Eulogy for my late camera :-(

It happened this morning. Klaas and me set out around 07:00 a.m. and I had planned to walk to the Nemaal (Port of Tel-Aviv), which is no short walk -especially if one has to walk all the way back again as well.

All went well up until I wanted to shoot two Parakeets. By accident, with my hand, I blocked the lens of the camera from opening and ever since then it stopped working :-( :-(

I am so sad. I never leave the house without my camera. I don't know what I will now do on Shabbats because these days are the true HIGHLIGHT of the week for me doing what I REALLY like doing most: photographing everything that catch my attention. To me it's like by photographing what I think is beautiful, funny or otherwise touching me, is like having a telepathic friend -a kind of togetherness... a friend I am not afraid I am boring with my numerous stops and sightings.

After it happened I kept on walking towards the Nemaal but without joy. So at a certain point I turned around and went back home.

Last year I saw a Jackal at the Duck pond and ever since I have been searching for them but never saw another one. And guess what??? Today, on the way back home I noticed Klaas was smelling something and acting a bit weird near an overgrown and stuffed with trees large 'pit' (that goes unnoticed by everybody). So I let him walk on there down the pit and then................ A Jackal came running at him - definitely in attack-mode. Usually Jackals don't attack so I think this one was having a litter in the bushes. Soon as I took Klaas in my arms and told the Jackal firmly "No" he stopped in his tracks and stood there waiting what would happen.

Bhewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww :-( Waiting so long to see a Jackal and then when finally seeing one not being able to photograph it because of a faulty camera :-(

Anyway, I'm not going to repair it. I've had it for over 3 years, took thousands (if not tens of thousands) of photos with it, it was like a friend to me: I used to cherish it and be angry at it just like with a friend ... It was the only consolation and my very best, unconditional, friend when I had nothing and nobody to turn 3 years ago at the deepest of desperation ... and it became like my shadow, part of me .... It pulled me out of where I was about to sink into if it hadn't been there....

But I won't spend money on repair. Unfortunately I also don't have the budget to buy a new camera so this will probably be my last post here for a long, looooong, time. When I get back I want to be the proud owner of a camera that can actually zoom in on birds and other objects not within close range without producing a vague, pixel-murdered, picture.

So, here's to you my camera:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, THE JOY AND HAPPINESS - AND MUCH, MUCH MORE YOU HAVE GIVEN ME AS I PART FROM YOU AS IF PARTING FROM A VERY DEAR, CLOSE, FRIEND :-(



Here follows the last photos this camera have taken - yesterday... In the time of the bloom of the spectacular Flame tree and while having been the chance to see the Coypu walk up to where I walked... And some more photos.




















Thanks for sharing these moments of magic :-)