Pots and Pins

Seattle to Sacramento to Seattle - Part Two...

Part One left off with the mister and I arriving back to Sacramento for our friend's open house... I'm going to post about that event separately because there is just SO much to show and tell!  Today though, I want to tell you about our trip home...

 

 

 

 

 

After three jammed -packed days in California it was time to leave.  Sunday morning we packed up the rig and hit the road at 8:00 a.m.  After a few stops (Corning, the Olive Capital of California, where we bought everything olive; then Redding, where I had a quick 20 minute reunion with my cousin, then Shasta where we stopped for lunch!) and half a day's drive, we made it to the turn off for Crater Lake...two hours off the highway, through winding forest, with me whining about how far it was and why did we need to see another lake...and then we arrived.  Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the country - and, arguably, the most beautiful.  I was once again eating my words, in between utterances of how magnificent the scenery was...actually, I was almost speechless - the view was breath-taking!  It was worth the drive - and then some.  

From the top of the rim we could look down on the lake - about a 1,000 feet below - the water a constant icy blue - and it's about 38 degrees!  That's Wizard Island, we were told you can take a small boat over to explore - we didn't do that - I opted to explore the gift shop and Lodge instead.

 

 

 

 

 

It was a bit breezy and cold walking along the rim of the ancient volcano - we made our way down to the Interpretative Center, a walk through learning center with spectacular views...I interpreted all I could in about 3 minutes...I was on information overload.

 

 

 

 

 

STAY ON TRAIL...there was no where to go but down!  And there were signs everywhere that said "Falling can cause serious injury!"  Duh.  A very cute trolley operates between the Lodge and the rim and it passed by us just as the mister bent down to pick up a few rocks for his collection, a no-no in a national park, you're not supposed to take anything!  He quickly dropped them...I think he collects rocks because he has them in his head...

 

If you haven't been to Crater Lake, GO!  It's worth the trip!  The entire trip from I-5 to Crater Lake and back added 5 hours...so we didn't get home until 1:30 in the morning...bleary-eyed and exhausted but all in all, it was a very fun trip.  The picture below is the beautiful valley just below the north side of the rim, it was covered with little red-leafed plants, making it look like a red carpet.  The mister suggested we take more road trips...I don't know how many more words of mine I can eat...so we'll see!

Seattle to Sacramento to Seattle - Part One...

Months ago the mister and I decided we would drive to Sacramento to visit friends and attend their son's wedding open house (this was long before I said I would never get in the car with the mister again)...plans were made, end of story, or so I thought.  Last month the mister tells me there is NO way he can leave Global Headquarters and take off work for a road trip...the economy of Western Washington depends on him!  I immediately booked a flight, end of story...um, not so fast... One WEEK ago, after I had vowed to never ride anywhere with the mister again, he said, "You know, if we leave Thursday, I could go with you and we could drive!"  And that was the beginning.  I realized that if he drove me to California I could load up the rig with all kinds of wedding stuff for my friend...making it worth risking my life and sanity, knowing full well that every bodily function would be challenged along the way.  Our trip began with a promise from the mister that he would not throw tantrums behind the wheel or engage in any road rage antics, and ended four days later with me, choking on my words, eating crow, as the mister drove like Miss Daisy herself was in the car.  And...we actually had FUN!

   

 

 

 

 

Do you remember the original Willy Wonka movie?  The candy store owner told the children about Wonka's newest creation, the Scrumpdiddlyumptious Bar, and their eyes got huge and they began to drool...well, Fabric Depot in Portland, our first stop on our way to Sacramento, was my Scrumpdiddlyumptious Bar!  Fabric Depot is a warehouse of fabric/notions...crack for creative creatures...and everything is 40% off with NO sales tax!  I had 15 minutes, that's all the mister would allow - but it was enough to grab a 30-yard roll of batting and 10 yards of fabric...with time to spare!

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped in Medford, Oregon where I went a bit crazy in the flagship store of Harry and David... along with fabulous fresh fruit, jams and jellies, they have a fun assortment of gifts, (or crap as the mister would say).  The pumpkin display out front made me anxious for Fall to arrive - especially since it was about 95 degrees in Medford!  The drive down I-5 was really quite pretty - either rolling landscapes or forest - and then out of nowhere Mt. Shasta appeared! 

