Grape blessing

Our Lady's altar

Yesterday the orthodox churches celebrated the Dormition or Sleeping of Mary ... which is equivalent to our Assumption feast day. It's associated with the harvest of the grape and after the liturgy, the priest blesses the harvested grapes and prays for the vineyards and vine-dressers. We had our own small liturgy at the Armenian Catholic Church. The laity prepared the fruit and songs, the acolytes from the White Fathers' seminary swung the incense, the organist also came after a 6 week holiday. It was very grand by our very small standards ... but everyone was so proud and happy. We had our own grape harvest and the blessing. That's one mile stone.

Tensions continue to rise at our southern border. 6 more fires were ignited due to incendiary balloons from Gaza. And Israel bombed Gaza's only electric plant. That means the 1 million residents in the enclave will have no electricity. This is dreadful as it will take months to rebuild the plant and reconnect the cables. Without electricity, ventilators in hospitals and other medical equipment will not work. Sick people reliant on these machines will die.

Altar of grapes

Another handicapped arab was shot ... this time at Qalandia checkpoint. He's deaf and mute and had walked into a restricted area. Soldiers shouted at him and shot his legs. In Bethlehem another arab was shot because he was throwing Molotov cocktails at passing cars. But an israeli soldier who shot an innocent arab in 2016 gets only community service. So the crazy cycle of violence seems to spin on and on.

The weather has turned hot and dry again ... nothing surprising as it's summer. Because winter was extra rainy, this year's fruit crop is really abundant. Lots of plums and peaches, grapes and dates. One of my summer plans is to taste a little of all the summer fruit.

My nightly asthma attacks have worsen. It's triggered by the phlegm blocking my windpipe. I've coughed up so much dry phlegm that it has blocked by washbasin pipe. This afternoon I had to use a plunger to clear it, while pouring caustic soda to dissolve it. It's that bad. I dread going to sleep because I know I'll wake up choking and wheezing. And my heart will overwork to get more oxygen ... so I have strong palpitations and dizziness. There must be a way to prevent all this.