It's like a bus station here

This week there were/will be lots of comings and goings.

Shoshie is right now in the air on her way to Tel Aviv. Pray for safe travel and peace in the Mideast.

Noach returned from Scout camp Saturday. Back to studying for his Bar Mitzvah. In some ways this is an improvement over camp.

Yakov will return from his camp counselor's job at Camp Judaea on Thursday.

Also this week we celebrate Noach's 13th birthday and our 20th anniversary.

Busy, busy, busy. PRM

Imagine you are invited

Maira Kalman writes/draws a lovely essay about Thomas Jefferson and Monticello.

Here is his bed, wedged between his study and dressing room. Enter the house

Read the whole thing. PRM

At least homeschooling is the answer for

the education of your special child.What to do if your child has superpowers from the Boston Globe.

Why am I posting so often if I am supposed to be taking a break? Because it is more fun than planning the Bar Mitzvah, cleaning house or doing any of the other "fun" things I have planned. And the blog look is still in transition. PRM

Shhhh, don't tell Grandma

Swine flu confirmed at Camp Judaea

Yakov is on day 10 of Tamiflu. Apparently some of the other counselors became sick with the flu at orientation.

Noach is going to Boy Scout camp Sunday. We are supposed to take his temperature that morning to confirm that he is not sick. PRM

And what am I doing to enjoy this summer?

Addressing Bar Mitzvah invitations. PRM

Time out

I'm taking a short break from blogging as I work on some other tasks, like enjoying summer. I'm also working on the blog appearance. No, it won't be green. This is just a transitional phase, sorry. PRM

I find this all very sad.

They were so optimistic, the women I heard on the radio last week, Iranian women who saw change in the potential election of Mir-Hossein Mousavi. They were excited to be voting.

But the fix was in. Many, of all ages, keep fighting. PRM

This book is a tummler.

At least in the Yiddish meaning JP has taught me. A troublemaker, something that calls one to action.

I picked up Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver about 15 months ago off the library donation sales shelf. Five dollars for the hardback, a real find I thought. It was right before we left on our trailer vacation so I packed it to read. But, as seems to happen each year, I never got to it and over the trip the book vibrated to the back of the closet, to be unnoticed when the trailer was emptied. I found it this spring and, once again, planned to read it while traveling. And again that didn't happen.

However I brought it back into the house this time and it was the first book I picked up after we returned. I'm so glad I did. It was a pleasant read and profoundly thought provoking. In reality I think it just organized my own thinking about this subject.

You can't read this book and then go grocery shopping at WalMart without a twinge of guilt or self-reproach. Especially at this time of year when the local farmers will be harvesting squash and cucumbers soon.

I'm glad I planted some vegetables this year, too. In years past I had a large garden and canned many tomatoes, tomato sauce, and pickles. This garden isn't likely to produce enough to can. Next year, when we won't be traveling in May but September or October, I can have a larger garden.

In the meantime I can buy at the farmer's market and research Community Sponsored Agriculture, CSAs, in our area for next year. PRM

Nearly Wordless Wednesday

Some of the unfamiliar birds I saw on our trip
Two male Summer Tanagers, birds seen in Texas.

The object of their attention, a female Summer Tanager. PRM

And so the summer begins

with Yakov once again off to Camp Judaea but this time as a counselor, not a camper. Dad and Noach are taking Yakov to his friend's house where they will drive the friend's car to camp this afternoon. That's another change, no more bus trips to camp. Some things haven't changed, Yakov loves Camp Judaea, has from the very first day he saw the place, eight years ago. I may have teared up leaving him but he never noticed when we left. PRM