Jacob's Ladder 2011

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It really just doesn't get any better than our annual pilgrimage visit to the incredibly wonderful Jacob's Ladder Music Festival. Nope, just doesn't get any better than that. Pure bliss. Amazing music played by and for lots of good friends, great weather, beautiful scenery on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and the most family-friendly festival you could possibly imagine. (And if I didn't have a chance to visit your blog last week, I'm sorry, and this is why - Wednesday was all about packing (we camp there for two nights, so a bit of a production and by Thursday we were living it up at the festival.)

Featured here today is the always outstanding SONiA of Disappear Fear on tour from the US, who we were also lucky enough to host for a house concert last week. Even more fun, she asked if I'd shoot some photos of her while we were at the festival (a little intimidating, I confess, since I'm a fine art photographer not a portrait one but it was a lot of fun and great for me to step out of my comfort zone). It was such a treat, too, to be able to give back a bit to someone who's brought me so much joy through the years with her beautiful music and poignant lyrics, and a great subject too with a real spirit of adventure and a beautiful smile.

Oh, and the whole family had a great time too. See, I told you it just doesn't get any better than this, didn't I?

Visit Wordless Wednesday to see what else people aren't saying this week, and Wordful Wednesday to see what they are.

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My photography is available for purchase - visit Around the Island Photography and bring home something beautiful today!

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If the photo you're wishing for is something you've seen here on the blog which isn't in my etsy shop yet just let me know and I'll happily list it for you.

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Summer Stock Sunday - Lost in Thought

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. Click to enlarge

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I love the soft, dreamy feel that Coffeeshop's Butterscotch action gives this shot of a pensieve looking Itai (and it's one of Rita's freebies too - double win!). Lying on an air mattress in the shade at our favorite music festival - what a perfect way to spend a summer afternoon.
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So how's your summer going so far? Mine's keeping me on my toes, that's for sure. Hopefully I'll get it together enough for regular blogging to resume this week. I really need to get out shooting, too, my shutter finger is going through withdrawal already!
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Jason Feddy

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Jason Feddy, Jacob's Ladder late night jam, May 2010 (click to enlarge)

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Visit Wordless Wednesday to see what other people aren't saying this week.

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My photography is now available for purchase - visit Around the Island Photography and bring home something beautiful today!

.

If the photo you're wishing for is something you've seen here on the blog which isn't in my etsy shop yet just let me know and I'll happily list it for you.

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Jacob's Ladder 2010

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Somehow I completely spaced on the fact that I needed to get my Ruby Tuesday post up this evening (I'm blaming it on the lovely cold Madame Butterfly gave me). Luckily this weekend's festival provided some options, even if you do have to look a bit to find some of the reds.
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Henri's Notions, this year's headlining act

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A bunch of folks dancing on the roof of the nearby bathroom building(!)
as the band played the final song of the weekend

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A friend's guitar case, taken from the front row of one of the indoor venues
while said friend was getting ready to perform
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Look here for more information about the always wonderful Jacob's Ladder Festival. In fact, why don't you grab a few folding chairs and come join us next year?
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My photography is now available for purchase - visit Around the Island Photography and bring home something beautiful today!

.

If the photo you're wishing for is something you've seen here on the blog which isn't in my etsy shop yet just let me know and I'll happily list it for you.

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Madame Butterfly

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We're back safe, sound and slightly sunbleached from another scorching hot wonderful Festival weekend. A great time was had by all - music and song were freely given and received from every imaginable corner, pools and lakes (okay, just one pool and one lake, but work with me here) were jumped into, faces were painted, juggling was attempted, fairy dolls were made, stories were told - and listened to, jams were held long past the time when all sane souls should have been asleep (I don't function nearly as well as I used to on no sleep), ice cream (and iced coffee) were consumed in vast quantities, and air mattresses remained relatively full.
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And yes, the tooth fairy did in fact pay a very special visit to a certain tent pitched at Jacob's Ladder. Maya was a bit concerned that she wouldn't be allowed in without a festival bracelet but she did manage it after all - we suspect she simply flew over the gate, or perhaps hitched a ride on the pickup truck that was helping folks transport their gear from the parking lot to the camping areas. (Luckily the tooth fairy got a heads up that she might be making an appearance for the first time in nearly a year and prepared accordingly.)
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All in all a successful weekend, if you discount the fact that Maya so graciously shared the miserable cold she had last week with the rest of us. More photos and stories will follow, once my head unfogs a bit. Which reminds me, has anyone seen my sudafed?
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Happy Mother's Day.
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It's Festival time again!

