As we know, There are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know There are known unknowns. That is to say We know there are some things We do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, The ones we don't know We don't know. ~D. Rumsfeld

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Shag

On route I saw a beautiful, prickly looking red flower in the middle of a tree, so I photographed it. (photo 1) and further down I saw extremely cheerful looking orange Hibiscuses - so I photographed those as well: (photo 2).

As I was walking something making clicking sounds dived past my head and landed in front of my walking feet. I took a photo of it as well (photo 3) since I have no idea what this is. A cricket perhaps?

I can't even begin to describe the sea. There are just no words for it. He was just gorgeous: totally wild. I eyed a Shag (Sea Cormorant) landing on the waves and diving under only to totally disappear *_* I kept looking but he was 'gone'. Later I spotted him again swimming on the waves much further away from where he dove under. I read they can dive up to 45 meters under water... wow.... (photos 4, 5 & 6).

I always step aside to let people coming from the opposite direction pass me when walking - I am fed-up with that. Next time if people just keep on walking and rely on me stepping aside I just won't. If they want to 'bump', so be it: we will bump. And how, grrrrrrr!

29-11-2008-spikeyflowerintree
29-11-2008-orangehibiscus5
29-11-2008-whatisthis
29-11-2008-naughtycomorone3
29-11-2008-naughtycomorone5
29-11-2008-naughtycomorone6

Friday, November 28, 2008

Pstpstpst

OK, that's less related to the beach - but certainly a part of the experience since I always seem to be bringing him food while I set out to the beach :D

When I first met Pstpstpst he approached me -or better, the tray with chicken on it- super cautiously. He was so afraid to come closer. So, even before I had the tray down on the floor near the dust bin downstairs, he had grabbed one piece of chicken out of it with a speed that lightening couldn't surpass. He then ran off with the meat, far away from me.....

Pstpstpst, those days (and that's not even so long ago) had a head that was larger than the width of his body. So his head looked h-u-g-e, but, in fact, it just meant he was so bloody skinny....

I decided I wanted to fatten him up and so.... I choose my groceries to fit what I could share with him. Mostly chicken though since he seemed to be crazy about that...

And now? After having fed him salmon (I eat 2/3rds and leave him 1/3) a few times, he became a snob!! I go down with my chicken and call out for him "pstpstpst" (hence the name I gave him) and he comes running to me -ever so fast... with those eyes having that look of "here's my saviour" and then, if it happens to be chicken I am bringing him..... he will pace around it, sniff at it, sit near it but... won't eat *_* He's waiting for salmon!!

I noticed though that soon as I leave the premises he will eat the chicken. But I think this is pretty chutzpani :D

One thing though: he is not afraid of me anymore ;-) He looks at me and comes very close to me as if he wants to be cuddled by me but I won't do that. My neighbor came past this morning and 'rrttssjjjjj' - he quickly splits (and came back to me soon as the neighbor was gone).

===

Ms.Cat was sleeping under the wavebreaker. Then... as I approached she opened her eyes and at the same time a howling as from a kitten came from the closed bar there and she quickly went in... It made me think she had kittens, but am not sure, I've never seen her with a 'belly'.

===

The sea was very energetic. Waves came rolling in one after the other ever so fast. It also wasn't all that warm near the sea (at least at the Nemaal, further down south it was warmer) so I didn't descend to my mezah but instead looked at his (the sea) performance from the boardwalk. "My" circle of fishermen were all there. David, Haim, Nissim, the other one whose name I forgot, Avi... and another one who's name I don't even know but see almost every day. They joked that I was late today and I was fired :D :D :D Well, I did impress them though by telling them about my journey to the Reading mezah last week.

===

Throwing my bread at the pigeons near the Opera Building on my way back I noticed a very, very beautiful one (they all are beautiful but this one extremely so) - the design and coloring of his feathers forced me to make a photo of him, plus another one that I found was walking so 'parmantig' it brought a smile to my face....


