First Rains!

A few weeks ago we had a 5 minute downpour late at night, but I consider the rains of the past two days to be our first “real” rains of the season. Elizabeth was excited to try out her new raincoat!

Living in a Sandbox

This is what our view looked like today with a promise that it will continue all day tomorrow too.

Yup, we are living under that massive sand cloud! (Source: NASA)

Sandstorms are dirty. The sand creeps in every crack in the house. Everything is covered with a thick layer of dirt – inside and outside. Our car looks yellow. The trees and plants outside look yellow. You leave footprints wherever you walk. It really feels like it does during a snowstorm (with some stretch of the imagination!). It is so quiet outside! It really is best to stay indoors. The air is so dirty that you feel it settling in your lungs the moment you walk outside.

So we stay inside as much as we can with the windows tightly closed. When the air clears, cleaning the house will keep me busy for quite a long time! So it goes when one lives on the edge of a desert…

Heat Wave!

We are having exceptionally warm weather, and we are enjoying it! March weather in Jerusalem can swing from cold and rainy days in the 50s to warm and sunny days in the 80s! It is impressive how dramatically (and quickly) the temps can change in just a few hours.

Yesterday I met a former colleague from Hebrew University for lunch at First Station – a renovated old train station in Jerusalem. It was turned into a really lovely gathering place to go for food, activities, or music events.

The girls and I enjoyed our walk along the train tracks.

The weather was even warmer today! So warm, in fact, that we could have our first roof dinner of the warm season. So much fun! The girls love playing on our roof. Last summer Sarah was not yet walking.  Now both are very actively running around, kicking balls, and riding their little bicycles. What a difference a year makes in the lives of children.

Tomorrow the temps begin to drop again. We will be back to much cooler weather again by Sunday!

Beating the Heat

Summer weather in Jerusalem is intense, but usually there are cool night breezes that bring comfort and cool down the house. We have never had A/C in our years here, and thankfully it is a rare occasion that we wish we did. Most often it is because there is a period where the nights just do not cool down. Several weeks ago it was one of those times. We had a severe heat wave in which our house temperature steadily increased to a balmy 30 C (85 F).

We opted to overcome the heat by eating dinner on our roof and having Elizabeth play in our little swimming pool.

Poolside dining at its finest :)

This little one did not get to eat while sitting in the pool, but she too cooled off in the water after dinner.

 

Snow!!

It snowed in Jerusalem this past weekend! Snow is rare in Israel, but we can have snow in Jerusalem on occasion because of its high elevation and colder temperatures than most of the rest of the country.

In my time living here, I have seen about 3 snowstorms. The usual course of events during a snowstorm is that it snows a little during the night…you wake up with a 1-3 inches on the ground…the city shuts down because there is no infrastructure to cope with removing the snow…and by midday the sun has melted all the snow. Life quickly returns to normal and everyone enjoys an unexpected vacation day.

But this past weekend’s storm is beyond exceptional. It started to snow early Thursday morning and then continued off and on through Saturday. The storm essentially paralyzed the city. All roads leading to Jerusalem were closed and the only exit out was via a few trains running to Tel Aviv. It is now Monday morning and the buses are still not running as normal and the roads are still very problematic. The main problem is that temps have hovered around freezing all these days and Mother Nature is not helping to remove the snow. While many in Jerusalem area suffered power outages because of downed trees fallen under the weight of snow, we were thankfully not effected and had continuous power. However, the days of freezing temps outside has made it difficult to keep our unheated home warm. We have our tricks to help, but it is till very, very cold!

Where we live, on the outskirts of Jerusalem near Bethlehem, we are at a lower altitude than the highest peaks of Jerusalem. The difference in height (and therefore temperature) meant that we saw lots of snow fall from the sky, buy only had minimal accumulation during the storm on Friday night into Saturday morning.

The view that greeted us when we woke up Thursday morning.

Elizabeth loved looking at the snow.

Because we had no snow in our neighborhood, we went to visit friends in Jerusalem on Friday morning. There was a break in the storm Friday morning, and we took advantage of the sunny skies.

Elizabeth bundled up and ready to go.

When one lives where snow is rare, one does not have essential snow gear. J and I have ski clothes, so we were well prepared. But shat do you do for the little one? Improvise!! Elizabeth’s snow pants is a garbage bag with holes for her legs duct taped to her rain boots. We can’t take credit for the ingenuity…it is our friend’s invention. But it very effective. She stayed perfectly dry!

Hello!!

