"summer" moment

::::this moment::::

Furoshiki

I was surfing around on the www. after seeing a great picture of someone carrying a cloth bag, made out of 1 piece of cloth. I found lo-and-behold a blog on nondisposable living. She was an avid user of the Japanese Furoshiki technique. Found a couple small youtube tutorials too. Good for picnics, food shopping, gift wrapping and handbags. You can use any material, old bedsheets or fancy silks. Amazing, and incredibly eco-friendly, aesthetic and almost like origami...! Here is a quick how-to-sew. A wonderful move towards no plastic, and less garbage. The japanese are always so elegant.

Well, I am off to try on the kids playsilks.

Books and Birthday

I have a box high up on a shelf. A rainy day/ crisis box, of toys, books and things I do not like standing out, things we have too many of, or simply items to save for- a rainy day. A couple of days ago they all went into a whine. Hard to know why, but at any rate, I scooped out the books, plopped them all in living room area, and they were happy. I especially loved these two reading two each other. Communicating. Wonderful. The book is by R. Scarry by the way. The pictures they seem to like more than I do... Well, it will be back up on the shelf soon.

We have been cooking a lot lately, all sorts. But wanted to highlight once again an exciting book we are using. A lot of fusion, and new tastes, lots of veggies and lots of produce you simply cannot get here. Exciting. For example a simple LotusLandLinguine with crunchy woked vegetables and the simplest, tastiest peanut sauce I have ever had.

AND i had a birthday a few weeks ago. And received this wonderful old and functional! (adjustable from espresso ground to Bodum grind!) coffee grinder from Anders. We have cut back on coffee, for the best. Now we splurge on weekends, and go for quality cortados. And the grinder was just as much for kids as for me. The grinding is a great activity. Also for grain for breads.

The Free Gaza Flotilla

I am "lucky" enough to be parked in the couch these few days due to a sprained ankle, and have been reading up on the International aftermath to this ongoing tragedy.

It is time to end these heinous crimes against humanity the state of Israel has been committing for too long against the people in Gaza. We, the International society have to act now.

Please, the way to cure misconceptions, fear and ignorance is through KNOWING. Read, read, read newspapers, articles, op-eds, videos, blogs and so on. I am not going to link to or recommend any specific news site or commentaries, you will have to choose the medium you trust best.

Good luck.