Song Lyric Sunday: The Promise of Living

Jim’s Song Lyric Sunday this week has the theme Promise/Vow/Oath. This is a song from The Tender Land by Aaron Copland, “The Promise of Living.” Our church choir sang it a couple of years ago for the funeral of the grandfather of one of our members. The fact that I have this personal connection to […]

APAW: People at Work in the Middle East

Nancy Merrill’s weekly A Photo a Week challenge has the topic of Work. On our trip last year to Egypt and Israel, we had the opportunity to photograph and meet many people at work. In Egypt, we witnessed several craftsmen working at their craft: We also encountered agricultural workers and fishermen on the Nile. In […]

CFFC: Lines

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this week has the topic Lines. Marriott Hotel, Cairo, Egypt Fine arts & gifts store in Jericho, West Bank, Palestine Countryside near Jericho, Palestine Chihuly glass art, outside Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA Columned fountains, outside the Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA

Thursday Doors: On a Farm in Normandy

My brother and sister-in-law use Airbnb a lot when they travel. When they decided to book a place in Normandy, France for a family reunion, they needed a place that could accommodate all of us. They found a charming farmhouse on the edge of Merville-Franceville-Plage, and booked it for two weeks – the house sleeps […]

Journey to Egypt: Besaw Island: a Visit to a Farming Family

December 30, 3018 On our third day of our Nile cruise on board the Aida, we had a leisurely day enjoying our cruise and visiting a farm family on Besaw Island. Sayeed is an attractive 35-year-old, intelligent, and thoughtful man. He was as curious about us as we were about him. After showing us around […]

Journey to Egypt, Part 12: Cruising the Nile & Visit to el Hegz Island

December 28, 2018 I was looking forward to the next portion of our trip – a 5-day cruise on the Nile, aboard a 16-passenger dahabeya – in other words, a private ship for our OAT group of 14 people including our guide plus 14 crew members! This dahabeya, called Aida, is one of only two such […]

Thursday Doors: Besaw Island

While on our 5-day Nile River cruise in Egypt, we stopped at an island where we visited a farmer and his family, and we were shown around the area where he lives. For Norm’s Thursday Doors feature this week, here are some doors and other sights on Besaw Island. On our way to our host’s […]

Which Way Challenge: Roller Coaster Road

There is a road into the small town of Harpers Ferry, Iowa that is referred to as the “roller coaster road.” I heard about it from another tourist in Iowa last week. We decided to take it. The roller coaster road is a gravel road, but like most Iowa gravel roads, is in good condition […]

Travel Theme: Animal Companions

For Ailsa’s Travel Theme this week, I am including some animals that aren’t exactly “companions” although in all the time I spent in Northern Wisconsin, I have always looked forward to seeing loons on the lake and hearing their calls. In that sense, they have been my “companions” on the lake, as they have become […]

Finland: Savijarvi Farm

August 13, 2015 Savijarvi Farm We turned off the highway onto a windy, hilly road reminiscent of those in northern Wisconsin that lead from main highways to peaceful places among trees and lakes. This led us to Savijarvi Farm. On the farm, we were greeted by Agnetha (pronounced “Ahn-yeh-ta”), a white-haired, very slim elderly woman […]