Sunday, December 29, 2013

Memories of November

December has been such a contrast to November.  The leaves were a bit late in changing but when they did! Oh my, it was breathtaking.  I went to two Veterans' Services the weekend before Veteran's Day.  It's a bit difficult to describe how moving it was to me, to listen to all the memories of the World War 2 vets at the first service and then, the memories of the veterans from Korea and Vietnam the very next day.


 
This bridge is (was?) in Germany and was one the Americans gained control over and they fought very hard to do so.


 The middle soldier in the photo above is Bud Sosebee and believe it or not. he could still wear that same uniform! He was wearing it at the Veteran's Service. (Bud Sosebee is very active in raising funds for the Walk Of Heroes, which is a memorial right here in Rockdale County for the veterans.) The soldiers to the right are German officers and he said that they practically ran to the Americans in surrender, they did not want to give up to the Russians.  (My Dad, who was in Berlin in 1945, told me that the Russians had absolutely nothing, and that the Germans knew they would have better treatment under the Americans.)

Jack Simpson was another World War 2 veteran speaker who later worked for the FBI.  He was involved with the Martin Luther King, Jr. murder investigation and is one of those who investigated the car driven by James Earl Ray.  (And don't even think of mentioning any conspiracy theories to Jack Simpson, he very matter-of-factly dismisses them.)  Mr. Simpson also investigated the murder of Lemuel Penn,  which you may read about here.  As I said, a lot to absorb in such a brief time, but all very fascinating to me.
 
Just had to slip in this photo from Lenora Park, many of the trees had lost their leaves but I found this spot of color and I like this picture since it looks as if the tree is giving me a kiss...I'll take it! (I know, I really do love trees but there are worse things to be crazy about!)

 
At the second service, these young men reenacted the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima and held it for quite a while. Very moving.  (If you don't know that much about what happened during the South Pacific during World War 2, then I suggest you remedy that and read about it!)


 
November color! I can't tell you how much I love it! The above photo is the drive which is within Panola Mountain State Park.  Look at that yellow!


This last photo was taken on November 24th!  Still some beautiful color even at that late date! The late afternoon sun shining the last rays upon that fence and trees, lovely!  (This is also at Panola Mountain State Park, see the nice shelter with picnic tables underneath? What a spot for a get-together!)
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to a happy 2014.
I have been a bit under the weather, but am hoping for better health in the new year. If only I could get out into some sunshine and color, that is all that I need!
(In fact, I might have said some of this before in an earlier post, but if so, please forgive me.  My mind is a bit foggy at the best of times but when I don't feel well, it's even worse!)

36 comments:

  1. Belated holiday wishes, Kay, to you and Richard. I hope you had a lovely Christmas and wish you the best in the New Year and that you will be feeling much better soon. Thanks for your comments and views of our blog during this past year, all are much appreciated.

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    1. Thanks very much for your well wishes. Wishing you a happy and healthy new year too!

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  2. Please feel better soon, Kay!!! I enjoyed all your photos......I miss that color already. Hope were well enough to enjoy Christmas with your family. Happy 2014!!!

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    1. Thanks, Audrey! I find that as you get older, you can't bounce back like you did when you were younger!
      Wasn't that November color just gorgeous!
      Happy New Year!

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  3. Love all the photos, Kay, especially the one of you. I hope you feel better soon. Happy New Year!

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    1. Thanks, Martha! You are so sweet! Happy New Year to you too, look forward to more of your great posts with great photos!

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  4. SO sorry that you have been feeling below par. I hope that you are feeling better now and that 2014 will hold lots of good things for you and yours.

    A brisk "run" up to the top of Stone Mountain might do the trick - OR NOT!

    With all good wishes to you over there, from us over here. xx

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    1. Hey Pat!
      Boy oh boy, this has really hit me pretty hard...I am now at the stage of coughing my head off! Hopefully, I am on the mend.
      People really do run up Stone Mountain now! We think that is crazy, you can run anywhere, you need to walk up our mountain to enjoy the view, right?
      Best wishes to y'all too! Happy New Year! xx

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  5. I do hope you are feeling better soon. I miss the sunshine and color too. Raining here today and all is dark and gray.

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    1. These gray overcast days just seem to last forever. On the bright side, they don't!
      Thanks for your well wishes! Happy New Year!

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  6. I wish you a happy and healthy 2014!
    ~John M

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  7. I'm sorry you've not been feeling so good Kay. I hope that 2014 is a Good Year for you with contentment and happiness and good health to enjoy it.

