Our Passover (Pesach) is over. After a week of eating 'matzot' (unleavened bread) , we're back to our beloved bread, pita, tortilla, mamaliga.
Moreover, I can now spoil the 'birdies' (mostly pigeons that come to my back porch), with seeds and grains. The later will eat almost anything, provided it's cut and chopped small ,to make it easy for them to swallow; but seeds and grains are definitely their favorite food. We're not allowed, however, to keep this 'chametz' (leavened) stuff in, or around the house during Passover.
The weather is splendid - sunny and warm. It invites people to go out and explore the beauty of Nature, and they do that, leaving a lot of litter to remind the world of their existence.
There's sadness in the air though, mainly for two reasons: inconclusive election results which might lead to new futile elections, and Covid-19 , of course. Nobody knows what's happening on either front. Ignorance and disinformation are in abundance wherever one looks.
There's talk about removing the masks. Well, not yet, not me. I'll decide for myself . I don't trust the medical 'experts' who have proved to be as corrupt as the politicians..They'll easily sell their integrity for funds and personal promotion.
I'm waiting to see how things will go with the return of all kids to school in regular format (not zoom and capsules). There is big pressure to start that now, not after they'll get vaccinated, if they'll get vaccinated (most parents seem to be against).
In fact, there's pressure regarding everything, and debates might soon reach even the streets. No kidding.
There are heavy debates everywhere. Such a time.
ReplyDeleteIt's typical to multi-ethnically, non-homogenous nations.
DeleteIt is quite amazing to me that religion imposes so many rules on behaviour, and people follow them, whether they understand them or not. It is similarly amazing that believers accept the human body as their god's perfect creation, and immediately start chopping off pieces of it, the genitals being the universal first target. If it involves a male it's called circumcision, with a female it's mutilation. It is all obscene if you ask me!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the principle that religion should not impose its rules on society or individuals.
DeleteMe, I'm not religious, just a tradition observant. I respect and appreciate the traditions seen in my parents' home, and as long as I live and can, I'll try to keep it on.
Perhaps, people consider me religious or religious light, because I believe in a power greater than us,humans. I call it God, others call it Nature or the Universe. This power has control over everything inclusive the Climate and the Viruses.
I also believe, whole-heartedly, in the significance and importance of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
I think that I'm just a dot in the big creation of things and I need the protection of the greater power.
We are in a 3rd wave in Toronto and vaccines are slow to come to all.
ReplyDeleteOh, sweet Christine, don't worry! As long as you wear the mask and practice distancing, you're safe.
DeleteGod be with you! blessings and hugs to you!
Debate after debate and this country (U.S.) has more than its share. I get my second jab in a couple of weeks and will wait another 2 weeks before dining in a restaurant, etc. Like you, make my own decisions as there is an excess of contradictory reports.
ReplyDeleteGood you're back to usual and feeding birds. We do that also in the back yard, birds and love to watch the squirrels and their antics. Take care, Duta!
I feed them all the time, but during Passover I didn't have the food they like: seeds and grains. Well, I also didn't eat the food I like. Matzot is hardly gourmet.
DeleteAnyway, it's entertainment with them. I enjoy their quarrels and..love affairs. She plays the hard to get, and he chases her, LOL.
I love hearing about your Passover traditions. Two of my cousins married into Jewish families and observe both religions' holidays, or at least the biggies (I don't think our family ever found a holiday it didn't celebrate!) but we've never been in Cleveland during either Hanukkah or Passover, but did attend a seder at a friend's home years ago. I loved the tradition of it -- the prayers, what the food meant. I hope your entire Passover period was lovely.
ReplyDeleteAh, Covid. I'm with you. Even though I've had both my shots, if I go into a store or in public I have my mask on. If I'm walking alone, I have it with me, in case I see people but we are outside and everyone seems pretty respectful. You are supposed to wear masks in any store. But our restaurants have opened and other facilities and I won't attend. We have too many variants. Almost every day you hear about Michigan on the news and not in a good way.
I hope your election situation straightens out soon.
Traditions are a nice thing; it depends on what one makes of it.
DeleteIn my neck of the woods, everything is politics, even covid-19, and that's quite depressing.
I have to have my mask on when I go out for essentials. What especially frightens me are children in the parks and supermarkets, without masks coughing and sneezing. These kids might be spreaders of the virus.
May God protect us!
