go in for button-downs and ties, even for special occasions :).

Happy end of the school year / beginning of summer everyone!

Orchid

Not only is it not at all dead, it has FOUR, count 'em FOUR flowers this year! Yay me!

Tap tap tap... Is this thing on?

So, uhh, ummm... How exactly does one come back from having forgotten to blog for 3.5 months? It wasn't even a conscious decision, it just sort of happened, and then the longer I was away the harder it was to come back.

Everything's fine, I was just crazy busy with work and I guess I sort of lost my blogging mojo. Let's try again and see if it comes back. I'm game if you are. Assuming of course that there's anyone still out there after all this time. Is there? Are you?

So where have I been? Well, there was a trip to Provence with my husband way back in April. It was wonderful, everything a trip to France should be despite the fairly lousy weather. One of our hosts told us we're not crazy for thinking that it rains in Europe every single Passover/Easter week - it really does. Sort of the way it always rains on Purim here in Israel. Still, you really can't go far wrong in France, whatever the weather. Don't you agree?

Les Baux de Provence

Cassis Harbor

Van Gogh's Courtyard in St Remy

Goat cheese for sale at the Cassis weekly market

After France there was the usual flurry of spring - getting out into nature, our annual trip to the folk festival, the beach, the pool, and so much more, but I'll save some of those for another post.

Right now we're in the midst of the annual end of year insanity - an elementary school graduation, end of the year sports events, all the birthday parties for all of the kids with summer birthdays - you name it, it's probably happening. It's all good, but more than a little exhausting to keep sorted. It's a good thing I've only got two kids and two adults to keep track of - any more and someone would be leaving the house without their underwear for sure.

So that's me in a nutshell, with a few photos thrown in for fun. What have you all been up to these past few months?

Lupine Hill

Israel's lupines are in full bloom right now, and they are glorious.

View this image in my Etsy shop

Election Day 2013, Tel Aviv Style

Vote in the morning, then hit the beach. (No, it wasn't really warm enough to swim, though that didn't stop the rest of the family from going in for a bit. Their far more sensible mother was wearing long pants and a sweatshirt. Still, not too shabby for January...) (and yes, I'm that far behind in my blogging. Life, and an epic case of the flu which knocked us all over like a bunch of feverish dominoes, happened.)

Wild Anemone, January 2013

Winter here in Israel means wildflowers, and one of the most prolific and best loved are the anemones, most often seen in a rich, vibrant shade of red.

Wild Anemone, Elad Forest, January 2013

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Oleander

Bring some fresh spring color into your winter blahs - here in the Eastern Mediterranean the oleander is in full bloom! This one is blooming on a tree (bush?) in Cyprus - and on a variety of throw pillows, phone cases and prints as well ;).

So what reds are popping up in your world this week?

Over the Horizon

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Makes a fantastic phone case and throw pillow too ;).

Visit Skywatch Friday for more fantastic skies from around the world.

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