Lieutenent Joshua Kruse

Some time after the main graduation ceremony, each graduate participates in an unusual event. It's known as pinning. The young officers have changed from their cadet gray and whites to an officer's full dress uniform. He or she selects a favorite teacher who delivers the officer's commission and oath of office. Then the parents pin the strips on the shoulders that indicate rank.

This done in a part of campus of the graduate's choice. Josh's sister and brother hold a flag that is given to him.    

Moonrise, sunset, colors, silence

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The light and colors were beautiful when I went walking just outside of town tonight between 7 and 8 pm! 
I had the whole desert all to myself. 

Meitar Forest is always green. 

The dry season is beginning and all the green grasses have turned golden. 

In the east -- moonrise over Meitar. 

In the west -- sunset. 
And to all a good night. 
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Meitar Night Run is on!

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The annual Meitar Night Run is underway!

You can choose either 5K or 10K.
I always choose to stand still and take pictures.  :)

Just as the sun was setting the younger runners ran up and then back down my street.

Here's a brief video so you can hear the fun:

On this cool map you can click the arrow and see the route that goes all around our little town:
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/610820
And you can play around with the map and see where Meitar is, down here in the Negev desert.
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Cedar Key Beach & Cedar Cove Resort

Cedar Key is a small fishing community about 75 miles due west of Ocala located on the Gulf of Mexico. We visit Cedar Key several times a year and take a plethora of photos. Cedar Key is noted for its clams and from what I've heard they are very good. There is a small beach and a playground which, in nice weather, are quite busy with families enjoying both of those amenities.

Note: This has been cross-posted to our Ocala blog.

Dinner And Opera

Last night was a big one in our annual calendar, opening night of the Opera Theatre of St. Louis season. This is our 40th or 41st - we've lost track. One of the delightful features is that it takes place on a suburban university campus, set up for picnic dinners before the performance. We usually do that and leave a bottle of wine on the table for intermission.

The first production was La Traviata. It's an old chestnut but we've never heard a better performance. Violetta was sung by the spectacular young soprano Sydney Mancasola. She worked her way up from the chorus to the foot lights, giving the role an emotional intensity that's hard to match.

Afterwards, the company invites the audience for a glass or two of prosecco under the picnic tent. I got a shot of General Director Timothy O'Leary, who will leave us after this season. He's been here for 10 years and has brought OTSL to ever greater heights.                

The Other Direction

Follow up to yesterday's photo. This is the view to the east from the top of the Arch, across the Mississippi to East St. Louis, Illinois.

The river is pretty high but not flooding. You can see how close it comes to its banks. The white vertical column in the center is the Gateway Geyser, a water jet directly across the Arch. It goes off at 12, 3 and 6, and we were fortunate to be at the top at noon. How high it blasts depends of the wind. If the air is still it blows ad high as the Arch itself. The water spreads too far when it's windy to go to full height. It looks a lot better from down close.

       

From Above

View from the top of the Arch facing west into downtown. The main development is that the the depressed highway lanes no longer act as a moat between the city and the park grounds. The new park extension covers the road and creates an inviting path to the entrance to the new and greatly expanded museum. That's the circle near the center.

Here's a link to a similar photo from 2015. Although the picture doesn't come a close to the feet of the monument, you can see how access has changed for the better.     

A banner for Ramadan

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I came just at the right moment today to catch four Jewish students putting up a banner that says in Arabic 
HAVE A GENEROUS RAMADAN, ACCEPTABLE FASTING, AND A DELICIOUS IFTAR
And the Hebrew parts says
tsom kal -- HAVE AN EASY FAST.  RAMADAN KAREEM

At the Student Union building, Beit HaStudent, at Beer Sheva's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. 

The month of Ramadan begins today.
Unfortunately for the Muslims this whole next week Israel will be suffering a heatwave.  
Imagine not being able to drink anything from sunrise to sunset when it is is 41 degrees C.  
Kol hakavod, respect, to those who fast. 
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Swan Boats

Under the Public Garden suspension bridge.

Preview

After something like three years of construction, the new museum under the Arch had a sneak prview yesterday morning for members of the Gateway Arch Foundation. It opens to the public over Fourth of July weekend.The theme is American westward expansion. It is much bigger and more detailed than the old one. This time, the exhibits take a candid look at all the violence and cruelty involved, taking vast tracts of land from Mexicans and Native Americans at any cost.

More to come. We can consider whether Laclede and Chouteau, the French traders and explorers who founded our city, were right.          

Swan Boat

Saint Louis Daily Photo In Detroit - Signs

Founds along the streets of the city.  Some are a little puzzling.

Saint Louis Daily Photo In Detroit - An Old Aquarium

Detroit has an old aquarium, pretty basic stuff. River and lake fish aren't as pretty as their tropical cousins and the green barrel vault ceiling gives the place a murky feel. Still, the kids liked it. My daughter-in-law Claire, bottom center, maybe not so much.        

Our Golan Heights on high alert

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Across the Sea of Galilee, the Israeli Golan Heights rises. 

Just a few weeks ago I accompanied two Christian friends from abroad to the holy sites around the lake.
It was peaceful and quiet and the many tourists on the shore were happy. 

East of the Golan, in Syria, Iran has been building up bases from which to attack Israel.
Their first attack came last night with a salvo of 20 missiles fired toward the Golan. 
Needless to say, Israeli responded swiftly. 

I hope you are following the news. 
There are many Israeli online news media sites that have all the details. 
A new phase is starting, and it doesn't look good.
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(Linking to SkyWatch Friday.)
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The Heidelberg Project

You can't believe it until you see it. On a couple of desolate blocks in Detroit, a local resident has developed a huge display of American culture, social criticism and whimsy. It's been evolving over 30 years. The name is from the city street, not the German city (I kept hearing Brahms' Academic Festival Overture in my head as I walked around.) Lots more of this to show and talk about but the family is on the way out for the day. For now, have a look here and here.