28-11-2008-pstpstpst
28-11-2008-pstpstpstsosweet
28-11-2008-pstpstpstblurred
28-11-2008-mostbeautifulpigeon
28-11-2008-pigeonwalkon

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Suddenly..... there was: Fog *_*

Left house quite late. Did my usual route including Fairytaletree and am now pretty sure the little, swift black bird is a Palestinian Sunbird since I saw its back glow blue in the sunlight. The Graceful Prinias were there also as well as a couple of dainty pigeons....

After having done my ritual (fisherWoman, wavebreaker, pond and Aroma-ATB) and sat myself down near the end of my mezah (with coffee and sandwich) - and after having two men come down to me to ask what I was looking at, hahahahhahahaa (at that particular moment I was looking at a lone Buri who was swimming in circles next to me) - I suddenly realized the sun was 'disappearing' and it started to be 'cool'. And..... then I saw it:

fog was slowly approaching the coast. The horizon became closer and closer-by. In the end the fog totally enveloped me. It was so amazing to have this experience of seeing the fog from over the huge vastness of the sea slowly approach and then 'swallow' me. I can't explain it in words but it was awesome.. really, really awesome.

I butchered the soles of my feet yesterday and in the morning they still hurt. They even hurted when I set out to walk (but that couldn't stop me) - and only after I reached the bridge over the Yarkon I noticed that every step wasn't an ordeal anymore. In the end my feet felt just fine. It only shows that being active and pressing (and thus causing more pain in the beginning) on the affected areas is a better 'healer' than sitting with your legs up.

Photos:
1. and 2. of the cottonwooltree near the bridge over the Yarkon (there are many there, I really would like to know the name of that tree so I can find out more about them)
3. of a redeyedfly who was sitting near me at the wavebreaker just begging to be photographed.
4. and 5. in the haziness of the fog this morning - even Reading (whose tower flashes out a red light) can't be seen...

27-11-2008-cottonwoolontree3
27-11-2008-cottonwoolontree
27-11-2008-redeyedfly3
27-11-2008-foggysea2
27-11-2008-foggysea

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Another one bites the dust



Is the song that always automatically crept into my head if I would see couples on their way to get married. Never though, through all my years here in Israel, have I seen as many bridal couples as in the last few weeks in the Nemaal (where they come to have their pictures taken as part of the wedding day). Sometimes there are more than 4 or 5 at the same time. Here's a photo of one of those couples today (blurred because I have no idea if they would mind having their faces shown on my blog :D )

Again many Qumrans flying overhead. Perhaps hundreds ... On the day I signed on the agreement of sale of this apartment.

26-11-2008-anotherweddingatnemaal2

Monday, November 24, 2008

Sa'araath Reghashot

Started work early and thus finished early which was very good since I was in a foul mood and couldn't suppress the urge to run to the sea. Arriving there I saw he was in the same mood as I was. As a matter of fact, this is the wildest I've ever seen him. Sa'araat reghashot....

Whole flocks of birds came flying past through the stunning skies on their way to Africa and one fisherman told me they are Qumrans. I just don't seem to be able to find out more about them, such as their name in English or Dutch. Or anything else for that matter.

The photos say it all. No more words are needed.......

24-11-2008-qumran2
24-11-2008-qumran4
24-11-2008-qumran
24-11-2008-wildsea2
24-11-2008-wildsea5
24-11-2008-wildsea4

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Wind

Left late (but forgot to look at the clock so don't know what time). Walked steady towards Fairytaletree - stopping at the bridge over the Yarkon only to see more dead fish. I so yearn to know what happened to the turtles. I haven't seen them anymore ... :-(

At Fairytaletree I had a weird experience when a religiously orthodox man started talking to me (this being Shabbat and me sitting there wearing my bermuda's). Anyway I know now that there is at least one more person that is interested in the tree's history besides me. I told him I have the tel. # of the agronom of the T.A. municipality but that there never was an answer. I will find out though. One day... For the rest: it was pure magic sitting there today with the wind shuffling Fairytaletree's leaves, creating mesmerizing sounds.

I had a nice conversation (but mostly laughs) with my fisherWOman. I also made a photo of her holding a fish she detests so much (because they're no good for eating but eat her shoarma which is her bait she hopes to catch edible fish with). It's a "dag-ha'sela" (fish of the rock) - but I don't know if she would appreciate it if I placed it on the internet, so I just won't. Another photo of the lucky guy (because they get thrown back to the sea usually) is on photo 1.

