Serenity

The rest of the world seems to melt away during a snowstorm at Turtlebrook. Tomorrow it will look different, more real - but today it is nirvana. A haven from the craziness of life in Manhattan.

Caution -- Slow Blogger Ahead

Seriously, I have no idea how people find the time to do this. We took a forty people on a ten day trip to Israel after the High Holidays. Great trip. That's me in the Golan Heights with Syria in the background. Then catching up after being away for ten days and the usual craziness of our lives in NYC. Tomorrow 23 people are coming over for Shabbat dinner and I need to get ready.We returned from our trip just before the election. I was a nervous wreck -- never have I invested so much in an election -- financial or otherwise. I know we would have moved on and the country would have survived if McCain-Palin won, but hallelujah, they didn't. I am not someone who cries, but I was very teary when CNN called the election for Obama at around 11 PM. If anyone can focus the country in a positive direction, he will do it. Too much to write about and not enough time so that is it for now.

Barack Obama on Israel -- Notes from this morning's breakfast with Dennis Ross

I had the privilege of hearing former Ambassador Dennis Ross speak about Barack Obama’s Middle East policy at a breakfast this morning in Manhattan. My abbreviated take on what Ross said is:

Israel today faces existential threats from Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas.
Eight years of Bush foreign policy have made things much worse for Israel. Then, the Iranians could not convert enriched uranium, now they are close to having nuclear weapons. Hezbollah and Hamas have vastly increased their weapons aimed at Israel.
The U.S. is on the sidelines with everything happening in the Middle East except Iraq. If we are on the sidelines, America’s position deteriorates and that threatens Israel’s existence. We cannot afford four more years of this.
Obama demonstrates character, teamwork and is an effective leader. Ross spent five days with him on the Middle East tour and observed him in action. He is an active listener. Doesn’t become defensive when you tell him he is wrong. Instead asks why and he wants to know. In meetings, Obama has his agenda, but he listens and then returns to his agenda, creating relationships in the process.
In meetings with Israeli leaders, Obama demonstrated he has a command of the issues and focused primarily on Iran. Obama understands the sense of urgency about Iran. If elected, he would likely send representatives to the Middle East during the transition in order to jump start diplomacy.
Iran has economic vulnerabilities and economic sanctions should be imposed.
Engagement (talking) with Iran will create a context in which there are options other than military force. With today’s path the only options are an Iran with nuclear weapons or the use of force.
Obama’s position on Jerusalem is that articulated at Camp David and by all administrations since 1979: Jerusalem is Israel’s capital, it should never be divided again, and its status will be resolved by negotiations.
Obama will work for peace in the Middle East without illusions. He “gets it.” The stakes are very high. We need someone who understands the context.
Iran and Syria are states – they are not going away. If we don’t talk with them, the issue becomes our refusal to talk, not their bad behavior.

Some of these points represent Ross’s point of view as advisor to Obama.

When asked about McCain’s Middle East policy, Ross stated that he does not know who is advising him or what his policies are. For people who say “McCain is good for Israel” his response is: “Look at the facts. Do you want more of the same? Bush allowed Iran to become an existential threat to Israel, while Hezbollah and Hamas gained strength.”

Jewish Americans for Obama website:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/jahome

Ladies Delight

Just got these great new "Typhoon" sea kayaks for my birthday and I set a goal to paddle out to "Ladies Delight", our lighthouse which is having its own 100th birthday this year. I made the trip yesterday with Peter and Keli in the chase boat. All was calm and glassy at the north end of Lake Cobbossee, but as I paddled out, it became choppier with a brisk north wind. It was an exciting, bumpy ride. I finished the three mile round trip in about an hour and fifteen minutes. Next goal is Horseshoe Cove. I usually windsurf in the afternoon, but we haven't had much wind, so the kayaks are a terrific addition to the fleet!


All was calm at the launch.

Peter said Keli wouldn't let me out of her sight and whimpered the whole time.





Goal achieved!
















Happy to be home.










The lighthouse is on Ladies Delight island and is maintained by the Cobbosseecontee Yacht Club -- the country's oldest inland waters yacht club.

Location, Location

I'm happy to report that the robins have returned to Turtlebrook. More specifically to one of the beams on our front porch. This year they chose a different beam. No babies yet, as far as we can tell. The deer, robins, mice, fox, and turtles have free rein on the property most of the time, since we only visit on some weekends. So the porch beam must seem like and ideal location until a long weekend comes along and we show up. It was a source of much angst for the robins who abandoned the nest while we were around and hovered in nearby trees, hopping from branch to branch, twittering away.

Since they were so shy, I took this photo with my new teleconverter lens for the Canon G9.