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And again this year I have to say that it is utterly unfathomable how one family could possibly need so much crap to camp out for two nights - when they're not even bringing along food!

Tonight I'm up to my ears in tents, air mattresses, missing flashlights, folding chairs, and the inevitable laundry and then tomorrow we're off.

Have a great weekend everyone, catch you on the flip side.
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Thursday Thirteen #14 - Jacob's Ladder

We're leaving tonight for one of my very favorite events of the year - the annual Jacob's Ladder Folk Festival. This wonderful outdoor festival has been going strong for 31 years now. Jay and I started attending sometime back in the early 90's, first on our own and later with one and now two kids in tow. It's a great music festival, made all the more fun by being incredibly family-friendly. It's a central event of the Anglo (English speaking) Israeli community - a real slice of "back home" on the shores of the Sea of Galilee (whether that home is the States, England, Australia, Canada, or any other English-speaking country, or even if it's just your ancestral home).

Many families will be pitching their tents. We've given that up temporarily and have taken a hotel room (on-site) for two nights so that we can relax and enjoy the pool and beach on Friday before we start rushing around from stage to stage later in the day. The whole hotel/inn/grounds complex is taken over by the festival, which really contributes to the unique atmosphere. The rooms on either side of ours will house our good friends, and we made sure to request ground floor rooms so that the kids can easily play together on the lawn.
By the time most of you read this, I'll be on my way. See you Saturday night!

Before I go, I'll leave you with this:

13 things that make Jacob's Ladder so special:

1. The setting

2. The music - the full range of Anglo folk - everything from Irish to bluegrass to 60's protest songs to homegrown singer-songwriters to Renaissance guitar performances, and a whole lot more

3. The company - we'll be with literally hundreds of friends, some of whom we only see at the festival

4. The main stages are all outdoors and everyone sits on blankets and beach chairs to watch the shows

5. The informality of it all - this is a real t-shirt and sandals kind of event, even better if it's a vintage tye-dye or a batik sundress - just my style

6. Lots of great kids' activities

7. My son can move from activity to activity on his own or with friends and I can rest easy that he's safe and happy (this is the only place in the world that he gets that degree of freedom). (And in a few more years my daughter will be able to join him - what will mom and dad do with all that freedom?)

8. The pool - JL is usually our first dip of the season

9. The weather - hot and sunny all day, cool at night. The festival used to be held the first weekend in July, which was unbearably hot in the Jordan Valley. This early May date is MUCH nicer.

10. The way my kids will (eventually) just fall asleep on the blankets during the concert, leaving us free to enjoy the music until the wee hours

11. Amazing jam sessions that go on until 4 or even 5 in the morning

12. The fact that we're not camping this year - which means I don't have to pack loads of food or take time away from having fun to cook!

13. That wonderful "coming home" feeling - of slipping back into something as comfortable as a soft fuzzy slipper.

What are your plans for this lovely spring weekend?

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(Ugh, my son is now sick. He'll be spending the day in bed and we'll hope for the best. It's looking like he'll may have to spend some time lying around in the hotel room watching tv while we take turns staying with him. Hopefully he'll feel up to at least resting on the grass a bit so we can catch some music... Any and all "get healthy quick" vibes you can send his way would be appreciated. Wait a minute, hold on, he just slept until 10:30 and woke up happy and fever-free! Keep your fingers crossed everyone!)

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