Doolittle Raiders Honored

I read this morning that a ceremony commemorating the Doolittle Raid conducted during World War II was conducted on November 9th in advance of Veterans Day at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Three of the four surviving raiders were present at the wreath laying ceremony. That caused me to pause and remember the heroic actions of those brave men who raised the sagging spirits of a nation that had just suffered through Pearl Harbor and been thrust into the middle of the World War. 

It was April 18, 1942, just four short months after Pearl Harbor, when 16 B-25 bombers launched in heavy seas from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to lead the US back from defeat and into the war. There is a great website, The Doolittle Raid, which provides a lot of history about the mission. But I also found another website which shows the actual video footage of the bombers launching from the deck of the carrier in rough seas and provides a better view that this mission was no cake walk. The bombers launching from the deck of the USS Hornet look like they are only slowly gaining speed and altitude and could fall form the sky at any moment.

As we cruise into Veteran's Day 2013, it is important to remember the sacrifices of our military members who struggled and died to secure the freedoms that many take for granted.

Thank you Doolittle Raiders, and every veteran as we honor you tomorrow!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Heavy Frost this Morning

It is cold but clear and bright as dawn breaks this morning. My sister noted my unpreparedness for winter in a Facebook post yesterday which made me laugh. 

The cartoon was even more true as I was looking to find some shoes to put on to take Makayla for a walk this morning because of the heavy frost which was coating the grass.

And now another fantastic piece of news--there is snow in the forecast for the coming week.

Just laugh--summer is coming again, of that I am sure.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Loss of a mini-ecosystem

I helped my son tear down his salt water fish tank last evening. He is moving and possibly taking a new position in his company and there just isn't time for the salt water tank anymore. There were only three fish remaining, two clown fish and one yellow tang.

We took 110 pounds of live rock and the three fish to a local fish store to be resold and recycled. That made me happy, although I did consider that the home that these fish have known for the past over five years was being destroyed. 

But then I got thinking about the rest of the mini-ecosystem that we were destroying. All of the microbes and smaller bugs, plants, and animals living in the water, on the rocks, and in the sand. 

Wow--in less than a couple of hours we destroyed the habitat of millions of creatures. And when the day started thay had no idea how their lives would end.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, Md

Things I Saw On TV That I wish I Hadn't

Television brings a lot of things into our homes. Some of it funny. Some sad. Some interesting and newsworthy and some of it useless.  

Sometimes it brings in seemingly important things with an incredible "ick factor." I find items of this nature are usually associated with gender specific commercials. We have seen and gotten used to the many gender specific commercials for women oriented items, but now they are beginning to focus on the men and some of our unique issues and problems. 

Frankly, I wish they would stop trying to make a buck by airing ads for gender specific stuff, the ads are really disingenuous and often paint an unreal expectation of life and relationships. 

But one commercial on Sunday really caught my attention and ire. I have it below. 

A commercial for prostrate exams. Seriously! Sure these exams are important, but, or is that butt, on TV? Yes it is an important topic, but really?

How could I possibly top that? Well consider the commercials for ED aired during football games. It isn't funny that they run so many of those commercials  during sports events, especially NFL games which is a slap in the face to the guys they are trying to sell the products to? Just think about what the commercials are telling us guys: "look at these big studs, how about you?"

Maybe some of this stuff should be better left unaired. Or better yet--maybe we should just be turning the TV off more to keep this junk out of our homes.

Just saying. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Dinner on The Porch

November Dinner--An Autumn Offering

I was reflecting upon the beginning of the month, and I remembered that on last Friday, November 1st, the temperatures were so mild that Chris and I celebrated the beginning of the weekend by eating dinner on the deck. Yes, it was that warm and clear. A great day.

At that time we noticed that the trees had really dropped most of their leaves in two short days. From peak color to no color in 24 hours. Autumn is progressing at an incredibly rapid pace. 

The seasons, in general, seem to be flying by at an ever increasing pace. It is almost hard to keep up with them. The food we are eating has also begin to transition. More creamy soups and harvest dishes like apples and squash. 

I guess we are hunkering down for the winter season which is too rapidly approaching. 

Dinner on the back deck was a treat--the moderate temperatures and the fire pit provided a special atmosphere to reflect upon the week that flew by too fast.

I am going to work in darkness and now coming home with the darkness as well as the daylight winds down towards the winter solstice. I wish it would come and be over.

But a nice dinner on the deck was a reminder of the good times past and the adventures yet to come. Maybe it helped that we were discussing our summer plans.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD 

Season of the turkey

House Turkey

It is here. That short season of relative sanity between Halloween and Christmas--the Season of the Turkey. 

The season of Thanksgiving. The season of joy and realizing the gifts and blessings that we have been given. 

We have decorated our house with the mascot of the season--Elmer, the Turkey!

Elmer is the name my family has always given to our Thanksgiving bird. Tradition has it that it is the name of an old boyfriend from long ago--and that the relationship didn't work out because, well, he was a turkey. I really don't know if that is a true story or not, but it sure sounds like a keeper.

The topper over our entryway says it all about this season: "Let us give Thanks."