 

You Only Live Once...I'm sure that's what the little town of Yolo, CA is named for, right?  After driving for 14 hours (we did stop a lot) we finally arrived in Sacramento - actually Rocklin.  Friday morning we we went to The Hilton's Home...very much like the Hilton Hotel where we stayed...lots of amenities!  The mister dropped me off - he returned to the hotel pretending to work but I'm sure the warm weather and sparkling blue water of the pool screamed out to him!  I had a great time helping with wedding stuff, doing the flowers and catching up with my dear friend from 7th grade!

 

 

Saturday, after a few more wedding details were wrapped up, the mister and I headed for Lake Tahoe - up and over Donner Pass, where I fought the urge to gnaw off the mister's foot.  (Joking about Donner Pass is in very poor taste, right?  Oops, there I go again - putting my foot in my mouth!)  Pictured above left is Donner Lake...above right is Lake Tahoe.  We had a lovely lunch at Captain John's on the water - the crystal blue water...it was breath-takingly-beautiful!

 

 

 

 

 

It was SO chillaxin' just watching the boats and the clouds float by...tick-tock-tick-tock...we had to be back in Sacramento for the open house, as we headed back to the car the mister said, 'Let's go back the other way so I can see Squaw Valley, it's on my bucket list!"  Since when?!?  What do you think it is...a valley filled with Indian Squaws waiting for an Indian Chief to come and save them??  (The mister is a quarter Cherokee, and he does think of himself as a Chief so I suppose that is a plausible explanation for why he would want to go there, as he offered up nothing better!) 

Squaw Valley was home of the 1960 Winter Olympics...and it should be on everyone's bucket list!  Once again, I ate my words.  It is beautiful - we practically ran through the resort/village to see as much of it as we could - I can only imagine how wonderful it must be in winter - snow piled high for hard-bodied skiers with tanned faces to schuss their way down the mountain into the lodge where they sit by the fire sipping hot cocoa while wiping creamy foam from their staches...sorry, I digress.  It was worth going out of our way to see.

 

 

 

 

 

(This is the valley - a short distance from the resort/village - the entire valley is surrounded by mountains...it's pretty spectacular.)  We raced down the mountain and made it back to our friends home for their open house, which I'll tell you about in my next post as this one is already way too long!

What I did in Bandon...

When The Boy said he wanted to drive 10 hours to play golf, I just didn't get it!  He belongs to a very nice club and with his TaylorMade job he is able to play most of the private golf courses whenever he wants - for free...so why drive 10 hours just to play golf?!?  And even when he showed me pictures of the course I didn't get it...but on the last day in Bandon, I went and walked the course with him while he played...and then I got it!  The views are stunning...the Pacific on one side and grassy dunes on the other.  I could watch the golfers, the ocean, the seaguls flying above or the deer roaming the course - it was a little slice of paradise...and sometimes a hook or a shank!  It was great fun watching The Boy play, he's quite a good golfer, shot an 82 on Pacific, not too shabby!  And he liked having his own personal cheering section...although I'm not sure how the three other golfers and two caddies in his group appreciated  having me tag along...you see, a golf course is like the ultimate Man Cave...Men are free to swear, scratch, spit and throw tantrums all in the name of sport...and having a gal on the course kind of hampered that a bit.  One guy, after throwing his club and letting loose with a few choice words, looked at me and apologized...it was then I knew I needed to head back to the club house so the boys could be boys...and really, after walking 9 holes on a very hilly course, I was ready to put my feet up and have lunch. 

While The Boy golfed each day, I stayed at the motel and "worked"...it was the most fun I've had in a very long time!  Along with beach-combing, shopping in the little village, stuffing my face with the freshest seafood, I managed to get a few things done...

 

This is my sister's birthday present.  Her birthday was last week but when she sees this I don't think she'll have minded the wait...I have a flying geese border to add and then it will be done.  I ran out of fabric so it had to wait until I got home...I made this with my French fabric scraps because my sister's son was going to spend two years in France and I thought she'd like a French quilt...however, there have been some "technical difficulties" with his trip so now my sister will have a French quilt to remind her of her son who will be downstairs. 

This quilt is a copy of the one we made for American Hero Quilts - I liked it so much I wanted one for myself...just one little change...I embroidered a phrase across the top - which didn't get done because I ran out of thread...do you detect a theme??

