YouTube and my Lucky Bamboos

Most of us know how helpful YouTube tutorials can be; they teach us how to fix things, how to grow things, how to overcome technical problems with the computer/ the sewing machine, how to prevent and treat health issues  etc...From this point of view, we live in really blessed times.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of awful videos out there. The presenter talks too much or too little, is out of focus, bad diction, doesn't look confident; the rhytm is too slow and monotonous, or too swift, the video leaves us with more questions than answers.

Nevertheless, if you're interested in a topic, I suggest that you check all of the YouTube videos (old and new)  that deal with your topic of interest, as you never know what little gem of information is 'hidden' in this or that apparently boring/ poor quality tutorial.

I'm very fond of the well- known plant Lucky Bamboo. So far I've got about thirty- five pieces. It's a nice decorative plant, it requires minimal care, it can be grown in water (with some pebbles to stabilize it),it can be offered as a gift (especially that it is said to bring Luck), it can even be prepared and sold at a small profit (high profit - only if it's a special arrangement of stalks).

 

 
           

Most of the YouTube videos about this plant are of no great quality, and yet, I've learnt a lot from them. For instance, I've learnt that in order to keep the plant healthy you have to use distilled water (not tap water which contains chloride), direct sunlight will kill it (fluorescent light, I noticed, makes it grow more rapidly), it can be propagated both through stalk cuttings and through its leaves (it takes a month or so to get results), it can be made to grow into an interesting, spiral or exotic  (and quite pricey) arrangement (personally, I like it as an individual upright plant). 

I  heartily recommend it as a hobby, despite the fact that some claim its leaves have a certain amount of toxicity and should be kept away from cats (?!) and babies . I find this asian plant fascinating and tend to adopt the view that it purifies the air and creates a positive, energetic atmosphere in the room.

propagation from a 'dead plant' - well explained

Dialogue

There's this high tower "Champion Motors" - 42 floors of offices, car showrooms, shopping spaces, and. ..at its foot - little pools with tropic lotus plants. Whenever I happen to pass by this spot (located at the intersection of two major roads, on the border between two adjacent cities), I wonder about  the combination of skyscraper and lotus pools.

The lotus seems at first out of place; it's not a usual sight in urban Israel.  After a few minutes of contemplation, one gets captivated by these floating plants and is tempted to sit on the stone seat near one of the pools  to watch them closely.

The apparently static water,  the  slow motion of the leaves, and the color variety of the lotus flowers (pink, white, violet, blue, yellow) create a magic atmosphere. It gives the busy, commercial tower that dominates the pool area  a blessed serenity, and makes the lotus an integral part of the setting.

The spot is certainly a great attraction for the many children and parents of Bnei-Brak, the religious city to which  this area belongs. A family stroll in this part of the city, is both pleasant and educational.

When I  visited the spot a few days ago, it was the beginning of the sunset, also a bit breezy outside, and some of the lotus flowers seemed dormant. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the sight enormously and took some decent pictures too.

The lotus plant is considered sacred in Budhism, and ...here it is, thriving  in Bnei-Brak, the very city of Judaism. This reminds me of a book  ("The Jew in the Lotus" by Rodger Kamenetz) published many years ago, about a dialogue between a group of rabbis and Dalai Lama, discussing the ideas and thoughts behind the two religions: budhism and judaism.

A dialogue - that's what it was - and  that's what we all need in this world : a dialogue between religions, cultures, man and environment, nature and technology. Without a dialogue the world won't survive; will become extinct.

Come to thnk of it, the water and the lotus are also having a sort of constant dialogue. 

Dactylopius Coccus

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On the sidebar of my blog, there's a photo of a cactus prickle pear. It's one of my very favorite fruits. I like everything about it (including its derivates of juice and jelly, and even its thick, semi-thorny outer jacket),  except... its price at our local supermarket. Not cheap.

thorny outside, soft and sweet with many little seeds inside *

Anyhow, recently I've read some news about the prickle pear. The good news is that there are some new species of it that are going to be proclaimed the Superfood of the future years. Not really surprising; this soft, sweet  fruit is packed with lots of nutrients and health benefits. 

