Mother's Day

On March 21, 2012 the Middle East celebrated Mother's Day. It always coincides with the first day of Spring. So we are feeling a bit odd about celebrating Mother's Day this weekend along with our Canadian mothers.

In Canadian tradition we eat out for lunch but we did not go to a restaurant. Instead we spent the afternoon with friends from Georgia (the country in eastern Europe, not the state in USA). This warm wonderful family are the greatest cooks!

We enjoyed a traditional Georgian meal of stuffed cheese bread, roasted lamb, chicken with walnut sauce, beans, and salad with stuffed peppers, marinated mushrooms, pickled onions. We really were quite blown away by their hospitality!  Normally, Nova Scotians can outcook anyone, but not this time.

The leading international jewelry company in the Middle East is called Damas Jewelers. Each year it launches a Mother's Day collection of jewelry. This year is the Ummi collection (Arabic word meaning "my mother"). Lisa was shocked to receive a pendant from this collection on this Mother's Day weekend. The design has the Arabic calligraphy عةةه in the middle -- this is the word Ummi studded with diamonds (very small diamonds!). The 18K yellow gold flower motif is offset by the white gold backing which is also surrounded by many (very small) diamonds. Lisa was thrilled to receive this gift which reflects the style of jewelery here in the Middle East. And also, Damas Jewelers began in Syria in 1907. Given all the turmoil in Syria now it is a good reminder of a more peaceful Middle East.