creative jewish mom

Foxtail Agave Makes A Stunning Container Garden Addition

I just love Agave, and was so happy to see them in gardens and container gardens all over San Francisco, during our visit this past July. I'll admit I first became aware of them because they are used and grown in abundance in Australia, and I just so happen to follow the design/gardening scene on that huge continent via a very lovely site called the Design Files. Lest I digress, Australians love all things Californian, and now vice versa, the Agave has caught on in California, well northern at least, and it looks amazing! Lets take a closer look at this great looking plant, that by the way can also be grown in a huge clear glass vase, as Australians do! (This may not be long term though, so maybe don't try it on an expensive plant, but rather if  you have a bunch in the yard!

Goodbye To The Succah, On Hoshana Raba.......

Today, on the last day of Succot, here in Israel, I ran in to take just a few photos......where did the week go? Well it was a wonderful week of eating and sleeping (for some family members) in the succah, and taking photos just was not at the top of the list, gasp! So friends, here is a tiny peek as that is all there is time for at the moment, another holiday, Simchat Torah, is knocking at our door! Simchat Torah is a very festive holiday that celebrates the Torah, with hours of dancing and a schedule that is far from normal, and for me a distraction from the fact that my beloved Succot holiday is over.

We do not disassemble the Succah until after Simchat Torah, so while it will be without the dining room table and couch, we can still enjoy it just a bit longer!

Ah yes, and in case you noticed, that colorful Moroccan wedding blanket that I used to have on the couch made it to the walls of the succah, and I'm so happy it finally found its place!

Wishing everyone a joyful last day of succos, which is also the important day of Hoshana Raba, and a wonderful Simchat Torah!

Gum Rock Rose, Cistus, The Flowering Shrub Of My Childhood!

On our recent trip to the San Francisco Bay Area I had a deja vu moment when I first spied this pink flower........it is THE most memorable flower from my childhood as we had some bushes lining the driveway and who can forget sticky leaves! I had truly forgotten about this tissue paper-like bloom, and I was so surprised when it just popped back into my consciousness! It really is quite remarkable, and unique, though like any drought tolerant blooming bush, likely used so much that folks might just tire of it? Really, a pink bloom like this? So maybe one bush will do, but do look into gum rock rose for your garden or even container garden! Okay, lets learn a bit more about this beauty, shall we?

Narrow-leaf Chalksticks, Senecio Vitalis Makes A Great Bedding Plant

We are now in the shemittah year in Israel, meaning we are letting the land rest, so no gardening, or at least no planting for me this year, but I can surely dream right? Plus, right now we are in the middle of Succot, when there is no crafting, so a great time to share some of my gardening discoveries from our trip to the USA this August, including this wonderful succulent, Senecio Vitalis!

This popular, ornamental spreading evergreen succulent plant hails from the Eastern Cape of South Africa and is a member of the Asteraceae family. Narrow-leaf chalksticks are both bedding plant and succulent, which is a great mix! I recently saw this large succulent bush, planted at the base of a japanese plu, and it was lovely indeed! It is deer-resistant and naturalizes easily in a wide variety of settings. It is a great choice for Mediterranean gardens, succulent gardens or rock gardens when paired with Kalanchoe, Agave or large Aloe. It does well as a bedding plant or border plant. It is an interesting choice in containers and even hanging baskets, but it does not do well when grown indoors as a house plant. Okay, lets learn a bit more about this interesting choice, (also referred to as Blue Chalk Fingers, Blue Chalk Stick, and Narrow-leaf Chalksticks), for your garden, shall we?

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

We are enjoying the wonderful holiday of Succot, and the weather has been amazing, not too hot and not too cold! Succot is one of my very favorite holidays and so I am just popping in here as briefly as possible to get this party going! There is nothing quite like a week when we do not create anything new, like crafts, or crochet or painting etc. to get those gears turning! I can't wait to get back to my art, after a little studio clean up, but for now, there are holidays to be enjoyed with family and friends! Thanks so much for joining me here, and enjoy the features from last week's party, which include a pinata ice cream truck, so much fun!

