Leora

Flower to brighten the day

It’s nice to have a cheery photo at the top of my blog. This is a flower from the kibbutz we stayed at in the north of Israel, Kfar Blum. An expert in the comments (see below) has declared this a nerium oleander.

The Blog Challenge

Ilana-Davita got picked as one of Swedish Chekchouka’s seven blogs, so Ilana-Davita picked me as one of her favorite blogs.

As Ilana-Davita pointed out, by picking out seven, you are eliminating others. I decided the first person on my list would be the first person disappointed by her list, and here she is (drum roll, please):

Batya at Me-Ander: Batya was the blogger who introduced me to blog carnivals. Many months ago, she left a comment on one of my cooking posts; I felt like she introduced me to the JBlogosphere. Yay, Batya!

And now for my second pick:
Daniel who’s Struggling with God: He writes nicely and a very human way. Yes, he is often struggling. Sometimes someone else can voice what others just feel.

Three:
Gail at Rubicon3: Gail writes insightfully about politics, warmly about her family, and I love when she puts up a drawing. She’s also a great photographer. Yesterday she helped me with Twitter. I still am not quite sure what Twitter is all about, but if you want to follow me, I’m leoraw.

Four:
A Mother in Israel: She’s one of the only bloggers I’ve met in person. There’s always an interesting discussion on her blog. And I’m rather partial to the lovely header she has up there (I designed it for her).

Five:
Frumhouse: Always something interesting to say, an interesting angle. Sometimes a lovely poem to warm your day.

Six:
Jack: He helps keep the Jblogosphere going with Haveil Havalim, and he’s funny. More the second one. I mean, the first one is a lot more work. But the second one is why it’s always worth a peek to see what he’s noting today.

Seven:
Lion of Zion: He teaches me about Brooklyn, what’s up in Camp Moshava these days (I went there for four years in the 1970s), gives me a peek into the male world of leining. Unpredictable, what his next post topic will be.

Eight (who said I can count):
Robin, who introduced me to all these wonderful photo bloggers and Mr. Linky fun

Who I didn’t pick:
TherapyDoc is already on Ilana-Davita’s list.
SuperRaizy is already on Ilana-Davita’s list.
Baila is on Swedish Chekchouka’s list.
ImaBima is already on Ilana-Davita’s list.
HiHoRosie just got a similar award from her set of bloggers.

And I’m often finding new ones. I also really like A Simple Jew. Is that cheating?

So, feel free to take up the challenge of seven favorite bloggers. It’s not easy.

Little Girl, My Version

Instead of posting this little girl in the original photo, I changed the photo using Photoshop. I used the filter called “cutout” on most of it, but not on the face and arm. The cutout filter took out too much detail there, so I used the “colored pencil” filter for the face and arm. Did it work? Maybe. I wanted to take away some of the likeness. I have some other photos with faces that I may want to post, and this Photoshopping may help me feel like someone is less likely to recognize the person.

Bulldozer Attack in Jerusalem

Another one. I read it first on Muqata. Now it’s on the Jerusalem Post.

Ruby Tuesday Reds

I took this photo of my neighbor’s potted flowers especially for Ruby Tuesday.

Tel Dan and a bus

Above is a photo taken by Middle Son of me enjoying the cool wading pool at Tel Dan. This was supposed to be a post called: “Easy Hikes in Tel Dan.” Tel Dan offers both natural wonders and archaeological finds. However, due to the fire last week in the Tel Dan Nature Reserves, I bring you this conversation between two of my children (it’s not their exact words, but the dialogue as I remember it):

Middle Son: Why would anyone do something like that?
Eldest Son: Why would anyone blow up a bus or a cafe?
Middle Son: But they could enjoy the nature.
Eldest Son: They could enjoy the bus, too.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the nature reserves will re-open this week; however, as one-third of the forest was destroyed, it will take many years for those parts to grow back.

Kosher Cooking Carnival

Kosher Cooking Carnival #32: the the look but you better not eat edition is up over at Soccer Dad’s (It was a fast day yesterday, but now that’s over, so eat, kinderlach, eat).

I will be hosting in August, so please post recipes, thoughts on food, restaurant reviews, anything food-related as long as it’s kosher.
For more details, read Batya’s post, who coordinates the Kosher Cooking Carnival.

I posted the answer to the Cookie Contest in the comments to that post.

And because I love showing off photos, here’s more Kfar Blum breakfast, the kibbutz hotel we stayed out in the north of Israel. For the salad lovers, we had:

And for the all-American kids like my son (and their mothers who had to taste and decided these were the best pancakes she had ever eaten):

A critter of Rosh HaNikra

I was excited to capture this photo when we visited Rosh HaNikra, Israel. At first I declared: a scorpion! However, my son corrected me and said it was merely a crab. Good to have smart kids to set you straight.

Other animals have been posted around the world this weekend: visit at Camera-Critters.

Jerusalem in Ruins

Over 2000 years ago, Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian forces breached the walls of Jerusalem after many years of siege. So today observant Jews around the world fast, a fast called the 17th of Tammuz. It is hard for me to be sad on this day; my family greatly enjoyed visiting Jerusalem recently, and I had the opportunity to photograph ruins such as this one. But I can be contemplative. Yes, contemplative, that is a good word for today.

Jameel has more bad stuff that happened today. And hope for redemption.

Kid-Friendly Noodle Kugel

I used to make noodle kugel with a stick of margarine. A WHOLE STICK. After I learned about the evils of margarine, for a long time I did not make noodle kugel. At some point recently, after craving a good noodle kugel, I put together this easy recipe. At the end I include options that might make the kugel more interesting, tasty or healthy. However, the “plain” version is the one my kids eat. And it tastes good to me, too.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. thin egg noodles
• 4 eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Enough canola oil to grease the bottom of the pan

Boil water and prepare the noodles. Preheat oven to 350°. Strain the noodles, and mix with the eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Grease the bottom of the pan with oil (I use pyrex; sometimes I make two pans of kugels, one for Friday night and one for Shabbat lunch). Preheat the pan(s) so the kugel will be a little crispier. Add the kugel mixture, and bake for about 30 minutes or until the kugel starts to get crispy.

Options: chopped spinach (frozen is easiest), chopped onion, bits of hamburger meat (I’ve never made it this way, just tasted others, but it’s delicious)