Memorial Day 2010

Pointing to the name of a friend etched on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC

Memorial Day has so many meanings and events that take place throughout the country. At cemeterys, people gather and programs are held. Parades honoring soldiers. The furniture store in town is having a sale. All in honor of the Veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice. One day, set aside. The soldiers die every day. Their relatives and friends grieve every day. Their children are parentless every day. They stand and fight every day. It is a shame that they are honored for just one day.

In the Native American community, things are a little different. Veterans are held in high esteem at all times. At each Pow Wow, a gathering of people in an extreme sense of community where drums beat, singers sing and dancers show their steps around the circle, Veterans are honored, not only at each Pow Wow, but each day of every Pow Wow. The flags are paraded into the circle and flown there. Each day starts with a flag ceremony. Veterans, both dead and alive are honored. The people prepare a feast and share this in the name of the Veterans.


Raising the flag of a deceased Veteran at the Grand Portage Pow Wow. It is said that when flags are honored in this way, the Veteran is waving his last goodbye and saying Thank You to the people

Each year, at such a Pow Wow event, I attend and try to fly the flag of a Veteran I have known that has passed. The event is the Grand Portage Rendezvous Pow Wow which takes place on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation located in the farthest reaches of Northern Minnesota, right at the Canadian border along the shores of the Great Lake Superior.

This August, I will go there with other Veterans, friends of mine, and they will help man the flag poles. We'll raise and honor two flags this year. One for my Father, Frank Spado, and one for Mrs. Spadoman's Father, Edwin Mueller. Both of our Fathers were in the service during World War II. My dad in the US Army and Barb's dad in the Marine Corps. They didn't die in battle, but they served just the same. They are Veterans.

A couple of years ago, I took the flag of a friend of mine that did die on the field of battle. His name is Frazier T. Dixon. He was in my unit, the 2nd Battalion of the 22nd Infantry Regiment, part of the 25th Infantry Division. We were called the Triple Deuce. Frazier died in battle on the night of December 6th, 1969.

I made a video of the flag raising ceremony for my friend. It is long and YouTube won't allow me to print it here. But I'll watch it today. This is how I'll remember and memorialize our Veterans this year here at Round Circle for Memorial Day. But be sure, there isn't a day that passes in the life of a Warrior that Veterans aren't remembered and battles aren't relived in our minds. They are with us forever and become part of who we are.


High school photo of my friend, Frazier T. Dixon of Clarks Hill, SC. Frazier gave the ultimate sacrifice of his life in The Republic of Vietnam, December 6, 1969

You see, once you are chosen to be a Warrior, you are a Warrior forever. Being a Warrior isn't just going off to do the bidding of society. It is staying sober, not beating your spouse, serving your community, serving the Elders and the Children, being honest and living a life where integrity means everything. Above all, a Warrior stands and is honored by the people when the people need to honor them. It's not about the Warrior, it is about service to the people.

"You've never lived until you've almost died. For those who fight for it, life has a special meaning the protected will never know."

Author Unknown

Honor your Veterans every day. For whether or not you agree with any war, whether or not you support our government and their policies, whether ot not you pray to God or not, it is a fact that Warriors fight for your freedom and are willing to die for you, even when you hate them and blame them for the wars we fight in the name of our country. They do the bidding for society, for without the approval of society, there would be no war. They have given something of themselves.

In death, they gave the ultimate, in life, they have given their souls when they have had to kill another in societies name. Those that survive carry this with them for eternity.

Peace to All

This Weeks Plans

In the 90's, hot and humid today. Thought I'd post some snow so we don't forget what it looks like.

It’s Monday. I’ve had some discussions with my 10 year old Grandson. He says the week starts on Sunday. He may be correct, but my feeling is that they call Saturday and Sunday the weekend, then Monday starts a new one. At least that’s the way I think it, and live it. So today starts another chapter in the great adventure called life.

