Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

i came to israel with a friend. He convinced me that i'd love to meet 2 friends of his and that i'd probably enjoy seeing what a kibbutz was and in short, instead of going to Santorini for another vacation, i came to Israel.

Little did i know there'd be orange blossoms in the air the moment i stepped into the countryside. What could i do? i breathed. i was enchanted.

here, smell this and see what i mean.



(first time, total seduction. i stayed)

i still walk through an orange grove to calm my mind. They still exist in various places throughout the country, though back in '78 when i arrived, it was up near the archaelogical site called Meggido.

When my first daughter was born, the grove was near Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv. And now, i'm in the Western Negev, about 1 1/2 hours south of Tel Aviv.

The smell, that intoxicating fragrance wipes out rational thought and creates an aura of total present moment bliss.

orange blossoms
a scent like warm oil
on a sore throat

smoother than sweet
you embrace me
from within

i have no choice
i must stay
and breathe

to fill myself
soothe myself
be myself
with you

the grove in the photos belong to Nir Oz and another partner. Since the other partner does the labour now, there is a sign warning against drinking the water in the fields.

This is the sign. For those who are familiar with a few foreign languages, reading it should be no problem.

and for those who aren't........

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DANGER
water, forbidden to drink

water of wisdom,
you are a
tricky thing --

i better gnaw on
the bread of understanding
before i drink ye!


mayim asurim l'shetiyah

col ha cavod!

ha!
tavie maymiah oh bakbuk mayim mineralim

Ummmmmmmmmm
breathing deep

ummm, yeah

getting dizzy!