PHOTOBOOTH

Deck the Halls @ Ojai Rancho Inn

Setting up a photo booth, once again.

Tis the Season.

Bound for Laurie

I just started reading a self-help book. Although, I like to call them spirit-guide books.
In just the few first pages, I was given the wisest words I ever read.
"Life is difficult".
We think it is supposed to be easy and that's why we find it so difficult,
but when we accept that it is difficult, it isn't quite so anymore.

Only when life hands you the hard lessons, do we really know what life is about.
I've experienced birth twice and now know that life is full of pain, we are born from it,
but it is the pain that brings you the joy.

This last year has been difficult, but it has brought joy.
I have seen others go through painful experiences, but I saw them become a glowing force of life.
Like a pregnant women, glowing with a fullness of life within her.
Like a mother holding her newborn only seconds old in her arms, joy and pain meet each other
at the crossroads of life.

This is life.

Valentines @ Flora Farms

A little video from my trip down to the tip of Baja.

I went to visit my dear friend Nicole, who works at this amazing place, Flora Farms.

An oasis in the desert, this is a true farm to table experience. It was fun to run around the gardens capturing all stages of the process, from seedlings, to harvesting, cooking, and eating. If you are ever in San Jose del Cabo, don't miss this special place.

I am making some short videos for their website and this is the first one. A tiny one documenting the Valentine's Day experience at Flora Farm's restaurant.

I am proud of my mother

Tzipora's Nest Trailer from Malka Nedivi on Vimeo.

Tzipora's Nest

Israel: PART III

A view from within.

And a view from without.

Israel: PART II

I found a treasure. Unearthed pieces of ceramics 

and beach glass underneath the sands of Yaffo.

We headed North to the  "Galil"

We bought a blue-tinted glass jug 

and filled it with wine from a barrel.

The rooftop terrace overlooked an empty field.

The full moon hid behind the dense clouds.

The sea of Galilee is losing water,

each year the water recedes lower and lower, 

    and the boats float further from shore.

The sun shines brights on the rooftops of Tel-Aviv.

Fake plastic roses will never fade and wither.

Modern heiroglyphics in an ancient town of Tsfat.

Imagine Utopia.

Jews and Muslims spending the day at the beach.

Playing violins and flying kites. 

Israel: PART I

  
  

   Above the flea market, 

   an apartment to live in for two weeks.

   High ceilings and colored glass windows 

   with beautiful antique shutters.

  

   Sounds of stray cats fighting,

   fans cheering at a nearby soccer stadium, 

   and market sellers heckling.

   

   Solomon took his first steps on the cool floor tile. 

   He would spend his day pushing  

   the mismatched chairs across the cool tile floor.

  We spent the day drinking turkish coffee,

  lounging outside amongst the plants, weeds,  

  and plastic flowers, growing freely together.

   

Ted's Shed

Every man needs a cave.

It's called "The man cave". 

Ted's Shed has a vintage fridge 

that is always stocked with beer

and chilled pint glasses.

The cave is a dark place.

A place to go to after the kids have gone to bed.

The grown-up version of a tree house.

He has a camper stove

to heat up the morning coffee.

Make it last all day.

A place to go inward.

To find balance and dream.

Make a mess

and feel no need to clean.

Grow your own mushrooms.

This was a christmas present from my sister-in-law, Laurie.
4 pounds of mushrooms in a box of spores and coffee grounds.
I thought I would give it a try this week.
Mushrooms in a box.
How bizarre.

The directions were too simple.

Open side of box.

Cut a "+" into plastic.

Mist 2x a day.

That's it. How big should the + be? Should I mist the plastic?

 But, right as I was going to give up on nature, a little (not so cute) growth appeared

 and tiny baby oyster mushrooms started to grow.

 

This is not as miraculous as watching my own baby grow, but it's pretty cool.

Grow your own mushrooms.

My birthday.

This year is quite different than last year.



I had the spiny crab, he had mashed sweet potato.
Next year, Solomon.



What do I spy with my little eye?



a pigeon he spies.



This is my birthday present.

It's only a paper moon...

It has taken me a couple weeks

to "get back" from the holiday pop up mall.

I had fun.  It was worth it, but I am exhausted.

The Presidio Motel is my home away from home.

Kenny and Chris created this night, 

transforming motel rooms into pop up shops 

(even a bar and a coffeeshop)

We were in Room 15, 

there was beer in our mini-fridge, 

a paper moon,  crafts "made with love", 

and some good times.

Solomon was sleeping (most of the time) 

across the street at the other motel.

Where is the chicken?

Ojai, California.
Where I spent my Sundays this summer.
A house in the middle of an orange grove.
Five chickens, two dogs, and one cat.
Roasted vegetables from the farmers market to make lasagna.
                            

                            







































































Winter makes me think about the summer.

solomon eats.

for the first time.

I think he likes it.

Next week...apples.

solomon knows.

getting married?

the wandering jew

Another plant, with a holy name. 

My friend, Paris, left me this plant to take care of.

May be because I am such a caring person.

Or just may be because the name is befitting.

It got a considerable trimming, 

due to misfortunes, 

but it continues to wander...

like Paris.

The Wandering Jew

my home installation

This morning, I realized I don't take anymore photos. 

Actually, I take lots of photos, but all of them of my son, Solomon.

It's not a bad thing, but I don't want you to think I am one of those types, which I am of course.

So, this morning I woke up and took photos of other things.

My home. 

It is a never ending project. I spend most of my day thinking about cleaning it up, organizing it, wondering if I will ever be pleased with it's present moment.

Probably not. 

Vaughn, my husband, turns our house into an art show, and I am stuck in the gallery.

So, I thought to show you this ongoing installation called home.

This is our very own (trailer) skylight. 

I didn't know this peace man was there until I took the photo.

Some feathers from the road.

 A frame brought across country from Brooklyn filled with 

 A montage of sorts. Mary and Dolores probably lived in this trailer at some point. 

A Grandma Lolly dollar for difficult times and me, kneesurfing in Baja.

"Medicine is an art, not so much a science" -something we learned during out trials.

"Patience. Evolution." I don't know what that's about. Ask Vaughn.

A drawing of a seed. I used to draw many of them before I had a child.

Some friends who live in Japan.

Another dollar. The El Camino at the Grand Ol' Opry.

A postcard from a restaurant in New York.

And Vaughn declaring himself Republican for Ron Paul.

The Passion Flower

                 It is the time of the passion fruit.

And this is it's flower.

Upon looking up the passion flower,

I found out some interesting facts.

The "passion" in Passion flower does not refer to sex and love.

but rather to the passion of Jesus.

In the 15th century Spanish missionaries adopted the unique physical structure of this plant to the last days of Jesus.

The tendrils represent the whips in the flagellation of Christ.

The ten petals and sepals represent the ten faithful apostles.

The flower's radial filaments represent the crown of thorns.

The chalice-shaped ovary with it's receptacle represents the Holy Grail.

The 3 stigmas represent the 3 nails.

The 5 anthers represent the 5 wounds.

The blue and white colors represent Heaven and Purity.

Outside the Christian heartland, the flower has reminded people of a clock.

In Israel, it is the clock flower.

In Japan, the clock plant.

In Hawaii, it is called "liliko".  "li" is a string used for tying fabric together. 

                                                 "liko" means to spring forth leaves.

The sword-billed humming bird has co-evolved with the passion flower.

Or large bumble bees, wasps or bats can pollinate the flower.

There are over 500 species of the passion flower, and they are found on all continents except Antarctica.

(from the wonderful world of wikipedia)