Day 6: Kittens, weeds and stones, oh my!

Okay, so the cats are the scrawniest animals on the farm, but that is because all of the animals have jobs to do. The cats are supposed to keep the rodents away, which they do. But damn, are there so many cats! This tiny guy lives in the pen where the goats get milked. When I was milking the goats last night--my first time ever!--I let a goat spill the pan of milk. I felt horrible since the family subsides off of what the grow and make, like goat cheese and goat milk, but Tamar just smiled and said, "At least it was after one and a half goats and not four." So I only beat myself up for a couple of minutes. She was pleasantly surprised that I got any milk at all out of them because it sometimes takes a few tries. But I told her I miked cows; what I didn't say was it was twenty years ago. But she knew once I started I was a rookie. It is awesome (not in that fifteen-year-old-kid kind of way but in the grand way) to be a part of making my own food.

Which is what we do everyday, just in different ways. 

Yesterday I had to build supports for the beans in the gardens. It was not tough, but it was very meaningful. I like that the family puts me on a task and I get to just do it. There is not a lot of instruction and I have to use my imagination to build whatever I'm supposed to accomplish. It is nice to work the imagination part of my brain while doing physical exercise. I came to realize only yesterday that this is an art-making exercise. Can I call making the supports for bean plants art? I don't think so. But I have no problem calling this sketching. I've long defined art as a physical exercise, and I still hold to that. And I've also long held the notion that my art and life are intricately and, like a Celtic knot, co-mingled beyond separation and without a start or stop. I'm very pleased that I came to see this in an action that I can clearly point to as an example. So why Israel? why a farm? why work so hard? Realizations such as this do not come at home on the couch or even while working on the status quo safely in a known environment. Teaching has shown me that kids learn the most and the best when they are off balance and unsure; the lessons and information that they gain in those moments of regaining their stability is what high learning is all about. It is poignantly clear to me that the great effort and time I put into finding this place and committed to in being here will pay off immensely, and I am sincerely glad in my choice to come to the Arzuni Farm.

A wonderful woman that I dearly adore said that the place I'm at looks stark. I thought I knew what stark was, but I had to look it up to understand what Ann meant--but how can I really know anyway because she is a lawyer and teacher who uses words like I use clay. So stark can be severe, barren or blasted, or even simple. Perhaps she meant one or all of these. But if I used stark to define this place that I've come to know in only seven days, I would have to mean pure, complete, and (god help me) blessed.

This is the sunset over Ezuz, a quirky
little village that, like most of the
families in it, stand alone by choice
in this desert paradise.

These are three different views that I made as the sun was setting on a wonderful day. I've never understood being in a place where there was no water within a few minutes drive, but perhaps I'm still biased by my time in Iraq. I cannot imagine being in a more beautiful place this summer. The only thing missing is my lovely wife to enjoy watching the sunsets.

Future home of the new greenhouse.

Okay, so today started with the normal breakfast: bread and apricot spread, some fruit, and warm water--we ran out of tea but got more today. Then we went down to the valley to tend the grove. It is beautiful here again today, but it is hot near 90 degrees (Tomorrow will be extremely hot, over 95 degrees and a bit sunny.). So I was given four tasks and cut loose. I had to net some tomatoes, weed the rows in a greenhouse, move too many stones so that a new greenhouse can be built and weed the grape vines. I finished the first two, and here I am working on the third. The weeding is tedious, and my least favorite thing to do. Perhaps Avi will find more grunt work for me to do instead.

So that we don't overheat and because, as Avi says, the work is not going to run away, we take as many breaks as we need. I was a bit hot and tired this morning, so I went to pick a peach or two. Sadly, there were none ready. But imagine my delight when I bit into this nectarine. The food here is so flavorful because it is organic and made with love. I wonder how much my life would change back home if I applied the same methods to all that I do?

Back to the beginning

I'm jumping back to the beginning of our trip to Puerto Rico so you can get a better idea of just how much fun we had. We left on Sunday, June 2 with 15 students and 13 parents. Here we go...

After landing we boarded our bus to Piñones for a lunch of Pinchos. Many of the kids dove in and ate the food. I was so proud of them for trying new foods on our first day. Everyone was surprised when a man pulled out a machete and opened a coconut so we could drink the fresh water. Once we all had a taste he cut the coconut open and we ate the meat. It was so refreshing!

We walked on the beach in Loiza to have a swim and cool down. Before jumping in the water, our tour guide, Dio, took us for a walk. This beautiful view was hidden from sight for most of the walk!
 

We then stopped in the store of a family of artists who specialize in Vejigante masks. These beautiful masks are made from the coconuts on the island. 

