Today, however, I'm posting bottle brushes. They come in red or white. They originally came from Australia.
This bird gets nectar from the bottle brushes.
Don't know what this vine is or how it got up there.
April 26, 2010
Tomorrow...
"Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week." (Spanish proverb)
Today, however, I'm posting bottle brushes. They come in red or white. They originally came from Australia.
This bird gets nectar from the bottle brushes.
Don't know what this vine is or how it got up there.
Today, however, I'm posting bottle brushes. They come in red or white. They originally came from Australia.
This bird gets nectar from the bottle brushes.
Don't know what this vine is or how it got up there.
April 23, 2010
Palm Trees
There is a palm tree named Methusaleh. It sprouted from a seed that was dug up in the 1970's at Masada and planted in 2000. If it is a female tree, it may bear fruit soon.
In the fall they cover the clumps of dates with brown bags to protect them from water damage.
There are many varieties of palm trees, not just date palms and coconut palms. They grow in many parts of the world. Some are cold-hardy. Some are small and slow growing so you can put them in a pot. Some are grown for oil. Some produce sap that can be made into something like honey. Some have fruit that is good for jelly.
I couldn't resist looking up some pictures. These are from JungleMusic.net. They have a few thousand photos and they sell palm trees.
My favorite is this one with the tiger stripes on the trunk.
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In the fall they cover the clumps of dates with brown bags to protect them from water damage.
There are many varieties of palm trees, not just date palms and coconut palms. They grow in many parts of the world. Some are cold-hardy. Some are small and slow growing so you can put them in a pot. Some are grown for oil. Some produce sap that can be made into something like honey. Some have fruit that is good for jelly.
I couldn't resist looking up some pictures. These are from JungleMusic.net. They have a few thousand photos and they sell palm trees.
My favorite is this one with the tiger stripes on the trunk.
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My Dog
I finally met one of the owners of "my" dog. I am relieved that he is not lost. They just let him loose once in a while. He doesn't go very far. When he is loose and on his own he acts a little curious and very cautious, but when he is with his owner he gets a very happy, cocky look. Now every time I see someone walking my dog I give them a big wave like they were an old friend. It seems like I have seen about six different people walking him. They don't know that I have adopted him and carry his picture around with me on my camera all the time.
I have also met the dog himself, and he is just about perfect. He is fairly tall but lightweight, and is very very clean. He is a mutt, I suppose you would say, but one of the best. His name is Muffin, a name which fit him when he was little, but his owner says Rex would fit him better now. So maybe I'll call him Muffix.
I have also met the dog himself, and he is just about perfect. He is fairly tall but lightweight, and is very very clean. He is a mutt, I suppose you would say, but one of the best. His name is Muffin, a name which fit him when he was little, but his owner says Rex would fit him better now. So maybe I'll call him Muffix.
April 23, 1987
(one of the most wonderful dates in my life
I had a little girl
And she had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
And when she was bad,
She wasn't very bad,
At least nothing like rhymes with "horrid."
And when she grew up,
She bought a little pup,
And the pup grew up to be a dog.
And then she moved away,
And then I moved away,
So here's the way I'll say
"Happy Birthday" to Mercy--
On my blog.
I had a little girl
And she had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
And when she was bad,
She wasn't very bad,
At least nothing like rhymes with "horrid."
And when she grew up,
She bought a little pup,
And the pup grew up to be a dog.
And then she moved away,
And then I moved away,
So here's the way I'll say
"Happy Birthday" to Mercy--
On my blog.
April 14, 2010
Don't cook your food in a violin.
Today was test day. It was a hard test, but I think I did well. The first time through I got most of the answers down, but when I went through it the second time I found several mistakes. I went through it a third tme and found more mistakes. At the last minute, just before I turned it in, I found another mistake. Whew! I burned up a lot of calories taking that test!
I got back a story that I wrote in Hebrew, about a page and a half long, about Ethiopian Jews. Again, I proof-read it at least three times, and each time found more errors -- but not all of them! I think the teacher liked it, even though she marked in about 60 corrections! And she may have let a few things slide that weren't quite the way an adult would speak. (But hey, you have to start somewhere!)
Most of my mistakes were spelling mistakes (1 through 7).
