GOBBLE, GOBBLE, GOBBLE!!!

Gobble, Gobble, my Blogging Buddies!!

Thanksgiving is upon us. It's that time of year when overeating seems to be the norm and desserts are as numerous as side dishes! (For a quick review of dessert, see my Annual Baking Moment from last year. Yes, I repeated it this year.)

As I sit here typing, there are several things I can think of for which I am thankful. This seems as good a time as any to review them.

I am thankful to be alive and to be enjoying the privilege of living in America. It ain't perfect... but it's the best place on the planet.

I am thankful for my spousal-unit who is just a pure rock. I'm not sure what shape I would be in today were it not for him standing faithfully by my side.

I am thankful for the lack of alligators in my particular back yard. While I don't know anyone who really has them, I do know they are never too far away!

I am thankful for the caregivers who remain with my aunt. You can read more about them in a prior blog. If you didn't read about them in 2009, take a moment to read it.

I am thankful for all of the good things in my life and for how much joy they have given me. I am also thankful for the bad things as I have learned from each of them.

I am thankful that there are a WHOLE lot more warm days in the south than cold ones!! I am thankful for the occasional cold one (day, that is) so some of the bugs will be killed without my having to step on them.

I am thankful for my Louisiana friends who welcomed me back as if I had never left.

I am thankful for television shows that run over and over and over again. It allows me to view them in "pieces" rather than all at once.

Finally, I am thankful for those of you who stay with me and read my little moments of insanity without judging me... too much. :)

I'm done for now. As you are biting into that piece of pumpkin pie that you will not admit to eating, I invite you to comment on this post with something for which you are thankful (other than the pumpkin pie). I would enjoy reading about what YOU consider thankworthy. You can comment anonymously if you would rather. :)

Have a lovely Thanksgiving night wherever you are. Thank you for reading.

Until next post...

WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO FLY... ???

Hello again, Blogging Pals!!

Well, I reported on last year's "Wings and Wheels Fly-In/Drive-In" and it was so much fun, we went to this year's!! Thought I'd let you take a peek at some of the things we saw there. Get Ready! I'm about to overwhelm you with photos!!

I'm going to show you my favorites. There were a number of planes there and I have more photos than you'll see here... but I have narrowed the field down.

First, the airplanes that have been or are involved in keeping our country free and safe!

The Army's Cessna O-1 Bird Dog:

The Navy's North American T-28 Trojan:

Okay. You can't really see the plane. Go to the link and view some photos!! I was just happy I was able to actually capture the little guy in the middle of the frame (it's the little dot) as it was doing a flyover at the event!! I present the Air Force's Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II (AKA "Warthog"):

I have two shots of this plane as it is so fascinating to me. As it was taxiing from the runway to its place at the event, the wings were slowly being lifted hydraulically to the position you see them in in the photos. Very high-tech for its time. These were used on aircraft carriers and the ability to bring up the wings allowed for more airplane per square foot! Pretty darned cool. I present to you the Navy's Chance Vought F4U Corsair:


Finally, there was an Army Air Corp's Curtiss P-40 Warhawk:


Alrighty. Those are my babies. Let's take a look at a few regular ol' private planes that are cool!

The Stearman twins were back again this year!! (I LOVE THESE GUYS!)


The Civil Air Patrol is alive and well, creating interest among the young'uns in flying!

This "little tiger" was just too cute for words:

The hangar at the Beauregard Parish Regional Airport is very old and really beautifully built. The photo below is a detail shot of the ceiling of the hangar. It is wood and in excellent shape. It really is an impressive structure to visit!

Not everything had wings!! There were a number of vehicles of all types. The following photos are three of my favorites for Age, Cool, and Grille!! :)

I may find myself without a grilled meal for a while after sharing the following with you... but it's just too good to pass up. :) The first pic is of the Beauregard/DeRidder SWAT team vehicle. (Didn't think we would have one here in Mayberry, did you?!?!?) The second pic is of the spousal-unit providing information to one of the fine SWAT team members on one of the weapons they were showing off to the kiddies.

Okay. We've had a lot of fun here today. I hope you saw something you liked or learned something you didn't know. I hope you explored at least one link to expand your world.

Finally... this area, with Fort Polk so near, is extremely patriotic and appreciative of service members, past and present. That is one thing I really appreciate about where I find myself. This year, I noticed a plaque in the ground just below the flagpole at the airport. I wanted to see what it read and why it was there. Both servicemen were stationed at Fort Polk. On this Veterans' Day, 2010, I leave you with a reminder of what sacrifices have been made over so many years and so many wars to keep us a free nation.
Sgt. Andrew W. Brown

Sgt. Brett D. Swank

Until next post...

NATIVE AMERICAN POW-WOW

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies! This post is your notice I am back up & running... for now!

The first thing I want to provide to you is yet another thing that makes me go "HUH?!?" You decide exactly how one should approach this crossing and signage. Anyone with a coherent explanation may feel free to provide it!! :)

Alrighty then.

The Four Winds Tribe 11th Annual Pow-Wow was held here recently. This tribe is primarily Cherokee. It was a small gathering, not at all on the scale of the annual Pow-Wow in Austin, but it was still fun to attend. The following are photos from the event.

Gourd Dancing:
Woven Blankets for sale:
Clothing & Jewelry for sale: Finally, this flutist was playing a carved wooden flute. It was very haunting and beautiful to hear. There were several available to purchase: So... while it was on a small scale, it was still very lovely to attend. The gourd dancing was interesting to watch. The drum beaters were very focused and made a wonderful background to stroll through the vendors' offerings.

Stay tuned. The 4th Wings & Wheels Fly-in/Drive-in is this weekend and I will have photos from that event soon! You can see last year's photos and commentary by clicking here.

Until next post...