Who Remembers "If You've Got it, Flaunt it" ?

48 years ago today, at approximately 1:00 EST Duane C. Bowen gave the ultimate sacrifice when he was killed on the battlefields of Vietnam. My husband, Ralph William Cromer who was one of his closest friends, his brother in war, myself, and our family never forget you Duane. You fondly went by the name of Billy, as you thought so much of my Bill, and believe me when I say, these men who fight together in war, have a bond like no other brothers anywhere. I thank my husband, and his brothers and sister who fought as well for our freedoms. 

Paul Hanson, Glenn R O'leary, John Cadogan, Johnny Nguyen, Fred Dudenhoeffer, Mike Blackburn, Joe Vernengo, Joseph Horton, William Bedal, Wade Britt, Raymond "Doc" Lyons, and to you as well Angie Kevin Goodman. Special thanks to Sgt. Kirby Hunter, and Thomas Dennis "Doc" Joyce, may you RIP. THANK YOU for everything. 

I send my best heart felt wishes to all who have served, who continue to serve this country, and to your families. May God Bless you and God Bless the United States of America~

From the age of eleven, I knew that I wanted to be an airline stewardess/hostess.  Travel, serving others was in my blood. Four companies interviewed me, but the bright colours and friendliness of the people at Braniff International fit me the best.  My class was known as the Apollo Angels, based in Dallas, Texas. Emilio Pucci of Florence, Italy was the clothing designer for the airlines and I absolutely adored the look.  From October of 1968 through March of 1970, I flew over 180 flights.  Only after my boyfriend at the time had returned from his years tour in Vietnam, and we wed, did I leave my dream position.

The saying "If you've got it, flaunt it" was picked up and often used by the people of Braniff International Airlines~

Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slideshow presentation after                                                                you have read the narratives~

I am joining in the fun with Eileen at:

http://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/

Saturday's Critter

Anni at:

http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com/ 

I'd Rather Be Birdin'

 Linking to I'd Rather B Birdin'

    

Maggie's  MOSAIC MONDAY

                                              https://normandylife.blogspot.com/

& 

Stewart for:

http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/

Wild Bird Wednesday

This is the only uniform piece that remains in my closet, though the scarf is not the original, but one that a dear friend got for me and I am using it to highlight the dress.

The uniform pieces go for hundreds of dollars as collector items today~

Some of the other Braniff International Airline uniform selections that were designed by Emilio Pucci~

Dogwood and Bleeding Heart blossoms~

A Carolina Wren nest in our garage and a Chickadee nest filled with little eggs out in one of our nest boxes~

Not the same Red-Shouldered Hawk nest that is followed near our home, but rather the one near the Bald Eagle nest site~

I just liked this tree, rusty fence row and old screen door~

An American Kestrel a few weeks ago on my walk across the new Lewis and Clark Bridge~

This pair of Red-Shouldered Hawks have evidently lost their nest like the ones near my home for they were in full "dating" mode ;) last week.  It is going to be another late nest~

A pair of Wood Ducks happened to stop by the Bald Eagle nest site and both perched for several minutes on the Eagles favorite perching tree, and then .... Mrs. Eagle showed up and the Ducks flew away~

A couple of Wild Turkey hens making their way across the front porch of the estate mansion at the Bald Eagle site... They made me giggle~

My husby was lining the nesting platform that he built with starter branches last week.  The birds may never try these platforms, but we have to try~

After a few days it had begun to do it's thing and dry out~

On one of my country lane drives~

A pair of Red-Tailed Hawks make their nest every year in a tree out in a cow pasture along one of the main country lanes I take to and from town. This is really stretching my camera lens a bit over it's capability.  Images are taken from my car window, as there is no place to pull off ~

Feeding little white downed young ones~

Getting bigger ;)

The adult female watching over her resting young ones~

Young one just about ready to leave the nest~

Such beautiful eyes this White-tailed Deer shows us on our ride~

Some of the familiar horses that I pass out in the fields on the route from our home into the big city~

Why hello there...hahaha! A Goat stands upon it's shed one early morning~

The first Pileated Woodpecker image was taken through the windscreen/windshield last Saturday, and the second Pileated Woodpecker seen a few miles away was taken from my rolled down window~

I heard the local Red-Shouldered Hawk a couple of hours before dusk the other evening and I took a walk down the lane to see what was going on.  It was too deep in the woods, but I could tell that the American Crows must have been mobbing, or at least harassing it.  Standing there listening and not being able to see anything, suddenly two eyes caught my own...it was a Raccoon resting up in a tree near me.  It is also the very reason that I pend the trees when a nest is located, for they will rob every nest that is not closed off from their reach.