List of errors (I love lists!):
1. writing "heh" for "xet" or "xet" for "heh
2. writing "kaph" for "qoph"or "qoph" for final "kaph"
3. writing "zayin" backwards (which makes it a gimmel)
4. writing "ayin" for "aleph"
5. writing "tav" for "tet"
6. writing "samech" for "shin"
7. leaving out alef or ayin in several verbs
8. wrong gender of "this"
9. wrong gender of adjective
10. leaving out the subject pronoun
11. using a wrong verb
12. wrong preposition
13. leaving out the definite article
14. singular instead of plural verb
15. several others
When you learn your first language, you first learn to hear, then speak, then read, then write and spell. So I guess I shouldn't be worried if I can't spell yet--it's only been 5 months.
It's fun to learn a few new words in class or out of the dictionary and then the very same day hear someone using the same words. Is it providence or just "odds?" Of course I know that "odds" are really providence, too.
When I get on the bus these days sometimes there is a strong smell of fresh vegetables. Meaning, onions. People sometimes have huge bags of produce that they got at the market. Today I sat by a lady who had a big bag full of nice-looking big leaves, sort of like sycamore leaves or grape leaves. She said she rolls them up with rice and spices and some other words I didn't know. Then I asked her if she cooked them in the oven. Only I mistakenly used the word "kinor" (violin) instead of "tanur" (oven). She didn't let on that she noticed my mistake, but explained that she cooks them over the gas. I mentioned my mistake, and she again explained that she cooks them not in the oven but "on the top, over the gas." (I just learned the word for "up" or "on top" today.)I spoke to her in a mixture of English, Hebrew and Spanish. There's no point in killing myself trying to speak Hebrew when a lot of people speak perfect English and a lot of them speak Spanish. But she answered me in Hebrew and a few hand gestures. (Whew! That short conversation burned a lot of calories, too!)
I wonder if most people here have gas stoves rather than electric, and if they have electric, do they still call it gas? Just like in Canada they call their electricity water (hydro) because it's hydro-electric power.
I got back a story that I wrote in Hebrew, about a page and a half long, about Ethiopian Jews. Again, I proof-read it at least three times, and each time found more errors -- but not all of them! I think the teacher liked it, even though she marked in about 60 corrections! And she may have let a few things slide that weren't quite the way an adult would speak. (But hey, you have to start somewhere!)
Most of my mistakes were spelling mistakes (1 through 7).
List of errors (I love lists!):
1. writing "heh" for "xet" or "xet" for "heh
2. writing "kaph" for "qoph"or "qoph" for final "kaph"
3. writing "zayin" backwards (which makes it a gimmel)
4. writing "ayin" for "aleph"
5. writing "tav" for "tet"
6. writing "samech" for "shin"
7. leaving out alef or ayin in several verbs
8. wrong gender of "this"
9. wrong gender of adjective
10. leaving out the subject pronoun
11. using a wrong verb
12. wrong preposition
13. leaving out the definite article
14. singular instead of plural verb
15. several others
When you learn your first language, you first learn to hear, then speak, then read, then write and spell. So I guess I shouldn't be worried if I can't spell yet--it's only been 5 months.
It's fun to learn a few new words in class or out of the dictionary and then the very same day hear someone using the same words. Is it providence or just "odds?" Of course I know that "odds" are really providence, too.
When I get on the bus these days sometimes there is a strong smell of fresh vegetables. Meaning, onions. People sometimes have huge bags of produce that they got at the market. Today I sat by a lady who had a big bag full of nice-looking big leaves, sort of like sycamore leaves or grape leaves. She said she rolls them up with rice and spices and some other words I didn't know. Then I asked her if she cooked them in the oven. Only I mistakenly used the word "kinor" (violin) instead of "tanur" (oven). She didn't let on that she noticed my mistake, but explained that she cooks them over the gas. I mentioned my mistake, and she again explained that she cooks them not in the oven but "on the top, over the gas." (I just learned the word for "up" or "on top" today.)I spoke to her in a mixture of English, Hebrew and Spanish. There's no point in killing myself trying to speak Hebrew when a lot of people speak perfect English and a lot of them speak Spanish. But she answered me in Hebrew and a few hand gestures. (Whew! That short conversation burned a lot of calories, too!)
I wonder if most people here have gas stoves rather than electric, and if they have electric, do they still call it gas? Just like in Canada they call their electricity water (hydro) because it's hydro-electric power.
April 13, 2010
Holocaust Day
Monday was Holocaust Day. At 11:00 the sirens started going, and kept going for two minutes. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stood still. Cars stopped on the road and people got out and stood beside their cars.
A small number of people did not stop. They just went on about their business as usual, as if it didn't pertain to them.
Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh ; a time to mourn , and a time to dance;
Rom 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice , and weep with them that weep.
Job had much wealth, but he did not take his ease, but rather remembered the less fortunate: -- Job 30:25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was [not] my soul grieved for the poor?
Solomon was heard because of his tender heart and humility: -- 2Ch 34:27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard [thee] also, saith the LORD.
It is not only right for us to weep with/for others, it might be very bad for us if we don't: -- Luke 6:25 Woe unto you that are full ! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
Many others also have suffered. When you read about the BlackHawk Wars or Chief Joseph or the Trail of Tears, or about one child who suffered and died, or even one old person who simply died of old age, you can't not be moved. Even if you have not yet experienced at close hand any great sorrow of your own, you can Stand in Awe. And there are also those whom no one even knows about.
"Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward."
And Ecc 7:2 [It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.
Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced , and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.
Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold , the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Luk 6:21 Blessed [are ye] that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed [are ye] that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
A small number of people did not stop. They just went on about their business as usual, as if it didn't pertain to them.
Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh ; a time to mourn , and a time to dance;
Rom 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice , and weep with them that weep.
Job had much wealth, but he did not take his ease, but rather remembered the less fortunate: -- Job 30:25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was [not] my soul grieved for the poor?
Solomon was heard because of his tender heart and humility: -- 2Ch 34:27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard [thee] also, saith the LORD.
It is not only right for us to weep with/for others, it might be very bad for us if we don't: -- Luke 6:25 Woe unto you that are full ! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
Many others also have suffered. When you read about the BlackHawk Wars or Chief Joseph or the Trail of Tears, or about one child who suffered and died, or even one old person who simply died of old age, you can't not be moved. Even if you have not yet experienced at close hand any great sorrow of your own, you can Stand in Awe. And there are also those whom no one even knows about.
"Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward."
And Ecc 7:2 [It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.
Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced , and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.
Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold , the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Luk 6:21 Blessed [are ye] that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed [are ye] that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
April 6, 2010
The Old Synagogue
About all I know about history is that what once was isn't now, at least not like it was. From a brochure of this place I read that the synagogue was built at the beginning of the third century CE in the shape of a trapezoid and had a black and white mosaic floor. Later it was repaired and remodeled and a new mosaic floor added. The synagogue as we see it now was built in the mid-fifth century. It was finally destroyed around 530 CE during the reign of JustinianI.
Part of the floor was accidentally discovered in 1965.
The minute I saw this plant I thought, it looks like a giant milkweed. And when I broke off a piece of a leaf it sure enough had milky juice in it. It's actually a Sodom Apple, and is related to a milkweed.
Biggest milkweed I have ever seen.
Most people don't come here to see milkweeds (I do), but rather this:
A miqveh, for ceremonial bathing.
Not a rug. Pieces of stone.
Mosaic floor with birds. (I don't think it was really quite this shiny--the camera thought it was.)
In part of the mosaic are listed names from Adam to Jacob, and also Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and also the names of the signs of the zodiac, and a curse on those who start quarrels, et al.
Two layers of floor.
Number 8 shows the location of the Holy Ark. Number 9 is the "seat of Moses."
Looking out of the tent you can see remains of little buildings. I'd love to be an archaeologist and pick away one pebble at a time to see what else can be found.
The fence around it is made of wire with rushes or something planted in it.
Owl made out of mud.
Kitchenware.
Something made out of a palm leaf.
I was trying to take a picture of this little bird, but when I looked at the picture I noticed the bags. Any guesses what they're for?
Part of the floor was accidentally discovered in 1965.
The minute I saw this plant I thought, it looks like a giant milkweed. And when I broke off a piece of a leaf it sure enough had milky juice in it. It's actually a Sodom Apple, and is related to a milkweed.
Biggest milkweed I have ever seen.
Most people don't come here to see milkweeds (I do), but rather this:
A miqveh, for ceremonial bathing.
Not a rug. Pieces of stone.
Mosaic floor with birds. (I don't think it was really quite this shiny--the camera thought it was.)
In part of the mosaic are listed names from Adam to Jacob, and also Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and also the names of the signs of the zodiac, and a curse on those who start quarrels, et al.Two layers of floor.
Number 8 shows the location of the Holy Ark. Number 9 is the "seat of Moses."
Looking out of the tent you can see remains of little buildings. I'd love to be an archaeologist and pick away one pebble at a time to see what else can be found.
The fence around it is made of wire with rushes or something planted in it.
Owl made out of mud.
Kitchenware.
Something made out of a palm leaf.
I was trying to take a picture of this little bird, but when I looked at the picture I noticed the bags. Any guesses what they're for?
Dead Sea
Finally I'm getting back to pictures.
While the Goldby's were climbing mountains,
the Hembds were lazing on the beach.
The water was very slippery. I have always been just barely able to float on my back, provided I take a deep breath and keep my hands moving, and even then my face just barely stays out of the water and my feet drag way below the surface. In this water, however, I can float while holding my hands and feet out of the water! One woman was floating and reading a book.
See the guy way out there?
People buy this black stuff that you coat yourself with. I managed to get some that somebody left behind. It made my skin feel great for about three days afterwards.
Two nice little girls were playing nearby. They spoke mostly Hebrew. But I did hear one of them saying, as she smeared herself with black stuff, "I love it, I love it!"
Al didn't have a nice hat, so I didn't bother to take his picture.
While the Goldby's were climbing mountains,
the Hembds were lazing on the beach.
The water was very slippery. I have always been just barely able to float on my back, provided I take a deep breath and keep my hands moving, and even then my face just barely stays out of the water and my feet drag way below the surface. In this water, however, I can float while holding my hands and feet out of the water! One woman was floating and reading a book.
See the guy way out there?
People buy this black stuff that you coat yourself with. I managed to get some that somebody left behind. It made my skin feel great for about three days afterwards.
Two nice little girls were playing nearby. They spoke mostly Hebrew. But I did hear one of them saying, as she smeared herself with black stuff, "I love it, I love it!"
Al didn't have a nice hat, so I didn't bother to take his picture.Frosted rocks. With salt, though, not sugar. I wouldn't eat one either way.
We stayed there quite some time and didn't get any sunburn. I'm not sure how to explain that. The altitude (i.e. lack of it)? Salt in the air?
A hyrax. They sit very still so it's easy to get a picture.
An odd plant covered with tiny hairs. I didn't touch it, fearing it might be the stinging kind.
Another odd plant. This one has little spongey berries on it. They taste good--slightly sweet and very salty.
We stayed there quite some time and didn't get any sunburn. I'm not sure how to explain that. The altitude (i.e. lack of it)? Salt in the air?
A hyrax. They sit very still so it's easy to get a picture.
An odd plant covered with tiny hairs. I didn't touch it, fearing it might be the stinging kind.
Another odd plant. This one has little spongey berries on it. They taste good--slightly sweet and very salty.
April 5, 2010
Passover and Easter
Passover, by the feeling in the air, is a nice, pleasant, quiet time. But it isn't really a passover at all. And there are so-o-o many regulations.
You start by cleaning house. It takes several weeks to do it right. Then you get authorization to sell your chametz. Chametz includes anything made from wheat, rye, barley, oats or spelt (and sometimes rice, corn, peanuts, and beans) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. Chametz can not be owned, eaten, or even fed to pets or cattle during Passover. All chametz, utensils used to cook it, and animals whose diet cannot be changed must be disposed of or sold to a non-Jew (and bought back after the holiday). After dark on the first day you do a search for chametz. Any that isn't sold by a certain time has to be burned at a certain time. Meals are regulated, with certain symbolic foods served. Hands are washed at certain times. You might be required to recline on your left side and eat with your right hand (even if you are left-handed). The food would be prepared in such a way that you could eat it with your hands rather than using a fork. Reclining symbolizes that you are a free man and not a slave. The right blessings have to be said at the right time (or in some cases, not said), and the right prayers and praises said, and the right scriptures read. Candles have to be lit at the right times. Certain questions are asked and answered. Certain foods are eaten and certain ones not eaten, so many cups of wine drunk, certain amounts of bitter herbs eaten, a certain amount of work allowed or not allowed on each day. There are synagogue services every morning for a week, and people walk to them. There are games and teaching tricks for the children, quite commendable.
