Family Sukkah Project 2015

I realized this year that I've been labeling each year "Sukkot 20XX"... and it dawned on me that all I needed was the year. After all, it's not like we're doing the hand prints on a sukkah panel on Pesach, right?

This year, we were honored and thrilled to add a new hand print, from our newest grandson, Otniel. It was also fun to see how the hand prints have been growing on my two boys, and on our three year old grandson.

This year, we did the other half of the sky. It's above me, partially hidden by the schach.

To see all the previous years, have a look right here.

Pesach Vacation Photos

We decided that heading to the Negev would be a less crowded option for a family day trip. Plus my husband and I wanted to do some first-time astrophotography.

We first went to Talmei Yosef to a moshav there that's a farm. We got to pick purple, white, and orange carrots, a score of different types of cherry tomatoes, scotch bonnet hot peppers, and tiny cucumbers. They also have homing pigeons the kids got to release.

Afterwards we went to the Alpaca (and llama) farm, where were saw a shearing demo, we got to feed the llamas and alpacas, the boys rode a llama and a donkey, my daughter and I bought some knitted items made from alpaca wool, and we really had a nice time. The place was nicely kept, the people working there were so nice and courteous, and the place wasn't overly crowded.

Then we drove over the Ramon Crater for some astronomy and astrophotography.

We had brought jackets, sneakers, socks, and long pants to change into because once the sun goes down, it gets really cold. Plus the wind was really blowing. By this point in the day... well, early evening... the boys were wiped out from our prior excursions, so once the sun went down (about 7:30) they crawled into the car.

Jupiter and Venus were of course bright in the night sky. Orion and the Big Dipper were easy to spot, as were the Pleiades. My husband and I tried our first attempt at dark sky photography, and it was not too bad for a first attempt.

The bright dot towards the bottom is Venus and the cluster of stars to her "2 o'clock" are the Pleiades.

Family Sukkah Project 2014

This year I was outvoted on extending the sky on the other half of the panel and we did two-handed 'butterflies' instead. It didn't help that I had bought tubes of new colors and took them out. I think once everyone saw the cranberry, bright yellow, and purple... well...

I noticed that this year, my two-year old grandson's hand prints were the same size as my youngest son's when he was 1 1/2. This is one of the special things about this project.

And here are the links to the previous years:

Sukkot, 2013

Sukkot, 2012

Sukkot 2011

Sukkot, 2010 - Our first year doing this

Arts and crafts

This is another photo post, but it's not about 52 Frames for a change :) This time is to show off a really cute Lag b'Omer-themed craft my 7 year old did in school.

The view

There's a method of photography called tilt-shift, where the photograph of a wide view (usually a city- or landscape) is made to look like it's actually a photograph of a miniature model. The process went from needing to use a specific type of camera, to needing a specific type of lens, to today, where thanks to digital photography, the effect can be 'faked' in photo editing programs.

A couple weeks ago, the theme for 52 Frames was "Focus" and I took the opportunity to try my hand at the photo editing process for tilt-shift. The view is taken on a pedestrian walkway in Petach Tikvah near Beilenson Hospital and it's looking towards Tel Aviv. (Click on it to get a better view).

Another 52 Frames post

I need to be better about posting the photos each week.

Theme was "Home".

Theme was "Furniture".

Theme was "Abstract".

Forgot a week!

Last week's theme of "Hidden"

52 Frames and to London, to London

In a few hours from now, my daughter and I are off for a week-long London vacation. It was prompted mostly by the fact that there will be a 52 Frames exhibit at a London gallery and we're having photos featured there/for sale.

This is our first time going to London and we're really excited.

Here is my submission for the theme "Home":

52 Frames

Here is my submission for the theme of "reflection":

And here is my submission for the theme of "action". The game is Settlers of Catan.