Have a Very Wonderful, Blessed, Safe and Happy Weekend~

My First Walk Across the Lewis & Clark Bridge~

Louisville, Kentucky, home of the Kentucky Derby.  

Saturday will be the 143 rd running and once more, I shall not be in attendance.  I want so much to go, but to be able to have a nice seat and attend with my three daughters.  This has been a life long dream and one that I so hope will happen very soon, for I am not getting any younger.  

As a teenager I went one time to what they call the infield and that is for the younger generation, a little too wild for my liking.  A few years ago I attended the Kentucky Oaks which happens the Friday before  the Derby and it was great fun, but it was not the big one ;)  

The image above and another similar one below are the skyline of my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky~

Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slideshow presentation after                                                                you have read the narratives~

I am joining in the fun with Eileen at:

http://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/

Saturday's Critter

Anni at:

http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com/ 

I'd Rather Be Birdin'

 Linking to I'd Rather B Birdin'

    

Maggie's  MOSAIC MONDAY

                                              https://normandylife.blogspot.com/

& 

Stewart for:

http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/

Wild Bird Wednesday

Two of the older bridges that connect Louisville, KY to Indiana~

This past December 18 th our new bridge opened. 
The Lewis & Clark Bridge connects Prospect Kentucky to Southern Indiana and it is gorgeous!  We watched it being built a few days a week for the past couple of years.  My daughter and I drove across it for the first time last month and this past weekend I decided that I was going to walk across it for the first time.  It is right at 5 miles and from what I was told, I was just under that distance as storm clouds began to form quickly and I turned around to get back to my car just as drizzle opened up into a full blown down pour.  This was the farthest that I have walked since my knee surgery a year ago this month ending~

Of course the Kentucky Derby showcases our Thoroughbreds, but Kentucky is horse country of all kinds and several live very near me.  I take the back lanes as I drive to and from Louisville and here are some of the friends that I see often along the journey~

These are hard working, sweet tempered Draft Horses of different breeds as well as a mix of a few others and all are gelded stallions~

Speaking of the Kentucky Derby and Thoroughbred race horses...my twin grandsons also ran races the other day.  They are on the track team at their school and had a meet which included four different races and they had a fun time.  Their mother, my oldest daughter Hillary and I enjoyed every minute and look at their smiles...love them~

On one of my rides into town a Wild Turkey hen flew across the lane and then ran back across in front of me to get access up into the field to the right...We are seeing a lot of this these days as they are in breeding season~

I just liked this image of a cow crossing a creek~

When I was a child, my parents would drive us through Sleepy Hollow and as a young woman we would often times visit some of the horse farms out in this direction.  Now I use the road to get to many places that I run errands to and from.  There is a privately owned large parcel of land with a waterfall and after the recent soaking rains it was flowing heavily.  The land also has lots of beautiful naturalized wildflowers and on this day the Lupines and a few scattered Bluebells were in full bloom.  It was magnificent, though I did admittedly trespass to get these images.  Shhh...~

Back home at Tingsgrove we have birds nesting everywhere.  Below is an American Robin, and another nest being built by yet an unknown species as they are sneaky. The Carolina Wrens are on their second clutch of the season already and while they were working on a nest inside our garage and placing this one in a box on a shelf...the first was their usual, actual nest box also inside the garage.  It was kind of sweet as the fully fledged first clutch were wanting to be inside and still have meals brought in as their parents were busy getting ready for clutch two.  They had to take turns to usher them further back into the garden and then would get back to the nest building.  They are now in brooding mode~

Above, bottom right, is one of the young ones that just fledged the week before~

Philadelphia Fleabane and Wild Mustard growing on the back of our property~

After taking my walk on the bridge last weekend and driving home, I spotted a lone juvenile Double Crested Cormorant, obviously missing it's group on it's migration course...I had to stop and get a few snaps and kind of felt for it a bit too, hoping it has caught up with it's own kind~

To everyone, I wish you well and for those who can, enjoy watching, or attending, or even reading about the famed Kentucky Derby.  I will be watching most of the activities on our local television.

Have a great week and I enjoyed catching up with many of you the past couple of weeks.  Take care and be blessed~

Here is a Silver Moon just for you!

Moon symbolism in Native American tribes (Navajo, Eskimo, Pueblo come to mind), ... found in their teachings wherein the moon is a facet of silver~