How to Convince Kids to Try New Foods

Creative moms are always coming up with new and exciting ideas when it comes to lunch and dinner for their kids. We might want to whip up those amazing looking lunches that we’d love to try ourselves, however, when your children are very specific about what they’re going to eat your time might be best spent with their tastes in mind?

As a parent, you can’t force your kids to be into the same flavors and experiences as you are, but you can help them to step outside of their comfort zone every once in a while. Getting your kids to try new food can be a wonderful way to get them more excited about what they eat, as well as discovring some healthier snack options to enjoy. So, how do you convince kids to give new foods a try? Lets take a look at some of the simple options, and with just a bit of effort and patience on your part, your kids can learn to try new foods, truly!

A Pomegranate Orchard In Meron, Israel

Just before Rosh HaShana, my husband and I took a mini vacation and enjoyed two very peaceful nights on the Moshav of Meron, just a 20 minute drive from our home, and actually part of the view we enjoy everyday! I just shared photos of vines laden with grapes in Meron, here, and now, a peek at trees laden with pomegranates, equally if not more stunning! Fall in Northern Israel is one of my favorites times of year, and I don't think I'll ever tire of watching the pomegranates mature and ripen, so lovely! The interesting thing is that the week prior to our mini vacation I was painting pomgranates and making pomegranate collages, and when we arrived at our vacation rental which happened to be right next to a pomegranate orchard, my jaw literally dropped! I spent many hours at a picnic table under a huge oak tree just looking, ahhhhh, Enjoy!

Grape Orchards In The Shadow Of Mount Meron, Israel

We are now in the middle of the Succot holiday, and while there is no creativity happening, I can pop in to the blog to share with you some wonderful aspects of living where we live! The week before Rosh HaShana, my husband and I spent a few nights in Meron, a small moshav at the base of Mount Meron, and home to the burial site of Rebbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Meron is home to a thousand residents, but becomes a hot spot for visitors at week's end and especially on the anniversary of Rebbi Shimon's death, when hundreds of thousands embark upon this spot.  The two nights we spent in Meron though were mostly very quiet and peaceful, and I had the opportunity to take a nice long walk to the end of the moshav, where I found many grape orchards with vines laden with grapes. It was truly special, wow, and so I just had to share this slice of life, close to sundown, with you! Enjoy, there is nothing quite like Fall in Northern Israel!

Watercolor Pomegranates Card Craft

We are ushering in the wonderful holiday of Sukkot tomorrow night, and I am still crafting (of course) so you may also be in need of a sweet way to make some holiday cards or placecards? My daughter made this for me as a Rosh HaShana card, and it is just so sweet I had to share it with you! A branch of apples and pomegranates could work for Succot, or even Tu B'Shevat, the new year for fruit bearing trees, so if you don't have time for it now, keep it in mind! I love the little touch of gold leaf, right?

Okay, lets get started on this, time is of the essence!

Welcome To Craft Schooling Sunday!

Welcome to Craft Schooling Sunday, thanks so much for joining me here! With an amazing Yom Kippur now under out belts, building and decorating the succah is the next task at hand as well as cooking for shabbat with guests, and cooking for 7 days of Succot and 1 day of Simchat Torah, phew! Fortunately, I already cooked most of the main dishes for many meals and there are a bunch of Moroccan salads, also frozen, and ready to go, because Sunday will be Succah decoration day, something that is really really near and dear to my heart, so I don't want to miss out on that! I am recycling most of the decor from last year, which included some new statement pieces, so just need a few new touches, hopefully with something hopefully made from the dried pomegranates on branches that I shared here. Okay, writing this on Friday and running to get some pots on the stove and prepare for shabbat! And now for the features from last week's party, enjoy!