People always see other people and me? I never notice. Can walk past an acquaintance just like that. Very embarassing sometimes... Today C., the sweet waiter of AromaATB, called out my name at the pond and stopped me. I don't know how people do it. I am so ashamed but I honestly can't help it. I never notice acquaintances in the street.

The sea was rough. I didn't feel like having him get me wet at my mezah and so decided to walk up north down the boardwalk. Being a very windy day today I kept my sweatshirt on. At the bridge connecting the Nemaal with Reading I saw the many different species of birds enjoying the water together. There were seagulls, egrets, swallows, lapwings, pigeons, kingfishers and herons. It was absolutely beautiful. Breathtaking. The sun shining on the water and all those birds ... a true little Paradise. Some photos are 2, 3 and 4 - I should have taken more :-(

I decided to walk up the Reading mezah. There was barbed wire all over and signs saying it was 'private property' and 'watch out: biting dog'. OK. There were dogs... at least 5 or 6 of them and pretty huge as well. But, after I crept through the opening in the barbed wire fence I saw other people creep throughI was happy to notice that those 'biting dogs' (who really looked frightening) would just lift their eye to see me and then go on sleeping. There were about 7 other people on the mezah - all fishermen.

It was amazing though. It was such a huge experience to stand there -pretty far away from the coast- and have the wind and the waves as my only company. I wish I could have stayed longer but -although not one of the skinniest "girls" around- I felt like the wind could easily pick me up and throw me over (the mezah) - I was having a hard time keeping my feet attached to the ground... So, I left. Sooner than I wanted... (photos 5, 6 & 7 - at photo 7 'my' mezah can be seen from afar)

Last photo is of a monument placed in honor of the British troups in WWI (1917) that conquered the ford from the Turkish and captured their command. The ford is in the background.

22-11-2008-rockfish
22-11-2008-seagullsandegrets
22-11-2008-chillin
22-11-2008-chillin2
22-11-2008-readingmezah7
22-11-2008-readingmezah4
22-11-2008-readingmezah6
22-11-2008-1917victory

Friday, November 21, 2008

Waking up at 03:00 a.m. has its advantages, namely one is wide awake by the time one sets out for a stiff walk at 05:00 a.m. :D

The early morning was f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s !! Not warm, not too cold. Simply perfect, nice crisp weather with the sun trying to get through the thick layer of clouds that were still covering the dark of the night (and it seemed it had rained last night as well). It was sooooo refreshing- it lifted my spirits sky-high and the walk was so light, so utterly enjoyable....

Another bulb had fallen off my fairytaletree and while standing under it, (the tree I mean) with a sleepy red cat keeping me company, I suddenly thought that those things can easily land on my head one time. That would knock me totally out, they are massive and quite heavy and certainly if they fall from some height. It isn't enough to keep me away from standing under that tree though, hahahhaha that tree has a magic spell on me ;-)

Yesterday I was wearing boots to the mezah which I didn't want to get wet (seawater on leather gives white stains) but I did tease the sea by creeping up the mezah further and further and sort of challenging him - He was so good though: not one drop of water landed on the boots [mentioning this so I will also remember other things that happened y'day].

Today, the sea was restless. Groaning a lot, playing up waves in a different fashion than the 'angry mood' one. But, still waves.... It was gorgeous standing on my mezah and see him swell up - as if threatening - and break right in front of me while having his water splashes climb up more than 2 - 3 meters high sometimes.

It was a strange day though weatherwise. It was all sunny and bliss and then huge dark clouds turned up over our heads and made the sea and the skies look ominous - Rain even started to fall. All three drops of it :p

On the boardwalk near the pond I saw an insect that I suspect is a "dragonfly" lying on the floor where people could easily step on him. So, I picked him up with a small stick and moved him to an area people cannot thread on him. I don't think he will make it though, since he is not able to fly anymore. Poor thing. His wings were like the most delicate 'fabric' existing and were so beautifully looking when reflecting the rays of the sun on them...

