biosphere reserve and gratitude list

Our area has been chosen as one of the world's biosphere reserves. I copied the following from the UNESCO home page:

Ramot Menashe, Israel. The biosphere reserve encompasses a mosaic of ecological systems that represent the Mediterranean Basin's version of the global “evergreen sclerophyllous forests, woodlands and scrub” ecosystem types. This 17, 000 ha site is managed by the Meggido Regional Council, and was established after an intense, innovative bottom up process, which involved 13 agricultural settlements and 10,000 inhabitants. It comprises the Meggido World Heritage Site and has on going cooperation with the adjacent Mount Carmel Biosphere Reserve. The biosphere reserve functions as a pilot site for sustainable development practices which could be adopted by other dryland biosphere reserves. Several sustainable development practices in this rural area are in place such as drip irrigation with mostly recycled treated wastewater collected from the biosphere reserve's rural settlements, and maintainance of the integrity of the “batha” ecosystems while generating sustainable income derived from a pastoral livelihood.


I really like the area we are living in- although I don't like the hot summers. Some people compare it to Tuscany and I guess there is a bit something to it. Now I hope that being certified as a Biosphere Reserve will help to keep this tiny bit of land as it is and only make improvements.
That is good news for a change.


Maybe is this also a good time for a gratitude list:


Nature:

- A honey-sucker, fluttering between the pink blossom of the oleander
- The cows on the fields in the early morning
- A porcupine sniffing around in our garden


Family:

- To sit under the pecan tree and knit while the girls are playing peacefully in the garden
- Helen holding our new kitten Felix and carrying him to wherever she feels like
- Making paper garlands with Neomi
- Running around between the water sprinklers with Helen- giggling and getting wet
- Doing dishes with my mother and talking (this has always been talking time for us)


Food:

- Juicy apricot pie, still warm from the oven
- Salsiz- a kind of air-dried salami from Switzerland that my parents brought
- Tomatoe-basil-feta-salad


Others:

- Lying in bed, watching the ceiling-vent turning, listening to the sounds of the night from outside (crickets, jackals, someone listening to music…)



Have a beautiful day!

Comments

Darcy said…
Your area sounds so beautiful! And the tomato salad sounds so yummy - recipe?
vervlogen dagen said…
We also live in/close to a protected area, the dunes. Preserving nature is very important, our children deserve to live in à good environment too.
rahel said…
tomato-salad? No recipe- just mix tomatoes, feta cheese, basil, black pepper, a bit salt and olive-oil. I also like it with balsamico- but my husband does not like any kind of vinegar...

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