iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Absolutely heartbreaken, reading these deeply humane poems by @josephfasano.bsky.social. Especially this one goes under my skin.

Poem by Joseph Fasano: Words Whispered to a Child Under Siege.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Back from being offline for a while, feeling refreshed and willing to believe in the good in humanity again. Saw a magnificent sweet potato plant in bloom the other day, being gorgeous and minding its own business. I might take it's lead and do the same as well.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Our weekend comfort food was "adas-polo-ba-gusht", steamed rice with lentil and tahdig, accompanied by fried minced beef, lots of crushed nuts and raisin. You can serve this with a refreshing salad, tangy pickles, or a yogurt. It smells heavenly due to cinnamon and tastes even better the next day.

Tahdig of persisn steamed rice with lentil.

Adas-polo ba gusht, with pickles and salad. Persian cuisine.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

Ceasefire after 12 horrific days. On both sides, innocent lives lost, homes destroyed, children traumatized. The international community has failed the UN Charter. The civil movement for democracy in Iran is now sevearly damaged and under more pressure. Iranians in diaspora left numb. #Iran #Israel

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Who could have guessed, the horrible news of USA distroying nuclear sites in Iran and the wonderful news of my brother and his fiancé getting wed officially, would reach me through broken internet on the very same day. I could not give my brother a hug, or a small gift for his bride. #Iran #Israel

My brother and I, in our childhood home, sw Iran. 1980s.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Devastated by the ongoing madness and disappointed by the disgusting reaction of German politicians, I went to work. My colleagues' empathy overwhelmed me. While drones scar my first home's sky, I look up to my new home's sky to hold my tears. Can we not just live in peace like trees? #Iran #Israel

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

"Israel has a right to defend itself". From my mother, a pensioner teacher, a foodie dance lover, who has already lost her every thing in the Iraq War and its aftermath? From my brother, a hardworking and kind young man, who is preparing his wedding? How is Israel safer, if they die? #Iran #Israel

My mother, standing in front of a nicely decorated haft-sin, celebrating the Persian new year, 2013.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

The fith day of Israeli attacks on Iran. Finally reached my mother. I weep. Her voice cracking due to slow internet. "Do not worry. I am not afraid.", she says... Flashback to my childhood home, a ruin after Iraqi bombs, I weep. My mother looks me in the eye, "Do not worry. I am not afraid." #iran

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

Yet another sleepless night.... They are seriously bombing each other....

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Our weekend comfort food: khoresh-alu-esfenaj, spinach and plum stew with tender pork and minced almonds, a tangy coleslaw of pointed cabbage, and steamed safran rice. The crispy tahdig is made with cabbage leafs and ghee. Cabbage, nuts, and fruits are often used together in the persian cuisine.

Khoresh-alu-esfenaj, steamed safran rice, cabbage tahdig and coleslaw.

A portion of Khoresh-alu-esfenaj, steamed safran rice, cabbage tahdig and coleslaw.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Enjoying a sunny & carefree day of my privileged life with my loved ones in a rose garden. Looking at all these beings, heavy under the weight of tons of roses waiting for their turn to fully bloom; trying not to think about the news of mothers refusing to let go of their tiny starved babys in Gaza.

Pink roses with a ton of half blooming buds.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Maybe ten years ago, I made ash-reshte, the persian herb and nudel soup with beans and lentil, just for me. A pot full of wholesome aromas to enjoy quietly in my then solitude. The photo popped up on my timeline the other day, reminding me of my responsibility to care for myself once in a while.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

They can call the Persian Gulf wrong names and get rewarded brand new airplanes from guys on the wrong side of history. But they can not take away our privilege of home-cooked Fessenjun, chicken braised in a sauce of tangy pomegranate syrup and finely minced walnuts, served with rice and pickles.

Persian cuisine. Steamed rice with tahdig and fessenjun.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

Our comfort food for today is Persian herb stew (ghormeh-sabzi) with steamed rice and a crispy crunchy tahdig. Tahdig is always a challenge and can go wrong any time. The stew needs to cook slowly on low heat for the aromatics to evolve into a dark oil on top. My family is happy and I am grateful.