All this in more on day one. I am going to have to pack for Tennessee quickly so I can post the rest of our trip before I leave again!

Day 5: Movin' in and movin' my hips!

Today I got permanent quarters, or at least as permanent as any transient can have. I'm all set up with space, and I'll make it mine over the next few days.

In the afternoon I worked with compost. It wasn't too tough. I just had to loosen it up and move it from barrel to barrel. Then by the time I walked down to the grove, it is about a 15 minute walk, they were already done with work. So I got to ride back up.

The oldest daughter, Rotem, was in a concert last night. She plays the flute. So the family took us to the moshav where the concert was held. It was cool because it was people from all over the area performing music and singing. It was a fun time, and it was great to mix with the locals.

This morning I fed the goats. I also learned that I'll be the one milking them on Thursdays when the family goes to the market. I'm so excited because I've never milked a goat before. When I was young I milked a cow, so hopefully I'll get it pretty quickly. I have to learn to feed them in order and how to do what, and this is what we will do after our break.

During my break I'm going to make finish a video for the family. They don't have a camera so I videoed Rotem playing her flute.

We had lunch with Tamar, the mother, because the children and father are in Beer Sheva looking at the kids' new school. It was amazing and wonderful to hear Tamar's tales. She spoke of her childhood on a kibbutz where she lived with all of the other children in one building away from their parents. She spoke of growing up a happy child and after leaving the army yearning for something exciting to do--a challenge, she called it. She told us of meeting Avi in Australia. What a wonderful experience coming to know another who is so different from me. I am walking in the footsteps of some wonderful people here in Israel, and I know I will be bigger and better for it.

Back in Florida!

We arrived in Florida around midnight on Saturday. I am so fortunate that I had this opportunity to learn about my history. Today, with very sleepy eyes, I uploaded pictures to my computer and washed all my clothes-whew! I will spend tomorrow packing and sorting through pictures that I can share on the blog.

This afternoon I headed to Publix, convinced that I would be craving a pizza for dinner. However, when I saw those plantains I just could not pass them by. I ate plantians every day in Puerto Rico because they are great source of potassium, and quite tasty. This trip to PR was  the first time I tried a traditional dish of green plantains and whole peppercorns. I attempted to replicate the dish this evening (with non-traditional sweet potato and veggie sausage). It was delicioso!

Day 4: Tilling the truth.

Today was the first day of work. I got to till the land. It was hard to do for four hours. Did you know there are a lot of rocks in the Negev Desert? I'll get a picture of some of my favorites and get them on here!

 We walked down to the grove, and on the left is a picture of the sun rising above the grove. The picture on the right is the opening of the grove. Avi, the owner of the farm, is an organic farmer who doesn't even use organic sprays. So they cover the trees with nets to protect them and the fruit.

This is Avi, and that is a part of the vegetable garden. We eat from it daily. So my task today was to till the ground for the new rows of vegetables.

So this is me doing the big arms thing about midway through the tilling. I'm still happy and smiling at the end of the task, but I tell you it was really tough. I've not worked that hard physically in a long time.


We've made an arrangement that I will give the family art lessons every Wednesday instead of working the land (The kids are home schooled). This seems like a wonderful thing to me because I get to teach and the family gets to learn together. We will start with perspective and see what happens from there.

Day 3: Our tour of the valleys.

Lulu, who I will not call General Lulu but Drill Sergeant Lulu (I came to this conclusion with the help of an Israeli volunteer who is here.), took us into two valleys today. The first was where the family's grove is, and the second is where there are two ancient wells, a grove of trees, and a fine bridge that the Ottoman Turks used for trains.

We all practiced reading the sign that was there, which was difficult because there are no vowels and words that I'd never seen. But it was fun helping each other out with words and trying to figure out the sign.

On the hike back up the hill, Lulu gave us a lesson in stepping deeply and with purpose so that we didn't tumble off of the side of the hill, we saw a ceramicist's studio. The Arzuni family, with whom I stay, doesn't mingle with the rest of the villagers, so I'm not sure if I'll get to meet them or not.


We ended the tour with a stop at the "Goat Cheese Shop," which is owned and run by a lovely lady who has math dyscalculia. We had too many samples and I bought some spicy cheese because the Arzuni's don't like spicy stuff.

And for those of you who are on the edge of your seats, I did get to see the wall guarding the border at Egypt. Lulu gave me another lecture on why I cannot go and touch it!

Day 2: Peaches come in a can...

...or on a tree. All of the food here is home grown or homemade--except the tahini. I remarked yesterday (it is 0334-3 am to you civilians-so sleep is lightly made here too) on how tasty but small the peaches are. Chen, a volunteer who has been here for three months told me this is because they are not pumped full of anything, including water.