This WILL be finished by July 4th...I'll need it to line my wagon for the big parade!  I'm going to pull Caesar Beezer the Wonder Dog in the wagon this year - looking like a sad-pathetic-loser...wait, make that sad-pathetic-PATRIOTIC-loser...there, that's better!

This red and white half-square-triangle quilt was sewn together with blocks made by my quilt group.  I received 9 blocks from those lovely ladies about 6 months ago...so this quilt is right on schedule!  I spent one afternoon sewing up the other blocks and then put this together - even though the beach was calling I wanted to get this one done!  I'm not sure if I want to add a border or not...still thinking on that.  UPDATE:  Jeanne's comment about whether I meant to put the block, in the upper right corner in that way...you know, intentionally...well, if you know me at all then you know I did not mean to do that...but it is SO me...and Jeanne, thanks for pointing out what should have been obvious every time I looked at that quilt...I didn't see the mistake until you told me about it...so thanks...oh how I love "unsewing!")

The quilt above was not something I made.  Finishing up three tops was enough work for me...oh, I also sewed together 10 new patio cushion covers for my friend...see - I really was busy!  But since I was showing quilt, I thought I'd show one more...the quilt above was sewn together by Marsha.  It's made with orphaned blocks from our quilt group and she had one heckova time putting this together as most of the blocks were NOT the same size!  Way to go Marsha!!  It looks great!  This quilt top will be donated to AHQ next month.

 

We got home late last night...it was a very long drive back, especially since we sat in Portland traffic for TWO hours thanks to TWO wrecks!  However, we had stopped once again at VooDoo Donuts (in Eugene) so at least we had something good to eat while we were parked on I-5!   This time we again got the VooDoo Doll donut...so good...the chocolate glaze is really more of a frosting.  The orange donut?  It's called a Mango-TANG-o...it's filled with mango cream and TANG is sprinkled on top...it's a bit of a pucker but so good!  Of course, we also loaded up on their #1 seller...the Maple Bacon Donut...you haven't lived until you've had one of these...I do believe this donut single-handedly keeps Oregon Cardiologists in business. 

As always it's good to be home.  The Boy and I have taken quite a few road trips together over the years but this was probably our last one - just us two - kind of sad, really...but I suppose I had to grow up sometime!  Today is The Boy's birthday and I've got to say, I'm pretty dang proud of that kid...he grew up to be the kind of man I always hoped he'd be...he's just about perfect that one.  

Happy Birthday to The Boy!!

Bandon - Day Three...

I'm back in business!  My laptop charger was in The Boy's Jeep...and today is looking great...The Boy has already left to play 36 holes...it's windy but at least it's not raining.  I spent the last two hours walking on the beach - gathering treasures.  I was hoping to find some crap that had washed ashore from Japan but the beaches were almost pristine - no crap anywhere! 

I shall put the treasures I did find into the huge jar I have that holds my other beach finds...I found some great driftwood but it was too heavy for me to get back up the cliff...I'll have to get The Boy to help!  Taking driftwood from beaches is okay, right? 

 

 The tide was out so and I had the beach to myself...I was very careful and didn't walk too close to the water lest a homicidal shark were to propel itself from the deep to feast on me...you never know, stranger things have happened! 

I was alone on the beach for about an hour and then I caught up with a couple of older folks out for a walk - they were very nice and we walked and chatted for a while - they live here year round, and they pointed out their house to me - it was up on the cliff and they way they were walking I wondered how they would ever make it back up there!  They both carried little plastic bags as they were "treasure collectors", too!

I tried to make friends with a seagull - it was very vocal and didn't want me getting too close to the crab it had...there were several of these driftwood "houses" on the beach that the local kids make...inside there were plenty of empty beer bottles...kids will be kids!  The boy took the other picture of one of the holes at Bandon Dunes Golf course...he said all four courses at Bandon Dunes are along the coast and he said they are very challenging courses as most  links-style courses are - hilly, tree-less, lots of sand and none of the courses allow carts.  The Boy said he thought he walked at least 6 miles yesterday - I'll find out just how hilly and beautiful it is myself because tomorrow I'm going to go watch him play and walk the course. 

That means I have just one more day of sewing by the sea!  So I'd better get back at it...lunch is in less than an hour - I have to stay on schedule...I'm going to have another order of the best Fish Tacos I've had in a long, long time... and then I'll stroll around the little town over to the ice cream shop...by the time I get back to the motel it will be nap time. Vacations can be so tiring...which leaves so little time for sewing!