Afterwards H. and me met and we had a good time, as always - though she was exhausted :D I never have heard H. complain before now but wow, she sure made up for that today :D

21-11-2008-threateningskies
21-11-2008-libelleperhaps4
21-11-2008-libelleperhaps2

Thursday, November 20, 2008

no photo- just words

in a clip:




;-)


( words in hebrew)

ולנו זקוקים לחסד,
כולנו זקוקים למגע.
לרכוש חום לא בכסף,
לרכוש מתוך מגע.
לתת בלי לרצות לקחת
ולא מתוך הרגל.

כמו שמש שזורחת,
כמו צל אשר נופל.
בואי ואראה לך מקום
שבו עוד אפשר לנשום.

כולנו רוצים לתת
רק מעטים יודעים איך.
צריך ללמוד כעת
שהאושר לא מחייך,
שמה שניתן אי פעם
לא ילקח לעולם.

שיש לכל זה טעם,
גם כשהטעם תם...
בואי ואראה לך מקום
שבו עוד מאיר אור יום.

כולנו רוצים לאהוב,
כולנו רוצים לשמוח.
כדי שיהיה לנו טוב,
שיהיה לנו כח.

כמו שמש שזורחת...

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

A moment of silence

..... from the thoughts in my head:

18-11-2008-huntingegret

Sunday, November 16, 2008

From Hell to Paradise

Everything went wrong this morning. Whatever I laid my hands on broke, fell and smashed into pieces. Literally e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. It really made me rather wanna skip this day, but then.... I would have missed a phone-call later on from someone whom I have known and is my family for 31 years already that finally gave me the feeling I am not alone....

This has been a weird day - and that's an understatement.

After the gloomy feeling that kept lingering on since yesterday all through this morning when all those things went wrong I 'cheered' a little bit 'up' when talking with Ra'isa (my pedicurist) after noon. I like her a lot and I know she likes me. The hour in where she made my feet baby-soft as if I don't walk every day many kilometers passed like a few seconds because of the lively conversations we have. She is in a sort of similar position as I find myself in.

When walking to the Nemaal afterwards I discovered a glove in the Ayalon (I think that all this time I mistakingly called the Ayalon the Yarkon, *blush*). I felt a bit insulted that the glove that was floating on the surface of the water was sticking out his middle finger to me :D :D :D

On the wavebreaker, a fisherman that I know started to tell me his life story and the converstation suddenly turned very strange - I won't repeat here what he said but, so I will remember later on what I mean, I will just write that I could "always take him up on his offer". Sometimes I think I am too naive...

I had a sandwich sitting on my mezah, and cappuccino of course, and then had the phone-call. Suddenly my spirits were lifted a zillion kilometers high. It won't probably bring me a solution but it did give me recognition from someone who has known me for over 31 years....

So, when I saw the kitesurfers (their kites rather) against the incredible magnificent skies that was bathing in the sunset - I was walking on feathers, I was over the moon and I felt like in Paradise.

The photos show what I mean with Paradise and maybe explain why I really don't want to leave it:

16-11-2008-paradise5
16-11-2008-paradise3
16-11-2008-paradise6
16-11-2008-amanandhiskite_1
16-11-2008-middlefingerglove

Saturday, November 15, 2008

No rest for the wicked

Couldn't sleep at night again and so left the house at 05:00 a.m. It was a sad walk. I had to remind myself to look up because I kept my head bent down all the time. Usually I never look down because I am afraid I might miss something interesting to see or happening around me. Today I just didn't care.... :-(

I had some very secluded time with the sea on my mezah and spent approx. 3 hours there in which I sat down at a place on it where the splashing of the waves couldn't reach me, pretty much near the end. And still(!) -this becomes almost a ritual as if he wants to remind me of something, although I haven't got the faintest idea what- exactly when I was about to leave he totally unexpectedly threw a forcefull wave at me that got me wet.

The only thing that lifted me for a short while out of my gloomy spirits a tiny little bit, were the fish who performed a 'Go With The Flow' performance I could, and probably should, take a lesson from....


15-11-2008-thefishwave

Friday, November 14, 2008

The Sea "Lets Go"

at least that is how I felt it. He was not really angry but mostly expressed his bottled up frustrations. Yeah. He was wild. He "let go". Of course only probably in my world of experience, but that is what is real to me...

