Tense weekend

The 2 kittens sleep-
ing on my alyssum

The weather is once again playing ames with us. Though it's very hot in the afternoons ... around 21 degrees today ... the nights are very chilly and a hoodie jacket is necessary to stay warm. I think the fruit trees are all confused. Grapes have started ripening though the harvest should be in August. The animals however are birthing as usual. The stray cat that sleeps in the sisters' courtyard gave birth to 6 kittens. 4 have since disappeared but the remaining 2 have grown and are causing havoc to my plants. Flower pots have been broken, flowers scratched out and my sweet-smelling alyssum have become their bed. It's time to remove these kittens. We do need a cat around though because there are rats running around every night. They have even entered the library. But to have an entire family of cats is too much.

Fresh bread

Today is my last day celebrating Mass at the Ivrea convent. We take turns going there ... each person is responsible for one week. It's about 1km away from our house and the Mass is pretty early ... 6am. For me with my asthma and swollen ankle, I need at least 25 mins to walk there. But its a lovely walk ... the air is fresh and the streets are quiet except for the muslim pilgrims going back to their hotel after dawn prayers. They are mostly indonesians. Bedouin women arrive carrying their vegetables for sale, and boys carrying on their heads fresh baked bread are always photographed by foreigners. And the sisters serve a good simple breakfast after Mass. I've known the sisters for 26 years now. They are old and motherly.

Tensions have flared at the southern border with Gaza. The Palestinian enclave has bombarded Israel with over 100 missiles today ... which was preceded by several incendiary bombs in the past few days. Israel responded by bombing Gaza's military posts. The rise in tension was expected since Ramadan is days apart from Israel's Independence Day ... which the palestinians call the Nakba or catastrophe because they lost their land to the israelis. The palestinians celebrate Nakba Day on May 15th. Well all these celebrations ... which are charged with strong emotions and fanaticism ... all occur within 10 days of each other. A sure recipe for explosive reactions and responses.   https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5503459,00.html

BBC has reported that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world ... bordering on genocide. But no one is interested. Not even christians themselves. I have yet to see christians voicing concern or organising movements to protect christians ... it's the beginning of the end of christianity, the waning of a once great religion.   https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48146305?ns_campaign=bbcnews&ocid=socialflow_facebook&ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0KG_GZIx0y86IihEYHonbR-KfmY7tz0tkITGuA1U-IXx3IhO--lUtM-5w