In HONOR of Those Who Serve ~ A Memorial Day Tribute

On April 4, 2012 we lost one of our community’s own, according to The Columbus Dispatch obituary, “due to combat injuries sustained in Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment of the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.”  He was only 36 years old, and left behind a wife and two darling little girls, as well as his mother, father and step-mother, and a brother, among others.
He was buried in the cemetery near his home, and our son’s and DIL’s home, and when we learned of the opportunity to pay our respects, I,  along with our son and DIL, and their three children (the youngest was born two days earlier), walked over to the cemetery.

We took the opportunity to teach them about the flag and love of country, (though the lesson of the correct hand was yet to be learned).

  Interesting fact:  Though often referred to as a 21-gun salute, according to various sources, at a military funeral the three rifle volleys are not considered a salute.

From http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theorderlyroom/f/funeralhonors.htm:  At military funerals, one often sees three volleys of shots fired in honor of the deceased veteran. This is often mistaken by the laymen as a 21-gun salute, although it is entirely different (in the military, a "gun" is a large-calibered weapon. The three volleys are fired from "rifles," not "guns." Therefore, the three volleys isn't any kind of "gun salute," at all)…[It is] simply three rifle volleys fired. The firing team can consist of any number, but one usually sees a team of eight, with a noncommissioned officer in charge of the firing detail. Whether the team consists of three or eight, or ten, each member fires three times (three volleys).
The three volleys comes from an old battlefield custom. The two warring sides would cease hostilities to clear their dead from the battlefield, and the firing of three volleys meant that the dead had been properly cared for and the side was ready to resume the battle.
The flag detail often slips three shell-casings into the folded flag before presenting the flag to the family. Each casing represents one volley.
 

  The Riderless Horse

One of the oldest and most evocative of military traditions in a full honor funeral is that of the riderless, caparisoned horse. The horse is led behind the caisson wearing an empty saddle with the riders boots reversed in the stirrups. This indicates the warrior will never ride again.  Tradition allows a caparisoned horse to follow the casket at any Army or Marine Corps commissioned officer in the rank colonel or above. Presidents of our nation, as Commander in Chief, are accorded the same honor.  From: http://www.army.mil/info/organization/unitsandcommands/commandstructure/theoldguard/specplt/caisson.htm

 

We bow our heads to thank all who serve and have served, and those who have paid the ultimate price for the

FREEDOM

we enjoy in this wonderful country of ours and that at times we take for granted.

{The mere fact that we can freely and without fear attend this funeral —and that I can create this post—is testament to OUR FREEDOM…FREEDOM that so many in the world, including those in Cuba, the country my family fled in 1961, do not have.}

God Bless America

I will be presenting this post at the following blogs this week to HONOR THOSE WHO SERVE:

Sunday Showcase Party at http://www.bystephanielynn.com/
Show Off Your Cottage Monday at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com
Mop it Up Monday at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com
Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Masterpiece Monday at http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/
Cozy Home Scenes Tuesdays at http://cozyhomescenes.blogspot.com/
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
Tuesday’s Treasures http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/
Tabletop Tuesday at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/
Wow Us Wednesdays at http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
Winter Blues Party at http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/
Centerpiece Wednesday at http://www.thestylesisters.blogspot.com/
What's It Wednesday at http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/
Home and Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/
Open House Party Thursday at http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com
Share Your Cup Thursday at http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Transformation Thursdays at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/
Feathered Nest Friday at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home Fridays at http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Potpourri Friday at http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/
Inspiration Friday at http://www.atthepicketfence.com
Thrifty Things Friday at http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/
Vintage Inspiration Friday at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/
Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home Friday at http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Fridays Unfolded at http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/
Saturday Nite Special at http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
I wish you and yours a happy day celebrating our freedom.  ~Zuni

Technorati Tags: Military funeral,riderless horse,21-gun salute,Memorial Day,freedom,USA,God bless America

Gone to the Birds--The Screened Porch is Ready for Summer

Technorati Tags: chickadee,screened porch,url,search engine,previous post,hyperlink,decorating,home decor,summer,bird houses,tole tray,marjolein bastin,watering can

Planting flowers certainly make me feel ready for summer, but we’re not really ready for summer at our house until the screened porch is hosed down, everything is dusted and cleaned, and our wrought iron shelf is accessorized. What activities are must-do on your list to feel ready for summer?  Mulching? Painting a fence or other garden accessories? Getting the grill ready?
This year (well, for now anyway), the shelf ended up with a bird/birdhouse theme:

We bought this shelf several years ago at a wonderful antique shop near our home.  We thought it was a “keeper” that would work no matter where we lived (even Florida!), and though we haven’t moved, it’s still a keeper.  For one thing, I love wrought iron.  I love its filigree designs that contrasts with its rusty spots and the strength it conveys.

