Where is the Garden of Eden?

Armenian Manuscript - The Creation of the World

I always thought the Garden of Eden was non existent after sin entered a perfect world.  Some believe the Bible, however, gives its location.

Armenians, of course, think they know.  According to this article, the Bible places it somewhere near or in Armenia or where Armenians have populated since forever.

100 years 100 facts

The Armenian manuscript depicting Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden is currently hanging in the J. Paul Getty Museum.  I want to go see that.  I love that museum.
The Creation of the World - J. Paul Getty Museum

Another interesting fact was about the city of Yettem in California.  Barreling along highway 99 you see it as a flash along that boring route taking you up and down California.  All this time I did not know that the city was settled by Armenians who petitioned for the name change to Yettem which is how Eden is pronounced in Armenian.  How did I miss that?

"Armenia Must Have its Day in Court" - Amal Clooney

I am not a George Clooney fan, but I think I just fell in love with Amal Clooney.  Defending the country of Armenia against a genocide denier - Ms. Clooney, a human rights barrister, had this to say: 

“It cast doubt of the reality of genocide that Armenian people suffered a century ago."
“Armenia must have its day in court. The stakes could not be higher for the Armenian people.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/11373991/Amal-Clooney-accuses-Turkey-of-hypocrisy-on-freedom-of-speech-in-Armenian-genocide-trial.html

DIY Birdbath - You Can do it

blue birds in my birdbath

Haven't we all drooled over the over-priced, elegant birdbaths seen in other people's gardens and/or plant nurseries?  Yes, me too.  Then I read somewhere how you could make your own using a simple saucer shaped dish (preferably terracotta or something of that nature).  So I rummaged through my garden discards and found a suitable set up.  I have been rewarded over and over watching many kinds of birds enjoy my birdbath.  Who said such luxuries should cost so much money?

The Time of the Assassins

1920 Beirut - my mother, my grandfather and cousin

Finally, I am reading a very enlightening article regarding the problem our world is facing today with Islamic terrorists.  The best part is that it is from a Muslim who understands the nature of the beast, the implications, the underpinnings and possible solutions.  Go for it Mr. Melhem:

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/01/charlie-hebdo-the-time-of-the-assassins-114115.html#.VMLH9uEs3b7

Armenians understand this dilemma.  The picture shows my mother sitting on my grandfather's knee, posing with her cousin.  The family had fled Eastern Turkey, my grandmother had barely made it out alive.  My grandfather had been sent to the army by the Turkish government, but helpful friends told him they were killing all Armenians in the army, so he ran away.  He found my grandmother with relatives in Aleppo, Syria.  The story goes that the Sultan in Syria did not agree with the massacre of the Armenians and gave them safe passage.  If not for these people, I would not be alive today. It saddens me when I hear the news of events going on in these countries.  Everywhere, there are souls crying.

The Snake Story - Do Women Have a Sixth Sense?

I always heard that women were enabled with a sixth sense. I figured it was because being mothers we needed to have eyes on the back of our heads and hearing that rivaled Superman’s.  At crucial times it seemed that I was missing such important components although I think I was just in denial.

This was why it was odd to me that the sixth sense kicked in over a snake that my husband had acquired as a pet for the children. (Side note: This is what happens when you send your hubby to the pet store for a turtle.)

The poor snake was stuck in our room so that my hubby could take care of it. A lot of good that did.  The snake kept trying to get out and I kept dreaming about the snake which was rather unnerving seeing as how I’m no fan of snakes. Finally, the snake got out of his cage somehow and everyone went into a tizzy.  I kept trying to tell them I knew where the snake was because I had a dream about him and his location.  It was as if the snake was reaching out to me, weird.  So I told them to go look outside on the brick of the chimney where there was a little ledge and they’d find the snake curled up because that’s where I saw the snake in my dream.  Surprise to everyone but me, he was there.

The story from here gets kind of sad, so small children need to be warned. I kept dreaming about the snake and in my dream he kept dying.  Real time during the day, I noticed that he was trying even harder to get out of his cage, to the point of whacking his head on the wire mesh.  Sure enough, a few days later he did, in fact, die.  When we talked to the people at the pet store it was determined that he died from inhaling the cedar bark which was and is poisonous to snakes.  My hubby had put the wrong kind of bedding in the cage and the snake, I think, was sending out some radars or something and I was picking up the beams but not getting the message.

I always felt bad about that.  If only my darn sixth sense would have talked, I would have known what the snake was trying to say. To this day, I am totally baffled as to why I somehow connected with that snake.  I have tried practicing, but my sixth sense does not seem to have improved.  Strange story, but true.

System of a Down Commemorate 100 Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

Serj Tankian of System of a Down

I was alerted to this Rolling Stone article about the rock group System of a Down and Kim Kardashian, both Armenian and both trying to bring awareness about the Armenian genocide.  The 100 anniversary will be coming up April 15th.  Serj explains a lot in the article relates his grandparents' experience.  I can relate a lot, my mother and both sets of grandparents barely made it out of Turkey alive:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/system-of-a-down-serj-tankian-armenian-genocide-new-album-20150108

First Armenian Float at Rose Bowl Parade wins Award

This is a proud time for the Armenians in Southern California - and everywhere.  The float they entered in the Rose Parade is beautiful and won the President's trophy award.  It is the titled "The Cradle of Civilization". The information about it and Armenian history is very interesting. See the following YouTube videos.

First Armenian Rose Bowl Parade Float wins Award


Cradle of Civilization