I gave two really great lectures last week - one on the history of Zionism, from the late 1800s to the partition of Israel in 1947. And the other on Women in Contemporary Judaism. Both of them involved huge learning curves for me, but I was really pleased with the results, and felt very confident with the teaching - I had read a lot and knew the topics well. Do you know there are over 10,000 women (mostly in Israel) today who are unable to get a divorce because their husbands either won't grant one, or have simply disappeared. Jewish Orthodox law.

The week before we had no classes, since I was asking the students to watch Schindlers List - a long movie to say the least. Four of the seven students were able to come out here to watch it on Friday afternoon - I had wanted them to watch it together so that we could talk about it as we were watching it - and that worked out well. And two of them stayed for Friday evening dinner and had a great time. And when they left, both students said "I know you won't be teaching us after this semester, but could we please come out here again?"

We invite people for dinner nearly every Friday and some or all of our family come too. That means we can have anywhere from 8 to 14 sit down to dinner. It's become such a lovely thing to do. I bake challah every Friday - practically with my eyes closed these days - and they demolish it! Though I say it myself, it's some of the best bread I've ever tasted. And, great Jewish mother that I am, I'm teaching Nataw to bake challah!

Nataw has been spending a lot of time at home lately and we love having her here - she is good natured, fun, and a delightful companion to me (and able contributor) working in the garden.

Last weekend the local organic farmers in a radius of about 50 miles opened their farms to the public in a "Farm Tour" - we visited 9 or 10 farms in 2 afternoons and learned lots of valuable things, made some good connections, and came home with a new hen.

Our guineas have been madly laying eggs for the last month. They've made communal nests in two corners of the chook house, sharing with the chickens of course - but there's a problem. No one is taking ownership of the eggs and sitting on them. We've heard that guineas are poor mothers and they're proving the rule. So at the last farm we visited on Sunday, there were some 75 hens laying eggs. And the farmer happened to mention that two of them had gone broody - that means that they stop laying and start sitting. I asked if he'd sell her to us and he said, well no, but he'd loan her. So we promptly went out and got her off the nest, tucked her under Paul's arm, and drove home. By the next morning, she had installed herself on one of the nests, and quite happily shoved in the extra ones we put near her. Mrs. Buffy is now sitting on 25 guinea eggs. And we are thrilled to think that we will be the parents of our very own keets (guinea chicks).

Wow! It's been a busy week. Passover started last Monday evening. It's the biggest Jewish holiday - and there is not one, but two, family gatherings and huge dinner preparations. Two nights in a row. And lasting till 11 or 12. And it's still so new to me that I get exhausted with working out all the details. And yet, I wouldn't have it any other way. Oh, and I made svichkova for dinner - and everyone loves it - it went well with the potato kugel.

And then Easter. It's tricky. My dear Paul cheerfully comes to mass with me all the rest of the time. But asking him to go to church on Good Friday just doesn't seem quite right. And the most wonderful celebration of the whole year for me, Easter, is something we are still working out. So this is what we did this year....

First of all, all through Lent, we did not have meat on Fridays. And there were times when Paul remembered and I did not! And then, on the Thursday before Easter, we went to a service with a church we go to sometimes - a small, vibrant Episcopal congregation with people we like and a woman priest we very much like. It was beautiful. There was a sit-down feast - middle Eastern food - with 10-12 seated at each round table and served by one designated person at the table. The grace before the meal was the Jewish one we have at home! The Passover story of the Exodus was told. After dinner, there was foot washing - each person had their feet washed, and then, in turn, washed the feet of the next person.

I remembered the times I washed the feet of my dear Mama. And how holy that was.

And then there was a communion service. And an amazing sermon from the visiting bishop, who kept us entranced.

Good Friday was not good. I've been struggling with the old demon depression and think my meds need adjusting. And Friday was a bad day.

Easter morning I set off on my own to go to a sunrise service about 10 minutes from here. But as I came to the little Methodist church a mile up the road from home, I saw a bunch of cars pulling in there. So I pulled in too and asked someone if they were having a sunrise service. A lovely lady said yes, and introduced herself, and so I stayed and we sat together when we went inside. And it was just one of those perfect "God-moments" - I wasn't meant to go to that other service.

I had been meaning to check out this little church - there is something special about a local, neighborhood church - and they were so welcoming. After the service, I was introduced to several people - two divinity students from Duke (my age), and some interesting women.

What a lovely start to Easter.

Then Paul and Nataw (his daughter) and I went to a noon service outside, followed by a potluck lunch - with the same Episcopal church we'd been with on Thursday night. And that was lovely too.

Oh, and Ian and Valeda (Paul's oldest son and girlfriend) brought dinner over last night - and flowers and a card for me for Easter! They are so dear.

Did I say it snowed Friday night? After a week of 80 plus weather! Weird.