To prepare for my upcoming Twitter Research Workshop in November, I decided to compile a list of Twitter chats. All I did was ask one question on Twitter, and I got the following response:

That is a whole list of Twitter chats in a speadsheet format, compiled by Robert Swanwick (@SpkrInteractive). You really can interact with a lot of different folks these groups, on topics ranging from design to poetry to small business to catering.

So, you ask, what is a Twitter chat?
A Twitter chat is a way people with a common interest connect on Twitter. The chats are organized at a specific time and with a specific hashtag, such as #carchat for the car community. People in the community log into a Twitter site such as http://www.tweetchat.com/ or they can use a tool such as Tweetdeck and just add the hashtag to their tweets. If you have had trouble connecting with others via general Twitter, a tweet chat can be a welcome way to connect just with those in your interest area. If you really get ambitious, you can start your own group.

I am going to highlight three Twitter chats:

#sbbuzz – I wrote a post on the Small Business Buzz Twitter chat when I first attended a chat. A great community of smart small business people.

#DCTH – I have not been able to participate in Design Community Twitter Hours, but Mike Conaty of Brunswick Media Services (whom I have met in person) is a regular there, proving that there are real people on these Twitter chats!

#kidlitchat – I don’t know anything about this chat group, but I love the description: “Conversation about children’s literature from board books through YA. Writers, illustrators, editors, agents, librarians, readers and all others welcome.”

 

Have you participated in a Twitter chat? Did you find it useful? Do any of these appeal to you, and you might consider visiting the chat group?

Bradford Shimp has suggestions on how to manage your Tweet chats at the bottom of this post on Twitter tools.

Bonnie Adamson mentioned this tool: http://wthashtag.com/

Swan has an article about Twitter chat tools (and general comments about chats).

Wish I knew the name of this lovely yellow wildflower I photographed at the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge.

These tiny, delicate flowers are called marsh pinks.

The woman at the bird refuge told me these small, daisy-like, yellow flowers are camphor.

Can anyone identify the flowers in my Nature Notes post? I think they may be ageratum.

For more flowers, visit Today’s Flowers:

Here are all my Cape May photos.

Cape May is quite scenic, with open space and natural beauty. I took this shot from the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge using the Landscape setting on my camera, which tends to enrich blues and greens and compensate for distance. After visiting the refuge, we headed to the lighthouse. My seven-year-old daughter did not want to climb 200 steps, so with some trepidation I handed my camera to my twelve-year-old and asked him to take photos from the top. I think he did quite well, but I wish I had left the camera on Landscape instead of Auto. Auto seems to look a bit washed out on such a bright day. Here are three of his photos:



Those red bars are protective bars on the walkways of the lighthouse. Rather artsy shot, no?

For more photos of summer stock fun, visit Robin at Around the Island.

First, Haveil Havalim is at Westbankmama’s blog.

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There is an upcoming Jewish Bloggers Convention in Israel on September 13, 2009. I would like to nominate two bloggers for the convention: Soccer Dad and Baila.

I am nominating Soccer Dad for many of the reasons Batya wrote on this post. Besides founding Haveil Havalim, he has participated in the other two Jewish blog carnivals, JPIX and Kosher Cooking Carnival (which he has also hosted). I see from this post many others agree with this nomination.

As to Baila, she writes it well herself: “Two years ago my family and I arrived in Israel on the same NBN flight–the last one of the summer. I was in shell-shock. We had just come off a really tough time with Liat being so ill that year. I was numb throughout the flight and have since said, I wish I could do it again without all the “baggage”–so to speak. This would be my chance.” Who else of the Jewish women bloggers has this kind of energy and enthusiasm to help others with their aliyah experience? Besides, I think she would be best at breaking it gently to all those new families that they will not be able to purchase baby carrots in their local supermarket.

Thank you to IsraMom for nominating me. And I totally, I agree, I wish I could send Ilana-Davita to Israel, too!

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Today and yesterday I started and finished reading Roommates: My Grandfather’s Story by Max Apple. Great book, it was written prior to I Love Gootie about his grandmother, which I previously reviewed. Max lived with his grandfather (Rocky, shortened from Yerachmiel) when he was in graduate school. After he gets married and has two kids, his wife becomes terminally ill, and his grandfather, by then over 100, steps in to help. A bittersweet tale of closeness between the generations, the grandfather is at the same time tough and stubborn and caring and fun. Here’s what Max hears about Rocky’s trip to Jerusalem in 1968:

Rocky didn’t find any synagogue that satisfied him, but there were so many that he complained about a different one each day.

We visited the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge this morning. My kids basically rushed through the whole trail walk, eager to be finish what their mom looked forward to viewing the most on our little vacation. But at least they were good sports about it. I would have enjoyed having you, my blog readers, there, so you could help me with photography tips and identifying the birds and the flowers. And just generally enjoying looking. Lots of beautiful scenery.

So, please raise your hand if you know what kind of butterfly this is. Please raise it even higher if you can name the pretty purple wildflower (to me it looks like purple ageratum). Stomp your feet on the ground if you like looking for butterflies. Or photographing wildflowers.

For more Nature Notes, please visit:

And now for a bit of Lewis Carroll (whole poem is here):

I’ve been lurking at a photo meme called Ellipsis Monday. I found it because EG Wow! sometimes participates. Anywhooo, we get to Cape May, a beautiful, old fashioned town at the bottom of the New Jersey coastline and what do I photograph: someone’s laundry so I can participate in this meme. Sorry, no detergent was seen at the scene.

I did also happen to get some nature, beach, arcade, zoo, Victorian houses, lighthouse, birds, wildflowers, butterfly and other shots. Stay tuned.