Merry Christmas!

Ok, so this is the best we could do with time constraints and "where's the camera?" Merry Christmas everyone, and have a wonderful New Year!

Love,
Sean, Lara & James

Visit to Castle Air Museum, Atwater, California

SR-71 Blackbird and the Fossa

Last week Lara, James and I visited the largest vintage aircraft museum in the western United States. Opening in 1981 with a display of over 49 restored aircraft, the outdoor museum covers 11 acres outside the former Castle Air Force Base. Some of the primary exhibits included the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, a Boeing B-52D Stratofortress, and the massive, ten-engine Convair B-36, one of only four surviving. This was one of the largest mass-produced piston aircraft in history, and we saw it in living color, or was that highly-polished silver?

With the closure of Castle Air Force Base in 1994, a group of dedicated enthusiasts formed an organization called the Castle Air Museum Foundation, Inc. Their sole purpose was to assume custody of the collection of aircraft and to build a museum to faithfully restore historic aircraft which could be exhibited for public enjoyment. We thoroughly enjoyed it! Well, some of us did!

No More Planes!

Some of the memorable aircraft included a 1937 Douglas B-18 and a 1992 Grumman F-14D Tomcat. I really enjoyed seeing the Tomcat. Lara and I were in Virginia in September when the last Tomcats flew into Oceana Naval Air Station for retirement. I wish we could have been there, but someone was running a marathon instead. Maybe next time we will see the retirement of something else aging in the inventory? Other rare finds included a B-17, B-24, B-29 and an RB-36. They are representative of aircraft that served from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War to present conflicts. I wanted to take home the B-52, but with limited space in the back yard, I will have to survive with a two-inch model.

All the aircraft are restored and maintained by devoted volunteer staff, which is amazing. These aircraft are a tribute to the men and women who designed, built, maintained or flew them, and I thoroughly respect people who can fly across the Atlantic in some of these historic monoliths. I would call some of these old planes crates or buckets of bolts, and would be scared to fly over the vast oceans of the world, or Germany for that matter. I respect the poor souls that dropped bombs from thousands of feet from B-17s or a skinny B-29s while taking on anti-aircraft fire. They seem so rickety, although built very sturdy. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was the first mass-produced, four-engine heavy bomber, which looked as if it was ready for “Contact” or combat. It was most widely used for daylight strategic bombing of German industrial targets during World War II as part of the United States Eighth Air Force based in England and the Fifteenth Air Force based in Italy. I was there as the Germans pounded the planes from far below with puffs of dark black smoke next to our plane. The insides rocked and the super-structure swayed as we moved closer to our targets. Chucky flew the plane as he was participating in the Memorial Day weekend celebration at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The plane took banks just like a racecar around the tight curves. Hundreds of con-trails could be seen in front of us as our objective loomed. Crash bang all around and the plane shook… Sean!!!! We enjoyed reading the history of each aircraft, the statistics, and photos of the aircraft as displayed. Yes, we read each paragraph for each plane!

Can I have One of These? The Hog Hauler

Castle is a history lesson that the whole family should share. Spend an hour wandering through history of war and calamity on the now-quiet runways of Castle Air Force Base outside Atwater-Merced. While there is nothing glamorous about war, these majestic birds serve as awe-inspiring reminder of how fragile our freedom is and how men and women stepped forward when that freedom was threatened. The Castle Air Museum stands as a tribute to the men and women of the past who put their lives on the line for our freedom.

Then plan a lunch at Hilmar Cheese Factory for Starbucks, grilled cheese, and a vanilla shake. Maybe next time we will give a cheese tour on the blog? But before your tummy goes empty, visit the museum in person to see these majestic airplanes up close!

We Have Bubbles!!!!!

Sean's Backyard Features!
The new bubbler has been installed and looks great.
I replaced the square pot and installed the bubbler instead of the lavender.
I can squirt the neighbors if we turn it on full blast.

Growies Needed & Hangy-Down Plants Wanted
The Trellis is Ready for Growies!

A Nice Fence to Cover up the Silver (out-door lighting) Box, Can you see it?

