WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY - Birds seen in Israel (Part 3)

I was not bird watching when I was in Israel so these are the only birds I was able to photograph.  I do not know the name of them all so if anyone can tell me the missing ID’s I would be grateful.

Tristram Starling (Thanks Douglas for ID)

Some species of Dove, possibly (Laughing)

Hoopoe 

Tomorrow I will show you some of the places we visited and the amazing old architecture in Israel.

I am linking this post with WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY.

Thank you for visiting and also to those who leave comments.

Israel Visited - People (Part 2)

These are some ‘peoples’ photographs that I took on my trip to Israel in 2007.  This is my friend Sharon and myself covered in special mud before we went into the Dead Sea to wash it off.  Our skin was beautiful and soft afterwards.

Laying back reading a booklet in the Dead Sea.  It was amazing.

The Dome of the Rock is a shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem.  It was initially completed in 691 CE at the order of Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik during the Second Fitna. The Dome of the Rock is now one of the oldest works of Islamic architecture.  It has been called 'Jerusalem's most recognizable landmark'.  The octagonal plan of the structure may have been influenced by the Byzantine Chapel of St Mary built between 451 and 458 on the road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

The site's significance stems from religious traditions regarding the rock, known as the Foundation Stone, at its heart, which bears great significance for Jews, Christians and Muslims.

This shot was taken at the shore of Lake Galilee and below is the boat we were on. If you did not see my shot of the man catching a net into to the lake, 

CLICK HERE.

The name of the small cap male Jews wear is called a Kipa (dome or covering) or Yarmulke. This head covering was meant to signify recognition that God is present above oneself. It was traditionally worn only during prayer or during religious rituals. Eventually, Jews started wearing the kipa all day long, both as a sign of piety and to distinguish themselves from non-Jews.

Today, the kipa is worn all day long by fully observant Jews, although many Jews wear one during prayer or at funerals even though they don’t wear one all day. Different types of religious Jews wear different types of kipas to publicly demonstrate their unique religious outlook.  This is Robert, one of our party wearing a kipa who is wife bought for him.

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the people I encountered on this trip.

Thank you for visiting and also your comments you leave.  Tomorrow I will show you some birds I managed to photograph on WBW.

SUNDAY THOUGHT - Garden of Gethsemane, Israel ( Part 1)

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, 

Sit down here while I go over yonder and pray. 

And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to show grief and distress of mind and was deeply depressed. 

Then He said to them, My soul is very sad and deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and keep awake and keep watch with Me. ...

Matthew 26:36-46

The trees are over2,000 years old.

Garden 0f Gethsemane in Israel.

For the next 7 days I will be showing your photographs I took on my trip to Israel in 2007.

Thank you for visiting.

Many thanks for all your comments.

SATURDAY CRITTERS - Tory enters the Grand National on the I.O.W.

I last posted about the Garlic Farm that I visited on 8 January (See in archives) this year and I did say I would go back.  True to my word I returned this week and was given a wonderful tour by the owner, Colin Boswell.  However today I am showing you Tory, his horse, as tomorrow it will be racing in the Grand National on the Isle of Wight.  

He is very handsome and when I arrived he had his coat on, however when I was leaving a few hours later someone had taken if off as it was a beautiful sunny day. 

He shared the field with 2 other horses.

As I am on holiday here, I am not sure what the family have in store however I am hoping I can go to the race and apparently the best way to do this is by steam train.  How exciting it that.

I will be posting about my morning at the Garlic Farm later probably in April.

Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks both for visiting 

and also to those who leave comments.

WEEKEND REFLECTION - View while having lunch at The Sloop, I.O.W.

I had decided to have lunch at The Sloop and these were the scenes I was looking out on to.  How beautiful is that for a view at lunchtime in January! 

I hope you enjoyed seeing the sun, blue water and sky giving these beautiful reflections in the water.

I am linking this post with WEEKEND REFLECTIONS.

Many thanks for your visiting and also to those who leave comments.

GOOD FENCES - Royal Court of Justice, Belfast

I went to Belfast on St Partrick’s Day with friends to see the film 'Still Alice' and these are a few fences I photographed as I walked to the cinema. The parade was over so below were some of the people coming from it.

High Court Building, Belfast.

Hope you enjoyed this post and the fun Irish shots at the end.

I am linking this post with GOOD FENCES.

Thank you for visiting and also to those who leave comments.

Sunrise from my bedroom window

One day last week I woke early, looked out and saw this wonderful sunrise.  I grabbed my camera, opened the window and photographed these 3 shots.  It was very cold so I beat a hasty retreat as I had only my night attire on!

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Thank you for visiting and also to those who leave comments.