National Geographic Photography Quote

Modified:

When photographers function as observers and explorers, they serve as intermediaries.  By investigating the place with a camera and refined sense of the culture (or not so refined), they are, in effect, explaining that place through photographs to others, including themselves.

Wanna Take A Field Trip? Let's go to Army Fort Leavenworth Cemetery

The Anderson boys are four wheeling all around the Colorado mountains, so the Girl and I are on "staycation."  That translates to us eating junk food, watching mindless tv, and taking field trips for no reason besides "just because"we can. 

Also, no cooking dinner.  NICE.

Putting the trash on the street.  Not so nice.

I have not been the cemetery of Fort Leavenworth.  It is amazing.  Humbling.  It is only 8 miles from our church building, so after church we changed clothes in the car in the parking lot of the grocery store nearby (you missed the show) and went over. 

It is strange to me that two random people like us could just drive onto the base for fun...doesn't seem very safe.  I guess dusty Camry's aren't the first pick of a car bomber...

My father is a vet so he could be buried here

if he chose to.  Well, technically he would be dead

so we would have to choose to do it.  Which we won't.

He wants to be cremated...which in our family tradition

means his ashes will sit in a small cardboard box

 on the bedroom stairs with a post it note with his

name on it....Joe.  At least that is

what happened with our dog....Goldie.

I was thinking about William Bailey.  It could be partially

for him that this cemetery was established. 

Abe Lincoln named 12 national cemeteries during his presidency,

which I am sure were related to the Civil War.

Notice William died in 1863.  He might have been

one of the first buried here.

Here lie four of many men whose stories are lost to history.  :(

"Thank a Soldier" T-shirt from Snarky Belle

The Girl LOVES LOVES LOVES Vets and if you recall,

her teacher said she has a "brilliant military mind."

She loves coming here.  She is working on becoming an

escort on an "Honor Flight".

We were sad with John McHugh here.  He was 22

and was buried two months ago.  There were fresh flowers

on his site, along with a Boy Scout Pinewood Derby patch

pined to his flag.  He served in the Persian Gulf and

died in Afghanistan.  Rest in peace Colonel McHugh.

There scenic views along the Missouri River to stop and rest.

The river is so dirty that it looks like the

chocolate river from Willie Wonka and Chocolate Factory.

They say "It is too thick to drink and too thin to plow."

There is a memorial to the Calvary soldiers.  It was cool.

We were playing with the camera settings.

There are tons of folks that live and serve on this base.

But it was so quiet and tranquil. 

Everything seemed to sense it was hallow ground.

The trees. The people.  The animals even

had a spirit about them.

This squirrel wouldn't stop staring at the Girl.

We came home in the sunshine and the fish looked so great.

I have been thinking that without soldiers, I don't know

if I would have fish.  Of course, the fish are symbolic

of the freedoms we have to be, do, live and

exist as we choose.

The pursuit of happiness...even if they are slimy

God bless the Soldier and God bless the USA.

Please.

Wanna see something a little gross?

This is kind of gross...but you might like it.

Word is out that you can come to Val's house and get some good hosting.
Snacks, a nice place to sleep, a happy backyard to relax in.  Your own guest bathroom.

We have all sorts of kinds come to Andersonville for some R and R.

Lot of people....and some various types of wildlife.  We are used to raccoons, cats, birds, squirrels, turtles, toads, frogs, and even an opossum in the trash last week. 

But a cicada?

Yep, it is true.  We saw a cicada be born last night.   I was on a walk about of the yard, and found this strange bug sort of contraption popping open.  I was so grossed out--at first--but then I was intrigued.  I got the family to come out and be grossed out too.

A cicada is some loud bug that lives in the ground for years and then crawls out to be birthed and then lives a little while.  You can wiki it if you really care all that much.

Here is what I found:

He is popping out.

The "newborn" was in some sort of coma...when you poked it

he would move.  He was twice as big as the host shell,

so I am sure he is happy to be out of there.

It reminded me of Men In Black when the alien

took over the human body.

They normally are birthed on the ground in private

but this guy was on the fence by the new

Chinese gate.  Maybe it is a nice place to have a baby? :)

So, I went out this morning to see where the baby cicada

was in his new beginnings.  He was gone.

But his host shell is still there. 

Science lesson over.  Have a great day!

"I come home with hope"

Have you ever seen Hope?

And I don't mean a girl that used to live in my neighborhood and attend our church congregation?

These, my friends, are the faces of Hope.

I know that I have traveled far and wide for my volunteer work.  China, Scandanavia, Britian and last month, Canada.  When people ask about the Rotary travel and schedule, they don't ever ask about the most important piece....

The participants.

At the International RYLA, we had 150 people come from around the world to be together for five days.  They come because they believe they will meet great folks and learn great things.   They are right.  They do and did.  One woman saved for two years to come and volunteer to serve for free as a counselor.  She paid to be there.  Most of us do.  I do.  Actually, Mr. Fun pays since he is the one with the paying gig in our family.  Over 30 countries were represented there this year.  I helped direct this experience for them.  And it is an honor.

Five days after I got home from Canada, I took off to the excotic land of Fulton Missouri, home of parts of the Berlin Wall.  :)

This is what Hope looks like here in the great state of Missouri.

This was my 12th RYLA event.  My 19th residential camp (for lack of a better word) since I was 17.  I would say I have leadership camp in my blood.

Apparently, I am not the only one.

We have a Rotarian counselor here in Missouri who serves each year.  He serves for free...no strings attached.  He takes time off from work to do it.  While there are others who do and serve as equally valiantly, there is something that Nelson said that I will always remember.  He was able to verbalize the why I go and do all this free effort.

"I come to RYLA because when I see these young people, I come home with hope." 

Well said, Nelson   Well said.

Are you nuts?

Read this recently in a chick magazine.  So obviously it is of strong scientific mind...

Scientists from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago gave 1,000 volunteers standardized personality tests and then ask them to choose one nut out of five choices.  Here are your choices:  Almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews or pecans.  They say what nut you pick is directly related to your personality type.  What do nut are you?

Peanuts:  you are extroverted and charming, and you crave attention

Almonds:  You have high standards, are very motivated and tend to be a perfectionist

Pecans:  You are generous and considerate and a devoted, loyal friend

Cashews:  You are dependable and easygoing

Walnuts:  You are competitive and easily annoyed when life's inconvienences get in the way