Hot day. Scorched. Everyone is tired. Exhausted. Working. The kids are finally at school. Happy.

I brought a game of shapes and colors exactly for Zein’s age. I gave him homework. Learning his colors and shapes by the time I come for my next visit.

Rami returned from Kindergarten in Ein Beida, first day at kindergarten and he’s “mabsut jidan” (very happy).  “Rachel, I was at school!”, glowing smile from ear to ear. This is the most interesting story of the day.

R.’s teeth hurt. A mobile clinic arrived. Gave her a sedative. Didn’t do a thing. Needs to go to the dentist.

The mobile clinic is very well equipped. A Palestinian who enters there will not want to leave. Air conditioner, walls, and refrigerator, on wheels. Why go out into the great heat? So luxurious they just about serve you coffee.

Now is cucumber time. Poor and short pasture, no milk. Most of the flock is pregnant. There is free time. You can sleep in the afternoon.

Everything stands and everything moves. If you close your eyes, the world is filled with the sound of movement. Cats, chickens, geese, dogs, and pigeons mating on the fridge, another pigeon decided to build a nest in some crevice between the walls. Back and forth she brings stalks of straw in her mouth, at a dizzying pace. A sheep asks if there is water in the whey bowl of cheeses… and thus the sounds of nature fill the space. quietly. It’s like nothing else.

I signed up to accompany the shepherds and they didn’t need me…