Almond Blossoms -- Goodbye Until Next Year

This Today's Flowers post is dedicated to my Mom.

This past week I found myself wandering around Ein Kerem, at the southern end of Jerusalem, following an off-site planning session that, to my delight, ended an hour ahead of schedule. 

I was so pleasantly surprised by having this extra hour to myself  that it took me nearly 15 minutes just to decide what to do with it.  The sun, hidden behind the clouds, was due to set in about an hour.  Perfect photography light.

It's the end of the almond tree blossoms.  Ein Kerem is filled with almond trees -- שקדיות shkediot in Hebrew.  This tree's claim to fame is that it is the first to bloom, in the dead of winter, and almost out of nowhere.  

Now most almond trees in Israel are divided between bloom and foliage, with the white/pink blossoms contrasting against dark spindley branches and the bright green of newly sprouting leaves.  

Here, the flowers have already dropped off as the tree develops leaves and shifts into fruit-producing mode.

Another Spring, already on its way...

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Keep the balance,

ALN

Ruby Tuesday -- They're Still Kicking. Well, Mostly

Getting back to blogging means getting back on the Ruby Tuesday bandwagon.  (Check out Work of the Poet's other photo memes, too... yellow is sometimes involved, and so is the sky...but alas, no time to keep up with everything, and so for now we stick with ruby).

They're just now winding down, though they've been gracing our table for the past week and a half.  That Guy I Married brought them home for us two Fridays ago, in honor of Shabbat.  

The flowers are called  כלניות kalaniot in Hebrew and are grown locally, on Moshav land in the area.  In fact, there is an anemone field right down the road from us.   They also grow wild at this time of year -- although only in ruby red -- all over Israel.

Keep the balance,

ALN

Inaugural Ruby Tuesday

It's time for new leadership... and a new Ruby Tuesday.  

Not that the two are necessarily related, but with the inauguration just over, a general excitement pervades the air, making the different colors that much brighter (and in certain contexts, all the less relevant... Go President Obama!).

I caught these cool, star-bursty creatures last week at Hebrew University, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, using a digital macro (note the varied focal lengths).  No idea what they are... some mysterious, desert-thriving species sticking out in all directions in the raised bed opposite the entrance to the Akademon (university book store).  Positive ID's welcome.

Note how the stamens reveal themselves over time.  I love the color transformation... even as the flower withers.

With brightest wishes to our new president.

Keep the balance,

ALN

Ruby Tuesday -- Orange, Really

I know I'm pushing the definition of "ruby" here.... but I am so fond of orange.

This is a piece I completed awhile back, as a present for my Mom.  It's small, about 2/3 the size of a sheet of printer paper.

The base is handmade paper (made by yours truly), with an overlay of selected fabrics and ribbons, then hand stitched and beaded.  Over the years, I was inspired to delve into the fiber arts, specifically paper-making, by my good friend Q.  As for the stitching technique, several years ago I had the privilege of attending a week-long workshop in hand stitching with Japanese fiber artist Misao Tsubaki, an incredibly talented woman and a wonderfully supportive teacher.  (See some examples of her work here;  her website, unfortunately out of date, is in Japanese, but there are photos there as well).

Remember to keep creating -- whatever makes you happy -- in these troubling days of war.

Keep the balance,

ALN

Ruby Tuesday

OK, so I'm putting this up on Monday night, in anticipation of a long Ruby Tuesday with no room for blogging.

Winter is definitely -- sadly -- not yet in full swing here in Israel, which means no rain, as of yet (with the minor exception of the rain that overran my friend N's gutter system).  At least we have succulents, and some color remaining, here and there.  Presenting this afternoon's garden tour:

Tuesday morning addendum:  Are the Heavens laughing?  Twenty minutes after posting, it started to rain.  Didn't last long, but still...

Keep the balance,

ALN

Winter is Coming... Keep it Bright

It's Sunday (again) -- time for Today's Flowers.

I was never all that fond of bougainvillea, but when we moved to the Moshav I came to appreciate all of their various shades.  This one is from last week's trip to Beit Yatziv (a continuing education center for educators, in the heart of  Be'er Sheva), where they've made quite an effort to keep their courtyards flowering and manicured, and it makes all the difference.  Winter may be coming, but the bougainvillea know how to keep things bright and cheery.

Keep the balance,

ALN

Enough to Make Your Mouth Water

It's definitely more expensive than the supermarket, or the shuq (outdoor market), but sometimes, you just gotta do it - take the kids out to dinner in the mall and buy them a little treat afterwards.

  ...Or maybe it was just the Mommy guilt, knowing that I'm going away for three days.   Whatever.  The kids were happy about it, and I got in a couple of photos for this week's Ruby Tuesday.  (Don't worry, we didn't buy them that much candy!)

I'm off to Be'er Sheva, and I have no idea what the internet situation will be over there, so it may be a few days.  Meanwhile, as usual,

Keep the balance,

ALN

Succulents Bloom Too...

...and around here they often do it off-season.  This is from awhile back, but it's similar enough to what's going among the succulents.  I'm very attached to them, really.

At least my garden knows how to keep the [flower] balance, even if I don't always.

See all the other beautiful offerings here at Today's Flowers.

Happy Autumn!

ALN

Ruby Tuesday - First Attempt

It's Tuesday, so in an attempt to jump start myself, I'm joining Ruby Tuesday for the first time (Many thanks to Leora at Here in HP for her encouragement).

The ruby part is a bit subtle, which I like, but if you're one of those who thinks "mauve" is more accurate a description than "ruby,"  just consider it an extension of my avocado tree post.  

Keep the balance,

ALN