 

Road Trip With The Boy...

Riding shot-gun, navigating, sight-seeing, doing hand-work, munching on junk food...how could that NOT be fun?!?  Well-ell-hell...do things ever go as planned?!?  We left sunny Seattle for Bandon, Oregon...The Boy and Map Quest said it would be a six hour drive...they both lied. 

Bandon, Oregon is the home of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort...which is where The Boy has dreamed of playing...I talked my way into riding along because I pictured a scenic drive down the coast with stops at antique and quilt shops, farmers markets and visiting little seaside towns...yes, I was delusional. 

Traffic was a nightmare - but once we got past the Tacoma Dome we started to make good time...did you know Tacoma smells?  Some days it's not as bad as others, it's the paper mills in the city, you would think trees/paper wouldn't stink but as we drove through the city it was gaggingly awful!  The Boy informed me that the Tacoma Dome is the world's largest wooden dome...I have no idea if that's true or not...and I didn't want to look it up either because the city smells, so they might as well lay claim to the world's largest dome...I can give them that!

Our first stop was Portland's Stepping Stone Cafe so The Boy could finish off a plate of 12-inch diameter pancakes...the "short stack."  He heard about this place on Man vs. Food...and the food was great (I had their grilled cheese with a cup of tomato-gorgonzola soup...very tasty) but I felt very out of place without any tattoos or body piercings.  Maybe next time I'll go prepared with a rub-on tattoo.  As The Boy said, the only thing  wrong with Portland is they don't spay and/or neuter their hippies.  My apologies to any hippies lacking a sense of humor.

We also stopped at the block-long-world-famous-Powell Books...I could have spent all day in that fabulous book store!  But having The Boy with me was like having a chihuahua nipping at my heels...I was only allowed about 20 minutes! 

Portland is a beautiful city - it's known as the City of Roses and as we walked around we saw roses everywhere - and they smelled heavenly...so much better than Tacoma!  I love Portland's Pearl District - wonderful shopping and restaurants and no trip to Portland is complete without a stop at VooDoo Donuts or Fabric Depot!! 

After killing more time than we had planned in Portland, The Boy was hell-bent on getting to Bandon without stopping again...so much for doing antique and quilt shops!  As the hours rolled on...we realized that there was NO way we'd make it to our destination in six hours...we left the house at 9:30 am and arrived in Bandon at 8:45 pm...11 hours!!!  And there was no scenic beach driving either...I-5 South to Eugene...then we headed West to the Coast only Highway 101 doesn't really follow the coast - it's inland about 2 miles so we were driving on windy, two-lane roads where the speed limit was about 30 mph and we were often stuck behind logging trucks, semis, trailers...at times we could have walked faster! 

Once we made it to Bandon, which is not the end of the earth but you can see if from here...we checked into the Sunset Motel...which is really quite lovely!  We have beach access as we are on a cliff over looking the beach...and the scenery is amazing!  Huge boulders dot the coast - the tide was out when we arrived so we were able to walk the beach and enjoy the sunset. 

The Boy will golf, I will write/paint/sew and catch up on email...and walk the beach hoping to find a few treasures along the way...I'm somewhat of a shell/driftwood freak...we all have our crosses to bear!

Update:  We woke this morning to rain...cold, drizzly, windy...The Boy left to play golf and I went for a walk... I returned soaking wet and freezing only to discover I had locked myself out of the room...thankfully the maid took pity on me...and then things went downhill from there...I realized I had left my cell and laptop chargers at home and will  be off the grid in less than two hours!   I also burned my thumb quite badly and scorched my shirt because I cannot wear a wrinkly shirt in a motel while I do nothing...and I left my camera at home but I brought the charger for that!  These pics are with my cell phone...which is now dead...things are going great! 

Favorite Halloween Recipes...