That is so sweet you feed the pigeons. They are my least favorite birds and we shoo them away here, not wanting them to nest in any of our eaves (they like the neighbor's ones better I think :)
ReplyDeleteOur governor took away our mask mandate for the state but let it up to businesses if they want to require one. Our mayor was livid about it so she closed all the park parking lots for Easter weekend with no grilling. People could go to the parks for gatherings but couldn't park in the parking lots and she even closed some city streets for parking close to popular parks. Last Easter she closed all parks and taped picnic tables up so no one could gather. We still have our mask mandate in the city.
I stopped trusting the medical experts months ago; they go one way one week and another way the next week. By the grace and mercy of God we remain very healthy :)
betty
ן don't have favorites. Like humans, birds and critters can be dangerous. As with humans we happen to fall in love. It so happened that once I fell in love with a certain cat; now, it's one of the birds.that come to my back window. They come for food, and I take pity on them.
DeleteI don't go out without a mask, and keep away from people without one.
Indeed, we can only trust God's protection.
I enjoy your lovely posts, your sharing life from a land I've yet to travel. I have friends in Israel, and one who moved here to the States from Jerusalem. I truly understand your concerns over this election. As you know, we're had our share of angst and anger over here. I hear news about the turbulent political scene where you are and I can't help but suspect that your country is just as divided as ours. The times they are a changing, that's the only certainty.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debra, for your kind words.
DeleteYes. I'm afraid we're a highly divided nation, and it seems that nothing good awaits us.
There are ,sadly, no leaders any more, there's no ruling any longer. The problem is much deeper than the persona at the head. Nations nowadays are multi-ethnical , not homogenous, and the whole structure is bound to fail.
"Ignorance and disinformation are in abundance wherever one looks."
ReplyDeleteHow true! We're inundated with both these days! Everywhere, each way we look and listen!
Easter is over here...and I still have loads of chocolate left. But, don't despair...I also ate loads of it! ;)
Take good care, DUTA. :)
You too, Brutus? In Australia,too?! Here we think of Australia and New Zealand as of paradise on earth.
DeleteI don't know about you, but chocolate immediately adds to my body weight, and I can't let this happen as my knees start 'murmuring'.
I had my second vaccine today. I got the shot in the same arm. So far not so bad, but then I heard from a co-worker who had her's yesterday and now has a fever and flu like aches.
ReplyDeleteDo you have the vaccine will be available soon there?
I am still wearing my mask and staying away from crowds.
I'm glad you are feeding the birds, and I hope you get to eat something you really want to eat, too. Stay well.
Well, yesterday was the day I could eat whatever I fancied, that is bread and its derivatives.
DeleteToday I feel more relaxed, and plan to shed some pounds accumulated in winter and during Passover- this surplus is a danger to my knees and health in general.
Oh, I hope you are having a good week. And of course, eating something you fancy! Thanks for your comment. Our library quartines items up to 5 days when they come in. So far so good. But library books are very concerning. A major library nearby was closed most of the year. Now if you have overdues..they ask that you not bring the books back and have waved fines. But not at our library. When the outbreak started and the day we closed to the public for a month or so our director let patrons checkout as many things as they wanted. They got to keep them for months. Later we went into curbside pickup mode and we handled everything with gloves.
DeleteThat's very interesting info about libraries!
DeleteThe story of the neighbor librarian I've mentioned in my comment on your blog, is not a recent story; it happened many years ago, long before the virus outbreak.
HI Duta, That is sweet that you love to feed the birds!! I am sure they were glad when you were able to resume feeding them! The matzah looks good, i am still going on with unleavened bread for a while longer, I tend to linger in the `unleavened` state for a while longer... May the LORD bless you and keep you and give you and all of Israel His great SHALOM!!❤️
ReplyDeleteYes, I do like to feed them. I did that also during Passover, but not with their favorite food of seeds and grains. They were probably mad at me:)
DeleteMany go on with the matzot after the holiday, but it's rather fattening.You are young and of slim nature, so it doesn't affect your figure.
God bless you too!
Shalom.
Hallo Duta, I also like to feed birds and squirrels. And face mask? Keep wearing it. Being careful is not wrong.
ReplyDeleteYes, the mask is definitely a life-saver. It's hard for the younger people, but at my age it's health that matters most, so I don't mind wearing it.
