The View from my Window

Winter in Israel is our rainy season.  We have 6 months or more without rain, and then WHAM--here it is.  Because we have had drought for the last number of years, and we are so dependent on rainfall, it is exciting to everyone here when there is rain.  And this year we have been pleasantly surprised; several inches of rain have already fallen, and some snow fell on Mt. Hermon in the north.  When I looked out my window yesterday, this was what I saw.  Low-lying clouds covering the nearby hilltops.

 The buildings on the other side of the valley are hidden by cloud...

 I went up on my roof to get a better view, and here's how it looks:

You can see a corner of one of our solar panels.  Because we have such abundant sunshine here a good part of the year, most houses are equipped with solar panels to heat the water.  In the winter, however, we have to heat the water with electricity.

 You can see part of the forest below.  The clouds are starting to settle into the valley.

Winter is too cold and dreary for my taste.  However, I'm grateful that we are getting some much-needed rain!