"Don't be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends."
~~Richard Bach
Since I have been MIA lately I figure I owe you all some pictures. I asked Toy Soldier for some of his pictures that he could share, and so the following were left for me to post. When he is ready to publish his final video I will definitely post that here. Until then, Enjoy.
IA and a local child
Whose angels?
This can’t be good.
This is not a flying/talking donkey.
Since I am such a slacker and I keep forgetting to post a picture on Wednesday, I have decided to post a picture or several when I actually remember! I love that idea. That’s something I can actually do! So, here are some pictures of our July 4th parade and of the guys on the 5th when they dressed in ACUs and headed out for a ruck march — they are training Nate and preparing him for basic. Yes, the guy was smoked in the rain on the 4th. Nothing like watermelon and smoked teenager on the 4th. To add to the festivities we had a pack of baby skunks running through our yard. Life is always interesting here in Tennessee.
I can’t caption the photos without WordPress freaking out on me. Ugh. So, I wanted to mention here that the color guard you see in the pics below are from my son’s school. He is the tall slender guy in the center holding the TN state flag. [Read more →]
There is almost no way to do this without copying the whole thing BUT I found this on the site of a recent commentor. Give him a big “hooah”, please. Here’s the link: Shane
And here’s the entry (I love it but, Shane, if you’d rather I didn’t link this … just say so and I’ll remove it for ya. Thanks.) :
What the Army sometimes feels like
At least the mother turned around.
Posted by Joe Dirtbagon Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Not all of my pictures will be military related, I promise. I do have a good sense of variety in my life, but for now these are the pictures that interest me the most, and to be quite honest they are probably more interesting to you than anything else I have to offer right now.
I am planning on taking Mike’s good camera that is in my possession and going on a picture hunting party through the scenic areas of East TN. I will share some of the good ones if I get any!
Mike sent some pictures a while back that I have not shared here. This particular picture was in the bunch and I love it. It’s a picture of local kids who are peeking under a gate to a house the troops entered to clear. This explanation was updated when Toy Soldier set it all straight. :p
(click picture for larger version)
I have finally been able to get the art work that Mike sent home scanned and into electronic format. The pictures contained in the album are works of art that the Iraqi children drew as a “thank you” to all of those who contributed to the Operation School School Supply drive last year.
My first inclination as an MSW with a background in children’s mental health was to look at the pictures with an evaluative eye. It won’t take you long to see the positive images that I picked up on right away. I see smiling sun shines, lots of color, and even rainbow colored helicopters.
I thoroughly enjoyed looking through their artwork and appreciating their talent. I will have Mr. Hooah! write a “Cliff Notes” version for you of Art History and Islam. It will help you better understand some of the perspectives in the drawings. Also, look for the picture with an Army vehicle (maybe a Humvee?) and a Stryker — on the same road with a Donkey Cart. Of course the sun is smiling in that picture too.
These pictures will be ready to ship to their rightful recipients in the next few days. [Read more →]
BBC has a portfolio from an American Soldier who was stationed in Afghanistan. Jeremiah Ridgeway has a real eye for photography. I posted one picture below to give you a little preview of what to expect. I encourage you to go to BBC and view his portfolio there, and visit his page at JPG Magazine. His pictures are candid and tell quite a story.
The picture below caught my eye and captured my interest. The halo of fire sent out as the ordinance leaves the barrel is fascinating, but the ethereal look of the soldier is what captured my interest. I am guessing the image has this effect due to the soldier’s need to move faster than the average man (according to Mr. Hooah! speed does count!)
Our friend Piper, from “what in the world…?” is on a road trip this week. Stop by and view the pictures she is sharing from this fun, fast and furious trip. Where is she? Where is she going? When will she get there? You will find out what she’s up to by stopping in and saying “hi!”
Well, not really, but it felt like it! I just visited over at Piper’s place and took a stroll through her photo gallery of places she visited on a recent trip to Lisbon. Take a moment and peek at these pictures (be sure to click the thumbnails for full, easy to navigate pictures), which are simply beautiful! Be sure to read Piper’s fun and charming narration too. I recommend looking at all of her picture albums. They are very well done and can take you away from the humdrum of your living room for a quick spell to fun and exciting places!
For another fun get away, Piper style, go to her new blog Lovedale and read about her adventures in this beautiful, 150-year old boarding school in India. Piper shares a lot of great stories and history about the school in which she affectionately recalls her high school years. She is well written and I always find something I relate to in her stories.
Thank you Piper for sharing your adventures!