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This is my 6th day living and volunteering at a nice kibbutz in central Israel.
We are working hard harvesting olives.
The main method to get the olives off the branches is to "comb" them off with a plastic rake thingy.
We spread long long tarps on both sides of the trees.
The olives we "comb" fall onto the tarps, making a sweet sound.
Finally we push and pull all the olives into the center of the tarp, kneel beside the pile and fish out a few twigs, and then pour the beautiful olives into a crate.
More about life in the big olive grove in the coming days.
If you'd like to learn more about the place and the philosophy, please see one or all of these:
Olives 101
The Olive Blog
Kibbutz Gezer Olives -- Facebook page
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Come and join us, there's still a few beds left for more good volunteers!
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Our group of 28 older citizens of Meitar was touring Jerusalem last Tuesday.
We had just exited the New Gate and were trying to get through the narrow passage between the Old City wall on the left and the tramway on busy Paratroopers Road on the right.
We had to quickly scoot over when a string of segway riders came whirring by!
I was delighted but one of the oldies voiced his disapproval to the tourists for usurping his space.
Maybe it was just envy, because I see on the SmartTour website that
"All participants must be between the ages of 16-70, not pregnant and of a maximum weight of 270 pounds."
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Suddenly crazy dazzling streaks across my laptop and TV screens, then a huge flash of light outside my window and a loud PATZ!! And then my place and the whole neighborhood were plunged into darkness.
I grabbed a big flashlight and walked down to the corner to check the big electric pole, the one that says "HIGH VOLTAGE, DANGER OF DEATH!"
Our town's security team was already there, calling the Electric Company's emergency repair line.
Curious neighbors were milling about and pointed out to me what had fallen from above to the hard pavement below.
One pigeon sitting on one high tension wire had touched a second pigeon sitting on a parallel wire, forming a short circuit and causing the big bang and their own electrocution!
Totally charred wings, so sad.
The poor pair of pigeons had only wanted to kiss each other good night.
Even in death they were locked together.
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(Linking to Our World Tuesday, signs signs, and Camera Critters .)
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I've been negligent lately in my blogging and blog-visiting, but I have an excuse!
I've been preparing for, partly hosting, and then emotionally recovering from an all-too-short visit of my family from Australia.
Under welcome clouds and a welcoming committee of birds, my Naomi, Dean, Eyal, and Libby and I walked over to our local "desert."
It was the day of the Sukkot holiday, so everyone else must have been dwelling in their sukkas or away on vacation or napping, because we were the only ones out and about.
Imagine having the whole Meitar Forest to yourself for your picnic.
Then we headed home on the dusty Israel Trail.
Naomi had everyone hose off the dust from their shoes and feet, because the very next day they would be starting the long journey back, flying from Tel Aviv east to Hong Kong and then another long flight south to Sydney.
So for ABC Wednesday, N is for Naomi and her husband, (who had to continue on to some professional conferences in Europe) and their kids who were nice enough to come north to visit.
But for not nearly enough time.
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(Linking also to Our World Tuesday.)
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When was the last time you saw a CENTAUR?!?
I saw this one at Beer Sheva's Old City street fair during Sukkot three years ago.
I remember well his strong silent presence, the menacing look he gave to each passerby, his face, his muscles . . . .
Enlarge the photo, see what I mean.
For Oct. 1st Theme Day our City Daily Photo blogger group came up with the theme "sensual."
Of the more than 26 entries so far, I note that the majority focus on females, so I am adding a MAN.
Well, at least a half-man.
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