Valley Forge National Historical Park Encampment of the Continental Army in the winter of 1777-1778 “The unfortunate soldiers were in want of everything; they had neither coats nor hats, nor shirts, nor shoes. Their feet and their legs froze until they were black, and it was often necessary to amputate them.” ~...
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Gingerbread People! Immigrants brought the tradition of gingerbread making to the United States, and Melody brought the tradition to me. I do not remember whose idea it was, that we should get together and make cookies, but it is one of my Christmas traditions, from California, that I most miss. A few weeks before...
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Gingerbread House Today, I made my first gingerbread house! As Florida is Trader Joe’s deprived, I always make it a point, to stop at Trader Joe’s, when we trek around the country; on our most recent trip, among my other purchases, was a gingerbread house kit, from Germany. I have often purchased gingerbread kits...
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The Christmas Village! In 1987, Kate and I celebrated our first Christmas together. We had very little to start our life with, and I remember taking the bus all over Long Beach, California, stopping at every second hand store I could find, to purchase Christmas decorations for our tree. I did buy new,...
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Such a Desire to Grow! I was walking down Commercial Boulevard, in Fort Lauderdale, when I peeked into this garden, growing in-between a building. If you look past the benches, you will see a very small area, where a few plants have been given free range, and with limited soil and...
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A Symphony of Color As we begin our yearly drive north, to celebrate Thanksgiving in New England, the palm trees begin to fade away, and evergreens start to dominate the landscape, along the highway. The first changes actually comes in northern Florida, where an occasional Maple or Oak, has become nestled along road –...
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Veterans Day and the American Battle Monuments Commission “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, of 1918, the Allies and Germany agreed to put down their weapons, bringing an end to...
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Wildlife in the Garden One of the pleasures of the garden is watching the creatures which have made it home. While I have yet to master wildlife photography, below are a few shots of the many animals which either make our garden their home, or drop by for a visit! Not pictured are the...
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Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial I remember this war and I remember all of the controversy that surrounded the making of this memorial. It has been a good thirty years since I first visited the Memorial. I approached from the Mall, reverently, yet anticipating my opportunity to see what all of the fuss was about....
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“A man who never lost himself in a cause bigger than himself has missed one of life’s mountaintop experiences. Only in losing himself does he find himself.” ~ Richard Milhouse Nixon ~ The Ferdinand Magellan lives in Florida! The Pullman private rail car, which was also known as U.S. 1, the...
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