Magical Mystery Tiyul

Last night I mentioned the potential tiyul that I wanted to go on. I was scared because DMD mentioned leaving early, and early isn't exactly my middle name (according to Alex Melamed, it's Sedwick). However, not only did I manage to get up early enough for davenning and breakfast, but... well, that's what I did, so no need for the "not only." After breakfast, we departed. From left to right, that's Kirby, DMD, Benjamin, and Yehuda. Ilan picked a very inopportune moment to stand smack dab in front of Benjamin, so you can't see him. I, of course, am the photographer.

I never knew there was anything else on Mt. Gilboa, or at least, anything worth seeing. But on the hike, we saw a little more of the nature and wildlife on the mountain. Wildlife-- that was limited mainly to butterflies and grasshoppers, though we did spot a lizard racing through the grass. Nature-- I was on the lookout for the Gilboa Iris, a flower so rare that it grows only on Mt. Gilboa (or so I'm told), and that picking one such flower is illegal. There are only a few weeks when the Iris is in bloom (late February-March), so I made sure to see them while I could. Behold-- the iris!

Though we did find our irises, the flower was not our only interest. We did a lot of uphill hiking; we sang, told jokes, and frolicked. When we reached a certain point, Ilan, Benjamin, and Kirby broke off to pray and phylacterize (put on tefillin) as we were overlooking the Yizrael valley. Yehuda, DMD and I split off as well, each of us picking a different spot on the peak.

I sat on a rock, put on my iPod, and listen to a slow playlist as I drank in the view. I thought I would tired of the view on the mountain, but it turns out that I never have. The entire valley was spread out before me, a crooked chessboard of green and red and yellow and brown. I don't know how long I sat there, listening and gazing.

Then, it was over. The prayers finished praying, the listeners finished listening, and we hiked back to the yeshiva. The tiyul was over.

My last Shabbat in yeshiva is approaching rapidly. The place is starting to fill up with those darned shvushim, so before I wish you all a shabbat shalom, I need to mention the following:

Birthday time! I feel we haven't had birthday time in a while. What, is March just unpopular? Anyway, Ilan Caplan, roommate, hat man, cohen, ADM member, Crimson (Harvard)-- happy nineteenth! Sing if you know the words:

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to Ilan,
Happy birthday to you!

And in Hebrew!

יום הולדת שמח
יום הולדת שמח
יום הולדת לאילן
יום הולדת שמח

Shabbat Shalom.