A Nighttime Skywatch

My little point and shoot camera is great for a lot of things, but I have to be honest - it doesn't do too well at night. One day I'll probably give in and buy myself a "real" camera. In the meantime, I've pretty much come to terms with the fact that I have a great camera that I love, that works really well for around twelve hours a day :)


And yet, when I found myself passing under that controversial bridge in Jerusalem last night, I was so taken that I decided I just had to try to capture it. I had never been so close to it at night before, and somehow, it seemed to actually glow! The effect of the white cables against the dark sky was really cool, and I was pretty excited. And so, although this photo doesn't do justice, I'm posting it - it's the best I've got (for now):

I guess you had to be there :)


Anyway, I'm posting this to Skywatch Friday. Go there right now if you'd like to see lots more sky photography from all over the world. Have a great weekend, all of you!

A Blue and White Skywatch!

It makes me a bit sad that I haven't had time for blogging recently. I hope to soon have more time to spend on it! But in the meantime, I'm taking three minutes to post this almost-sunset shot to Skywatch Friday:

I really enjoy the little cloud flecks here! Go to Skywatch now to see more cool sky-oriented photography!


And while I have your attention, do pay a visit to Ilana-Davita, who recently hosted JPix, the Jewish Photo Bloggers’ Blog Carnival. Thanks, Ilana-Davita, for posting the two photos that I submitted, and for doing such a beautiful job!


That's all for now, folks - have a great weekend!

A Black and White Photo

Well, this week's theme on Fifty-Two Frames (that Facebook meme that I was telling you about) was Black and White. So intriguing! But, unfortunately for me, my camera doesn't seem to have a b&w setting. So for the first time ever, I adjusted a photo into something new with Windows Picture Manager. I've really never done anything with black and white before - it's a whole new art form for me. And it was especially tricky, since I couldn't see what the photos would look like until I got them onto my computer. I had a feeling that something with some interesting shading and texture would be interesting... anyway, here's the photo that I chose to post - both before and after:

It's not fantastic, but it's definitely the best of the options that I had. Also, like most things I post here, it looks better close up, so feel free to click on the photo to get a better view! And please feel free to offer comments and suggestions - I'm really interested in black and white tips!


Also, on the off chance that this qualifies for my favorite meme, Shadow Shot Sunday, I'm going to post this there as well, at Hey Harriet. Go check it out now - you'll be glad you did!


Have a great week, everyone!

A door for Wednesday!

Well, I'm still trying to walk to work as often as possible, which is truly giving me a whole new perspective on my little town. I get to see a lot more things this way, now that I'm not just driving by with my eyes fixed on the asphalt ahead! And that's how I came across this very inviting front door. Isn't it charming?

I like it! And I'm posting it to Mary's meme: Window Views... and Doors, Too! Go there right now, if you'd like to see more architecture from all around the world. Have a great Wednesday, everyone!

My meme choice for this week...

is Today's Flowers! I've wanted to show you all these cool planters that my very best friend kindly gave me for my birthday - they are totally funky, and just right for my 3-balcony apartment. I filled them each with white geraniums and salsalei kesef, which the internet tells me are also known as Lobularia maritima. Here's a look at them day after I filled them up:

and here's a look at them just a few weeks later!

These make me happy each time I look out my kitchen window - how could I not share them with you, my online friends :)


And of course, I'm posting this to Today's Flowers. Go there now if you'd like to see beautiful, botanical photography from all over the world! Have a great week, everyone! And a very happy Passover!

Abstract views - and a Ruby for Tuesday

Well, as I mentioned last week, I've had to cut back (significantly) on blogging recently. If everything goes as planned, it shouldn't have to be for too long - hopefully not more than a month. I'm still going to try and post here once a week, though. Here's hoping that it's better than nothing!

And on that note, I finally found a ruby! I've mentioned before that I never seem to find a lot of red items in my day to day life, so I was quite pleased to find this sign a couple of days ago. And I thought it was pretty ironic that it says "yellow" after all of my red excitement :)

So I'm definitely posting this to Ruby Tuesday, Mary's always cool meme. She hosts it with dedication, week after week, at her blog, Work of the Poet. Go check it out, if you'd like to see more reddish photography from all over the world!


But that's not all! While I have you here, I wanted to share one more thing. I've also been participating in a weekly Facebook meme called "Fifty-Two Frames." Each week has a different theme, and we, the participants, each post to that week's album. This week's theme was "abstract," and I had absolutely no idea what to do! So I walked around outside my office on my lunch break yesterday, taking photos of anything that looked at all like it could be interpreted as abstract art. For the Fifty-Two Frames album, I had to pick just one, but this is my blog, so I've decided to show you the other options that I was deliberating with! I'd love to hear what you think! Did I choose the right one?


Here are the photos:

Here's the one that I almost posted:

And here's the one I chose in the end:

(Feel free to click on any of the photos, if you'd like a closer view. Personally, I think they're all a lot cooler looking close up!)
Anyway, that's all, folks! Comments are welcome! Have a great week, everyone!