I left the house late this morning, 07:30 - but with sunrise happening later towards the 21st of December it still felt like it was really early. I did stop and absorbed the environment over the Yarkon river but it was so depressing :-( I didn't see the turtles - whom I had hoped I would have seen so I would know they are OK after the poison disaster a few days ago. No birds around either. They 'know'. Even the little bug-flies that hoover over the bridge usually weren't there. Only dead fish, still floating on the surface. It felt like the area was mourning but nobody around paid attention to its grieve. It was too sad to make any photos of :-(

Fairytaletree made me feel good again. I imagined myself climbing up one of the dead looking strings and sitting on top of this wonderful, still very green, tree - totally cleansed of all problems and troubles I am facing and feeling delirious with just 'being' and absorbing my phantasy surroundings. I can easily detach myself from reality and stay there (in my imaginary place on top of this tree) for ages, but I know that the longer I 'stay' there the harder it will be to fall back into reality, so I moved 'back' and 'on' after some 15 minutes :-(

A million thoughts cross my mind when walking and many have to do with the past. I never liked "the past" - because 'the past' is a thing that is dead and buried and I feel usually very much alive. However perhaps it is good those thoughts cross my mind (and mostly heart) so when it is time to move forwards after bidding goodbye I will be more 'complete'. Perhaps this is what is called a "closure". Who knows....?

The first thing I noticed when arriving at the sea was that there were black flags up which means that it is forbidden to bathe in the sea. I looked over the balustrade and saw some waves but nothing really 'serious'. He did make a lot of noise tho...

When arriving at my mezah - after having bought my usual cappucinno from my usual waiter ("C") who was as sweet as always - I finally saw the mood of the sea. Sure looked dangerous to be caught in his currents but at the same time, if keeping a respectable distance, he seemed more naughty than angry. So, I walked the path to the end of my mezah (something I would have NEVER dared when I started this beachdiary-journey, at least in this aspect I've come a long way) and got 'into contact' with him. I feel so proud though that I was not scared of his roars anymore like I used to be.

He played along....

Fantastic splashes when he broke on the mezah that went up more than 3 or 4 meters but still.... kept away from penetrating my private space. But... on the other hand, when I felt brazen and sat down on a part of the mezah that hadn't been wetted by him, he gently threw a wave so that I got drenched from my feet up to half of my body :D

He let me get off the mezah without having my camera gotten wet but.... while standing 'up' on the boardwalk again and take one more photo of him he threw a wave at me that did get the camera wet.... davka on a place he hadn't thrown his water at before.

The fishermen is yet another story. Perhaps another time. I know I am 'one of the gang' now because they have started to make rude (sexually tinted) jokes while I am around and expect me to laugh, so I think I have entered 'the club'.

Photos of today:


14-11-2008-angrywater
14-11-2008-bigdenise
14-11-2008-yeshiwassittinghere
14-11-2008-yeshiwassittinghere2
14-11-2008-delicatebrains

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Omen

On the way to my office for a meeting crucial to my future I had to cross the Yarkon twice (that is because I opted to walk instead of taking the bus) - and the 'soap-story' of yesterday seems to be far more grave than I had suspected, for I saw hundreds (or thousands?) of dead fish floating on the waters of the Yarkon :-(

It made me terribly mad. WHAT IS THIS???? Is it allowed to just poison 'wildlife' in a river like that? Why doesn't anybody care? People walked by, looked at this horrible sight for 2 seconds and kept on walking and looking away.... This ignorance while seeing the very few 'natural' sites being destroyed drives me crazy. I just can't understand it :-( DAMN!!

I am so terribly scared for the turtles now that those waters are poisonous ....

Well, the meeting went like the fish in the Yarkon: no luck for me, trying to go with the flow.

12-11-2008-fishmassacre7
A very distressed Egret sitting on top of the wheel of a discarded bike while watching the dead fish around him :-(

12-11-2008-fishmassacre3
Some of the dead fish floating 'belly up' :-(

12-11-2008-fishmassacre2
All that 'white spots' at the left side of the river are dead, poisoned fish...