I’ve been sick and I will go to the doctor first thing Monday morning, or at least as soon as the clinic at the VA hospital opens, that should be around 7:30 a.m. After that, I need to get things packed up for a trip to Red Cliff Indian Reservation on the South shore of the Great Lake Superior. I’m leaving early Tuesday morning and would like to be all packed and ready to depart by 6:15 a.m.

I’ll be setting up my camp space there. Tent, shade canopy with screened walls. Cooking gear with stove and lawn chairs. The event is simply to help out while a vision quest ceremony is going to be conducted. I am not going to do the vision quest myself, but my feeling is that since I will be up there as a helper and supporter, there will not be any way that I won’t be thinking about having a vision and what my friend, as a participant, will be going through.

They will spend time alone, four days, and they will fast. As a helper, I don’t have to fast, but I’ll be there alone. There are other helpers there that I’m sure I’ll have some contact with, but generally, it will be a quiet place. I plan on eating light and doing a semi-fast and try to experience some of what my friend will be going through. I was asked to be there, in the camp, as a helper and supporter. They will need help tending the fire which will be lit and kept aflame until Saturday at the conclusion of the ceremony.

Thursday brings a full moon. It will be a joy to sit at the fire overnight while the moon dances overhead. If it’s cloudy, I’ll see a brightened sky, if it’s clear, I’ll see the tips of the ripples of the beautiful powerful lake glisten in the moonlight. I’ll return late in the evening on Saturday back to my home and dismantle all the camping gear, just to get ready to pack it all up again as I leave for another trip on Friday June 4th.

I’ll tell you about that trip in a separate post. It involves motorcycles and a long journey. A journey I’ve been looking forward to for a while now. I sure hope this sick feeling goes away. But there have been other happenings here at Spadoville.

On Tuesday last, my sister drove up and spent a couple of days visiting. The purpose of her visit was to be here when my cousin, who I haven’t really seen or talked to in about 37 years, was going to be passing through my neck of the woods. When attending the funeral services for my Mother, my cousin showed up. We reconnected immediately and talked about how we’ve been spending our lives.

She tells me that a couple of times each summer, her and her husband drive up to Minnesota from their home in Central Illinois to go fishing. They rent a cabin and spend a week or two there. Of course they pass right by where I have been living for the most of the past 36 years. (We moved Up North from the Chicago area in August of 1974).

On this trip, they will call and plan on staying in a motel close by River Falls. They did so, and we got together and had dinner out, then came back to my house and looked at old photographs and some really old home movies that were put on a DVD. We had a copy of that DVD and we watched, together. We laughed and cried. We told stories back and forth. What one would forget, the other remembered. We filled in blank spots for each other with names and places and dates and events.

How cute we were. How cute we are! How fat, how skinny, how short or long our hair and how outrageous our hairstyles, (and beards and mustaches). Many shots of Grandma and Grandpa. The good old days when movie cameras were a novelty and people stood as if in a portrait and waved instead of standing still. The rabbit ears flashed over the heads of unsuspecting cousins. The laughter and the gestures of, “Go away, I don’t want you to point that thing at me.”

A wonderful evening spent with relatives. A rekindled relationship that was interrupted by raising a family and living life. We made a promise to get together again soon, and invited other cousins to be there as well. This will take place at the end of June when we have the mini cousins reunion at my sister’s place when I return from my motorcycle adventure.

I’m posting just a few pictures from that time long ago. These photos, and many more like them, were dug up when my sister started going through our Mother’s stuff. Boxes and boxes of memorabilia. These shots are of my Paternal Grandmother, my Mom and Dad when Dad served in the Army in 1943 and my Dad’s Mom and Dad with their children which are my Dad and his brothers.


Grandma with yours truly at our home in Melrose Park around 1952


My Mom and Dad, 1943. Dad in his Army uniform.


Grandma, (seated), and Grandpa, (standing on right) with Uncle Tom, (standing), Uncle Joe, (at left) and my Dad, Frank, (on right). Absent is my Aunt Angie who wasn't born yet. This makes up my Dad's family.