  Birds/birdhouses and shells…some of my favorite things.  The shell houses were a bday present from my coworkers years ago.  They made them for me, and they’ve held up really well!

This chicken-wire cloche was a purchase late last year from Bombay (see my Bombay Company post here), and I’ve already used it several times for various vignettes.  Good purchase.  Love it.

The lighthouse candleholder?  Another nod to beach and shells.  I suspect there will be a switch mid-summer to a more beachy theme.

This tray is not tole, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT.  It’s so sweet, and so detailed.

 

I have a “thing” about houses…well homes.  Log homes, bungalows, doll houses, decorative houses, bird houses, beach houses, farm houses, big houses/little houses, twig houses,…  I bought this one years ago, and I’ve used it in a million different ways.

  Now, THIS ONE…this tray IS a tole tray…the hand painting is exquisite.  A gift from my mother several years ago.

I’ve had the blue enamel spatterware coffeepot for many years, but I don’t remember if I bought it new, or if it’s old.  That’s okay; I’m not planning on making money off of it.  :)  It’s the perfect watering can!

According to eBay posts, the “object” on the right is a minnow bucket… :)  (I knew it had to do with fishing…as in holding the fish once caught, I thought—quite the fishing expert I am).  All I know is that I like it, and it was my husband’s grandfather’s, and so it holds a place of honor where we can enjoy it. 

Ahhh…how I love this timeworn watering can—it was a bday present to me from our youngest son.  It has a lovely, now-faded Marjolein Bastin (what else?) CHICKADEE decal.  How sweet is that?  This gift came loooonnnnnnnnnnggg before our own little chickadee came along.

Another corner of the porch also has gone to the birds!  The birdcage is the one we used for our son’s wedding back in November as a card holder.  Now, it’s put to another good use to bring back happy memories.

The plants in it are an Italian parsley plant that’s perfect for stepping right out onto the porch to snip a bit for dinner, a miniature African violet, and of course, a CHICKADEE.  A chubby robin sits nearby, keeping company to the many that hop around our yard.

 
What makes you feel like you’re ready for summer?
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you’ll leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I read every single one of them! And if you like what you see a lot :), maybe you’d like to Google +1 this post or pin it on Pinterest too! Thank you!
I hope you will follow me. If you’ll let me know that you’re following, I’ll be sure to follow you back.
Sunday Showcase Party at http://www.bystephanielynn.com/
Show Off Your Cottage Monday at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com
Mop it Up Monday at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com
Mondays at http://www.thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/
Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Masterpiece Monday at http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/
Cozy Home Scenes Tuesdays at http://cozyhomescenes.blogspot.com/
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
Tuesday’s Treasures http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/
Wow Us Wednesdays at http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
Wednesdays at http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/
Centerpiece Wednesday at http://www.thestylesisters.blogspot.com/
What's It Wednesday at http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/
Home and Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/
Open House Party Thursday at http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com
Share Your Cup Thursday at http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Transformation Thursdays at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/
Feathered Nest Friday at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home Fridays at http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Potpourri Friday at http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/
Inspiration Friday at http://www.atthepicketfence.com
Thrifty Things Friday at http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/
Vintage Inspiration Friday at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/
Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home Friday at http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Fridays Unfolded at http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/
Saturday Nite Special at http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
From my nest to yours~
Zuni

Happy Mother’s Day, Mama Duck

We’ve had a resident duck couple around our house for about a month now, always together, waddling around as duck couples do.  But I hadn’t seen them lately, and I was getting a little worried about them.

So today, while I’m working in the yard, I hear the smallest “Quack,” and I look up immediately, wondering if it’s Mr. & Mrs. Duck.  Well……it was Mrs. Duck, WITH

                      10 WADDLING LITTLE BABIES FOLLOWING HER!

When she saw me (from afar), she quickly moved along, and the babies followed as fast as their little webbed feet could take them, but not before I could get some (blurry) pictures of them.

