Texas Highlights

 We didn't think we would see snow in Utah, but we should've known better.  Happy |March 1st!  At least we weren't pulling the trailer, which was waiting for us in Phoenix, AZ.

Four days later, in Seminole Canyon State Park in Texas, Terry was still wearing his winter coat.

Here are the friends we came to Texas to travel with, as they headed home to Canada after having been in the Rio Grande Valley for two months.  We spent almost two weeks birding every day.
This is the end of our time together, after it had stopped raining finally.

A cooperative bird--the Turkey Vulture.

And a couple of Wild Turkeys displaying their plumage to impress the females. Terry's telephoto shot.

Crested Caracara.

 
Gary didn't believe this was a poppy.  It looked more like a thistle, but sure enough, it's a Prickly Poppy.

Texas Bluebonnet, the state flower of Texas. Patches of them made blue splashes on the landscape.

Huisache

Unamed flower, above.




Black Brush blooms

On St. Patrick's Day we made stew, and dressed in green. Terry really does have Irish in his background, but the rest of us don't.










A green kale and pineapple smoothie to set the tone.

Texas Brown Snake, no thicker than a thick pencil.It's not poisonous.

Three turtles on a log; I think they are the Red-eared sliders we saw previously.

Sunrise at Possom Kingdom State Park.

7:35 am

We left early to beat the heat for travelling.

At Monahans Sandhills State Park what fun to slide down the dunes! [I can't get this video to stop running!] Thuis was the last state park before crossing into New Mexico, and then Arizona.





Lots more pictures, but these were the highlights.

A Slow Birder

We were walking on the shaded side of the canyon in the early morning. The rays of the sun had not yet reached this part of the trail. Holding tightly onto my heavy binoculars, I folded my arms so my hands would reach the warmth of my armpits. It was too early to have the binoculars digging into my neck. There was no rush; the birds were not singing. We walked silently along. I liked to photograph flowers but even the tiny daisies were not open. For the second day in a row, we were in search of a certain bird. The Golden-cheeked Warbler is an endangered species only found in the mixed cedar-oak woodland of the Edwards Plateau in central Texas. Everywhere people talked, this bird was the topic of conversation. “Have you seen the Golden-cheeked Warbler?” they would say.


 

Gary was the most knowledgeable about birds, and was really an expert. It's good to go out with someone who knows what to look for. He had been to this spot another year and fully expected to see this speciman again, so he could add it to The List. There were lists for the day, lists for each park we had been to, and most importantly, The Life List. This bird would be on Terry's Life List, and he was glad to have the opportunity to sight it. I didn't keep lists, but helped Terry add to his if we were out together. I don't know if Marie kept a written list, but she informed us that we should do a “happy dance” very time we sighted a “Lifer”. John, who was tagging along with us, stared at her, not sure what to make of this pronouncement. He, too, seemed to be taking detailed notes. 

 

Gary decided we would start at the end of the trail we finished yesterday, to see if we could spot the bird we had heard calling high in the trees. It was almost snack time by the time we got to a little pond surrounded by maple and live oak trees. The fact that they were not in leaf yet meant birds were easy to spot amongst the tangle of branches. That is, if they sat still, which they rarely did. Somone would say, “There's a bird!” or if they knew what it was, the name of the bird according to its song. Everyone's binoculars were trained on the general area. The one who had the bird in sight would give instructions. “Up at the top of the yellow part.” or “At three o'clock in the green branches of the middle juniper tree.” Sometimes I saw it, if it was close enough. My binoculars were not the best, and my neck would begin to ache very quickly with the odd angle. 

 

Around the pond, John, who was from California, saw a couple of birds he had not seen before. But no Golden-cheeked Warbler. I can now recognize the common calls, like the Northern Cardinal, and the moaning sound of the Greater Roadrunner, although he didn't oblige us by running across the road in this park. We headed back the way we came through the grove of trees, Gary listening intently. “There he is!” We tried to pinpoint the source of the sound. Finally everyone's binoculars were trained in a certain tree. Usually I'm slow on the uptake. The tree seemed so high, and birds would hide behind the yellow blossoms. But everyone was seeing it. Finally I saw a movement, and saw a bird, too. What a beautiful bird! A creamy peach breast and an eye rimmed in white. “Does it have a white eye-ring?” I asked Gary. “No, that's the wrong bird.” Lowering my binoculars, I gave up. I was disappointed, though. Everyone was raving about the brilliant yellow colour of the warbler's cheeks. John was thrilled that he had seen not one, but three life birds in one morning. Well, I thought, Maybe we'll still be on the Edwards Plateau at the next park tomorrow.

PS  I just had to show you a picture of John's boots.  In case he encountered a snake!

Israel Final Day - Jerusalem

We were able to be early at the Garden Tomb on our last official day in Jerusalem.  This is a spot within Jerusalem, founded in 1897 by the British, who strongly believed it to be the true site of Jesus' burial. A farmer had been digging for water, found the tomb, closed it up again, and sold the property. At least, that's what Shmulik told us. 

It was peaceful to sit in our own "private" part of the garden and share Communion. It was such a special spot, and it wasn't raining.

