Delicious Pancakes (See-arl-ee)

My childrens' grandmother and mother of thirteen children.
She walked with beauty and grace and could lift hot potato chips out of boiling oil in a pan, with her bare fingers.

Jean

Skelbieh Town

Skelbieh is located approximately 100kms east of the Mediterranean Sea and 150 kms south of Alleppo in Syria. The charming mud houses on the hill were cool in the 40C plus summer heat and warm in the oftentime snowy winter months.

Azzam and Shepherd

Visit to a friend's Bedouin Tent

We were always shown such wonderful hospitality and I can remember the dirt floor was swept so clean that it actually resembled a tiled floor.

New Years Eve

Young Bedouin Woman

Skelbieh Folklore Head dress

Thankyou

Thankyou so much to Jullies Blog friends. Tears came to my eyes when I read your wonderful heartfelt comments. You have inspired me to keep drawing and posting them onto my blog instead of putting them away in between book pages.



Roses of Life


I've dreamed many dreams that never came true.
I've seen them vanish at dawn.
But I've realized enough of my dreams,
Thank God,
To make me want to dream on.
I've prayed many prayers, when no answers came,
Though I waited patient and long,
But answers came to enough of my prayers
To make me keep praying on.
I've trusted many a friend that failed
And left me to weep alone,
But I've found enough of my friends true blue
To make me keep trusting on.
I've sown many seeds that fell by the way
For the birds to feed upon,
But I have held enough golden sheaves in my hands
To make me keep sowing on.
I've drained the cup of disappointment and pain
And gone many days without song,
But I've sipped enough nectar from the roses of life
To make me want to live on.
Author Unknown

Yasmin

Boab tree

When I lived in Syria and I remembered my family and friends, I always pictured my country Australia, as a land shared. The first inhabitants are our true custodians, the Aboriginal Tribes. They are a spiritual people and belong to the land and are one with nature.

Rickalilly

My childhood imaginary friend was the nymph spirited Rickalilly. I loved her and wished her to be my constant companion. As a child, there were many nights when I felt sad and confused, and I only had to open my precious book Picaninny Walkabout and there she would be, my dear Rickalilly.

Saladin's Castle wall

There were many happy moments spent in once splendid castles, dreaming of what was and what might have been.

Donkey

I love my sturdy, stubborn donkey. We were driving high up into the mountains near the seaside city of Lattakia when we came across some children directing their donkey laden with wood. I asked the driver to stop so I could spend some time with the children and the donkey. He was most amused that a simple village donkey, going about his daily chores would be of such an interest to anybody.

My Princess Bedouin friend

Evas Art is a combination of my writings and drawings. I am at the mercy of my very clever friend Jullie, who owns a digital camera and the abilility to put my drawings onto my blog. I will post my drawings in the coming week. I adore drawing and it is my passion.
Over the past many years there has been a myriad of other interests that have taken my time and now I am returning to my first true love; DRAWING.

During my earlier school years I won many art competitions and my favourite prize was a book called Piccaninny Walkabout. It was a story about two Aboriginal children, a brother and a sister, and their journey through the Australian outback. Rickalilly was the girl's name and I loved her and her beautiful smile. The author included photographs of the children and I was fortunate enough to participate in an art exhibition in Syria in 1994 and I drew a life sized portrait of Rickalilly as well as other drawings for the exhibition.

The exhibition was held in a town called Skelbieh. I lived in Syria for nine years and the people and culture have left me with a heart full of inspiration and love for their beauty and history.