Gold Star Mom Day

 

Though I am so very glad and proud top be a Blue Star Mom, this is one upgrade I have no wish for.  To each and every one of you Gold Star Mom's, God bless you and hold you in the palm of his hand, where he holds your child.


GOLD STAR MOTHER
By Keo R. Gathman

As she stands beside his grave
On yet another Memorial Day,
She remembers the boy she sent away
And how he became the man resting here today.
His heroes didn't become famous playing ball.
In fact most of their names were never well known at all.
They went to work wearing camouflage green and desert brown,
Earning their reputation as the toughest warriors around.
When he first saw them in dress blues
The heart within her little boy knew,
That nothing short of becoming one of them would do.
Time all too quickly passed by
As childhood things were put aside,
And his heart's desire would not be denied.
"I love you, Mom" he said one day
"But the time has come for me to go away,"
And she knew his decision she couldn't sway.
Through tears she tried so hard to keep inside
She told her baby boy goodbye.
Writing him letters nearly every day
She often took the time to pray,
"Lord be with my boy today."
"Help him clearly see the man I know that he can be,
Grant him his most cherished dream,
Let him come home, a United States Marine."
When the time came for him to go to war
She feared as she had never feared before,
Prayed there would be no knock on her front door.
They came that day dressed in their blues
And though in her heart she already knew,
She cried out "No, it can't be true."
The man child she had sent away
Was at last coming home to stay.
He never doubted what they did was right,
And he never wavered in the fight.
Forever and always as in his childhood dreams,
Her boy remains a United States Marine.

A Little Humor

Arrrr, Matey, Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!
Since this is also Tolkien Week, and I am on my own for dinner, I will be having a hobbity pirate dinner!  Mushrooms, bacon and bread.... what else could a hobbit pirate want?  Now to find a crew and ship..... not all hobbits are afraid of water, you know.  I must have Stoorish blood as well as Fallowhide! 
Later today, Peter Jackson will come out with another trailer for the first Hobbit movie..... probably won't have any pirates, but I still can't wait!

A Day of Sorrow

Never forget.

Never Forgive.

Never Submit.

After the Storm

The first full day of Pennsic 41 dawned clear and beautiful. The ground had firmed up over night and we began setting up tents.

eventually we got mine up, and it was right next to the road. I couldn't fit my kitchen/sitting area though, and knew I would miss it. Still, 30feet from the privies is a good thing at 0200!

 

I set up inside the next day, a real scorcher, and as always, my tent was pretty darn comfy.

The following day, I began my volunteering. This is the view from the Lost and Found tent, right next to Security Point. I caught my Watch shift rides there, as well as my Disability cart rides. Fun stuff, and useful too. I did 12 scheduled shifts and a couple unscheduled when there wasn't anyone to do them. Or there was a big storm, or whatever. I didn't realize when I first started going to Pennsic how many volunteers were needed. Now I love to know I help make the whole thing work so people can have fun. I enjoy that, and it really isn't onerous. If you attend Pennsic...or any event... Consider volunteering. You'll have fun, and facilitate others doing the same!

 

 

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The Passing of a Friend

I met Owain many times. We spoke several times, and he was kind, shy, gracious. No, more than that. He was a constant for me at Pennsic, and each Ren Faire I went to. He was one of the first minstrels I heard, and one of the best. His voice was recognizable from a distance, and I often changed course in the evening to hear him sing, even if I was planning on something else. Once I was walking through the bog and heard him singing this song, and it was so very poignant... I will never hear it again without a lump in my throat.

My eyes are wet, and I cannot sing along this time, Owain, but I have lifted a glass to you, and I remember.

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Late, but Finally Up!

Cars everywhere, and mine is stuffed!

rain advances....

and surrounds me....

oh my, it is a very bad storm....

but only lasted about 25 minutes, then cleared like a squall at sea.

Arrival at my annual vacation was late, harried and confused because of the detour sign had been removed. After 20 minutes on the road, waiting, I was on site, in the middle of a long line of cars...with a dark line of clouds fast approaching. Then it hit, and we took a lightning strike and lost all electronics.... Check in took almost 5 hours! What a mess. The staff and volunteers were tired and hungry, and the ground was too soupy to put up my tent. After dinner and changing clothes, I set up in the common tent for our group, several of us talked for a few hours and then collapsed into bed and slept the sleep of the young. And I am not!

Pennsic had begun, and I was happy!

 

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Pretty Pretty Pretty

Now that I have a butterfly bush outside my front door, I have a plethora of pretty things visiting me every day.  Can you see all three of the Eastern Swallowtails in the 6th picture?  And the first pic is of a Spicebush Swallowtail.  The myriad smaller ones won't hold still long enough for me to get a good shot.... Is it a rule that the smaller the 'fly, the shorter the time it stays on a flower? 

The sky was a little too hazy to get really good quality photos of the last blue moon for almost three years...but in real life, it showed up much clearer.  The rabbit in the moon was alert and active!  I am glad I went out to look at it.... the skies hold wonder for me that does not diminish with age, but ever grows, letting me see myself as a small bit in a large universe.  Wonderful creation!