Tombs in Jesus' day were carved out of rock.
The disciples put Jesus' body into a tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, a well-to-do Jew, who had prepared it for his own future burial.  After the body was wrapped in linen strips and laid into the tomb, the opening was sealed with a heavy circular rock that rolled in its own little groove.  Several men were required to roll it.  It's not surprising that the women who came to the tomb early in the morning after the Sabbath were amazed to see it rolled aside.
Shmulik explained that the small opening to the left of the door was so the soul could take flight after death.  According to Jewish tradition, the soul would hover for a time after a person died

This is Golgotha, the Place of the Skull.  You can see the holes in the rock that are the eyes, the nose is a bit broken, but the mouth is no longer visible because the level of the ground has come up due to urban build up.  Jewish executions used to take place here.  When the hill was higher, people would be thrown off the cliff to their death.  Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified was near the Garden Tomb.

We entered the tomb one by one, and had our own private look. The actual resting place, seen on the left, was smaller than I imagined.  It made me think of the manger, which was also supposed to have been carved out of rock, unlike the wooden one we always imagine. How appropriate, I thought, "From the manger to the grave."

Byzantine symbols from a later period in time were on the wall.  (They had been painted over to make them more visible)  The bottom two symbols are the alpha and omega of the Greek alphabet.  Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega. the beginning and the end."  Jesus was present at Creation, and will wrap up history at some point in the future.

 This is the Rabbinical Tunnel along the outside of the Western Wall.
Because this former irrigation system was visible to the enemy,
a new, hidden tunnel was built underground. Some of the group
including Terry, chose to walk through this dry tunnel. They had to
descend a long series of steps and then come up again.

                                                                 



I chose to walk through Hezekiah's Tunnel. This king had it built in 702 BC to bring water into the city of Jerusalem.  At first the water was up to the top of my thigh.  I hiked up my short shorts for a minute, and then the water was ankle deep.  For the rest of the way we held up flashlights as the tunnel twisted and turned for the next twenty minutes.  As well, I hung on tightly to my camera, photographing the legs of the person ahead of me, just to show how deep the water was.

This is a model of Jerusalem as it looked in Jesus' day, showing the second temple.  It would take me a long time to be able to figure out where all the important sites are, although it was explained to us.









The last place we visited was the Yad Vashem, the museum commemorating the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.  Outside the actual museum is the Children's Memorial.  The names of children who died are read aloud continuously, as their names flash across the wall.  Very sobering.
I only really saw the first half of the museum because I was thoroughly reading the information on the background of anti-semitism, which I didn't really understand before. I would love to come back again and visit this museum and other spots in Israel.
The next day Terry and I had a tour of the Bridges for Peace, an organization that helps new immigrants and other people who need assisstance.  It's possible to volunteer with them for whatever length of time.  Something to think about.
Farewell, Israel!

Israel - Day 8 - Dead Sea

Today we took a break from Jerusalem and headed towards the Dead Sea.  First stop was Qumran, where in 1947 a shepherd discovered what became known as the Dead Sea scrolls.  These are original portions of the Scripture that were hidden in clay jars of a cave for around 2000 years.

At En Gedi we walked to what we Canadians would call a small waterfall.  David hid from Saul in the wilderness here, running for his life.  We decided not to walk to the second waterfall, further back, as Terry's foot still needed no further stressing, and I didn't feel like clambering over the rocks at the fast pace of the young people.

Hyrax, the modern word for coney or badger in KJV

A few more miles down the road and we were at Masada, a great fortress and palace complex built high on a cliff by Herod the Great in 73 AD.  Swiftly we ascended to the top of the plateau by cable car.  A thousand Jewish people had lived in the city at that time. We could see the ruins of Herod's palace, a synagogue, ritual baths, cisterns, and even a swimming pool, visible because of excavations, shown by a black line along the rock.

 The Romans attacked with the use of a battering ram, as the sides of the cliff were so steep, and the Jews had poured oil down it.  The Jewish people believed that " a glorious death is preferable to a life of infamy".  They killed off each other, and the remaining person committed suicide.  How do we know all these details?  Two women and three children hid in a cistern, and lived to tell the tale. 
Shmulik read us the touching story; it is such a significant event in the culture that Jewish youth are taught about the siege during their army training.  
In 2001 Masada was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After this sombre history lesson, we drove to the shore of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth at 423 metres(1,388 feet) below sea level, where some of us floated in the densely salty water, over eight times more salty than the ocean. It was a warm enough day, but Terry contented himself with taking the pictures. On the shore, we slathered ourselves with black Dead Sea mud, then rinsed it off in sulfuric hot water in outdoor showers. 

I should've been reading a book!

A relaxing end of the day!

Israel - Day 7 - Jerusalem

We caught our first glimpse of the city of Jerusalem last night right at dusk, to the strains of a stirring song about this city.

Our first expedition the next morning was to the outer corner of the western wall.
 Shmulik gave a wonderful explanation of the excavations, how the original street was much lower.  Over the years, layer upon layer had been added until the wall was much lower than it had originally been.