The bad news is that in the meantime it's getting damaged by an insect ,Dactylopius coccus, which lives on cacti; this bug could lead to massive extermination of the cacti bushes that produce the fruit. It's already happening in northern Ethiopia.

cactus shrub *

The Dactylopius is rather an economically important parasite. The dried bodies of its females were, and still are a source of the red dye used in the textile industry (especially in South America). In some cases, certain species of it can also help fighting pest infestations.

The conventional, manual measures taken against Dactylopius attack on cactus , are effective only in small - scale cultivations. In larger scale cultivations, alternative, biological warfare ( done by bio insecticides) is needed.

In Mexico, which is the largest producer of prickly pears in the world, they've been using for some time (quite successfully) certain bugs that attack the specific attacker of the cacti shrubs . As far as I know, Israel was authorised by the proper authority to import from Mexico, at least two of these  'attack the attacker ' bugs.

They say there are no winners in war. Hopefully, in this kind of war, the cacti bushes and their fruit will win the battle.There's too much at stake here. In various parts of the world , in  Africa and South America - the prickle pear is essential food and provides basic remedies to several local health issues.


* web images

The Fast

The 25 hours of fasting (from Friday at 18 p.m. till Saturday 19 p.m.) are over. 
As I advance in age, the anual fast of Yom Kippur (the jewish day of atonement), becomes a bit easier for me. I suppose it's a matter of experience - making the right food choices for the day prior to fasting  that will ease the Fast, or, as some will say 'make the fast go faster.'

Especially important is the 'aruha mafseket' (the meal preceding the Fast). No big secret here: a light meal based on whole grain and lean protein with nothing too salty or spicy, to avoid hunger and thirst. I find it essential to seal the meal with a glass or two of water.

Somehow, I've come to look forward to this day.  I'm pleased to take a break from the major factor that dominates our life and determines our health, - food - and spend some hours on spiritual thoughts and prayers.. This day should be about introspection, repentance, asking forgiveness. 

 And then, at the end of the day , the 'break-the-fast' meal. It starts slowly with a sweetened drink and a slice of cake followed again by a light meal.

Here's to the Next Year!

Summer Treat

Summer is over, and with it are its various treats we've become used to.
Every year, in summer , the big municipalities of many places in the world ,tend to organize open-air cultural events for the whole family, in parks and/or central squares. These events include: book fairs, art exhibitions, flower shows, folk dances, various competitions.

art display

In the municipal City Garden of Sofia , I've incidentally come upon  a performance of a stand-up comic.. Everyone was laughing, but me. Because of language barrier I left the spot, and decided to tour the beautiful garden,  which lies in front of the imposing Ivan Vazov National Theater.

Ivan Vazov National Theater

It's a small, lovely garden in the city center, to which the residents of Sofia come for recreation and entertainment. It has fountains, statues, benches, grass, flowerbeds, childrens' playground, a newspaper kiosk, and even a tourist information office.

family stroll in the City Garden

People sit on the edge of the fountain, or on benches and have a chat, or listen to street musicians, engage in a game of chess with other amateur players, or watch a concert.

people on edge of fountai - female dancer statue in the middle

 elderly chess players

The next day, near the Nedelya orthodox church which is geographically the very center of the city, I had the chance to see dance groups from all over the world in traditional costumes. A stunning sight! 

Nedelya Church in the background

At first, I thought they were going to perform there, but it took me some time to understand that the place was too small and that it only served as their gathering point. The groups were headed to some other place to give their performance. I couldn't follow them as I was on my way to some appointment. My loss!

May Our Wish Come True !

In Israel, when visiting the Western (Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem, people insert a wish note addressed to God, in the cracks between the stones of the wall.  (Haven't been there for a long while, and I miss the site and all that goes along with it).

Western Wall - Jerusalem

women's  prayer section at the Wall (older photo)

women's  prayer section (a more recent photo)

Once a year, prior to the High Holidays (which start towards the end of this month), I visit the tombs of two spiritual figures, two righteous rabbis ;  one buried in the cemetery of the mystical city of Zfat (Safed), and the other in a cemetery of a town adjacent to Tel Aviv.