Little did I know the drama that was about to unfold…

 I LOVE this picture.  Doesn’t she look like a human mom, saying to her little ones, “Wait here quietly,” while she keeps an eye on me?  How many times have WE human moms said that?! :)

Off they scurried…behind the berry cart…

                                          …through the landscaping, behind bushes…

                                                                                             …and up our hill.

As I return to my gardening, I hear a tiny “Peep…Peep…Peep.”  Did one get left behind?

I listen more closely, and to my horror, one has fallen into a water pipe in our yard! The one that I’ve called about because I was afraid a human might hurt themselves there.  I try reach him with my hand, but the pipe is only 3 inches wide and I can only get as far as the lower part of my elbow.  My husband has joined me by now, and he’s off to the garage to get a flashlight, while I run to the kitchen to get tongs—L – O – N – G tongs.  We try the tongs…no luck.  He had been trying to come up, but couldn’t quite make it…but now he’s even lower—about

                 3 feet

                              D

                                O

                                   W

                                       N

I call our neighbor, Debbie, who quickly gets another neighbor, Don, to join us.  Don used to have large birds, and he remembers he has a bird ladder, let’s see if that can help him get up!  (Can ducks climb ladders?!)  The ladder is too wide.  He goes home to cut it down.  In the meantime Debbie calls her daughter, Marissa, whom Debbie says has skinny arms.  Marissa zooms right over with her daughter Kacey.  Marissa reaches in as baby duck has started to move up the pipe, but when he squirms near her hand it startles her, and she scratches her knuckles badly as she jerks her hand up… Even injuries in our effort to save Baby Duck!

While Marissa is working in the pipe my husband and Don are trimming the ladder rungs further—with garden clippers.  We put the [half] ladder :) down the pipe, and ~

         HE MAKES IT!!  He actually used the ladder to wedge himself up!!  (Notice the high-tech half-ladder.  LOL)

HIP, HIP, HOORAY!!  WE SAVED HIM!! ….

 

Ummm….What do we do with him now?

My husband brings out a shoe box (it occurs to me, in the midst of all the activity, how quickly he found a shoe box…and though I don’t save shoe boxes, I buy shoes often enough that there’s usually a box to be found—funny, the things that cross our minds), and Don offers to take him to the pond behind his house to see if Mama Duck is there.  We all agree that’s the best option.

Fifteen minutes later Don appears at our garage, where my husband and I are working, and he tells us this story, “I walked to the edge of the pond, but there were two (muskrats??? I don’t know what he said the animals were), and they would’ve eaten it for breakfast, so I went to the other side of the pond, put him in the water, and the _______ (whatever he said) ATE IT!!”  “No way!!  After all we did to save him?!”  He says, “Nah…they didn’t eat it.  It was the coolest thing.  I put him in the water and here comes the mama duck and all her babies, paddling as fast as they could toward it.  I wished I’d had a camera…it was perfect that it was Mother’s Day.”  HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, MAMA DUCK!!

THE END

of a happy story

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I read every single one of them! They encourage me and inspire me. And if you like what you see a lot, maybe you’d like to pin it on Pinterest too! Thank you!  I hope you will follow me. If you’ll let me know that you’re following, I’ll be sure to follow you back.

I’m going to share this happy story at the parties below.  I hope you’ll stop by and visit them!

Sunday’s Simply Klassics at http://www.simplyklassichome.com/

Sunday Blog Hop at http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com/

Sunday Showcase at http://www.bystephanielynn.com/

Sundae Scoop at http://www.iheartnaptime.net/

Show Off Your Cottage Monday at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com

Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Monday’s Blue Monday athttp://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

Masterpiece Monday athttp://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

Market Yourself Monday at http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/

Monday Just Something I Whipped Up at http://www.thegirlcreative.com/

CraftOManiac Monday at http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/

Too Cute Tuesday at http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com/

Sew Cute Tuesday at http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/

Wow Us Wednesdays at http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

Wednesday at Tea Rose Home at http://tearosehome.blogspot.com/

We Did It Wednesday at http://www.sew-much-ado.com/

Wednesday’s Hoo’s Got Talent at http://nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com/

