back to school ...

happened today.  But before I get the first-day-of-kindergarden pictures up, here are some photos of what has been going on in previous weeks.

There's a common theme in these photos. Do you see it?

beach

Obviously we're back, but there are many more pictures to post. We took over 1,000 pictures on this trip. It's insane.

Before we moved to Evansville 8 years ago, we lived on the beach in Herzliya Pituach. The day we left we revisited old haunts and went to the tiny local post office near our old apartments in Nof Yam ("beach view"). Despite the encroaching swank, the sandy area with dumpsters that we used to call "cat land" persists behind the little strip mall with the post office, restaurants and offices. The cats were out in force in front of the post office, which entertained V for awhile.

Then we found a free parking space on the beach in front of the nearby hotels and decided to check out the beach for a bit. I have determined that I didn't appreciate this enough when we lived here for two years. We sometimes went to the beach in the evening when it was cooler and more tolerable, but I didn't go enough by myself during the day to read a book, people watch, etc. I regret this, as it's beautiful there, the beaches are not totally packed, and the air was great.

Who knew? V LOVED the beach and totally went for it fully clothed with diaper.

scenes from a mall for Dod Omry

last days on the farm

We left the kibbutz 3 days before we flew home so we could spend time in the Tel Aviv area. There are lots of beat-up bikes and toys to play with near Safta's house, and V was saying "tractor" a lot by the time we left.

"Menachem the Great" sign at the falafel place in Afikim.

Self-portrait of a halutza, playing with Safta's scarves.

We did a tour of the real, retired, tractors on the kibbutz before we left. L was interested to learn that Dod (Uncle) Yoram drove this yellow tractor in days of yore.

glad we don't live in a tent

This is a great museum. It was SO hot here when we visited.

In addition to the air conditioned museum, very good movie, etc., there is a large tent set up in the back. No one was around when we were there so there was no coffee, tea, stories, etc. like last time.
V liked the mortar, though. One thing I learned this trip was that there is metal around the rim to make noise/music, not just for decoration. There was only dirt in this mortar when V was playing with it, no coffee beans.

Apparently someone had made coffee earlier in the day and L enjoyed distributing the dregs in the random cups.

More Jerusalem, south

One morning, while I measured rocks at Lahav, M and the girls wandered around through various ruins in the area. Here is part of what I assume is an olive press with V for scale.

Entrance to the Israel Trail apartment where we spent the night. We stayed here two years ago, too. L loves it because there are like 7 beds in two rooms to choose from (of course we hauled all the single mattresses onto the floor and slept there). The lemons on the tree in front were ripe and we made lots of lemonade.

I didn't spend nearly as much time measuring rocks this year as I did two summers ago. This is a VERY good thing. Now I have student slaves to do the work for me (at least in Haifa). L wasn't interested in helping this time and she and/or A were responsible for breaking I think two measuring tapes. Did I mention that it's nearly impossible to get any work done whatsoever with them in tow? Oh well.

We spent one night in Jerusalem with friends - now with three boys! Here is V hassling baby Amit.

Tubby time is always popular, even with kids you don't know well.

We spent Sunday wandering around the old city of Jerusalem. I went to one museum. Here is Abba and babe on the Via Dolorosa.

Kanafe! We had so many sweets during our trip, it was unreal. We had just come from apfelstrudel at the Austrian Hospice when we saw the sweets place not far from the Damascus Gate and had to go in. It was delicious, but a bit much honestly.

Just outside the Jaffa Gate is this weird swanky outdoor mall at Mamilla where we parked. I remember people with leprosy hanging out by the Jaffa Gate not so many years ago; now there's an Aroma Cafe and upscale shopping. It's bizarre, incongruous and comforting all at the same time somehow. I don't like it.

Visiting Safta at the kibbutz.

Not sure where this was taken, but it's cute. They both HATE car trips now!

Jerusalem highlights

At some point Laura and I went to Bethlehem to the Palestinian Heritage Center. It was terrific.
Meanwhile, back at the Albright ...

V and L hung out with Ari. They also went to the Biblical Zoo but I had the camera with me in Bethlehem so no pictures of that. Lilah loved the large Noah's Ark there.

Here's L hiding behind V in the Albright garden. They were fairly wild at the Albright, much to my embarrassment ... but a shayne punim makes up for a lot.