I miss my needles!

It's been seven long weeks since I've had my needlepoint fix!  I'm still recuperating from the trip, (3 AM is the new 10 AM around here), I've unpacked everything as of this morning, but still have laundry, and then there are all the missed episodes of "The Killing" to watch.  Today Nina and I are traveling to see Nomi!  Now that overrides everything.  Then we have the very early Jewish holidays coming up next week, and we are going to the US Open on Tuesday. Whew. 

Still, I miss my needles.  I will be back to you, my delicate #24s,  very soon, I promise!

In the meantime, Nina took some wonderful Photoshop classes at summer camp in Israel and has done some amazing camera/photoshop work!  Here are some of her creations, (so proud!!).

Nina is making my work sing!!

a study in Israeli ants...

Nina's inspirational message

I love how she sees simple beautiful moments.

Dancers glowing in the dark

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A highlight of my visit... Ayala Gordon

I missed you!

Looking back on the last 6 weeks, I see many highlights.  One of my new "art-online-friends", Shulli Goitein, took me on a day trip to Jerusalem.  We were going up to see the end of the year exhibit of the graduating class at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design.  But before that we were to meet at her aunt's home in a wonderful neighborhood of Jerusalem called the German Colony, "Moshava Germanit" established by the German Templer Sect.  It is a charming neighborhood with old stone houses and beautiful vegetation all around. 

Shulli's aunt is Ayala Gordon, one of the pioneers of art in the burgeoning State of Israel.  She established the Youth Wing of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. A curator, educator and author, she worked at bringing the love and appreciation of art to the youth of Israel.

Here she is with a class of children circa 1960

We were to meet at Ayala's home and see her fiber art, stories of her family done in mixed media with a strong base of embroidery and fiber applications.  I arrived to a beautiful spread for lunch, a typical Israeli meal of pita bread, salad, cheeses and pickled vegetables.  Ayala was a delightful host, sitting me down at her table as if I was a regular weekly guest. We ate, chatted and enjoyed the cool breeze from the open windows of this stone home.  After the meal we went to see her studio behind the house.  The door opened to walls of art, beautiful storytelling using threads, fabric, paint, sculpture, separately and all together.  Breathtaking!

I was so honored to be invited to meet Ayala Gordon, a true highlight of my trip.

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...continued: Why can't we have these??

I can't say for sure that these are not sprinkled in public parks around the country, but I can say for sure that I hadn't seen them till I came here.  Free, fun, attractive public fitness equipment are available in neighborhood parks as well as the large city parks.  So cool!! (and no more excuses...)

an orthodox boy using the elliptical 

xoxo

O

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