Manny Kagan

Cheers,

Traveling Companion

Many people love to travel. The question is, what do you do if you have a dog as part of your family? Well, there are number of options. One of them is to take your dog along and to stay in a dog friendly hotel, like “La Quinta Inn & Suites”. I received an e-mail with their friendly invitation:

“Dogs are welcome in this Hotel. We never had a dog that smoked in bed and set fire to the blankets. We never had a dog that stole our towels and played TV too loud, or had a noisy fight with his travelling companion. We never had a dog that got drunk or broke up the furniture… So, if your dog can vouch for you, you’re welcome too. -The Management”

As you are reading this essay, we are resting in Kawaii. During our journey, I often encounter people who travel with their companions. You can see more images of people and their dogs in “42 Encounters with Dog Lovers”.

Enjoy and Share!

Cheers,

The Festival of Lights

From Sunday, November 28^th until Monday, December 6^th, Jews from all over the world are going to be lighting a special light holder called a Hanukkiah, to honor miraculous events which happened in Judea around 200 BC, also known as the Land of Israel.

In that time, the area was under the control of Syria. They outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. In 168 BC, a group of a Jewish priest Mattathias, and his five sons started a rebellion, which led to the liberation of Jerusalem and a rededication of the temple, which required lighting the menorah. Unfortunately, there was only one container of the oil left; but it miraculously lasted for eight days. Thus, the legend behind the holiday Hanukkah, which means “dedication” in Hebrew, was born. The holiday is also called the “Festival of Lights”.

I hope that you will enjoy my interpretation of light, which sometimes can be seen in a different light.

Enjoy and Share!

Cheers,

How to Say Thank You

Years ago when I was in my mid-40s, we adopted a gorgeous cat without realizing it would affect my asthma. Fortunately, I was introduced to the miracle worker – Dr. Angela Wu. Utilizing her Chinese medical practice, she helped my body strengthen its immunity system. Today, thirty years later, I rarely get colds, and can even be in the same room with a cat without an allergic reaction. I continue to visit Dr. Wu’s Healing Center once a month for the upkeep. For me, this is the best insurance to keep enjoying my life until I am one hundred and twenty. Thank you, Dr. Wu and your wonderful staff!

I wrote this thank you note for Thanksgiving Day. We all still have time to thank the people in our lives. Please call me if you want to benefit from Dr. Wu’s talent. Meanwhile, please enjoy these beautiful flowers.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy and Share!

Cheers,

Why We Need Bees

Many of us know that the reason we have honey is because of the bees. In Bee Culture, I found an interesting story about the chemistry of honey. However, the production of honey is the result of bees’ main activity, which is pollinating plants and flowers.

Honeybees are among the most numerous and efficient pollinator species in the world. One bee can visit more than 2000 flowers in one day. They pollinate over 100 crops grown in North America and contribute $15 billion to the US economy every year. There are 4000 different bee species in North America. Unfortunately, many of the bee colonies have declined for various reasons.

I learned about this from an article from Planet Bee Foundation. You can find out more about them in a few documentary movies such as “Queen of the Sun” and “Vanishing of the Bees”. Meanwhile, enjoy my images of these remarkable creatures.

Enjoy and Share!