So that’s it. Just wanted to share that with you all. If the doctor has anything significant to tell me, I’ll let you know. I’m sure I’ll be there all day since I don’t have a scheduled appointment. It’ll be sign in and wait for triage, then, depending on the severity of the ailment, being sent to a clinic to see a doctor. I hate to tax the system, but my symptoms have been lingering on for a week and frankly, I’m a bit worried.

UPDATE: Just returned from the doctor. I felt much better this morning, but went to the doctor anyway. He concluded that I have had a virus and that it is in its last stages and all should be fine. That’s good news, and I do feel better, so, I’ll proceed as planned and leave early in the morning tomorrow.

In the meantime. Take care and be well. I’ll return over the Memorial Day weekend and pay homage to our Brothers and Sisters who serve and the families that have given the ultimate sacrifice in the loss of a loved one.

Peace to All

Shadow Shot Sunday, May 23, 2010

Many times when I travel, I bring back a piece of where I've been. This could be a T-shirt emblazoned with the logo of somewhere I've been or other such souvenir. When I search out the small town diner, and I'm successful at finding just the right place to eat, I want to remember that place, where it's at, and the food there. If they sell a coffee cup, I'd buy a couple and bring home the vessels as gifts for my daughters'.

Joe's Diner in Redondo Beach, CA is such a place. I found the place to be a great spot for breakfast and return there often on visits to the beach cities in Southern California. Their coffee mug, pictured here, is the subject of today's Shadow Shot Sunday. By the way, Shadow Shot Sunday is the creation by Tracy, of the Hey Harriet blog. Check out many fine Shadow Shots at her place and find the guidelines for participation.

Lately, I've been having a few problems drinking coffee in the morning. These days, I find myself starting off the day with a cup of tea. Aside from the obvious blasphemous indications of using a coffee mug as a teacup, I grab whatever porcelin offering is next in line when the kettle starts to boil. This particular day it was the Joe's Diner mug. I opened the tea bag, placed it in the mug and proceeded to pour in the water. I set the mug down on the counter to steep. The sun had just started playing around with shadows in the kitchen, so I grabbed the camera and took a few shots. Today's offering is the result.



I haven't been to Joe's since last July, and I don't have plans to return to Southern California this year, so a trip to Joe's for breakfast will have to wait for the future. At least I can grab the mug and drink in a few memories from one of my sojourns there. Oh, the food. Yes, it's greasy spoon to say the least. And I like to think of the waitresses as Hash House Queens. High fat laden food is not good for you, I know, but then again, I don't eat there, or at any other diner serving the same fare, often enough to clog my arteries. I'm at worse risk from the cross country drive.

Peace to all

I'll Be Back to Normal Soon

It's been a busy one around here folks. I haven't had time to blink! Out of town guests, appointments, commitments to friends and service to group members, remodeling, getting ready for two trips where one starts right when the other ends, takin'
care of the Grandkids going and coming from school and all while having a sore throat, ear ache, runny nose, headache and laryngitis!

Bear with me as I get organized. I do have a couple of stories to write and some interesting things to show and tell you all about before I take off next Tuesday morning for a six day camping trip. I want to show pictures and tell you about the pottery I bought from my potter friend up in Washburn, WI, (near Ashland where we used to live). I also am excited about catching up big time with family members that I haven't talked to in almost 40 years!

Hope everyone is doing good. I appreciate all the comments and views to my blog postings since last weekend. I'll get around to some visits to your place soon. I promise. In the meantime, take care and be well.

Peace to All

Ruby Tuesday 05/18/2010

The other day, I was talking about the blogs and what I’ve been up to lately. Grand daughter number six was nearby, coloring on scrap paper that we keep in a pile for those occasions. There always seems to be markers, colored pencils and crayons in a wicker basket and piles of card stock or plain white paper around. It is common, at the kitchen table here at Spadoville, that the kids place the basket on the table and grab handfuls of paper and just start making pictures.

