Scenic Sunday ~ November 14, 2010

I love this photo. I took it from my hotel balcony in downtown Vancouver. I think it almost looks like a painting.

For more Scenic Sundays, click here.

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day.  It's easy to remember the time we are to take time to remember; that is, the eleventh day of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour, or November 11th at 11:00 a.m.

I am so grateful to the veterans that fought and died and those who fought and lived to tell the tale. They will forever have a place of gratitude and remembrance in my heart. Let us never forget their sacrifices.

When I was in grade school, our school used to broadcast a program over the public address system every Remembrance Day.  Our teacher would place a cross at the front of the classroom. On top of the cross she would place a soldier's helmet and some poppies.  She would read from soldier's war journals to give us a sense of what the soldiers were dealing with on the battlefield.  The principal would play a narration of the famous poem by John McCrae for the entire school and we would all stand in our respective classrooms for a minute of silence and the playing of the bugle call.  I believe the bugle call played was  "Taps" though am not 100% certain.

The poem "In Flanders Fields" has always touched me. I am sharing it with you now in the hopes it touches you too. Right now there are many on the battlefields. Let us remember them and those that have gone before so that we can live in a free land.

In Flanders Fields

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Photo info: Poppies on the Downs at Winton, near Alfriston by Rosie Hibbs, from http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/pictures/poppies.htm