How thrilling to realize we were walking where Jesus walked.

 This is the famous "Wailing Wall", the inside of the Western Wall, the holiest spot for Jews.   

 Men went up to the wall on one side to pray.
Orthodox Jews put on their prayer shawls and yarmulkes, and wound
phylacteries around their arms,.  These were leather straps
with a little box attached which contained portions of the
Torah, the Jewish portion of the Scriptures. 

On the right was the women's section.  The custom
was to write out a prayer and stuff it into the cracks of the wall.  I found myself passing out little pieces of paper to the women of our group.  When there was
an opening, I added my prayer to the wall, and stayed there for a few moments.  It was a solemn
moment.





When Shmulik was in the Israeli army he and his buddies were leaning against a wall.  He didn't know it was the Western Wall, but they discovered a tunnel running parallel to the wall.

We noticed women sitting in corners along the way.  Our pastor explained they were trying to get as close as possible to the Holy of Holies, which had been on the inside of the wall, to recite the written prayers in their book.  In the Old Testament the Holy of Holies was the place of the presence of God, and only the priest was allowed to enter.  As Christians, we don't have to try to get near the Holy of Holies. When Jesus died on the cross, the temple curtain tore in two, symbolizing the free access we now have to the Father.  That is the Gospel, the good news!

At the Church of St. Anne, we sang the Doxology:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
A-a-men.

  The sound of our voices echoed in the old church with its wonderful accoustics.

The Church of all Nations where Mary and her parents were buried.
It was at the bottom of the Mount of Olives, from which we walked down the road Jesus rode on when he entered the city on a donkey, on what was later called Palm Sunday. The people were full of homage and praise, thinking Jesus had come to set up an earthly kingdom.

This large room, built in the 12th century, was the site of the Upper Room, where Jesus and His disciples ate their last Supper. I wondered if the actual room was really this big.

 In the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Orthodox Christians wiping a slab of marble with oil.  It was supposed to have been the slab on which Jesus was laid when He was taken down from the cross. I think they were doing this as an act of devotion. The church itself was very crowded, as some churches believe it was the actual site of Jesus' tomb.  It was also very ornate. I would've liked to have explored it a  bit more, but not in that crowd. We were hustled along and cautioned to stay close together so as not to get lost.

Olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Some of these were so old they could've been there when Jesus spent his last night praying and agonizing over the upcoming event of his crucifixion.







Today had been a full day; we were glad to get back to the Dan Panorama Hotel to have another wonderful buffet dinner with its multitude of choices.  Bedtime was early and how great to finally sleep a solid eight hours!

Israel - day 6 - Nazareth Village

Still in the Galilee area was a stop at Sepphoris, in what is now Zippori National Park. Excavations have uncovered the remains of a large city: a beautiful mosaic floor in a Roman villa displayed intricate mosaics.  The individual mosaics are tiny enough to show incredible detail, and an almost 3D effect.
The most famous of these is a woman's face, called "the Mona Lisa of the Galilee".

 Eighteen different shades of tiny mosaic allowed even a natural blush to appear on the woman's face.

Almond blossoms blooming in mid-February

In nearby Nazareth we climbed a little hill called the Mount of the Precipice.  Its southern face drops off into the Kesulot and Jezreel Valleys below.   Nazareth was Jesus' hometown, and he preached in the synagogue there, saying, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor, to announce release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to deliver those that are opressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord-- the day when salvation and the free favours of God profusely abound." (partly from the Amplified Bible, Luke 4:18, 19)  Although the people listened and marvelled at his words, the crowd later took offence at his further words and drove him towards the edge of the town, to this cliff, and were going to throw him off.   They didn't succeed, however, because Jesus slipped through the crowd.

The precipice

The Nazareth Village was a small area turned into a historical village with people wearing Biblical clothes and enacting Biblical daily occupations.

Anyone could volunteer to work there.

This is "Sarah", grinding her herbs in the little kitchen.  Imagine my surprise when she looked straight at me and said, "I know you!"
"No you don't!  I've never been here before!"
I replied.  Still staring at me, she said, "Kona, Hawaii."  Then I exclaimed, "It's Fritz!"
Lo and behold, we had worked with Fritz and her husband last winter at YWAM on the Big Island of Hawaii.  Everyone around thought my reaction was funny, but I truly didn't recognize her without her glasses and dressed in Biblical garb. (They were not allowed to wear glasses or jewelery)

Ernie and Fritz Warkentin from Winnipeg, MB

Beit Shean was the site of the largest archaeological dig in Israel.  In this ancient city, Saul's body had been nailed to the wall. ( I Samuel 31:10)

Roman bath

Wide city streets with standing columns which had been repaired a bit, after an earthquake toppled them. Someone took our picture, and I left my toque on a rock.  Later, it was too late to go back and get it.

 Close-up of a large paving stone showing the chariot grooves worn into it as people rode up and down the streets.
 

I took a picture of this heart-shaped indentation on the street.  I'm sure the rock wasn't pink when I looked at it, but on the picture it was!
Since it was February 14, I call it my valentine from God.  He was showing me how much He loves me!