    I do love the colours of the tress by the way.

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    1. Thanks for your well wishes. Hope 2014 is the same for you too!
      Just remembering November color makes me feel better.

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  8. Wow!!! Your parks are so nice!!! I'd just run everywhere and go crazy! So would Ro. And Kip! Happy new year!!!

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    1. Yes, you would love it! And guess what, there is a children's playground in amongst those trees, with a slide and swings and a climbing bar too, it's very popular with the kiddies! Happy New Year to you too and your family. xx

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  9. Soon, you'll be able to climb Arabia and Stone Mountain again, dear Kay! The days are already getting slightly "longer" (of course they are always still 24 hours) every day, and after the beautiful colourful autumn you've had, I am sure your spring will be just as beautiful - and a lot earlier than ours here in central Europe :-)

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    1. Yes, I will look forward to the Spring flowers on Arabia Mountain and on Stone Mountain! If I just get past these rainy, gray days...
      HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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  10. Those colors are spectacular. Sorry you are not feeling well. As for my aunt, Bobbie was born after the photo was taken. There were 10 children and she was no. 8. Five children are still alive.

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    1. Thanks, I am getting better, I hope!
      Thanks for explaining that to me, I really shouldn't try to read posts very early in the morning when I don't feel too well!

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  11. Lovely photographs Kay. Best wishes for 2014. By coincidence I watched a programme last night about the fight for St Petersburg during World War 2, (Museum Secrets- about the 'Hermitage'.) Russians defending against German troops attacking and the Russians were so hard up they had to eat their own horses to survive. The cities dogs, cats and rats came next but they held fast and refused to surrender and would not give up fighting for their city, street by street, so I'm sure if they got their hands on any German prisoners they would not be treated with any affection to say the least.

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    1. That sounds like the kind of documentary that I like to watch on TV. I will keep an eye out for it! (Sometimes, it can take years before we get something on American TV.)
      Happy New Year!

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  12. What a sad story about Lt. Col. Penn. Sad in regards to the incident as well as the pursuit of justice.

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    1. It is a very sad story but I hope that it is one that will never be forgotten.

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  13. Those colors are amazing! May you feel better soon and have a blessed and beautiful New Year!

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    1. Thanks! And the very same to you. Happy 2014!

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    1. Why, thank you! And I hope Santa did NOT bring you new eyeglasses for Christmas! ;-)

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  15. Merry Christmas Kay! Like you, I've been under the weather the past few days...I hardly ever get sick so I just hate it when I do! You look great in the tree pic! Our color here never lasts that long..too cold I guess, but thanks for sharing those pics with us. I love the mention of the veterans. My Dad fought in WWII..he was a liberator for the Jewish prison camps..so many interesting stories he told. 2 of my brothers served in Vietnam and thankfully both came back whole and healthy. I have such respect for the men and women who serve to keep us free. I hope you feel better soon and please have a Happy New Year!

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    1. I hope you are doing better now!
      Did you see "Band Of Brothers" when it was on TV? I remember very well the way it was depicted when they discovered the Jewish death camps, so shocking and horrifying. If you write a post about your Dad, I would like to read it. I understand if you can't though, sometimes, something is very close to us and it's hard to write of it. It is for me, anyway.
      I agree, those who have served in the armed forces have my utmost respect.
      Happy New year, my dear. We must take better care of ourselves! (I hope I listen to myself!)

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  16. I hope you are feeling better, Kay. What a glorious set of photos ... our world has been white for so long already that I had almost forgotten what Autumn looks like!

    A very Happy New Year to you and your family. :)

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    1. Oh good, I have brought color into your snowy white world!
      Happy New year to you, you crochet making, bike riding, writer you!!

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  17. Wow! These are such great photos, Kay. I especially love the one of you, of course. I do love the colors of fall. Sigh.

    Coincidentally, we've just been invited to a Lion's Club presentation of dinner and a speaker talking about the internment of Japanese Americans in Hawaii. My uncle still has horrible, bitter memories of the day his father and brother were taken away just because they were Japanese and educated, working for a newspaper.

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    1. I remember the Autumn photos from your visit to Illinois, they were just gorgeous!
      I would like to have attended that Lions Club dinner and heard the speech. That was such a terrible thing, the internment of the Japanese Americans and is something that many Americans are not even aware of...
      It is something that we ALL should know!!

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  18. I forgot to wish you a happy and healthier new year, Kay! Please feel better soon.

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    1. Thank you, my friend!
      I am wishing you a happy new year too! And to Art and to your sweet Mom!

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