Raising the Sukkah

I spent Friday Evening and all day Saturday attending Yom Kippur Services and making music with my friends Jim , Shlomo, and Will. It was an insightful, rewarding and rich experience, but I'll admit I was more than ready to be out and about come Sunday morning.

Recently a blogging friend posted about going to a lake and it reminded me it had been a while since I visited Creve Coeur Lake. This is one of my favorite riding destinations and seemed  the perfect place to begin my day. What made it even more special is how seldom I get to check out the Lake on Sunday mornings. Sunday mornings are when the rowers are usually out on the water.

The St. Louis Rowing Club uses Creve Couer Lake to practice.

It is very peaceful sitting by the water and watching the rowers.

The trees haven't really changed much in the last week.

I noticed this woman using chop sticks to pick something up from the beach area. At first I couldn't figure what she was picking up, but soon it became clear.

She was picking up Goose droppings. I went over and asked her what she was doing, but she didn't speak English and just pointed to what was in her bag. I'll probably never know the true reason she was gathering goose sh*t, but I'm guessing (hoping) she uses it for fertilizer.

I wanted to be at Neve Shalom to help raise the Congregational Sukkah. But, before Neve I wanted to go to Cabela's and, also, grab a quick bite to eat. This meant I had to tear myself away from the Lake and be on my way.



I made it to Neve nearly right on time. Much to my surprise I wasn't the first one there. It seems at Neve things begin when they begin and the published starting time is meant as more of a suggestion for when folk can start to gather.

There were five of us and it was enough.

The Sukkah we use came from Sukkah Soul and was easy to put together and well designed. Helping to raise the Sukkah and spending time in it are two of my most favorite things to do.

We erected the Sukkah on the concrete patio in front of the Synagogue.

Then we walked it up a slight hill and set it on the grass.

Proof I wasn't the only one enjoying myself.

Nearly ready to begin decorating.

Looking good.

Nice.

Heather had been visiting her Grandmother and called to say she was heading home just as I was getting ready to head for home. Don't you love it when a plan comes together?

On the way home I saw this sidecar rig. By the time I got the camera up he was nearly out of sight. And being in a hurry made for a fuzzy photo, but I think if you know what you're looking for you can make it out. I couldn't tell what kind of a tug it was, but it was red.

The day ended with Heather and I going for a nice six mile walk (at least according to her new Nano with pedometer). The two highlights of the walk were seeing an owl (no picture) and one particular squirrel (have pictures).

This little beast let us get rather close, but . . .

. . . soon enough close enough was too close and he took off like a Busch Stadium Rally Squirrel.

It has been a full and wonderful weekend and the best part of it all is . . .

Tomorrow is Columbus Day and I'm still off work.