Falafel, pita bread and tzatziki (or hommous) seem to have become my regular lunch, as we stop in local eateries and enjoy delicious salads, warm fresh bread, freshly-squeezed juices and sweet treats.
They say travel broadens the mind. I just hope that's the only part of me broadened by this wonderful experience ;-)
We've been blessed with our weather so far. Just a couple of days before we arrived in Jordan it snowed in Petra and the site had to be closed, but as you've seen the skies quickly cleared and we've had perfect conditions for sightseeing.
Israel is as green as can be, and wild red anemones and yellow mustard flowers make bright splashes of colour on the roadside.
When we visited the Biblical nature reserve of Neot Kedumim near Tel Aviv yesterday afternoon we saw hundreds of miniature cyclamen in clumps, as well as apple and almond blossom.
These views from Megiddo, looking over the Jezreel Valley, will give you some idea of the fresh green fields of barley, fennel and other crops.
And just because I like colour, here are a couple more snaps of flowers I couldn't resist. This statice was growing wild near the Roman theatre at Caesarea Maritima.
And these (we call them red hot pokers at home) were growing in the garden at the monastery on Mount Carmel, the site where Elijah and his God triumphed in his face-off with the prophets of Baal.
Kind of appropriate, don't you think, when the challenge was to see whose God would be first to light the sacrificial fire.
Strictly speaking I should show you my shoes, but this display I captured while 'drive-by shooting' from our tour bus here in Jordan looks far more interesting than a pair of dusty Ecco Mary-Janes.
Fresh to my mailbox from the lovely folk over on the other side of the world at Book Depository – two inspirational books on how to turn leftover fabric strips into some of the most imaginative scrap quilts I’ve ever seen.
As a compulsive scrap-keeper I’m itching to try out those strippy triangles in Emily Cier’s Scrap Republic, and I’ve already started stripping …er…cutting my strips for the Picket Fence quilt pattern in Elsie Campbell’s String Quilts after seeing this version Linda’s making.
When will I show you mine? Let me surprise you one day 
Di
The tidiest portion of a very messy linen cupboard
Di
I spent such a happy day today, making quilts to give away to others with these thoroughly beautiful women –
- and our doggy “mascot” Matilda who was celebrating her 8th birthday.
Church morning tea kindly held to celebrate our 10 years here. Love our congregation :-)
In case you haven’t caught up, my intrepid daughter Sarah is doing post-doctoral research into leptospirosis in rural Botswana and we’re getting used to her …ahem…slightly unusual Facebook status updates.
Like this one.
I have to admit that, while moved by Sarah’s and R’s plight, most of us here on the other side of the globe enjoyed a chuckle at their Third World predicament.
Our amusement might have had something to do with her subsequent message…
xxx
Di
Have you joined {fat mum slim}’s February Photo a Day Challenge yet?
Have you seen Chantelle’s {fat mum slim} latest photo challenge? The boat had sailed by the time I stumbled on her January challenge but I’m up for some February photo fun, starting with today’s theme “your view today”.
Admittedly it was only on my computer screen, but this photo my son sent me of the Princess showing off her new school uniform was just about the best view I had all day.
She’s all ready for her very first day at school – but is the school ready for her? 
How about it, will you join in the February Photo a Day Challenge with me? Take a look at Chantelle’s daily themes here, share the link to your blog , and check out the amazing creativity of the almost 270 bloggers who’ve already joined in.
Di