Here are the some peaches that we cut up to be sun dried.

Okay, aside here. Just because I'm taking the picture doesn't mean I'm not working--sheesh. This is truly a working farm, and if you don't work you don't eat.

Tomorrow Lulu (I may start calling Lulu General Lulu.) is taking us on a tour of the valley where the orchard I've still not seen is, as well as the neighboring valley where there is cool stuff. I'm so excited because we get to see clearly the Egyptian border. And as anyone who sat still long enough to listen to my travel plans for when I was here--I swear I wasn't bragging, I was just stoked--I was walking across the border into the Sinai peninsula. Well, thanks to much illegal immigration, smuggling and a newly constructed wall there will be no illegal crossing by me, as the military has embraced a free-fire zone here. Another travel plan was to not get shot by anyone (not like this is the USA where everyone carries a gun, but it was still a goal) so I'll have to rethink my plans for Egypt.

Helado

We stopped in Ben and Jerry's after the most amazing lazer show at the museum. I forgot my wallet, so no helado for me. Soy contento con la pelicula y la pizza :)

Day 1 on Day 2

So driving to the village from
Beer Sheva took about an hour. It
was a great drive through the desert.
Surprisingly, there is not much here
but the desert, which is really full of
stuff. Ezuz is just lovely.

So if I don't get these pictures on there today I'm afraid they will fall by the wayside. So here is my introduction to Ezuz.

  These are the images that you see coming down the road and then you see the cafe right when you turn into the village.

Here is some stuff that I found just around the village. There are so many artifacts just laying about it is wonderful to imagine the comings and goings of the people who've been here. This place is so much like where I grew up in that it is rural and there are farms. The desert is a bit different, though. This has really caused me to reflect on how lucky I was to grow up in and around the pine woods, oak hammocks, and swampy lowlands of Florida. As pretty and exotic as it is here, when I think of the ideal place to be it is central Florida--or maybe it is the central Florida of my childhood.

Okay, so day two. I slept really well since I'd been up for nearly 24 hours. Getting here and settled was fun and a bit unsettling--see what I did there? I got to meet everyone, but I cannot remember everyone's names. The is Avi, who is the dad and his wife. There are two daughters; the oldest is 13. The younger one, Lulu, whose real name is Lily, reminds me very much of

This was our first task today. We had to cut the fruit that could
not be sold whole so that it could be sun dried. Lulu is on the
right and Shelby, a volunteer from Canada is on the left.
The volunteer in the center is from France.

another Lily at home. Lulu is 10 years old, but is fiercely independent and mature because she has to do so much around the farm. Today she taught us how to count to ten in Hebrew--she is quite the task master!

And why didn't I start with the image of my first sunrise you ask. I don't know. But here it is.

Day 1: Post happy!

I walked around a bit tonight, and I found so such stuff to investigate. This will be a busy summer.

I hope I don't run out of cool stuff in two days, I sarcastically say.

La Cueva

We made a quick stop at Cueva Ventana. We passed through total darkness to the "ventana" (window). This magical view was a welcome surprise!

Where am I?

Holy crap! Where am I. What an adventure so far. I made it to the right train, so now I'm heading south.

Made it.

Yep. I'm here.

See you soon, boys.

I'm off to the airport. I'm so stoked about my adventures. I think the next time I post I'll be in Israel.

Last night with the boys.

I've done the last bit of cleaning and wash and house stuff. I just finished dinner, PDQ, with André begging for scraps. Now I've just got to relax into tomorrow and be off to Israel.

Reflection time

We stopped at Copa Marina to give the parents some alone time.  We got to sit by the water and talk to our students about the adventures we have had so far.  Our days have been so packed and it was nice to stop and have some time together.

Boquerón Beach

Our service at the school was cancelled, so did a beach clean up and enjoyed the water. Not a bad morning at all!

I got stuff today!

Today I got my wireless router for Israel and my passport holder. One more day of school and some cleaning left.

I'll be gone for two months, but I'm sure it will fly by. The trick will be to slow the days down when I'm there and live in the moment.

El Yunque

We had a beautiful hike through the rain forest today.  We don't have mountains in Florida, so we were all ready to sit and rest and eat lunch.  This was our view as we enjoyed habichueles y arroz.

Lunch in Piñones

I think he liked it!

And we're off!

Val just landed in Puerto Rico! Our summer officially begins. I'm packing for Israel, and the boys are helping me. It is so exciting to think that I'll be half-the-world away in just a couple of days. I hope I have everything I need!

I'm going to the beach today with the GoPro because I can see the footage of me going in the water as important somehow in the video that I'm going to make this summer. We'll see how that goes.

Fun in the airport

We're ready to board. Puerto Rico look out!