Exploring snow and all its fun. It’s soft!!

J did the hard work of our snowman construction.

He is beginning to take shape!

Hello, funny man, as Elizabeth named him :)

I love this sweet girl and how having her in my life is helping me rediscover the simple joys in life. I can’t remember the last time I built a snowman!

My favorite picture of the day. Her face is priceless.

Sarah spent the morning staying warm in the home of our friends. She was well cared for by these three beautiful ladies.

But of course she needed to have her first snow documented.

The view from our kitchen window at storm’s end on Saturday morning.

Visiting Family

It was a pleasure to spend time with my Uncle Phil and his brother this past week.  They have been touring Israel with a group from Lancaster Bible College, and I was glad my schedule permitted me to join them for their “free day” in Jerusalem.  We were grateful for the cooler temperatures that accompanied the sand storm that descended on the city, but did regret that the bad weather limited our views.  The typical bright blue sky was replaced for the day with this yellowish, hazy sky.  We spent our day shopping in the Old City, walking along the top of the Old City walls, lunching by Damascus Gate, and exploring a bit of modern-day Jerusalem outside of the Old City walls. 

J and I also enjoyed receiving Uncle Phil and Steve in our home for a dinner their last night in Jerusalem.  It was a relaxing time during which we enjoyed hearing about their experiences and impressions of the Holy Land. 

I always enjoy showing family and friends around this fascinating city and country.  Please do come and visit!!  We would love to also receive you as our guests!

A balmy Shabbat afternoon

 

It’s a very warm and sunny afternoon here in Jerusalem.  So warm, in fact, that J and I decided to eat lunch on our balcony.  I’m sure we will have some more winter-ish weather before summer truly arrives, but I think it is safe to say that spring has arrived in the Holy Land! 

 

 

 

Welcome Home

I returned to Israel this past Saturday.  It was a lovely time abroad visiting family and friends in Holland and the US, but it is very nice to be home again.  I have enjoyed returning to the normal routine of life here in Jerusalem, reconnecting with our local friends, and relaxing in our cozy little apartment.

J returned to work (and therefore Israel) two weeks before me, so it was a joyful reunion with him!  We enjoyed an evening at the Tel Aviv beach, watching a beautiful Mediterranean sunset and dinner at a cafe on the beach, before heading up the hills to Jerusalem.  The beautiful weather was refreshing after spending four weeks in particularly frigid northern weather! 

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

We arrived in Holland just in time for the arrival of cold and snowy weather.  The amount of snow is rare for Holland, so it was fun to be in the right place at the right time in order to experience it.  We had fun playing in the snow with our nieces, nephews and friends.  The wet snow was perfect for snow balls and snowmen…and very beautiful since it was also that perfect type of snow that magically outlines every tree branch and makes every pine tree look like a Christmas tree. 

Holland is a very, very flat country, so good sledding hills don’t exist.  But dikes are one thing Holland has plenty of…and the steep sides of a dike make for a short but very fast sledding experience! 

Thinning Blood

I don’t like to admit it, but I do think my blood has gotten thinner in the 1+ year that I have been living in Israel.  Winter weather has struck Jerusalem with a vengeance.  The past two days have been cold, damp, and very rainy.  And let me repeat, it is very, very cold.  It doesn’t take long for the stone walls of our apartment building to absorb the cold, allowing the dampness to seep inside.  Suddenly everyone is wearing boots, scarves, sweaters and knit hats.  And even though the temperature is a balmy 50+ degrees F (12 C), I too am bundling up as if we are in the middle of a deep winter freeze.  What happened to my Bostonian perspective on weather that led me to scoff at all those Jerusalemites walking around in their down coats?  I now wish I still owned a down winter coat!!  

The shock to my body is partially due to the fact that just a week or so ago Jerusalem was experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures…as in the 100 degree (30 C) range.   That’s a very sudden drop in temperature for any person to withstand, even the thickest blooded New Englander (of which I am no longer, I’m realizing)! 

I really, really like warm sun and moderate temperatures.  I have no doubt that the temps will stabilize and we will soon have sunny skies and warmer weather once again.  But this colder weather was an excellent reminder that we have entered the winter season.  It’s time to get our sweaters out of storage and dig out the umbrellas so that we can be fully prepared when the next storm blows through town. 

