while awaiting Sunday serendipities

A good version as instrumental march, illustrated with pictures from WWI which show the short lives of many Johnnys from all sides, and which often did not come home. Performed by the United States Military Academy Band

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Author: patd

“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad." "How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

30 thoughts on “while awaiting Sunday serendipities”

  1. wiki:

    Memorial Day (or less commonly called Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering and honoring people who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces The holiday is observed on the last Monday of May. Memorial Day was previously observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970.

    Memorial Day is considered the unofficial start of the summer vacation season in the United States, while Labor Day marks its end on the first Monday of September.

    Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on Memorial Day, particularly to honor those who died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

    Two other days celebrate those who serve or have served in the U.S. military: Veterans Day, which celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans; and Armed Forces Day, a minor U.S. remembrance celebrated earlier in May, specifically honoring those currently serving in the U.S. military.

    In 2019, Memorial Day falls on May 27, 2019.

     

  2. Grass

     

     

    Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.
    Shovel them under and let me work—
                                              I am the grass; I cover all.
     
    And pile them high at Gettysburg
    And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.
    Shovel them under and let me work.
    Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:
                                              What place is this?
                                              Where are we now?
     
                                              I am the grass.
                                              Let me work.

     

  3. Shiloh: A Requiem (April, 1862)

     

     

    Skimming lightly, wheeling still,
          The swallows fly low
    Over the field in clouded days,
          The forest-field of Shiloh—
    Over the field where April rain
    Solaced the parched ones stretched in pain
    Through the pause of night
    That followed the Sunday fight
          Around the church of Shiloh—
    The church so lone, the log-built one,
    That echoed to many a parting groan
                And natural prayer
          Of dying foemen mingled there—
    Foemen at morn, but friends at eve—
          Fame or country least their care:
    (What like a bullet can undeceive!)
          But now they lie low,
    While over them the swallows skim,
          And all is hushed at Shiloh.

  5. Jamie…  enjoy your family.  Great pic of the wee one…  glad he’s making it.

    Will be with family myself at the family camp today.  Can’t wait to see 2 grand nieces I haven’t seen since Xmas.

    My friend stopped over yesterday to show me pictures of the kittens… Rick suggested we take 2…  I didn’t say no. 

  6. Thinking of all those that made the ultimate sacrifice.  Thank You!

  7. I’ve always loved the Naval Hymn. I’m a bit challenged when it comes to posting music, but here’s the lyrics. 

    Eternal Father, strong to save,
    Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, 
    Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
    Its own appointed limits keep;
    Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
    For those in peril on the sea! 
     
    O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
    And hushed their raging at Thy word,
    Who walked’st on the foaming deep,
    And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
    Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
    For those in peril on the sea!
     
    Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
    Upon the chaos dark and rude,
    And bid its angry tumult cease,
    And give, for wild confusion, peace;
    Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
    For those in peril on the sea! 
     
     O Trinity of love and power!
    Our brethren shield in danger’s hour; 
    From rock and tempest, fire and foe, 
    Protect them wheresoe’er they go;
    Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
    Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

  9. Maureen Dowd who did everything possible to destroy Hillary Clinton is now having some semblance of “oops”.

    Crazy is as Crazy Does   

    WASHINGTON — Sometimes, as the light comes in my bedroom window and I start to wake up, my mind drifts to other things.

    I think about how talented Phoebe Waller-Bridge is, with her two mordant shows, “Killing Eve” and “Fleabag.” I think about how cool it will be to see Idris Elba resume his role as a world-weary London homicide detective in “Luther.” I think about what a harrowing tale Patrick Radden Keefe has woven in “Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland.”

    But once I’m completely awake, a gravitational pull takes hold and I am once more bedeviled by our preposterous president.  … more

  11. On Memorial Day I always remember that the US has had some amazing allies through all of the battles who died or were maimed in their sacrifice.

  13. something to remember on remembrance day, a forgotten story from an old 60 minutes piece in 2003:

    Did you know that approximately 38,000 Americans in uniform are not American citizens – and that at least 10 men who have been killed in Iraq were not U.S. citizens?

    That sounds astonishing, but in fact, it’s nothing new. It’s been like that in every war the United States has fought, from Valley Forge to Vietnam.