This is a good time of the year to pause and remember all of the things for which we should be thankful.

Thanksgiving Door Topper

I'm not going to tell you all of them here, but I urge you to pause, whatever your situation, and realize that there are things for which you should be thankful. Basic things like a warm bed in a dry room to sleep in to the extravagant things like three wild grandsons who always make me smile and laugh at their exuberance for life. 

And so, the season of the turkey precedes the season of the excess. Enjoy the respite before life gets out of control.

BTW--did I say that I love turkeys? 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - November 4, 2013

1. The brilliant colors of the leaves on the trees are fading as they fall to the ground leaving bare branches behind. 

2. The World Series ended last week with Boston as the champion. We are now into the in-between days when baseball is played in our memories waiting for its rebirth in just three short month as Spring Training commences. 

3. The leaves are piling up on the lawn and I need to remove them, again. Funny how they fall so far from the trees. 

4. It got dark very early last evening. Daylight savings time has truly ended.

5. We, as a people and a society, need to be aware that forces both in the United States and around the world are trying to cripple us and how we defend ourselves from terrorism and anarchy. 

6. As darkness falls earlier each evening, I want to curl up and go to sleep earlier except that since I can't sleep any longer I get up earlier in the morning, which makes me want to go to sleep earlier in the evening. It is a vicious circle.

7. Why are all of the interesting movies released at the same time? There are many movies I want to see and I'm already two behind.

8. A hard freeze is expected this morning. The temperature is 30 degrees and falling in the predawn darkness. The dark season is beginning with a freeze to leave no doubt.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Soccer on an Idyllic Autumn Morning

Ethan in the Game

The day started cool, in the 40's, but soon warmed into the high 60's. The sun was bright and warm illuminating the colorful leaves on the trees. The sky was clear and blue, in the morning making a perfect day for outdoor sports. 

Soccer was the game of the day. It was Ethan's final game of the season. Ethan, wearing his favorite quarterback's number 10, was leading the charge against the undefeated opponents. The team performed admirably until midway through the fourth period when the other team unleashed their secret weapon who scored three quick goals to win the game 4-2. 

Ethan Playing the Ball

It was warm on the soccer field. I had taken a jacket, but did not need to wear it. We have been experiencing some beautiful days as autumn begins the inevitable slide into winter. 

I was chatting with someone who suggested that the colors of autumn were more beautiful than the spring, but I reminded them that summer follows spring and that the darkness and desolation of winter follows autumn. We laughed.

Tonight, we are expecting our first real freeze of the season with temperatures into the 20's. The fine weather may be over.

And, alas, with the cold weather comes the realization that the soccer season is now behind us and ahead lies basketball! Another day another sport.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Ender's Game - Review

Disclaimer: I have never read the books that were the basis of the movie and therefore I cannot comment on whether the movie accurately represents the story or not. 

The trailers for Ender's Game intrigued me. They suggested a complex story set in a future time when the existence of the planet was at stake and the best and brightest called upon to defend civilization were our children. I decided that I wanted to see this movie on opening day because it had been a while since I had treated myself to being some of the first to see a new release.

The movie did not disappoint. It should be a blockbuster, but the difficult story and the mania surrounding the personal views of the writer, Orson Scott Card, will likely keep many people from viewing the movie. Asa Butterfield as Ender Wiggin and Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff created the intriguing interplay between characters that movies demand to be successful. The story is complex and the character development sufficiently detailed to make the ending of the movie not only plausible, but necessary.

The story follows Ender Wiggin, the hero, a newly recruited member of a battle school designed to train young people to prepare to war with a deadly alien force that 50 years ago almost destroyed Earth. Ender finds himself often alienated and must overcome incredible pressure from seemingly every person he meets. The development of his life and family relationship is provided in sufficient detail to understand the basis of Ender's unique personality. Colonel Graff is the driving force and authoritarian leader who recognizes Ender's genius and trains and motivates him. This is no Karate Kid mentoring relationship. This is a difficult and hard, extreme military relationship in which there is no tolerance for failure.

The movie is fast paced and filled with action. There are only a few moments where I felt that I could reflect upon the story as it was unfolding and prepare for the coming action. The imagery is compelling and at times beautiful.

RECOMMENDATION: If you like SCI FI, see this movie. The movie contains violence--the premise of the movie revolves around warfare and training for a major military campaign. Probably not suitable for the under 12 group due to the complex story and the violence, although the violence is not too graphic.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Hand of the Painter

Autumn colors have finally arrived in the Baltimore area. I noticed them this afternoon. The leaves on the trees are finally beginning to change and approach peak color. It has been a long, slow, tortuous autumn.

The hand of the painter was at last evident in the trees and the hills. 

I noticed the vibrance of the colors even though the day was foggy, cloudy, and gray. 

The painter of the universe was evident in the intricate colors which are adorning the trees and bushes. 

Although I am not a fan of autumn, I enjoy the colors and the leaves--right up until they need to be removed from my lawn. What a mess!

But, they are beautiful.

And bright!

And they remind me of the glory of the season before the leaves depart from their homes and become piles on my lawn and in the woods.

Next up? Bare trees, cold temperatures and snow.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD