Family Memories and Horseshoe Crabs

They look like army helmets. Our family beach retreat in Prime Hook Beach, Delaware, is the breeding ground -- one of the few in the world -- for horseshoe crabs.

They don't pinch, bite or bother you. The spear-like tail and rigid shell hurts your feet when you stumble upon the crab in the Delaware Bay surf.

Evolving from the Paleozoic Era -- 540 to 248 million years ago-- these crabs closely resemble the spiders and scorpions species. They roamed the earth with the dinosaurs.

A few years ago I made a collage of my family members in the shape of the beach mascot -- the horseshoe crab.

They have survived many storms throughout the years. They deserve a tribute.

The True Meaning of Memorial Day

My Aunt Bern sent me these wonderful reminders of what Memorial Day really means --it's not all about hot dogs and hamburgers --even though the grub brings us together to remember these heroes.  Read on:
      
          MEMORIAL  DAY

         Keep it
moving, please,  even if you've seen it before.

It is the 
VETERAN, 
not the  preacher, 
who has given us freedom of  religion.


It is
the VETERAN, 
not the campus organizer,
who has given  us freedom to assemble.

It is 
the  VETERAN, 
not the lawyer,
who has given us the  right to a fair trial.

It is
the VETERAN, 
not the politician,
Who  has given us the right to vote. 






It is  the 
VETERAN who
salutes the  Flag, 


 






It is
the 
VETERAN
who serves
under the  Flag, 

ETERNAL 
REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL  LIGHT SHINE UPON
THEM. 




We can be very
proud of our young men and  women in the service no matter where they serve.  
   
    
              Makes you  proud to be an  AMERICAN!!!!!   
      
   
      
 

Alaska is Humongous

Alaska Superimposed over the Continental United States

We miss our daughter who is living in Alaska while serving in the U.S. Air Force.  We started considering a trip  to visit her in the 49th state. It is surprising to see how massive this state is on the map.

The Frontier State is only 73 hrs 58 mins / 4350.04 miles away from our home in Virginia.  We think we'll fly.

Some interesting facts about Alaska:

- contains 586,000 square miles of land.

- It is one-fifth the size of the lower 48 states

- 488 times larger than Rhode Island

- two and a half times larger than Texas

- larger than the next three largest states in the U.S. combined

We are anxious to visit with our special tour guide.  A summer trip would be the best time to visit.  Especially since in 2012, Anchorage achieved its snowiest winter on record with 134.5 inches.  The average seasonal snowfall there is 74.5 inches.  April begins the big thaw!

Very Buried Cars





 

Local Honey May Help Sniffles

Oh Bee-have!  I never thought I would find myself going to a Bee Farm in Cottageville, SC for a weekend outing. Visiting family in the area prompted a hunt to entertain my two year old grandson.  He was fascinated as the the insects put on a great show -- behind a glass wall!   

The busy bees were creating art.  Talented little buggers. If you look closely, you will start to itch.  That's right hundreds of honey bees are buzzing through that glass creating a so-called wonder drug for allergies called honey.

The bee keeper pushed his product noting that local honey will only cure local allergies.  If you are stuffy in Virginia; buy honey from a local Virginia bee farm.  If you suffer from allergies, have you tried local honey?   Did it help with the symptoms?