Snowball Express

An on-line friend of mine, whose husband was killed in combat while serving in Iraq 2 years ago, and her darling son will be participating in a wonderful event. The Snowball Express is giving them and other families who have lost a parent in the war a wonderful trip--airfare to So. Cal, hotel, a trip to Disneyland, the Glory of Christmas production, and a Christmas party. They will be able to meet other families coming from a similar situation, and have a wonderful weekend together. It's so good to see such kindness in the world, especially at Christmas.

Support for Army Families

I just received this email from Mary Ann at Packages of Gratitude. As you are writing your Christmas cards (as I am today!), please drop a note to these wonderful families!

L
______________________________________________________
At this Christmas Season, there is a group of Wives/Family whose husbands are deployed, some for the second or third time, and they could use a little support.

So as you send out your Christmas Cards, please send one (or 2 or 3 or 4....) to them with a little note of thanks for all that they are doing while their husbands are deployed:

759th M.P. Bat
FRG Leader
1030 Specker Ave. Ft. Carson, Co 80913

Thank you so very much.

Mary Ann

Remembering Pearl Harbor

My dad was 13 years-old when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He lived in Albert Lea, a small rural town in southern Minnesota. I remember the stories he told me about what it was like that day. He said that the news traveled slowly then—that the kids at school first heard from someone driving by who shouted it out. Then after school, they heard it on the radio and still didn’t believe it. Finally one of Dad’s uncles drove down from Minneapolis to spread the news. People talked on street corners in shocked and hushed whispers. The older boys spoke gallantly about enlisting and then they did. Dad and his sister, who was a year younger, and their parents were frightened about what this would mean for the country, and found themselves glued to the radio in the evenings, listening to the news.

Christmas that year was a somber event. Traveling up to Minneapolis to spend time with the city-side of the family, they discovered how fear, then anger, then an active spirit of grit and volunteerism gripped the country as everyone pulled together and prepared for war. It changed everything. I remember my dad telling me that by the end of the war, almost every window in Albert Lea had a gold star in the window—sometimes two or even more, indicating that the household had lost someone in the war. He said that it was rare to see a house without a gold star. How different it is now, when many people don’t know anyone who has served in the military or fought in a war. Dad’s generation has an understanding of life and sacrifice that most in my generation do not begin to comprehend.

I was saddened today to read in the news about the “last” reunion of Pearl Harbor survivors. From the LA Times, “Donald Robinett came directly to the sign-in area for Pearl Harbor survivors when he arrived here this week. "I am trying to find my shipmates," the 89-year-old veteran said. "I want to see which ones are here." A volunteer at the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, one of the groups organizing the reunion to mark the 65th anniversary of the Japanese attack on U.S. forces here, flipped through a log book until she came to Robinett's ship, the Tracy, a small mine-laying vessel that was in port that infamous day. "Sir," she said sadly, patting the old man on his shoulder, "you're the only one here."'

Our World War II vets are a national treasure, and we have so little time left to hear their stories and show them our appreciation.

My dad loved watching the news and keeping up with politics and current events—even local events stirred him. I often would ask his advice about voting, and he got so he would take my sample ballot when it came in the mail and highlight candidates that fit his vision of how things ought to be. “Not that I’m telling you how to vote, but I thought since I had the time, I’d do some research for you.”

Right, Dad. That’s just one of the things I miss that about you, and I wish I could hear the stories one more time.

Pearl Harbor Memorial Association

Pearl Harbor Survivors Association

~L

Riley's Farm with Fossas

I just wanted to share some of the pics from Riley's Farm today. Last week when James went, it was wet, cold and rainy. Not so for my class today! It could not have been a more gorgeous day. We had a great day learning about Civil War history.

We learned to drill, about blacksmithing, amputations, politics, etiquette and other Civil War era subjects. You have to love the grin on the "helper's" face.



Of course, my favorite part was when the kids fought the Battle of Fredricksburg and had to drop in this recently fertilized field. :) They were covered with cow-poop-scented dirt. Such a joy to ride home on a bus with these guys!

Of course, life in middle school is never dull, and there is always someone willing to share a smile!

I love the pride on this boy's face at being able to carry the colors! Fun aside, this is what it's really all about.

Christmas in the Central Valley

Sean Finally Has Internet at Home!!!!!!!!
Living Room Tree
Without Lights
Back Yard Enchantment
Look at the Blue Icicles