Happy erev Purim, commemorating an ancient historical event similar to Chanukah, featuring the usual threat of genocide triumphed over by a motley band of heroic Jewish warriors.  This one took place in ancient Persia, and the main hero was a young Jewish woman, Esther, who bravely went undercover and exposed the plot’s perpetrator, Haman, for the egotistical anti-Semite he was.  He ended up being hanged on the very gallows intended for her cousin Mordecai, who had put her up to the risky mission.

Thus we get to have this festive holiday of masquerading as the main characters, eating hamantaschen (triangular filled pastries), and drowning out the name of Tr— I mean Haman–(I keep confusing the two!) with a loud noisemaker called a grogger.  It seems very timely and familiar somehow.  Hey, it could happen…but you didn’t hear it from me!

Here are the very excellent hamantaschen that E made on her own for the first time.  And some festive groggers.  And Misu basking in the warmth of it all.  And more progress on mulching E’s tree garden.  And some blue flowers all over the lawn.  Not necessarily in that order.