While reading about passover I ran across a recipe I might like to try. It's Charoset. There are many different recipes. Ingredients might include pears, nuts, apples, cinnamon and sweet wine, and sometimes figs, dates, coconut, orange juice or grape jelly. It may be cooked or not. It is supposed to remind one of the mortar the Israelites used when building for the Egyptians. One recipe uses forty ingredients to symbol the forty years of wandering in the wilderness.
I could see how some (a few) of the customs could sort of grow on you, but on the other hand, what a chore to have to be sure to do everything right. And there is so much missing.
Easter I haven't noticed. We're not near any churches. I've heard that some Christian churches take the Jewish ceremonies and traditions and re-interpret them for their own use. What a balagan! (mess, confusion)
Deut. 33:26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency: and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
Heb. 3-10
Heb. 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were stangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country, that is, and heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Heb. 11:28 By faith he [Moses] kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood...
Heb. 11:39-40 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
God having provided some better thing for us,that they without us should not be made perfect.
Heb. 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
For our God is a consuming fire.
Heb. 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
You start by cleaning house. It takes several weeks to do it right. Then you get authorization to sell your chametz. Chametz includes anything made from wheat, rye, barley, oats or spelt (and sometimes rice, corn, peanuts, and beans) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. Chametz can not be owned, eaten, or even fed to pets or cattle during Passover. All chametz, utensils used to cook it, and animals whose diet cannot be changed must be disposed of or sold to a non-Jew (and bought back after the holiday). After dark on the first day you do a search for chametz. Any that isn't sold by a certain time has to be burned at a certain time. Meals are regulated, with certain symbolic foods served. Hands are washed at certain times. You might be required to recline on your left side and eat with your right hand (even if you are left-handed). The food would be prepared in such a way that you could eat it with your hands rather than using a fork. Reclining symbolizes that you are a free man and not a slave. The right blessings have to be said at the right time (or in some cases, not said), and the right prayers and praises said, and the right scriptures read. Candles have to be lit at the right times. Certain questions are asked and answered. Certain foods are eaten and certain ones not eaten, so many cups of wine drunk, certain amounts of bitter herbs eaten, a certain amount of work allowed or not allowed on each day. There are synagogue services every morning for a week, and people walk to them. There are games and teaching tricks for the children, quite commendable.
While reading about passover I ran across a recipe I might like to try. It's Charoset. There are many different recipes. Ingredients might include pears, nuts, apples, cinnamon and sweet wine, and sometimes figs, dates, coconut, orange juice or grape jelly. It may be cooked or not. It is supposed to remind one of the mortar the Israelites used when building for the Egyptians. One recipe uses forty ingredients to symbol the forty years of wandering in the wilderness.
I could see how some (a few) of the customs could sort of grow on you, but on the other hand, what a chore to have to be sure to do everything right. And there is so much missing.
Easter I haven't noticed. We're not near any churches. I've heard that some Christian churches take the Jewish ceremonies and traditions and re-interpret them for their own use. What a balagan! (mess, confusion)
Deut. 33:26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency: and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
Heb. 3-10
Heb. 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were stangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country, that is, and heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Heb. 11:28 By faith he [Moses] kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood...
Heb. 11:39-40 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
God having provided some better thing for us,that they without us should not be made perfect.
Heb. 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
For our God is a consuming fire.
Heb. 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
Sunday or Monday
I just noticed that my blog post for Monday says Sunday. There's probably a way to re-set that somehow.
Monday morning continued
Now what do we do. Ah-ha! It's fixed. I had to close out that last post because something went wrong. I accidentally hit some key, I don't know which one, and my keyboard went into backwards-upside-down mode. When I hit the space bar, the cursor went up! I've never been able to make it do that before.