When I mentioned Ruby Tuesday, and explained the simple format of a picture with the color red in it, Gracie must have heard me. She started drawing a picture, and she used red marker. I grabbed the camera and took a photo of her Ruby Red creation. That is my submission this week. Plain and simplistic, straight and to the point. Talk about it being red and there it is, in red.

What or who is it in this beautifully drawn masterpiece? I don’t know. Gracie doesn’t either. At least that’s what she tells me. Maybe it had a name or subject when it was first created, but now, just use your imagination. I like to call it, “Papa in Red Checked Shirt”.

Mary T/The Teach started this meme. You can go to her blog “Work of the Poet” to find out more about Ruby Tuesday, or HERE to find out how to participate. You can also find links there to other bloggers who post fabulous Ruby Red photos on Tuesdays.

Peace to All

Shadow Shot Sunday, May 16, 2010

This weeks Shadow Shot is simply these creases on the mountainside. To me, this could be a T-shirt tossed at the foot of the washing machine and the folds naturally falling where they may. I'm not sure of the name of this particular place, but it is found a few miles North of Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico off a local gravel road.



If you'd like to view more Shadow Shots, go seeHey Harriet blog. Tracy started this fine meme. HERE are the guidelines for participation.

Peace to All

Only the Good Friday, May 14, 2010

It's a little hard for me to be really upbeat and positive today. This uncapped oil fountain in the Gulf of Mexico has me sobbing for the Sacred Earth Mother. And the renewed interest in immigration laws and all the hatred that seems to be coming out of everywhere also has me a bit on edge. But I'll do my best. In fact, I do know where I can go and get a more positive outlook on things.

I know a couple of bloggers that always put a positive spin on things. Neither of them try to find the silver lining or act as if nothing bad is going on. They just put forth positive thoughts, "Good" thoughts, and let the reader decide whether or not to use them to make getting through the day drudgery or ecstasy, (or maybe someplace in between).

The first blog I want to mention is Beth's Blog. On my side bar I label it as Beth's Liberal Readers Digest. She posts interesting recipes, news stories, jokes, tips on just about everything that might help save money and pieces that can steer the reader towards saving the environment.

Interspersed on her pages are sayings, quotes and uplifting phrases, some written by famous people, some from a more obscure source, but all "Good", positive and carrying the ability to raise your spirits and self esteem. I'm listing her blog as "Good" for any day of the week, and I'm mentioning it to tell you about something "Good" for this Only the Good Friday post.

By the way, my friend Shelly at This Eclectic Life Blog is the originator for Only the Good Friday. Take a peek at her blog and look around. Her's is "Good" every day as well, and her idea to only post "Good" things on Friday is a "Good" one in its own rite. If you go there today, it will look like Shelly is taking a break from organizing this Good on Friday meme. But I feel it is such a "Good" thing to do, at least one day of the week, that I'll continue to post "Good" things on Fridays when I have the time. Things are getting busy as the warmer weather approaches. I can understand setting a few things aside during Summertime.

Another place I go for pure positive thoughts and tips on positive thinking, (both "Good" by the way), is Mel's Dream. Mel has these Fairies that remind us of the thoughts that run through our heads and helps us to keep ourselves of a healthy mind. The Fairy Thought of the Day, The Quote of the Week, Things That Make Me Happy and The Fairy Reading are all giving us wisdom when we read them. People who stop by and comment and constantly thank the Fairies for the reminders. I know it has saved me from Stinkin' Thinkin' about my own situation a time or two.

Mel does write about her own life here and there. She teaches us how to let it out and gather it back in and get through the things that life throws at us on a daily basis. And Beth gives us a choice on whether or not we want to read the news and feel crappy about it, or turn your outlook into a positive view. It's all "Good".

Pay a visit to these two blogs. Go there for a few days in a row and you'll see what I mean. They are diligent and change the posts pretty much daily. I believe them to be a positive force in my life and the lives of the readers who take the time to read the positive thoughts and teachings and put them to play in their own lives, and that is very "Good" to have something positive to draw from.

Excuse me, I have to go listen to the Fairies. They might have something "Good" to say.

Peace to All