11-11-11 Veteran's Day

This year Great Britain is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of their entering WWI.  It cost their country more than 880,000 lives.  They have commemorated this event with poppies!-one for each life lost during the war.

It would be a breath-taking sight
to see in person!

When I was in the 5th grade in Creswell Elementary School in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, it was known as Armistice Day-
The day World War I ended in 1918.  

At 11:00am on November 11, we all stood and said the Pledge to Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.  

Yes....that's me ...
the last on the right on the second row...
in the"plaid dress with white collar"!

The words "under God" 
were not added until 1954 
during the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower

We now wear buy them
from a Veteran and wear them on
Memorial Day.

We also bought a paper poppy from a Veteran and wore it all day.  Today we call it Veteran's Day and honor Veterans and fallen heroes from all wars but we don't wear a poppy.  Poppies were specific to World War I as described in this poem by Dr. John McCrae, a Canadian Soldier!

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow 

Between the crosses, row on row, 

That mark our place; and in the sky 

The larks, still bravely singing, fly 

Scarce heard amid the guns below. 

We are the Dead. Short days ago 

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 

Loved and were loved, and now we lie, 

In Flanders fields. 

Take up our quarrel with the foe: 

To you from failing hands we throw 

The torch; be yours to hold it high. 

If ye break faith with us who die 

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 

In Flanders fields. 

From Arkansas to Maine to New York and back

To Maine and Back...in 2013 we took a 5,000 mile trip from Arkansas to Maine and back to Arkansas via-Tennessee-Virginia-West Virginia-Maryland-Pennsylvania-New York-Connecticut-Massachusetts-New Hampshire-Ohio-Kentucky. What a wonderful adventure!  We stopped to see a cousin in Tennessee, one in New York, and a childhood friend in the Finger Lake District of New York.  I had only been in and out of Maine at the border and Chuck and never been there.  It was on our 'bucket list'. Our  destination: Deer Isle, Maine. 

Left Arkansas-Stopped in Tennessee-

to visit our cousins (old pic)

Stopped in Virginia-

Monticello 

Through West Virginia-

Stopped in Maryland-

Nora Roberts' Bookstore'Turn the Page'

Through Pennsylvania

Arrived at Destination MAINE-Camden-

White Hall Inn 'Peyton Place', the movie was filmed here.

Sailing on West Penobscot Bay

Shopping at Jo Ellen Designs was a highlight

Side Trip: Portland
The Wyeth Center
Farnsworth Art Museum
The Works of N. C., Andrew, and James Wyeth

Maine-Deer Isle-East Penobscot Bay-

A little food...

How about a 'big' lobster?
We got four of these for about $20
right off the boat!

A little music...

A little R & R...

...we are ready to head for Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park 

Checking In 

Breakfast at '2 Cats'

Lunch at the Harbor

Another lunch at Jordan Pond
Located in Acadia National Park

Famous Blow Hole in the Park
No it didn't blow while we were there!

Fun times, but time to head South and Home!

Leaving Maine...Heading to Arkansas

1st Stop: Schenectady, New York

An overnight visit with my cousin, Mac
Home cooking for dinner and
a tour of MiSci.(Mac is the Exec. Dir.)

 Next Stop: Naples, New York, in the Finger Lake District: 

Another overnight visit with
my childhood/forever friend Carolyn
A Tour of Naples and another home cooked meal!

Up and at 'em early; put the car on cruise control; and one more overnighter; and we have made the loop.

We loved our trip, but the best part of traveling is coming home!

There's no place like home!  ...and we hereby resolve that this is our last 5,000 mile car trip.  All other trips will be flying and then renting a car.  And then again, we may drive to Colorado in 2015 during the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Rocky National Park where Catherine is a Park Ranger. ---Well, at least it's not 5,000 miles!