Grapevine Shadows

It's been a while since I had an opportunity to post to my very favorite meme, Shadow Shot Sunday. I've been rearranging my life a bit, and it's meant less time for photographing and blogging. That's okay, I'll be back in full swing at one point. Maybe just not this week :)


At any rate, one of the rearranging parts has included my walking back and forth to work three times a week. This actually does provide for a lot of previously unseen views, which I do my best to capture! Including this one - of a field, freshly carpeted in purple:

This isn't the only purple field that I've seen in our area - it's pretty common in the early springtime. But isn't it lovely! And I noticed that the vines make interesting shadowy lines onto the purple. How lucky! Feel free to click on the photo, if you'd like a (much) closer view.


And for more shadowy photography, do go and check out Shadow Shot Sunday, beautifully hosted at Hey Harriet. Happy Sunday, everyone!

An almost forgotten door!

I'm so glad that I went through my photos from our trip this past October! I had taken a photo of a strange, futuristic door that I found back then, and it almost slipped through the cracks:

Here, I'll try to give you some context. We were on a layover in France, and we were exhausted. I decided to walk around the airport terminal and look for a water fountain, so I could fill up my empty bottle of water (a great tip that I used this past trip - bottles of water aren't allowed through security, but empty bottles are, and they can be filled up after you get through! Assuming you can find a water fountain...). Anyway, there I was, strolling around, when I came upon this strange structure. I didn't see anyone come in or go out, but wow! What a sight!


Does anyone know what this thing is? Is it perhaps like this? (gasp.)


For more interesting architectural photography from all over, go check out Mary's blog: Window Views... and Doors, too! You'll be glad that you did! Have a great week, everyone!

Ruby Tuesday - Blooming Trees!

Here in Israel, the trees are blossoming all over - it's a truly beautiful sight. Everywhere you look you'll find these, they look and smell wonderful, and remind us that the winter is almost entirely behind us. I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know if these specifically are almond blossoms, cherry blossoms, or something else all together, but I was pleased to get a shot of them nonetheless!

and a little bit closer:

Feel free to click on either photo, for a yet closer look. The second photo makes a particularly nice background for your computer screen - help yourself!


Naturally, I'm pleased that they fit so well for our Ruby Tuesday theme! To see more reddish photography, head over to Mary's blog, Work of the Poet, to see lots more. Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Skywatch - flatline

Well, I haven't been online as much as I would like - I apologize! But I couldn't let the weekend come without at least posting something to Skywatch. I hope to be more active next week - I promise! Anyway, the weather has turned very warm and dry, with no clouds in sight. Not terribly exciting, I know, but a bit dramatic in its own way. Here is the sun just about to set, this afternoon:

And then, just after - here's the flatline that I was referring to :)

Pretty though - right?


Do go check out Skywatch Friday, that ever-popular weekly meme with participants from all over the globe! You won't regret the click. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Skywatch - from a few weeks ago

Sadly, this wasn't a great skywatching week for me - the skies went from cloud-free to so cloud-filled that there wasn't much to see. And so I'm glad that I have this photo from a few weeks ago that I can post! It was a good one!

Feel free to click on the photo to get a closer view! And for more sky-oriented photography, go check out Skywatch Friday, that weekly meme that attracts hundreds of participants from all over the globe! You'll be glad that you went. Have a great week, everyone!

Ruby Tuesday - finally, some red!

I've said it a few times, and I'll say it again: although I truly love participating in the Ruby Tuesday meme, I often feel that there just isn't that much red in my life. I know it's a little bit strange - maybe it's because I don't live in a big city? But whatever the reason, I find myself constantly seeking out red objects, and not finding an awful lot of them. And so imagine my surprise when I saw these lovely tulips growing near one of our local supermarkets, just over a week ago!

At first I thought that maybe they had grown accidentally, until I found more and more, all planted in  neat rows. How cheerful! 


For more reddish photography, do go to Mary's ever-popular meme, Ruby Tuesday. Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

A Double Whammy Sunday

I found this somewhat poignant flower outside my office this week. What do you think?

Okay, fine - it is a little bit poignant. Just sitting there, all alone, amongst the empty branches. No? Anyway, here it is, a little bit closer up:

Feel free to click on either of the photos, if you'd like to see them even closer! 


Anyway, thanks to the interesting shadows - I especially like the ones of the stamens onto the petals in the second shot! - and to the flower itself, I'm going to post this to both Shadow Shot Sunday, hosted beautifully at Hey Harriet, and to Today's Flowers. Go check out both of them, you'll be glad that you did! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everyone! 

Skywatch - another week gone by

Well, I didn't have the bloggiest week - things have been very busy at work and at home. But there's always next week! They seem to go by so very quickly nowadays...


Anyway, here's the view I had while waiting for the bus late this afternoon:

Feel free to click on it, if you'd like a closer view! And for more sky-oriented photography from all over the world, go check out Skywatch Friday right now. You'll be glad that you did!

A decorative window

Here's a sweet little window that I found while visiting Kibbutz Tirat Tsvi not long ago. For those of you who don't know, Tirat Tsvi is not only a lovely place to visit, but also holds the record for the hottest recorded temperature in Asia! Nowadays it's not quite that hot, but still plenty warm :)

Anyway, I thought that the placement of these shutters was cute. They don't seem to be at all functional, but they do add a nice look!

Oh, and the ladybugs are nice too :)

For more architectural photography, go check out Mary's blog: Window Views... and Doors, Too! Have a great day, everyone!