    But, as 60 Minutes II first reported earlier this year, the heroism and sacrifice of non-citizens was barely known — until Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez died in battle in Iraq.

    He came from Guatemala, and he came to the United States illegally. Correspondent Bob Simon reports.

    We can tell you how his story ended. He was killed in a tank battle in southern Iraq on March 21.

    […]

    Jose and the nine other green card holders who died in Iraq have prompted a number of congressional proposals that would make it quicker and easier for non-citizens to become Americans when they join the military.

    Several weeks after 60 Minutes II first broadcast this story, the U.S. military revealed the cause of Gutierrez’s death. It was not from Iraqi guns, but friendly fire, from his fellow Americans.

     

  14. I think it’s odd that SFB preferred to spend Memorial Day in Japan

  16. When appearing before the  examiner, a veteran-applicant’s service has always been held in high esteem. But, it does not serve to waive mandatory qualifications except as allowed by Congress. The applicants I have met would have it no other way. For example, how can they be expected to explain the Bill of Rights to their children if they have no idea of their formative history?
    Should the brave and honourable Canadians who served on our right flank be granted U.S. citizenship? They would be insulted by the proposition.

  17. flatus
    well that’s one way to look at it.   I was thinking for all his claims to love the military–he sure shows a lot of disrespect

  18. The worst phone company in America is Frontier.   The worst.   Our phone has been out of service at least three times this year including a month is Feb and March.   They only temporarily fixed the problem last time and it is out again.  Then they lied LIED about then they were coming to fix with a lame excuse that everyone knew was a lie.       They want to bulk up their numbers and sell other services and they call landline only customers POTs  Plain old telelphone service     Well if you didn’t want to provide landline service don’t buy companies that have that as their business.  Liars, losers and incompetent.

  19. “The guy is certainly talented, and by mentioning Zeppelin I can hear similarities but it’s kinda Zep with a lesser Page.” -pogo

    It’s an homage!  (Rolls eyes)

  20. KGC – SFB hates the military, except for having shiny stars on epaulets as background to his ugly face.  He hates veterans even more.  And most of all he hates dead military.  He tried not to attend ceremonies at Arlington the last two years.  This year he got his carcass out of town.  I hope he decides to defect to NK.

  21. Didn’t mean any offense, Bink. I’ve heard “… own original take(s) on iconic artists. Stevie Ray Vaughn’s take on Hendrix, Heart’s take on Zeppelin, every icon ‘s take on the Beatles. Those come to mind. As I said, the guy is talented. I enjoyed and appreciate it, but it just doesn’t ring my chimes as a Zeppelin homage. But I don’t claim that I’m right and you’re not. Regardless I appreciate you sharing it. I’d likely never heard it otherwise. 
    Flatus, damn Skippy. Who’d want the ass at their place?  

  22. don juan to defect to nK ?  Oh no; kim will kill & eat the base turd.
    north Korean Style Bitter Chicken
    150 kg of trump, the other white (with a yellow streak down the back) meat, slow cooked in chicken broth with sesame oil, served with sesame fried and salted noodle, a horse radish dipping sauce, a large side of bitter melon and pickled turnip and red pickled ginger, plus a fine Barolo.

    Serves 300 ravenous mastiffs

  23. XR – a plop of aged, sour,kimchi too.
    A blue heron lives in the same neighborhood as the osprey here she is looking for breakfast and trying to decide if I am a threat or not. 

  24. I wonder what SFB promised Lil’ Kim to say that stuff about Biden — it’s so Trump

  25. Ms Bronc, you are so right, it needs a side of kimchee, and hotter’n hell too.
    Lovely picture of the heron, btw. Coffee table book cover quality.
     

  26. Wisdom to live by : whatever else may happen, never park under a heron. 

  28. So Lil Kim is signed up to help Trump’s election and remember the prime mininster of Japan nominated SFB for the Nobel Prize (lol)
    gee is it a surprise who SFB likes best

  29. Nah. Nah.   You’ve heard people covering those people.  This dude wrote his own original composition that could fit into their one of their albums.  Whole different thing.  All good.  Don’t wanna groove?  More groove for me.  Except music ain’t a zero-sum game, unlike capitalism. 
     
    Excuse me, while i kiss the sky.  

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