Vancouver VFW Memorial

As you walk down Columbus toward the river there is a bright mural on the overpassing railroad bridge.  Just to the right is the VFW Memorial. Comprised of three sections, it makes a quiet but clear statement. In picture form, is the history of the US military war experience starting with WWI.

extending along the embankment

There is a section with the names of the dead, the missing and those that served which is expanding by both those adding their names or emailing the info to the project maintainers.

just names, dates, service, in sharpie

There is the symbolic graveyard.

listening to chaos theory on a cold afternoon while wielding paint brushes

Expanding and updating part of the wall were a couple of diligent artists

and after touch up

Over all, it is such a simple thing – to serve so that all may have their freedom. Even those who don’t have the understanding or respect that our country deserves.

 

In other comments; on any day but Sunday it seems to be relatively easy to travel between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. When I had verified transportation options yesterday I was horrrified that it would be almost as fast to hike the 10miles between the cities as to attempt the public option. Cabs were predicted to be double the cost of Lyft.

But we made it, went walking toward the river, around the local square and enjoyed Thai food for an early supper while seeing the last of the fall trees lit up with the sunset.

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About Holly

fiber person - knitter, spinner, weaver who spent 33 years being a military officer to fund the above. And home. And family. Sewing and quilting projects are also in the stash. After living again in Heidelberg after retiring (finally) from the U.S. Army May 2011, we moved to the US ~ Dec 2015. Something about being over 65 and access to health care. It also might have had to do with finding a buyer for our house. Allegedly this will provide me a home base in the same country as our four adult children, all of whom I adore, so that I can drive them totally insane. Considerations of time to knit down the stash…(right, and if you believe that…) and spin and .... There is now actually enough time to do a bit of consulting, editing. Even more amazing - we have only one household again. As long as everyone understands that I still, 40 years into our marriage, don't do kitchens or bathrooms. For that matter, not being a golden retriever, I don't do slippers or newspapers either. I don’t miss either the military or full-time clinical practice. Limiting my public health/travel med/consulting and lecturing to “when I feel like it” has let me happily spend my pension cruising, stash enhancing (oops), arguing with the DH about where we are going to travel next and book buying. Life is good!
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