My Real New Yorker List

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The Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art located in Upper Manhattan on the West Side near the Hudson River. It is one of those little museum gems, like the Frick on Fifth Avenue. The Cloisters is devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe and I've had it on my "Real New Yorker" list for years. Gorgeous spot, well-worth a visit.

Since I came to NYC over 15 years ago, I've been working on the list - my quintessential New York must-do list.

So far, I've checked these off the list:

• Major Museums: Met, Modern, Guggenheim, Whitney, Natural History and more
• Parks: Central, Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn and Bronx Botanical Gardens
• Coney Island
• Staten Island Ferry
• Yankee Stadium
• Broadway, Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway shows
• Dance: ABT, Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor, New York City Ballet
• Churches and Synagogues: too many to mention
• Famous Buildings: Empire State, Rockefeller Center, World Trade Center before 9/11
• Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

The only problem is that New York is so amazing that the list keeps growing. And I still haven't visited the UN!

Joy

Our terrace garden on May 1st.

Perfect Pope Weather

We had amazing weather in NYC this weekend – mid 70’s, sunshine, low humidity. A perfect weekend for our family Seder and for the Pope’s visit, and a spectacular backdrop for the intertwining of Jewish and Catholic New York.

Nowhere was that more evident than our neighborhood on the Upper East Side. The Pope stayed in the papal legation on East 72nd Street and he and his entourage/convoy used our street for access to the East Side Highway. “No Parking Friday, Saturday, and Sunday” signs appeared on lamp posts early in the week, followed by metal barriers at the curb lining the entire street. By Thursday, helicopters were sweeping the area and patrol cars were performing trial runs at blocking intersections.

I fretted about whether caterers would be able to make deliveries for our Shabbat dinner and Seder the following day. No worries – New York delivery people deal with potholes, no parking zones and gridlock on a daily basis.

In the early evening Saturday, during hors d’oeuvres and just before the Seder, we heard once again, the thump-thump-thump of low flying helicopters, crowd sounds and motorcycles through our open windows. We went out onto the balcony to peer down at the Pope’s motorcade from the 19th floor. We were riveted on the street below and when we finally looked up we saw other groups, on balconies ringing the intersection, all like us, taking a break from Passover rituals to enjoy the sunshine and watch the motorcade and crowds below. After a few friendly waves to fellow Jews across Third Avenue, we all went back to our Seders. It was a fascinating visual confirmation of the diversity that is the greatness of New York.

They Tried to Kill Us, We Survived, Let's Eat

In preparation for Passover, the history of the Jews according to Sean Altman and Wikipedia.

Black is the New President

Hillary Clinton's claim to being battle-tested because she was married to the President of the United States has long puzzled me. Could anyone buy this argument? Not Tracy Morgan. This SNL Weekend Update bit aired several weeks before Sinbad debunked Clinton's claims of coming under sniper fire in Bosnia in 1996.

Home

It was my niece's 21st birthday last weekend so I flew to Atlanta to meet her and my sister for dinner at Trader Vic's. It was great to celebrate with them. Even better to come home. The weather Sunday was gorgeous with great views for the entire flight. Seeing Manhattan bathed in late afternoon sun, I grabbed my camera like a tourist. This is flying over Brooklyn toward LaGuardia airport in Queens, looking at the East Side.

Rocks on the Ice

At Turtlebrook yesterday, hiking in the woods I came upon a mystery. The backwash/pond where turtles nest each spring was frozen over with rocks the size of loaves of bread sitting on the ice, along with large tree branches. The branches I can explain, but how did the rocks get there? Best guess: the pond froze, then during a rain storm, Wappinger Creek flooded with such power that water and rocks washed up over the ice. Then the temperature dropped and the rocks froze in place. Warm weather was due the next day and there would be no trace of the ice or the rocks. I happened along with my camera, caught the mystery and started pondering.

It warmed up and rained overnight so everything that was ice yesterday is a puddle today and the valley is shrouded in fog. An endless, changing landscape. Here is Keli, the ghost dog.

This Amazing Life

Vizzies are easy to make! Here's our year end Vizzie for 2007. Enjoy. Not sure why the program truncates some of the captions in this small size.

Primary Day in NYC

Giants Fans -- don't forget to vote for Obama!

This Amazing Life

Check out this slide show in Vizzvox format, an application developed by company headed by dear friend, Bob Beth. This Vizzvox gives you a glimpse of our amazing life in 2007.

http://www.vizzvox.com/stories/7GRcWyzZh3u2L00fms

Delinquent Blogger

I just linked the blog to my website so maybe that will give me incentive to blog.