The Difference a Week Makes

The Difference a Week Makes

Last week, I went for a hike in the Judean hills. Here are some of the pictures I got.

First of all, a general idea of the setting. A ruin, possibly from the Byzantine era:

The hills, with blossoming almond trees:

In a meadow near the trail is a grove of date palms. Hardly any light reaches the ground there, in dramatic contrast to the sun-drenched hills:

Three trees on top of a hill, with stone ruins:

This gorgeous blue-and-white butterfly was flying around and about. It finally lighted on an oak tree and stayed still long enough for me to take some pictures. This is the best of the shots I managed to get:

A scarlet pimpernel, face upturned:

A tzaharon (Barbary nut)—or, as I like to call it, a baby iris:

The trail that I was on features two springs. Here is clear water emerging from one of them:

Here is the tunnel of the second spring. It’s high enough to walk in if you have the proper shoes. (I didn’t, so I didn’t go wading. Next time, maybe.)

A meadow with lupines and almond blossoms:

An individual lupine:

A Small Pheasant’s-Eye:

Returning to civilization, a still parade of bicycles:

Back in Jerusalem, a lizard on a stone wall:

Hard to believe it was a week ago. We’ve had steady thundershowers for almost an entire day! (Thank goodness. We need the rain desperately.)

Sleet on Emek Refaim Street earlier today:

More rain and sleet:

Finally, something unusual that I saw downtown today: soda-water bottles from 1965! (Wow—they’re as old as I am!)

(Click on any photo to see a larger version. For all the pictures from my hike in the Judean hills, click here.)