Diesel

I’ve been welcoming back many campers coming by for a second time on their way home.

They tell me the garden has changed a lot over the last weeks. The campers like the camping facilities to be in the midst of our garden. It offers them a calm and beautiful environment where they can relax after a long day of driving or a tiring day in the city of Aleppo. Many ask for a tour of the garden, so they learn to know the different kinds of trees and vegetables which tress and vegetables grow in this area. Some are keen gardeners and give me practical tips in return.

Last September, German campers brought back seeds from flowers in a Palmyran garden. They are very beautiful, strong plants with bicoloured flowers in bright pink and yellow.

The tomatoes are hanging numerously waiting to become red, the garlic is almost dry and the birds are busy feeding their small ones.

About a month ago, the diesel price went up by 350% in one go. It is still very cheap compared to Turkey and Europe, but a financial disaster for many families because clothing, food and everything else will become more expensive, as the cost of transport has increased a lot. Another consequence is that there are fewer minibuses than before. Before there was one coming by every minute on the main road to Aleppo. Now, to have quickly a seat available you better avoid peak times in the morning and the evening. The advantage is that there is less noise from old motorbikes and cars in the street and the stationary running of motors is becoming less of a habit.

Each family received a booklet with vouchers which we all assume are vouchers for diesel at a lower price, diesel needed for heating the house in wintertime.

Another advantage is that diesel is again readily available at tank stations and waiting lines are inexistent.

And I heard the new cars are becoming less expensive.

I guess there is a plan somewhere to get air pollution down.

Belgian community

The weather is lovely over here. Hot during the day with short thunderstorms at the end of the day and cooler nights. This is climate wise one of the most comfortable periods during the year.

As I forecasted the white chicken is broody. I wonder whether that’ll come to a good end, because she is really stupid. For the first eggs, she did not stay on the nest very well and I took them after a few days because they were cold. Now she is much more careful, only leaving the nest to get some food and drink.
I left 3 eggs of the other chicken with her, but she did not accept them. Worse even, she ate them. Yesterday, she was taking care of 3 eggs. Must be her own. We will see in a few weeks what’ll come of it. I am told it takes 20 days for chicken eggs to hatch.

I’m still resting a lot and taking vitamin supplements. It leaves me time to take some initiatives like making mayonnaise which I did for the first time in my life. And I succeeded.

As the tent in the garden – providing shade or serving as shelter for rain and wind - was almost blown away during one of the thunderstorms, I decided to fix it myself in a more intelligent way than was done before. One 6 month pregnant woman can do better than 3 strong men. Even Mohamed had to recognize that. I would like him to plant a vine at the foot of it. One of the many ideas still to be realized.

Am spending a lot of time with the campers and start making plans to buy some baby stuff. We will get presents, but I do need a starter kit. It seems that one of the women in the street has a shop in her house where I could find most of the things, so I will have to visit soon to see what she has to offer.

My new Belgian passport has arrived at the consulate. I am now officially an Aleppo resident. And the Belgian embassy in Damascus has been providing clarification on procedures to get a Belgian passport for the baby which seems to be fairly simple. They are most helpful and efficient.

My contact at the Aleppo Consulate is a young woman from Aleppo who speaks perfectly Flemish. Her mother was Belgian and as a child she spent her summer holidays at the Belgian coast.

She told me there are 8 Belgian women in the Aleppo region. 3 of them work for the ICARDA project which is a prestigious international project for agricultural research in the dry areas. 5 of them are married to a Syrian.

So, I have to go down to feed the chicken. They must be hungry by now. Do not know whether the majority is french speaking or flemish.

King bird

While the Spring showers pass accompanied by thunder and lightning, nature has now fully recovered from Winter. The colourful wild flowers have vanished and the wheat has turned yellow. The birds are nesting and all animals have surfaced.

Yesterday, I spotted a snake in the garden. I’ve been told not to worry. It will go away and not want to stay, because it doesn’t like being bothered by people. It probably has been attracted by the small birds I hear squealing from several trees (not mine, but the neighbour’s).

None of my 3 chickens is showing signs to want to stay on the nest. Now is the time for them to do it. Yesterday, I was hopeful on this matter as the white one (the most stupid and lowest in rank) stayed in the chicken house when I threw in some food. That is very unusual. This morning, she was coming out together with the others. She was probably laying an egg at the time. Eggs with big orange yokes, they provide. 6 every 3 days.

Not far away, a rare species of bird is nesting. We hear it calling all day and sometimes see it flying over. It is quite a big bird, black with white stripes and a few feathers waving on its head. There are very few left. The locals believe its ancestor was a king, not very kind to its people and others, so God punished him and turned him into a bird.

Except for enjoying and experiencing all above, I haven’t been doing much more the last 4 to 5 days, as the big cleaning and weeding jobs and the hay fever have made me very tired. I guess that’s normal when you’re almost 6 months pregnant.

So, it is resting time to get my energy back, visiting and doing something useful from time to time.