Rain, Rain, Rain

The rain has arrived and taken us by surprise.  Yesterday, while eating lunch at a cafe on our street, we were suddenly looking out at blue skies (yes, blue) and a downpour.  Just like with the first snow back in the Northeastern USA, everyone in the place started smiling and rushed to the windows to look outside.  It’s an exciting event!  Luckily we were not sitting at one of the many outdoor tables as some less fortunate folks were!  But within a few minutes, the rain stopped and shortly thereafter all wet traces on the pavement and sidewalks had disappeared.  We agreed it was the official first rain of the season (unlike the few drops of rain we had a week ago), but fully expected it to be a few weeks before the next rain storm would come through.  The sun was shining too brightly to think otherwise. 

But we were wrong.  Later this same afternoon, while driving to a local movie theater, we were again caught in a rainstorm.  Lasting about 15 minutes, there was enough rain this time to bring out the oil on the surface of the road.  We were soon slipping and sliding our way down the streets and around turns.  Walking from the car to the theater was no less dangerous.  Because there is no rain for about 6 months, a lot of oil and dirt accumulates on road surfaces and sidewalks.  The first rains bring all this gunk to the surface…making for a very slippery surface!  It is very comparable to driving on icy road surfaces.  Even the normally crazy scooter drivers were slowly and carefully navigating themselves down the roads. 

With the first rain of the season, there is always a very notable shift in the weather.  The air is suddenly cooler and less dry.  The smell of rain in the air is quite pungent (probably extra noticeable because of the lack of this smell for so long) and lingers for a long time.  Our apartment definitely feels more fresh tonight than it has for a long time.  This sudden shift in climate surprised me last year…and it surprised me just as much this year.  After months of sun and dry heat, one forgets that there is another type of climate in this land.  I’m not sure if I’m ready for the upcoming rainy/winter season.  There are certainly many beautiful days when the sun shines and warms the land throughout the winter season.  But some days can feel quite damp, which can feel particularly unpleasant without central heat (which is common in Israeli homes).  But I am looking forward to cooler days, being able to wear jeans and scarves, and perhaps even pulling out a cozy turtleneck sweater upon occasion.

On a more serious note, please do pray that this coming rain season will be a very wet season, as last winter was too dry.  Water and the concern that there is not enough water is a very big issue in this region of the world. In fact, it is such a big concern that water usage rights were part of the peace agreement between Jordan and Israel!   

Has it really been 10 years?!

Ten years I ago I graduated from Houghton College.  I still remember that day quite vividly.  Bidding farewell to a life I had known for four years and embarking on an unknown future.  So much excitement, pride and angst, all at the same time!  At that point, I did not yet have a job and was uncertain about what exactly I wanted to do.  Little did I know on that day that I would be working as a social worker at a retirement community within one month and entering a career path in gerontology that would be a perfect niche for me.  I am grateful for my college education and for my parents’ support of me getting that education.  Those four years at Houghton in a rural corner of New York state proved to the best launching pad.  At Houghton I was given educational opportunities that allowed me to build and strengthen my academic skills.  But my years at Houghton offered me so much more – lifelong friendships, a more personal relationship with God, greater self-confidence, discovery of my passion for urban life during a semester in London, just to name a few.  

So en route to a weekend gathering with three of these lifelong college friends, I got to spent a 24 hour period on Houghton’s campus during the official reunion weekend.  What lovely memories I enjoyed! 

Michelle and I standing in a heavy downpour (which sadly can’t be seen in this picture!) outside of the campus center.  Michelle lives in TX.  I live in Israel.  Both places are very, very dry during the summer months.  We were equally excited to enjoy a summer afternoon rainstorm! 

Jerusalem Weather

 

Thanks to the higher altitude, the weather in Jerusalem is as close to perfect as you can get in the Middle East.  Practically zero humidity and not a drop of rain in the forecast.  The cool evenings are a real perk!  But before you feel too jealous of the weather, the intensity of the sun makes the midday heat unbearable!   

Forecast for Jerusalem, Israel
10-Day Forecast

 

Today, Jun 09

Sunny
83°/63°
0 %

Wednesday, Jun 10
Mostly Sunny
85°/61°
0 %

Thursday, Jun 11
Partly Cloudy
82°/59°
0 %

Friday, Jun 12
Sunny
80°/59°
0 %

Saturday, Jun 13
Sunny
81°/59°
0 %

Sunday, Jun 14
Sunny
81°/59°
0 %

Monday, Jun 15
Sunny
83°/59°
0 %

Tuesday, Jun 16
Sunny
83°/62°
0 %

Wednesday, Jun 17
Sunny
84°/60°
0 %

Thursday, Jun 18
Sunny
85°/60°
0 %