When it's over, it's over...no more strolling along the Champs-Elysees, no more pain-au-chocolat for breakfast, no more sitting street-side watching French people with cigarettes and dogs parade past like they're on Louis Vuitton's runway, no more jambon and fromage baguettes or freshly baked croissants so light and flaky they brought tears of joy to my eyes!  I've seen enough Monet's, Van Goghs and Picasso's to know the difference.  I've seen mind-blowing-beautiful statues and sculptures that had me asking how did they do that 400 years ago without computers and tools?!?  And I've seen enough gargoyles to scar my psyche for years to come.  We have been in so many cathedrals in the last few weeks, lighting candles at a Euro a piece, you would think we'd have halo's over our heads and last Saturday night's lottery winnings in the bank!  I'm not going to tell you about about French cheese - frommage - because I would get all verklempt - suffice it to say I would gladly suffer through another 20 hour travel day just to eat another plate of cheese (and while I'm on the topic, I am convinced that Ex-lax's success is directly related to the French and their cheese!)  And I won't mention the traffic...except to say it is nothing short of miraculous that there are not bodies strewn along the streets of Paris from the way they drive...Parisiennes on motorcycles...death-defying-driving-du-jour!

 

The French are famous for being rude, but I have to tell you, the only rude French people we encountered were United Airline employees...but I think that's a job requirement for United.  We were greeted warmly everywhere we went, with the Euro in the dumpster the French were all too happy to take our money.  And we could not spend our $$$ fast enough...we took tours, dined at great restaurants, and shopped like VISA was our middle name, loading our suitcases with enough trinkets to ensure paying a "HEAVY BAGGAGE" fee!

 

From Paris to the beaches of Normandy to Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Marseille, Nice, and Monaco...so much to love! And I do love France...and French People.  I've got French ancestors, on my dad's side, and gastronomically speaking, I am 100% French...I've yet to meet a Cassoulet I didn't adore.  But that seems to be where my French DNA ends, at my stomach; I certainly did not inherit the scarf-tying-gene.  When in France, if you don't wear a scarf you might as well be naked.  And if you do wear a scarf, you'd better know how to tie it!  Believe you me, I took my daily scarf-tying very seriously, and after weeks of scrupulous observations, I finally figured it out...you'll never see my neck again!

 

Now, since I'm still a bit jet-lagged and I have piles of laundry screaming my name, I'm going to give you my all-time favorite Halloween recipes, my tried-n-trues, that will please whatever ghoul or goblin comes your way:

Yummy-Mummy Pizza

Monster-Toes and Ghoul-Fingers

Severed Fingers

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Witches Brew/Swamp Juice

Dead-man Over Worms  (This is my only claim to fame...my "award-winning" meatloaf that got me on Emeril Live...yes, if you want I'll send you an autographed picture for free...kidding, I'll have to charge!)

 

Finding Inspiration....

Make sure you visit Sew We Quilt right after reading this so you can enter the great GIVEAWAYS!!!  There is only one week of amazing giveaways left - and I don't want you to miss out!  Madame Samm has saved the BEST for LAST!!  So click HERE to go and see and enter to WIN! 

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Where do you find ideas for your quilts?  From books?  Magazines?  Friend's quilts?   The seasons?  Inspiration can come from the most unlikely of places, as I recently discovered when the mister and I were in France...yes, France!!  As in across the pond, home of the Eiffel, The Louvre and croissants with chocolat inside!!! 

When I wasn't stuffin my face with thick, rich cream sauces and brightly colored macarons, I was finding the most interesting patterns for quilts in the most interesting places!! 

When visited Normandy, France, we stopped at the American Cemetary which was an unforgettable place - both sad and beautiful.  I saw this wall and immediately thought what a great quilt this design would make!  I plan to make a quilt like this for the mister, to remember our visit to Normandy and to honor his service as a Marine - I think he'll like it. 

This very heavy iron and gold-leaf door, on a bank building in Paris would make a beautiful quilt, no?  Appliqued circles onto squares - not a new idea, but I like the two-tone look of this door and a two-tone quilt kind of speaks to me.

I'm certainly not crazy enough to make a quilt like this - but I know some of you are!  This is just a small part of the pattern in the floor in the grand Opera House in Paris...one beautiful mosaic after another - one beautiful quilt maybe? 

Now there's a quilt pattern I just might make - simple is as simple does!  This is also part of the marble floor in the Paris Opera House...perhaps the Phantom himself walked over it?!  Speaking of walking, how DO those French women walk in those high heels on cobblestone streets?!?  It's fascinating!  We quickly picked up the national past-time in France, people watching at street-side cafes, and not once did we see a French woman twist her ankle, stub her toe or fall flat on her face - not that we wanted one to, it's just if I was walking in high heels on cobblestone people would think I was part of Cirque du Soliel - I'd be flying/flaying all over the place!

