taking a deep breath

Well, it seems like we've made it to the weekend safely, which is not to be taken for granted... especially after being blown away this week by a tornado of events, some sad and unexpected.
Today, on the way back from town, we decided to take a detour.We drove through the forest down a dirt road and found our way to a little goat farm. Even though the goats were out-we stopped to have some fresh goat cheese and bread and take a deep, deep breath.
Now back on our feet, and armed with lists and charts, I think we're ready to conquer next week with a vengeance. First up : Rings! which is even more exciting because we get to sit with the mother of a dear friend and design them ourselves.

Embroidery by artist Andrea Dezso
Rings unknown

a peek at my magnum opus...

words for the day's end

The Master Speed
- Robert Frost


No speed of wind or water rushing by
But you have a speed far greater. You can climb
Back up a stream of radiance to the sky,
And back through history up the stream of time.
And you were given this swiftness, not for haste
Nor chiefly that you may go where you will.
But in the rush of everything to waste,
That you may have the power of standing still—
Off any still or moving thing you say.
Two such as you with a master speed
Cannot be parted nor be swept away
From one another once you are agreed
That life is only life forevermore
Together wing to wing and oar to oar.

* Photo by our talented friend Adi Ben Shushan

the week that was, or: adventures in the outback

Let's gloat a little on the successes of the past week, shall we?

Chapter One: in which I generously present my dentist with a challenge and am nominated "best patient ever" for bravery and humor in the face painful goriness. I think it's because I laughed at his jokes in spite of the wrench and pick he had in my mouth and the beads of sweat running down his forehead as he fought my wisdom teeth. When they finally did come out,he told me the roots were exquisite.... You see - there is beauty everywhere.



Chapter Two: redemption and good food. Last time we all went to taste and sample a caterers menu, my soul was hurt a little by a whole lot of fried food and general nastiness. This week brought redemption with delicious food that we are all excited about.



Chapter Three: into the belly of the beast. When I pictured getting the invitations printed- I had in mind some sweet and whimsical print shop. Somewhere where they would love my little tree design, and pull out rolls of perfect organic recycled paper in all shapes and sizes. They would not try to push me off the edge with shiny shimmery wedding paper and snort at our minimalistic design... (but truth is always better than fiction-every single time). Instead, we found ourselves in the depths of a huge industrial building in South Tel Aviv in the hopes that maybe one of the printers just might have some normal, not-scary paper. Inside this mammoth building which was something of a cross between a factory and a parking garage we wandered down ramps and up elevators across puddles of scum from printer to printer. The next few hours should really have been filmed as a mini-documentary- some highlights included: a slew of colorful and shady characters, scandalizing and raising some eyebrows as if we had the most bizarre unreasonable request in the history of printing "THIS IS NOT HOW YOU DO WEDDING INVITATIONS" said one scruffy guy, and the challenge of a broken flip flop which left me dragging my foot behind me like a wounded animal.* But we made it.Through some miracle, we found paper, and ordered the last sheets in the country.They didn't snort or scoff at our design, and even liked my little tree. That sealed the deal for me- print them! I cried, print millions! just print the #@&% invitations!



* seriously, how can you prepare for this sort of thing? Am I supposed to have some desert survival kit with me at all times?

M.I.A

In case anyone is worried I've been swallowed up by the earth, or changed my name and moved to Vegas , rest assured, I most definitely have not. I have managed to drag myself, two violins, and an assortment of suitcases bags and other paraphernalia to Berlin and convince the powers that be to let me on the plane with all said stuff. Major victory.
Here on the other side, searches continue for : the right food, the right paper, right photographer and the right shoes, among other things. The shoe search is now approaching Holy Grail status and I am this close to going barefoot which probably wouldn't come as much of a surprise anyways....