What am I doing climbing up Bear Mountain alone at 7:30 am? In Sedona, Arizona’s Red Rock country I usually hike into the canyons or up slight inclines and I can’t remember why I thought it was a good idea to scale a mountain. The first 30 minutes were easy—a gentle up and down across the open land punctuated with cactus and wildflowers. At the beginning of the climb, the trail was well-marked and, although steep, the dirt path was wide. Once I hit the mesa, the trail disappeared and I had to find my own way amidst the rock. Missteps meant rocks tumbled downwards. Fortunately, I remained upright, but the sound of small rocks cascading downwards sounded internal alarms. After a few dead ends, I found a way to continue up the mountain. At the second mesa, I thought I had reached the top. I looked up and...
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Little things (and I'm not writing about One Direction's song) strike me when I'm least expecting it. On my recent trip to Israel I journaled the "little things" and discovered that each little thing generated an entire world of memories.
Little thing #1—The Hoopoes Have Landed.March 8, 2016
Hoopoe birds (dukhifat in Hebrew) look like they walked into a haberdashery and left with the fanciest hat but forgot to check the mirror.Their long hooked beaks remind me of cigarette holders and their black and white wings are reminiscent of a zebra rug. Their birdsong is more like a rap. And they are the national bird of Israel.
Last time I stayed in Modi'in with my cousins, I frequently saw hoopoe birds on my morning walks.They seemed to hang out in the adjacent neighborhood along Emek haHula.My first morning in Israel, I purposefully set out for the grocery focused on my list, absorbed... 
