Visitors (and Residents)
With the exception of the scorpion and the tarantula-looking spider, all guests in our home (human or not) have been treated with proper Middle-eastern hospitality.
This friendly caterpillar was in my green beans. I think that means they weren't doused in pesticides, although I've heard that locally farmers often over-apply chemicals.
We were happily suprised to learn that some of our neighbors kept a pair of peacocks. 'Cause they're pretty.
In mid-November, 2001, I heard a thump outside the kitchen window. I looked out to find our kitty, in her mouth an unfortunate mouse which had been on the nearby shack's tin roof.
I beckoned her in, and she willingly let me inspect her prize.
She then consumed it, with bone-crunching efficiency.
My mom brought me mushroom "logs" for Christmas, so I could grow some tasty fungi for dinner. Here is the first of hopefully many mushrooms. It was delicious.
My mom brought me mushroom "logs" for Christmas, so I could grow some tasty fungi for dinner. Here is the first of hopefully many mushrooms. It was delicious.
We are extremely happy to be adopted by one of the many local kitties. We have named her Ursa Minor (in partial homage to Ursula, who was a very wonderful calico in Lubbock). .
Her nickname (astrologically incorrect as it may be) is Little Dipper. She comes to see us almost every day. She's really sweet and has good manners for a street cat. But (in true calico fashion) she talks too much. In her defense, she purrs too much too.
In May, 2001, she finally let us see (and even play a little with) her kittens. She's had at least one other litter since we met her, but these are the ones she brought out for us to see.
My mom brought some tree seedlings in a plastic bag (from National Arbor Day Foundation I think) when she visited Christmas of 2000. Now, in September 2001, the trees have grown nicely, surviving the trans-Atlantic trip and the hot summer remarkably well.
I helped a friend plant these beans in her garden.
I guess in late spring or early summer 2001, some of our neighbor kids adopted a puppy. Now an adolescent, she is wiggly and friendly, except, unfortunately, to our kitty, whom she chases.
How’s that for yardwork?
One September afternoon in year 2000, I picked up one of my school folders, to start lesson plans for fourth grade. I immediately saw that some mischievous kid had put a plastic cockroach in my folder. Ha ha ha. .. Wait... THAT'S no cockroach!!
I threw the folder on the floor, and stunned the poor beast with pine and heather air freshener, urgently calling Marthame (the one wearing shoes). He came and valiantly mushed the fresh-scented scorpion.
Later, in the spring of 2001, I saw another scorpion, this time minding its own business under a rock in the hills. Unfortunately (for it) the kids who found it also mushed it with a stick.
Our friend found a turtle near the Arab American University of Jenin. We enjoyed its advice as we played a game of scrabble.
Neighbors of ours in Zababdeh have a garden with several turtles. They constructed a wire cage to protect the baby turtles from the cats and other predators of baby turtles.
We guess maybe these are mom and dad turtle.
Our friend from Holland who works in Nablus very kindly gave us a couple houseplants. In September 2001, this fuzzy-leafed one began blooming. The flowers only seem to last a day, but they are really lovely.
In September 2001, this fuzzy-leafed one began blooming. The flowers only seem to last a day, but they are really lovely.
On a walk one day in the fall of 2000, I picked up a prickly pear leaf from the roadside. Over the summer, it grew a lot and formed two new pads, each with lovely spines.