Do you like color?

This is not typical, by any means--but there are a few people who know how to make something beautiful.

And these hollyhocks know how to be beautiful without any help from anyone.

Maale Adumim

Back in July we had a barbecue.

This dog wanted to attend.
 

Pictures taken in or near Maale Adumim:

Scooter

This is the part of the year that I like best. It's hot, but usually not too hot. It cools off in the evening. I drink iced tea without the ice, and no sugar either, and it's actually sort of refreshing. I don't feel guilty if I move a little slow.

But now I can move a little faster -- with wheels!

My new scooter:

I can coast downhill to the store and walk/scoot back. Or I can walk uphill to another store and coast back down. I can't believe how much time and energy it saves. It'll be even more fun after I build up a little strength.

Walking to the store and back on a hot day deserves an ice cream bar. Scootering doesn't. I haven't tried a cola-flavored popsicle yet. Must be time for a walk.

Survey

If you go through Israel and ask random Israeli's what they believe, you will get a wide variety of answers. Some are religious, and that includes a wide range of religiosity. Some are secular but still keep traditional holidays. Some are Messianic, and that includes a wide range of truth and error, and is likely a mixture of Christianity and Judaism. A few are Christian, which includes Roman Catholic and different degrees of Arminians. Besides that there are JW's and LDS and Adventists. Some say Jesus is Messiah but not divine, or divine but not the Son of David. Then there are Buddhists, atheists, etc. etc. etc.
Why does an atheistic Jew fast on Yom Kippur? "Just in case." Ask people that don't believe in heaven and hell, "If there is a heaven and hell, where will you end up? "Gehinnom." Are we all sinners? Do we need an atonement? "Yes." How will we get this atonement? "I don't know." Do we need God's mercy? "God shows mercy on whom he will. But we can earn mercy by acts of repentance." [Earn mercy?]
It would be interesting to carry out the same sort of survey in the U.S. and see what you get. Many people who call themselves Christians don't go to church, and don't seem any different from non-Christians--they get drunk, they get divorced, they crave more fun and more money, they live for this world alone.
Can we find the answers to these things, or do we just say, "Everything will be right when Messiah comes?" What if he comes in anger and judgment, slaying his enemies with the breath of his mouth? What if we die before he comes? If he is going to slay his enemies, don't we need to make sure we are his friends? How can we be his friends? Keep the commandments? How can we keep the commandments? How well do we have to do? 51%? 90%? Or is the justice of God absolute? Does the Bible--the Torah, Writings, Prophets, New Testament--give us any clues? Would it do any good to read it?

Nice Big Boom

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from food and drink during daylight hours. Religious Muslims take it seriously, and nominal Muslims suddenly become religious. If you are in the center of the city you will hear a loud cannon blast at the end of every day's fast. It's a pretty impressive sound. They have an actual cannon at the site, but  what they fire is actually some sort of sound bomb from a black box with steel tubes.

Murphy

One important fact about Murphy's Law was that it was not actually coined by Murphy, but by another man of the same name.

Seamstress Law
As ye sew, so shall ye rip. (And that's quite a problem now that I've lost both my rippers.)

What happens when Donald Duck flies upside down? He quacks up.

Toddler Laws
If I like it, it is mine;
if I think it is mine, it is;
if I saw it first, it's mine;
if I had it then put it down, it is still mine;
if you had it and then put it down, it is now mine.

A workaholic should have two wives--then he will neglect each one only half as much.

Work smarder, not harder (and watch your speling). -- I have a bottle of cleaner that says on it "More Fider Power!"

If you are not thoroughly confused, you have not been thoroughly informed.

Two wrongs don't make a right

Two wrongs don't make a right; three lefts do.

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

Hospitality is making your guests feel like they're at home, even if you wish they were.

Two thirds of Americans can't do fractions. The other half, just don't care.

The sooner you fall behind the more time you'll have to catch up.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder to find one.