Memorial Day 2010

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. — General George S. Patton

Each man is a hero and an oracle to somebody. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a

great example. — Benjamin Disraeli

Perform, then, this one act of remembrance before this Day passes – Remember there is an army of defense and advance that never dies and never surrenders, but is increasingly recruited from the eternal sources of the American spirit and from the generations of American youth. — W.J. Cameron

For love of country they accepted death… — James A. Garfield

And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier’s tomb,

and beauty weeps the brave. — Joseph Drake

 

The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree. -Thomas Campbell

Chad receiving his new rank of Major. October 2009

Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave”

“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.” Thucydides

Is’t death to fall for Freedom’s right?  He’s dead alone who lacks her light! – Thomas Campbell

The story of America's quest for freedom is inscribed on her history in the blood of her patriots.

-Randy Vader

“And each man stands with his face in the light of his own drawn sword. Ready to do what a hero can.” Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Future years will never know the seething hell and the black infernal background, the countless minor scenes and interiors of the secession war; and it is best they should not. The real war will never get in the books. -Walt Whitman-

The greatest glory of a free-born people is to transmit that freedom to their children. -William Havard

crusades

Praying towards Mecca.
Prayers are done, now it's time for some action.

Learning about the crusades makes me grateful
for many things...like clean water, toothbrushes,
being plague free, etc.

But the crusades accomplished one important thing...
introducing Europe to the art of bathing.

 

Christmas Day 800 A.D. was pretty good for Charlemagne. He just happened to be in Rome so the Pope decided to crown him emperor. After all, Big "C" deserved it. He whipped the Moors in Spain and halted the Muslim conquest of Europe, so I think a crown was called for.

Oh, the things you can find at Monrovian Park,

snails, and mosses, and even a lark.

We've been exploring,

It's been a delight,

Now we have mollusks,

Which are such a sight.

We made a garden of algae and moss,

It's really quite easy, you just have to toss,

Some sand, a few rocks, then add the whole lot,

 Hey..it's green and looks like troll-snot.

Brandt defined the term troll-snot when he collected his specimens of moss and algae the other day. Yah, I would have to agree it looks like something that would come out of Shrek's nose.

Our newest pets to add to the ever growing collection.

Our precious little 'stomach-foot'. That is what the Latin term for a snail is.

Green-Day's are here to stay.

**Karate creates lethal-weapons**

Brandt and Talon have done exceedingly well this year in Sensai Brady's Ishinryu Karate class and they have developed skills that could be menacing. But of course they only use their karate mastery in times of need...like when chasing a maniacal goat, a skulking dog, or killer rabbits. There is no chance when the karate-kids get a hold of them. . .it's BAM and you're on the ground. They have developed reflexes like a puma and use them when necessary.

“Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.” Thomas Jefferson


"You cannot kill time without injuring eternity." Henry David Thoreau


How you do anything is how you do everything.

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."

It is not length of life, but depth of life.


Ralph Waldo Emerson