Veteran’s Day and eleven, eleven, eleven.  It is a date that demands a letter from a troop supporting person to a living, breathing, service- giving hero.  

Today is a day of remembrance, I think of my father, a seventeen year old kid, so young and naive that all through navy basic training kept writing his mom about how the laundry was shrinking his uniforms.  It wasn’t until his first leave home, that he realized he had grown 6 inches in those months away.  There is a great family story about how he come home without telling his mom he was coming.  He knocked on the front door, like a guest, and when his petite mother opened the door, she had to look up and up, past the all that white uniform to find a face.  And even then it took her a few moments to recognize her now 6’4” son. He was leaner and taller, but still a mischief maker.  After that the Navy sent him to the Pacific, and it was almost 4 years before she saw him again.

Today I think of men like my father in law.  Not combat able, he served in the merchant marines during WWII.  These men helped keep the needed materials and supplies for troop support moving to the factories.  

Today I think about my husband.  Nine years an active Marine.  Brian is an uncomplaining Vietnam Era veteran, with partial disability due to bad knees, and ringing in both ears that never stops.  He mourns friends lost in the embassy attack in Beirut,  those taken hostage in Iran, and more lost in the 9-11 attacks. He is still able to nail a target when out shooting with the  ‘country boys’  here, and unashamedly  gets teary eyed when the Marine Corps Hymn plays.  

And there are my sons:  Shawn and Josh.  The oldest, separated from the Navy with 10 years duty as a sub-mariner.  This boy was the best fire builder in the state.  Whenever the scouts went camping, he was the one that could get a fire going, even in the rain with wet kindling, a real pyrotechnic. The Navy in their wisdom taught him how to run a nuclear reactor on a submarine.  Now he is using his education benefits to complete a college education while working a full time job.

The second born, who as a child was non-containable, the do it now take the consequences later  kid.  He is an Army pilot.  The proud father of five children, he flies Apache helicopters. He has completed three deployments, 2 in Iraq and 1 in Afghanistan.  Currently he is passing on his combat experience training new pilots.  

Today I think about these men, and remember that there are thousands of others with their own stories.  And each is a hero.  Not because of great deeds under fire.  Yes, there are those extraordinary acts we call heroism.  But it is the day in- day out heroes I remember today.  The ones that answer the call and willing serve their country.  The ones that understand  freedom for a nation requires sacrifice of some for the betterment of all and stand in the breach. It is the willingness that makes the hero.

Today I remember.  Today I give thanks.  Today I know I have today because of heroes like these.

Good Morning in the Garden

It is still early for harvesting, but the beans were ready! The lettuce we have been eating while we thinned, and the radishes are at the end of the second planting. There are peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and summer squash set on.

The third planting of radishes went in today. A side note about radishes, they are a wonderful weight loss food.  You can grab a couple when you feel like munching; the twang and crunch make them are satisfying and with a glass of water you fill content till your next scheduled meal.

Back to the garden. The big news is the apricot tree. It has 7 pieces of  almost ripe fruit. Not bad for a 3 year young tree that is only 6 feet tall.  And so pretty,  I love the color.

Memorial Day ~Lest We Forget

It is good that there is a holiday set for remembering.  It is easy to go about our daily lives enjoying the many freedoms this country has to offer without thinking about all the miracles and sacrifices that have brought those blessings to us.  So on this Memorial Day I'm giving thanks to all the patriots who have stood to defend America, all those heroes who have given the ultimate in freedom's cause, and all the families that love them.

To the Family of A Fallen Hero

 I have no words to bring him back,

No words to fill the void.

I have not words to stop your tears,

No words to bring back joy.

I have no words to take his place,

No words will replace your loss.

I have not words to share your pain,

No words to count the cost.

I do have thanks for his valiant service,

A grateful heart for what he’s done.

I have hope that his life has made a difference,

That freedom will be won.

I have faith in his love for you,

His country, and his God,

And I know one day you’ll be together,

United in another realm above.

 Written deepest gratitude,

Darcy Nutter

The Magnolia Is In Bloom

There is a Magnolia tree in our front yard that has begun it's summer blooming.  The flowers are beautiful.  Their fragrance in wonderful, it waffs through the air sultry and rich.  The dark leaves and contrasting large white blooms are delightful to behold. Everything about a magnolia flower evokes elegance; the scent, the coloring and thickness of the petals, the bulbed center and the whiteness of the bloom are a perfect balance of simple and stately.  Looking at a magnolia tree in full bloom, your thoughts turn to older times of columned porch plantations, southern belles and gentile hospitality.  The latin name of the Southern Magnolia, MAGNOLIA GRANDIFLORA, pretty much says it all.  Grand flower.  It is a perfect description.

Our Suburban Garden

We like fresh vegetables, and nothing is fresher than picking vegetables from your own garden.  Because we live in Subdivision, and have a unfenced yard in a community with rules, we had to get creative about how to plant a garden.  We choose to not put in a flat tilled plain garden or 4x8' growing beds, my brilliant husband built landscaping beds around the house, patio, and deck and planted them with herbs, fruit and vegetables.  The yard slopes, so the planters around the patio are tiered.  We have 3 dwarf fruit trees, blueberries bushes, rhubarb and a number of perennial herbs mixed with annual vegetables as our back yard landscaping.

Her is a view of the planters around the patio (before the weed whacking was done)  Top tier has radishes, buttercrunch and blackseeded simpson lettuce, spinach, broccoli, squash and onions.  The lower tier has cucumbers, peppers,and tomatoes. In the background you can see our pine tree and daisy field.  The other corner of the yard has a butterfly garden.

This year the beans are growing along the back of the house. Last year the tomatoes were here, and the year before we had pole beans on a trellis in this spot.

The oregano, rhubarb and the cherry bush have been in this planter 2 years.  We did get to harvest about 4 stalks of rhubarb this year and expect more in years to come.  The cherry bush will probably produce a crop next year as well.

It is the end of May and already we are harvesting. The herbs, oregano, chives, and cilantro we have been using for several weeks.  The first planting of radishes have been gathered and the second is about ready too.

Let It Be

It is kind of weird when your children start staking their claims to your possessions as their inheritance decades before you have plans of passing on.  Perhaps there is a certain wisdom in proclaiming early in your adult life what you expect to claim upon your parent's death.  It might cut down on difficulties later. Weirdness aside, our daughter has demanded these are to be her 'inheritance'.  Six original Beatles albums.  They are less than pristine, well loved by her father in his youth, they are what she wants.  Her father has agreed she is to have them, but not  yet.  Today they went up on the TV room wall.  Recently we dragged them out of the box where they have lived the last 30 years, through half a dozen moves, and put them 12" x12" frames. Dad will get to enjoy them, silently, for years and years and years (I hope) and someday daughter dear can fight with her brothers to claim them.

Dream House

Isn't this the cutest house?!?  I think it is darling: the wrap around porch and the turret are charming.  This is my dream house style, the Victorian farm house.  A house with character and quirks and maybe a mystery in the attic. Wouldn't want one with no front yard next to a street.  Part of the appeal is when it is siting off by itself on a hill, or surrounded by woods and fields. Perhaps this is a leftover wish from my little girl visions of happily-ever-aftering.  It isn't likely that I'll ever own such a place.  We have a lovely house in a great area now and no desire to move.  But I can still look and imagine now and again.