Lighthouse in Cape May, taken from Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge
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.
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.
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.
He thought he saw an Albatross
That fluttered round the lamp:
He looked again, and found it was
A Penny-Postage Stamp.
‘You’d best be getting home,’ he said:
‘The nights are very damp!’
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.
Enjoy Chana Rubin’s Kosher Cooking Carnival – it’s her first time hosting, welcome. Thank you, Chana, for including my pesto recipe.
I’m still on vacation in beautiful Cape May, the southern tip of New Jersey, land of beaches and Victorian homes. Back to regular posting on either Friday or Sunday.
Red Impatiens after a rainfall, early August 2009
I should be packing, but what I do? Just take time for one Ruby Tuesday post, pretty please, with a raindrop on top. We are leaving for Cape May in the morning, and in less than an hour we are driving to north Jersey to pick up my son who has been at camp for one month.
For more posts with red, visit Ruby Tuesday:
One item that has been on my mind that I would love to share with you: I would like to start a new blog, one that is for business and technology posts. It would be geared toward small business people, technical and managerial. That way I could write a post on the cool MooTools menu that I put up this morning on a new client’s site (I can’t show it off yet; it’s not yet public) and expect an audience that might be interested in reading such a thing. Since many of you have been loyal or occasional readers of this blog, I would love to get your input. More on this topic when I return from Cape May. Thanks for reading.
In honor of my daughter who will run an animal shelter in twenty years according to her camp newsletter
Sleepy Cat at Howell Living History Farm in New Jersey
And when the cat awoke, three little girls played with her.
They also played with this dog. The dressed-up-in-old-fashioned-clothes women at the farm taught the girls how to throw a corn cob so the dog would go catch it. The dog quickly and happily did so. Then the dog followed the girls around, eager for another game of “catch the corn cob.”
Even the geese at the farm show off for the visitors.
One of the best parts of the Middlesex County Fair back in early August is the animals. There was a Vietnamese Pot Belly (looked like a little ugly pig), but I didn’t get a photo.
It’s fun to watch the chicks at the fair hatch from the little eggs.
This week we are headed down to Cape May, the southernmost part of New Jersey. Should be lots of photo opportunities.
Two upcoming events, one for job hunters and networking and one for fun, to raise money for terror victims:
ParnasaFest in East Brunswick: What’s a ParnasaFest? A chance for Jewish professionals to network. The upcoming event will be at 7:00 pm on September, 10 at B’nai Shalom Congregation, Fern Rd & Old Stage Rd. Learn more on the ParnasaFest website.
One Family Fund festival: Join family and friends in Highland Park for a One Family Fund festival to raise money for victims of terror on Labor Day, September 7, 2009. The festival will Feature: 3 on 3 basketball tournament, softball, arts & crafts, face painting and Mini Carnival. Admission: $18 individuals, $36 family (parents and children); $100 family plus “patron” status. To register visit www.onefamilyfund.org/FUNDAY or call 646-289-8600 ext. 202. Pizza, snacks, and refreshments will be sold. All proceeds from this event go to helping victims of terror in Israel and their families.
Note: the One Family Fund website seems to be down…
How would you respond if you got this comment on your blog:
What I find so cringe-inducing in this blog is your unconditional belief in the virtue of your son serving in the IDF. There are things worth dying for, but I posit that maintaining the status quo in Israel is not one of them. I would take no pride in having a son of mine be a pawn in a political game.
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 