Anyway, last week I intended to put up more photos, and blogspot quit working. I'll get back to it maybe later today.
Right now I am in a language mode, not a picture mode. I would really do well not to get too carried away with pictures. I seem to be unable to just post them and forget it. I first have to examine umpteen photos to pick out the very best and most relevant and then I try to edit each one to try to make it look better, which is kind of a waste of time, because they are really about right anyway (pretty clever, Canon Power-Shot!) (And I don't have the kind of editor I need, which is one I used to have that would straighten slanted photos--I habitually hold the camera a bit down on the right, which looks bad on a photo with a building or a horizon.)
Language. When I was about twelve years old I determined that what I wanted to do with my life would have to have something to do with language or music. Well, it never happened, and just as well. Raising a family was what the Lord had for me, and it was (and is) great. But now it's back to language. I wish, wish, wish that all young children who have the aptitude could be taught languages while they are young. (Get busy, Elijah, in case you are a missionary someday, or in case you travel.) It would be so much better than waiting till you are fifty-some to learn a new alphabet. It is so easy and fun to do it when you are young, and will save you hours and hours of work later.
When I was ten years old I studied a tiny bit of French. I still remember, "En ete, il fait beau. Le soleil brille." I still remember about 200 words of French. I looked through a dictionary and counted them. Some of them are words we all know anyway, like ballet and chandelier. If it is that easy to learn when you are young, that is the time to do it. But you don't know why when you are ten years old, and now my computer is in italics mode and won't stop! I have to de-italicize over and over again. (Not so clever, Hewlett-Packard!)
I ran across (thank you HP, for changing the rules--now that the italics button is on, there are no italics--and my emoticons have disappeared, or I would make a face for sure. ) - - - As I was saying, I ran across the word for "font," which is "גופן" . When ever I think of the Hebrew word for "font" in my mind's eye I don't see "גופן" but "gofan". When will I ever have a visual memory in Hebrew? That is why I think it would be great to teach young children different alphabets (Hebrew, Hindi, Arabic, Russian) and a few words because once it's in your head it's there and can be revived, especially if you review a bit every week, or every month or so.
A lady in a store said something to me that was probably "Are you ready to pay?" I heard "pay" because that is a word I know, but I didn't catch the words for "are you ready." I didn't suddenly go deaf, but I just couldn't catch them. My brain isn't alert enough for foreign words. Have you ever had the experience of someone "hearing" what they thought you were going to say, and you feel like yelling "that's not what I said and you're not listening!"? Partly it's the way the brain works. If you're focused on something that turns out not to be there, you have to go back and refocus so you can hear.
Anyway, last week I intended to put up more photos, and blogspot quit working. I'll get back to it maybe later today.
Right now I am in a language mode, not a picture mode. I would really do well not to get too carried away with pictures. I seem to be unable to just post them and forget it. I first have to examine umpteen photos to pick out the very best and most relevant and then I try to edit each one to try to make it look better, which is kind of a waste of time, because they are really about right anyway (pretty clever, Canon Power-Shot!) (And I don't have the kind of editor I need, which is one I used to have that would straighten slanted photos--I habitually hold the camera a bit down on the right, which looks bad on a photo with a building or a horizon.)
Language. When I was about twelve years old I determined that what I wanted to do with my life would have to have something to do with language or music. Well, it never happened, and just as well. Raising a family was what the Lord had for me, and it was (and is) great. But now it's back to language. I wish, wish, wish that all young children who have the aptitude could be taught languages while they are young. (Get busy, Elijah, in case you are a missionary someday, or in case you travel.) It would be so much better than waiting till you are fifty-some to learn a new alphabet. It is so easy and fun to do it when you are young, and will save you hours and hours of work later.
When I was ten years old I studied a tiny bit of French. I still remember, "En ete, il fait beau. Le soleil brille." I still remember about 200 words of French. I looked through a dictionary and counted them. Some of them are words we all know anyway, like ballet and chandelier. If it is that easy to learn when you are young, that is the time to do it. But you don't know why when you are ten years old, and now my computer is in italics mode and won't stop! I have to de-italicize over and over again. (Not so clever, Hewlett-Packard!)