I'm not a religious person, but I do believe in God and in the power of prayer. People pray at the grave of the righteous (tzadik) asking him to intercede in heaven on their behalf. Before leaving the spot I place a slip of paper by the tombstone asking, as is the tradition, for a good, successful upcoming new year.

At Zfat (Safed) cemetery; rabbi's covered tomb in the background

Men and women praying on opposite sides of the rabbi's tomb (Givatayim cemetery)

Slip of paper?! Well, I've seen people at the charming russian church of St. Nicolai in Sofia, placing.....whole letters in a wooden box by the tomb of Bishop  Seraphim Sobolev, believed to be a miracle maker.

 the russian church of St. Nicolai in Sofia

The marble sarcophagus of bishop Seraphim is in a crypt by the side of the church. The crypt is equipped with tables , chairs, pens and paper. People write their wish on paper, place the letter in the box by the tomb, light candles, and pray.  Quite a sight!  (Photography inside - not allowed). If you happen to be in Sofia, don't miss it!

When Harvey meets Rockport

We already know  by now that the climate is not going to have any mercy on us.  Actually, we've known that for at least two decades with natural disasters increasing in number and intensity.

We cannot control climate, but we can try control our actions and planning regarding the way  houses, roads, dems are built, and the way evacuation and rescue procedures are carried out.. There seems to be growing awareness in the world to the danger of earthquakes, fires, floodings, lava eruptions, and  all the other natural disasters. This awareness should be translated into some kind of action that doesn't leave us helpless in face of the elements.

Never heard of Rockport until now, so I looked it up on Google.There isn't much about it: a small city on the coast of Texas, with a beach , fishing piers, and a history of ship building, oil drilling and pirates. Now,after being hit by hurricane Harvey, people are returning heart- broken to ruins and debris. May God strenghten them and all the others in the state of Texas!

* web map

City Protectors - Lions and Saints

Lions have been for centuries a symbol of strength, security, protection, justice, good luck, you name it. The city center of Sofia (Bulgaria) as far as I could see on my visit there, has six lion statues: two  'guarding' the entrance to the Palace of Justice, and four flanking the bridge over the Vladaya river.

The Palace of Justice (the Court House) is a remarkable white building situated at the beginning of the main shopping street, Vitosha boulevard. It is considered by many an architectural masterpiece for its beautiful simplicity; it's made of white limestone and has four (4) floors, five (5)  gates and  twelve (12) columns.

Palace of Justice

the two lions at the entrance of the Jusice Court

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Lions' Bridge (Lavov Most) in Sofia, has four bronze lion figures, one on each end of the bridge. Two of them are facing the heart of the city, the other two are facing the exit of the city ( the railway/bus terminals and the mountain seen behind them). Beautiful, just beautiful!

one of the four lion figures;  facing the city 

I stayed at a small hotel in the area near the bridge , it was part of my daily routine, so I'm going to elaborate on it

The Lions'  bridge

The lovely bridge over the Vladaya river (now, in summer, a pitiful stream) with its impressive lion statues, light fixtures, benches, flower beds (all well kept), is not just a city attraction, it's much more than that. It's a concept, a strategic crossing, mainly due to its location.  It is placed at the intersection of two major boulevards: Maria Luiza blvd. and Slivnitsa blvd., between the city center and the city exit.

Vladaya river (now stream)

Nearby,  a Metro station, A Billa discount supermarket store, the main entrance to the Ladies' Open Market. The bridge is close to the Mosque, the synagogue, the Central Hall  market. One metro stop or 15 minutes on foot lead to the center;  the distance to the transport bus /railway terminals is even shorter.

the intersection: 

Metro  station

The area is favoured by tourists; there's a middle range hotel named Lion Hotel just across the bridge;  A bit further, there are two expensive hotels Ramada and Raddison, and some budget little hotels. 

Hotel Lion

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The welcoming statue of Saint Sofia (Sveta Sofia), the saint patron  of the city, is a fascinating piece of art. This bronze and copper made , tall statue, is centrally located, and at street level. So, it is visible a long way.

Sveta Sofia, in black and  gold color, both dominates and guards the city ; it has the power (crown) and wisdom (the owl in the hand) to do so. I was very impressed by its majestic presence.

statue of Sofia in the background