Medicane

Dark sky at 8am

A rare and strange meteorological phenomenon is forming to the west .... a mediterranean hurricane known as a medicane. It's whipping up winds of up to 70km per hour and will bring heavy rains. People in the central and south of the country are warned of possible flooding, electric shortages ... so they have to stock up on food and water. Gaza has already declared a state of emergency. All roads in the southern desert are closed.  Here in Jerusalem the sky is very dark but it's only drizzling. We expect the medicane to strike at 2pm but it might also not happen because jerusalem is high up in the mountains and hurricanes cannot travel uphill. It'll probably skirt around our mountains. Still I think it's a great experience if it does come. I've put all my flowerpots on the ground so they don't get blown down and smashed.

2pm came and went ... there was no hurricane in Jerusalem though Egypt and Gaza was battered. The sky is very dark and the drizzle is heavy but not hurricane level. Still it's lovely to hear the pattering of raindrops ... and the dry thirsty ground is soaking in the water. I took advantage of this perfect weather to plant the numerous Calla lily bulbs that I dug up from an old pot. Managed to plant the margarita daisies from the MC sisters in a huge flat pot. That's quite a lot of work in the drizzle while I'm still coughing from my bronchitis, though I'm getting better.

Public pigeons eating before the storm

This storm was quite something in the southern border ... but nothing like the political storm right now. The elected candidates cannot form a new govt and everyone dreads having to go back to the polls .... for the 3rd time. It's very bad because it shows instability in the leadership and govt ... thus opening the country to outside attacks. The military now must be on its toes and exercise judicious execution of its role now that the political entities are deadlocked and impotent. This is what I call implosion at its worst.

I'm going to sleep early ... enjoying the rain and cool weather. It's a rare treat.