sarah in nyc

Dear friends were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in Boston. My husband had attended their wedding. Our friends had sent us an invitation assuming that we probably couldn't come, but how could we miss celebrating this event. We woke up early on Sunday and took the subway uptown. I loved the idea of taking a photo of windows as seen through the subway car window. Dear friends were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in Boston. My husband had attended their wedding.  Our friends had sent us an invitation assuming that we probably couldn't come, but how could we miss celebrating this event. We woke up early on Sunday and took the subway uptown. I loved the idea of taking a photo of windows as seen through the subway car window. We took the subway up to the George Washington bridge. As we got off of the subway there were three tables of vendors all selling exactly the same array of vitamin supplements, herbs and household goods. Oddly enough, they are all in comp...

  Before Chanukah ended , I was struck by the sunlight on the water tanks and  by the shadows that they cast. Thenthe sun began to set. Once Chanukah ended, it was time to clean our Chanukiyot.   Our oldest one unscrews with ease for cleaning and was easy to clean and polish. It is now back on our  living room window sill.   We did lots of hosting over the holiday. Nearly all of the tablecloths is washed and ironed and put away. All of this laundry made easier by the fact that we now own a working dryer.  Getting a new dryer was a long difficult and really boring tale that I won't be sharing unless you really want to hear each dull detai. Snow is promised for tonight and we are having a cozy meal of crock pot chicken soup with lots of STUFF. My husband loves a peasant soup filled with lots of goodies and doesn't understand why I would go through the effort of straining a soup. We are also having a chicken. This cute chicken was coated with sumac and hawaij ...

Well, if you don't read the news, it has been a lovely Chanukah. We have had visitors both in real life (and virtually) every night.   Last night we had an overnight guest. Tonight it is just the two of us (unless someone decides to drop by). I have been posting old Chanukah photos from my parents' photo albums all during the holiday. Chanukah 1956, my oldest sister being held by our mother. When I was a little kid looking at this photo, (taken in Halifax mid 1950s), I was desperately jealous of the kids who got to dress up as candles. I never got to experience the glory of those tissue paper costumes. With my two older sisters circa 1964. This photo appeared in the local paper. My mother did the excellent job of styling the photo The photo below is also from the mid 50s in Halifax. Click on picture so you can enjoy the two boys who have seriously committed to being crosseyed. Chag Sameach. Shabbat Shalom!

 Tonight we light the third candle of Chanukah. Normally, the proper greeting during the holiday is Happy Chanukah or Chag Sameach. This year, after the murderous rampage on Bondi Beach, not so much. Three years ago on Simchat Torah, Hamas invaded Israel. For decades I have been right at the center of the dancing on Simchat Torah at our synagogue. These days, my heart just isn't in it. I couldn't even go to Simchat Torah services the year after the war began. This year I went and hung back from the celebrations. The Purim of  1996 there was a terrible terrorist attack in a Tel Aviv mall. I remember that that year none of the adults were in costume and they were just barely holding it together for the sake of their kids. The children were joyful and the adults filled with mourning. I don't have any real answers about what to say this Chanukah.   Perhaps the last two lines of Maoz Tzur are just about right כִּי אָרְכָה לָנוּ הַשָּׁעָה וְאֵין קֵץ לִימֵי הָרָעָה. For the time...

This mornng I woke up to the extraordinary beauty of this. This Chanukah children's song that talks about snow on the first day of the holiday was a big part of my childhood Chanukah . Actually having it snow at that moment in the calendar is something that basically never happened. As I was reveling in the sight of the snow,  my husband told me the horrific news from Bondi Beach.   Here is an early take on the situation from someone smarter than I am. It's still beautiful out and I can't take the bitter taste out of my mouth.

 Last weekend I bought myself a weekend pass to go to the lovely juried craft show at the  Crafts at the Cathedral  at St John the Divine, a pleasant walk uptown. You can browse all of the makers that are on the link.   I am just goong to suggest some fiber folks who deserve a closer look.Did I buy anything? No, I did not. No because I didn't ;ove so much of what I was looking at...but because I make so many of my own clothes. I did want to point out a few makers whose work I especially liked. https://www.reintsemadesigns.com/s/shop  If I were the owner of an art gallery, or the business manager of an arts organization, of the head of development in an arts organization I would buy all of my clothes here. https://www.kbeckerdesigns.com/collections/all?page=2#collection_root These clothes look so incredibly good in real life. They are the sorts of clothes that could be worn endlessly in a million different combinations by anyone. Think Eileen Fisher but fitt...