DeleteI'm getting my first shot next week. I can't wait to feel safer. Stay well! Eating lots of nuts and seeds can only help.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. Indeed, one feels safer after getting the vaccine.
DeleteI love nuts and seeds, but they add weight and that's not good.
The birds appreciate the treats I'm sure, Duta. This week, we have resumed afternoon sitting by the river on a few nice afternoons. I plan to get some birdseed for the sparrows that serenade us during our outings. We also are fully vaccinated and continue to mask-up everywhere indoors even if it is uncomfortable, but we do not wear masks when sitting outside with no one around us.
ReplyDeleteI may be wrong, but I feel they indeed appreciate both me and the treats. It's a good feeling.
DeleteI wish the government would provide us for free, with the reusable, high quality mask which is more expensive than the simple surgical, disposable mask.
I had a piece of matzah with my coffee this morning and it was so enjoyable. My kids all came for Passover. They cleaned our home and put together a simple Seder. It was my son-in-law's first experience. Our girls understand how to arrange a kosher plate. Even our youngest granddaughter, 7 years old, joined in enthusiastically. I felt like a guest in my own home this year with my recent foot surgery. I feel very blessed that they all gathered here and I loved the dinner, too.
ReplyDeleteOh, Mary. I'm delighted to learn of your Passover Seder, and of your wonderful family.
DeleteWe have various sorts of matza, at various prices. Even the cheapest one is tasty, especially with the morning coffee.
Blessings, and smooth recovery!
It's lovely that you are feeding the birds 😍😍
ReplyDeleteI think so, too. The feeding gives me a good feeling.
DeleteThanks for the comment.
The matzot looks so good, Duta.
ReplyDeleteI agree, keeping mask on and social distance :)
Have a wonderful weekend!
They are good, but bread is better.
DeleteMasks and social distancing will be with us, I'm afraid, for a long while, especially for the elderly. Even if and when we achieve 'herd immunity'.
There a lot of pigeons in here too. Wise decision about the mask. Currently we are waiting for our vaccine. Have a lovely new week!
ReplyDeleteI must admit that as far as I can remember, it's perhaps the first year in my life that I got no flu. And that is due to wearing a mask outside. In the past, despite the flu vaccine, I still got it. They said it is in a light form. Well, if you mean I didn't get to the hospital,yes, but it was still nasty.
DeleteI won't be removing my mask for sometime to come. Maybe once the people getting Covid goes down to almost zero here in my state I'll stop wearing the mask.
ReplyDeleteExactly my thoughts.There's a big drop in flu 'catchers' due to the mask, so it's definitely worth wearing it.
DeleteI LOVE Matzo, which I sometimes order by the case. I didn't know what it was when I was a child; I just knew that the communion bread that was served (along with Mogen David wine) in my fundamentalist Christian church consisted of large squares that were broken up into small piece. I was too young to take communion, but, after church, I would sometimes have my own communion at home with Saltines and grape juice.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where you live that doctors are advising people to stop wearing masks, but the opposite is true here in America.
I'm glad you had a nice experience with Matzot.
DeleteI wrote - there's talk about removing masks. Doctors (in Israel) are not yet advising that, thank God.
I never heard of Matzo. Sorry to hear that hings are not good. Covid is a huge problem. We are blessed here as we have no Covid as we are an island we could keep it out up till now. In my homeland the Netherlands it is still completely out of control. Did they start vaccination in your country?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the kids? are they in school learning in the regular format (I mean no zoom and capsules)? Here they plan to vaccinate kids too. Quite a mess.
DeleteI too definitely plan to continue to wear my mask when out in public. We have all now been vaccinated and this weekend when my brother and niece and my sister came to visit my mom we actually let them in the house, masks on of course. It was nice to have a normal visit inside and my mom was so happy to be able to sit in her favorite chair and actually hear her children without noise of nature and traffic. Take care DUTA.
ReplyDeleteI can Well imagine what a joy for your Mom to be with her children in the house.People long for normality, and what is more normal than to be with family.
DeleteI think it's always nice to feed the birds.
ReplyDeleteEven though many have had their vaccinations, we are still wearing masks and adhering to social distancing.
All the best Jan
I love to feed the birds. Their favorite food is oaths, and when there's a sale , I buy a large quantity.
DeleteWell, vaccination, as far as I know, doesn't prevent spreading of the virus, just making the disease more treatable.