Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Fire me!

I forgot to take my camera to the Ladies Circle dinner at Thistlethwaite Vineyard.  I missed the Youth Group taking off this morning for 5 days of the Creation festival. And we are leaving Friday for a vacation!  Forgive me.
Do I hear someone volunteering to take over for a few days while we're gone?  It's easy and fun.  I'll show you how.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Last of Masada

Herod's palace way up there on the face of the Masada hill can be imagined pretty well with the ruins that are excavated. 


This display shows how the adjacent hills were engineered to bring rainwater to the Masada cisterns.  You could pour a  pitcher of water over the display and the water channeled down those paths along the hillside into the little cistern.  Amazing.

I kept taking photos of "nothing" because it was so barren and rocky.




Tourists walking around the top of the mountain

We walked down many steps to get to the bottom of this huge cistern.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Masada


Taking a break part way up - it was very hot and very steep!


Finally at the top - ruins of lots of buildings.  Amazing to have had so many people living up here.


A lovely view of the Dead Sea

You can see the dirt ramp coming up to the back of Masada, that the  Romans built and used to finally defeat the  Jews.



Sunday, June 26, 2011

O Happy Day!

We had 4 adult baptisms today!  Here's Nick

...and his wife Robin

...Dustin...

...and Freddie!

The baptismal gate only gets hung on the wall during baptisms

We were all overjoyed today - such a blessing

Jim Townsend mopping up the extra water.

Praise God!


We are especially blessed to have Roy and Marilyn, our missionaries to Burkina Faso, here with us today.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Beth told me to look at the sky....



   2 Sam 22:12   "He made darkness his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky.


Thursday, June 23, 2011

2nd Day based in Jerusalem- Masada

We left the city to head to the Dead Sea area.  I want you to note how different this landscape is from what we saw up north.


The dead sea - a little odd to see no vegetation near the water

Now and then we drive by a little oasis

Nearing Masada

We are now starting the long climb up the hill.  We only saw a few other folks going up.  Quite a few rode the cable car to the top, and some younger ones walked down from the top.

As we walk we realize how effective this defense is!

Before the rain...

Beth looking out at Dad and Bill Watson discussing how to proceed to alleviate our flooding basements problems.  Everyone has been having to deal with too much rain in our area.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Final Jerusalem Wall Walk

At the end of the walk we've come around to the north of the dome

Shannon - a lovely traveling companion

This was the other thing we saw a lot of in Israel - cats!  They were everywhere.

Ruins of the pool of Bethesda

St Ann's Basilica, the church that had incredible acoustics.  That's Charlie over there.


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Supper with the Habitat Group

Another fun time together 



Midsummer night - I see my first firefly of the year.   I clearly don't know how to photograph one though!