I ran across (thank you HP, for changing the rules--now that the italics button is on, there are no italics--and my emoticons have disappeared, or I would make a face for sure. ) - - - As I was saying, I ran across the word for "font," which is "גופן" . When ever I think of the Hebrew word for "font" in my mind's eye I don't see "גופן" but "gofan". When will I ever have a visual memory in Hebrew? That is why I think it would be great to teach young children different alphabets (Hebrew, Hindi, Arabic, Russian) and a few words because once it's in your head it's there and can be revived, especially if you review a bit every week, or every month or so.
A lady in a store said something to me that was probably "Are you ready to pay?" I heard "pay" because that is a word I know, but I didn't catch the words for "are you ready." I didn't suddenly go deaf, but I just couldn't catch them. My brain isn't alert enough for foreign words. Have you ever had the experience of someone "hearing" what they thought you were going to say, and you feel like yelling "that's not what I said and you're not listening!"? Partly it's the way the brain works. If you're focused on something that turns out not to be there, you have to go back and refocus so you can hear.
Monday morning
Nice and sunny today. Sunny enough to make our dark apartment a little less dark. As soon as I can I will take a cup of coffee and walk about sixty yards to where there is a blue metal park bench where I can sit and soak up some sun and have a coffee break. Except the sun doesn't really hit the bench until a bit later, so I will take another coffee break when it's more sunny. Or I can walk another ten yards to the red park bench. Or if I am up to it I might go down to sit on the green park bench and see how the stone wall is coming. It seems odd to put so much work into a wall. They do it one block at a time. The blocks come roughly shaped and they have to be chipped into shape. The put in little shivers of blocks to hold the big ones level while the cement is drying. Drainage pipes come through at regular intervals. They stuff something into them temporarily so they won't get plugged with cement.
April 2, 2010
Passover
It's really quiet. Quieter than most sabbaths, and not just for one day.
The first thing you notice is little groups of people gathering in the vacant lots making little bonfires to burn the kametz. No yeast must be found in your house or in any of the stores. We went shopping today and found some food unavailable because it contained yeast. All the shelves containing cereal were covered with plastic and had a sign saying "kametz, do not open." Various other areas were covered with plastic. Toothpaste with soda, some candy bars, some baby formula were all covered. There was no bread at all, only rice cakes. There were some kosher cakes and macaroons. There was, as usual, lots of chocolate.
On Tuesday we headed south for our vacation, which also made up for our last two honeymoons which we didn't really celebrate. ("All things come to those who wait.") Besides riding a camel, we saw lots of nice vacant land and barren hills and eroded mountains. Lovely, after being in the city so long.
Burning the kametz.
Lots of groves of date palms.
The white streak down the mountain is salt.
The first thing you notice is little groups of people gathering in the vacant lots making little bonfires to burn the kametz. No yeast must be found in your house or in any of the stores. We went shopping today and found some food unavailable because it contained yeast. All the shelves containing cereal were covered with plastic and had a sign saying "kametz, do not open." Various other areas were covered with plastic. Toothpaste with soda, some candy bars, some baby formula were all covered. There was no bread at all, only rice cakes. There were some kosher cakes and macaroons. There was, as usual, lots of chocolate.
On Tuesday we headed south for our vacation, which also made up for our last two honeymoons which we didn't really celebrate. ("All things come to those who wait.") Besides riding a camel, we saw lots of nice vacant land and barren hills and eroded mountains. Lovely, after being in the city so long.
Burning the kametz.
It is starting to green up. Not sure how green it will get or how long it will last. See the sink hole? There are many of them and some big enough to cave the road in.
These goats are wa-ay up there. They're the African type, with long floppy ears.
Bedouins live here. This is a nice-looking place. Many of them are ugly trash heaps. Do Bedouin women have no desire for beauty or do their husbands just not care? Of course the scenery, in this case, would make up for the shoddy sheds they live in.
Lots of groves of date palms.
The white streak down the mountain is salt.
The soil must be fertile for there to be so many greenhouses.
The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in this and three other caves. You can see just one cave in this picture. There are hundreds of them all along the highway. I wonder how many of them have been explored. You'd have to watch out for rock slides.
Caves aside, this is a nice place to visit. I got the nicest green sunhat here. Prettier than any cave.
Getting closer to the water.
And here we are!
More to come.
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