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Yes, winter has definitely started.

Some plants and trees are dropping their leaves. It is too cold for them. Other plants and trees are taking advantage of the humidity and growing. So is the “mish mish” tree (apricots).

I’ve put in 2 tiny olive trees and the jasmine plant is not complaining now that it’s got out of its pot into the soil. I want it to climb up against the wall of the camping showers and toilets.

The roses are much more beautiful in winter. In the summer the flowers immediately open up and lose their leaves after 1 or 2 days.

And I’ve got 1 broccoli. Should I leave it to get the seeds for next year or should I eat it. I’m not quite sure yet what to do. It would be better to have the seeds, as it might be the only one this season.

Although winter has started, travellers are coming over here. It seems like Syria is back on the tourist map. The last days it felt like running a travel agency, establishing itineraries, giving hotel information, booking rooms and finding chauffeurs.

The tourists coming in by plane visit many places in a very short time. They get up early in the morning to be able to finish the program of the day while campers sleep late, take a lot of time for breakfast.

Some tourists want to travel through Syria in 5 days and see everything. That is not possible. It is better to make choices and enjoy the visits.

Today, I’ll be taking care of the olives put aside to turn them into “atun” (black rimpled salty olives in olive oil). They have been water for 5 days (did change the water after 2 days). Today I’ll take them out of the water and prick each one of them with a needle 3 to 4 times. Then put them in a bag with a heavy brick on it and leave them like that to get the water and bad stuff out of it.

In the meantime, we are eating the big green ones of which there were not many this year.

That’s why I put in a few olive trees in the garden. Will add a few more. They will get water regularly and provide nice olives to eat at breakfast.