Isn't this in-laid-wood floor a great design?  I can't remember where I saw this but haven't we all seen a quilt pattern like this before?  Alas, there is not enough time in the world for me to make a quilt like this (or enough drugs!)  I do know some quilters, however, who would think nothing of making a quilt like this - and a king-size quilt, too!

Aah yes, the simple nine-patch - now we're talking my language!  I found this beautiful little pattern on the ceiling in our hotel lobby.  It's amazing what you'll see on ceilings - so keep looking up!  Looking for inspriration in every day things and places is not a new idea, but if you begin to look at things with quilt patterns in mind, you'll see them in a whole new light! 

Another ceiling, this one is in a little Boulangerie/Patisserie in the left Bank of Paris, they had the BEST croissants!  This design is simple yet stunning, or as my mom's friend likes to say, simple but smart. 

We have had a great time in France - but like all good things, it had to come to an end.  We'll be landing back in the US soon - and while we loved France, we'll be glad to be home - as Dorothy said while clicking her heels, "There's no place like home!"

Be sure to visit Sew We Quilt today - I'm guest posting there and you NEED to go and enter the great GIVEAWAY!!!  This is the LAST week of giveaways - it's been such a fun ride!!  I don't want you to miss out on a chance to win something wonderful - I know Madame Samm has saved the best for last!!  Go!  Read!  Enter!  Win!!!

Bonjour! Bonjour!

The mister and I have been living it up on the French Riviera...each day, under the Mediterranean sun, we have done three things:  Walk, shop and eat!  And not necessarily in that order!  We had to buy an additional piece of luggage to haul all of our treasures home...including the rocks the mister likes to pick up in his travels!  Take a look at the view we had of the harbor in Nice, France - atop Castle Hill without a castle!  I wonder who that yacht belongs to?!? 

Here's a view of the playground of the rich and richer - Cap-Ferrat - you don't need a passport to gain entry, just the right amount $$$ in your bank account!  Needless to say, we did not go there as they don't allow riff-raff!

The beaches of Nice are rocky - no sand anywhere - and much to the mister's dismay, he only saw one topless sunbather - and she was twice his age and weight!  The temp has been a bit cool to be on the beach - and the water is freezing - but that didn't stop people from taking a dip!

 

 

 

 

That's a shot of "Blockhead," a giant sculpture/office building in the heart of Nice - it looks very out of place amid the old buildings and apparently the people of Nice used to hate it, but now they have embraced it as the "eye-sore of the city!"  The mister enjoyed a giant bowl of mussels - a local favorite that is served at almost every restaurant - they are cooked in cream with fresh parsley - and are quite good!  At the morning market we found zillions of stalls selling every kind of olive you could want...we did are fare share and ate as many as we could!

 

 

The French do love their dogs - they take them everywhere - on trains and inside restaurants!  Poor Ceasar-Beezer!!  He only gets to see the drive-thru of McDonalds!  Okay, that's all for now - apparently it's time to eat again!  Ooh-laa-laa!!!  I should have packed some elastic-waisted pants!!  Au voir!

If It's Friday We Must Be In Paris!

We're a bit jet-lagged and bleary-eyed but Paris seems to have it's own energy - walking around the streets we soon forget about the 14 hour flight, 3 hours of sleep and the inedible offerings from United...it was all worth it.

For my first Parisian feast, I opted for, what else, but French Onion Soup...

First stop today, buy bandaids for my dogs...how DO those French women do it?!?  High heels on cobblestones!   More to come...

9/11 Flag Tribute...

It was pretty amazing and heart-breaking, to see the nearly 3,000 American Flags as carefully placed as  white crosses in a military cemetary - lined up for blocks and blocks - families walking between them, stopping to read the names on each flag - one for every person who was killed.
Rain clouds threatened overhead and the wind made the Flags fly almost straight...thinking about that September day, those lives lost, all of those Flags flying...flying proud.  Still.  
This was Sandy, Utah's way of remembering -  The Healing Field of Flags - it was impressive and humbling.
I'm grateful to live in this country, grateful to be an American.  I may forget a lot of things, but I'll never forget that September day.  God Bless America.