Persian stew of beans, herbs, and meat. And crispy steamed rice.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Explosions in a port in Iran, another unnecessary catastrophe. Heartbroken, I turn to look at the apple tree blossoms exploding in the most gorgeous colors. Then turn to Turner to ease my eyes from the burden of this dichotomy. Even in the midst of disaster, the apple tree blooms every spring.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

The joy of sitting in your corner in the garden, absently arranging a few flowers on a table cloth, seeking solitude and peace in a world full of absurdity.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Before moving in with my husband, a little thing grew on my balcony, which I adopted and took with me. It turned out to be a maple tree. He had similar luck with a birch. We put them in pots and promised to find them a home. Recently, we could finally plant them into earth. And look at them now. 😍

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Cornelian cherry, a delicious treat from my childhood. I remember being home sick as an international student in Germany, back in 2011, taking a walk along the small river near the campus. With teary eyes, I suddenly saw these half-riped cornels on a tree. It was like a mother's hug on a sick day.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

US-President suggests bombarding Iran; brings back a memory from my early childhood under daily bomb attacks from US-backed Iraq. I asked my dad about the "bad birds". He explained, there is a human in there. I asked him, does he know that his bombs hurt us? Dad said sure, yet he drops them on us.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

While running errands, I came across a surprisingly gorgeous piece of earth, hiding behind the parking lot, showing-off the endless beauty of a blooming spring field. For a little while, an unplanned lucky moment, I could lose myself in the warming embrace of the afternoon sun. It was a blessing.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Reminder: there are no impossible conditions. Soft flowers can conquer over concrete in the hype of spring. Just look around. This is from our yard.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

In an Iranian houshold, the last meal in the old year is stuffed fish with dill rice and safran. The gorgeous aroma of garlic and herbs accompanying the sweet smell of steamed persian rice with safran (and tahdig) fills our home with joy and anticipation of a new beginning, a bright new happy year.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Celebrating the Persian /Iranian new year in diaspora is both a challenge and a delight. Setting the traditional table of haft-sin (the seven devines representing the Amesha Spenta) is a joy to share with the whole family, a serious competition of creativity, and a source of pride. Happy Norrouz!

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Char-shanbe-suri is a time for well-wishes and reconnecting with family. One needs to jump three times upon the fire, asking the flames to give us red cheeks (health and happiness) and wash off the yellow (illness and worries) out of our faces. Our bad memories of the year shall burn to ashes.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

In ancient Iranian tradition, the spirits came down and stayed with the family during the festivities from the last Tuesday to the thirteenth day after the Norouz. The fire is to guide them to us. We sing and dance near the fire for our beloved ancestors to rejoice in our delight.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Celebrating char-shanbe-suri, the last Tuesday night before the persian new year. We gather with family and friends, cozy up to the warmth and light of our small fire in one of the last cold evenings of winter.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

The privilege of having a small piece of earth under your name, being able to observe the dark soil giving birth to these colorful babys under the light of a warming sun....

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Awaiting Norouz, the persian new year, we plant seeds and make Sabzeh for the Norouz table. It is a joy and a great source of pleasure, making us stronger for enduring the last bits of a cruel winter... My choice of seed is mung beans (maash), this year.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

Finally, the spring is around the corner 🌼. Somehow, I hope, that our current nightmares vanish under the warming sun, as the earth starts waking up to welcome gorgeous little blooming spots on her ancient scared skin. 🍀

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Beautiful walk to visit gorgeous creatures ...

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Persian eggplant stew in the making. Yummy.

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Dr. Elnaz Rashidian @eli-rashi.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Persian eggplant stew (khoresh-e bademjan), featuring lamb, and bitter orange paste. It is a savory dish, served with steamed rice (chelo), and salad shirazi. Yummy.

Persian eggplant stew with steamed rice and salad.

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