Home and Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday at http://www.atthepicketfence.com

Vintage Inspiration Friday at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Friday Favs at http://www.naptimecrafters.com/2012/04/friday-favs-party-60.html#more

Show and Tell Saturday at http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/2012/04/show-and-tell-saturday-042812.html

Spotlight Saturday at http://www.classyclutter.blogspot.com/

WaterColor-Themed Mother’s Day Brunch

The power of a logo…not only are some instantly recognizable, but they evoke feelings instantly.  The most powerful logo I’ve encountered is the logo from WaterColor, Florida.  We were fortunate to stay at WaterColor Inn several years ago, and I still have simple mementos around the house of that wonderful place, and the logo that so captures its essence:

Can you relate?  Does it speak to you as it does me?  It’s the SAND, the WATER, and the SKY!  (or I’ve also heard that the deep blue represents the deeper blue of the Gulf, farther out).  Isn’t it LOVELY?? (sigh…)

This logo has helped me to hone in on the colors I love, and they are now reflected in various ways throughout our home—always bringing back memories of this special place.  In their website (http://www.watercolorflorida.com) they describe WaterColor  as “a vibrant beach resort and residential community that eases into its natural surroundings with a Southern simplicity and grace.”

Sooo…today Bright Eyes (3 weeks old tomorrow) was coming over to your home for the first time—with his Mama and Papa, Baby Love, and GL.  Grandbabies coming over for the first time has always been a very special event for us, and in celebration we prepared a beach brunch.  It was a perfect day for it—bright skies, warm, a soft breeze…  This post is dedicated to our DIL, who has blessed us and our son by joining our family and giving us three BEAUTIFUL grandbabies.

And again, guided by the WaterColor logo, our table evolved. 

About the table ~ It’s a family table, a REAL table.  You’ll see the inspiration from the logo, but you’ll also see no centerpiece—the FOOD was our centerpiece—and the grandbabies’ Bunnykins place settings. 

First came the runner…I tell you, teal and blue, and I’m happy.  I got it at Crate and Barrel last fall and hadn’t been able to use it.  So that’s our SKY. 

The blue tablecloth…right along with the logo, is the WATER, and

the napkins are the SAND.

Our menu was simple but yummy:

• Cranberry Scones and Chocolate-chip Scones (recipe from The Gourmet Cookbook, edited by Ruth Reichl)
• Baked eggs (see Wings of Eagles at http://wwweaglewing.blogspot.com/2012/05/you-asked-for-it.html) ~ She was my inspiration for our menu.  (I kind of followed Ina’s recipe but added my own twist.  They were a big hit, and I have to tell you, our son is a professionally trained chef!! :) )
• Beeeauuuuutiiiifuuuulll, red, sweet strawberries
• Bacon
• Home fries
• Toast, coffee, juice

The eggs were baked in the individual gratin dishes.

 

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I read every single one of them! They encourage me and inspire me. And if you like what you see a lot J, maybe you’d like to +1 this post or pin it on Pinterest too! Thank you!

I hope you will follow me. If you’ll let me know that you’re following, I’ll be sure to follow you back.

Seasonal Sunday at http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com

Sunday Showcase Party at http://www.bystephanielynn.com/

Show Off Your Cottage Monday at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com

Mop it Up Monday at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com

Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Masterpiece Monday at http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

Cozy Home Scenes Tuesdays at http://cozyhomescenes.blogspot.com/

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com

Tuesday’s Treasures http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/

Tabletop Tuesday at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

Cuisine Kathleen at http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Wow Us Wednesdays at http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

Winter Blues Party at http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/

Centerpiece Wednesday at http://www.thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

What's It Wednesday at http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

Voila! French Inspiration on Thursdays at http://frenchcupboard.blogspot.com/

Home and Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Tablescape Thursday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Open House Party Thursday at http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com

Share Your Cup Thursday at http://jannolson.blogspot.com/

Transformation Thursdays at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/

Feathered Nest Friday at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Home Sweet Home Fridays at http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Potpourri Friday at http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday at http://www.atthepicketfence.com

Thrifty Things Friday at http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/

Vintage Inspiration Friday at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Home Sweet Home Friday at http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Fridays Unfolded at http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/

Saturday Nite Special at http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

From my nest to yours~

Zuni