Who says it can’t be done?
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The Truce of God
Decoration Day
Sleep, comrades, sleep and rest
On this Field of the Grounded Arms,
Where foes no more molest,
Nor sentry’s shot alarms!Ye have slept on the ground before,
And started to your feet
At the cannon’s sudden roar,
Or the drum’s redoubling beat.But in this camp of Death
No sound your slumber breaks;
Here is no fevered breath,
No wound that bleeds and aches.All is repose and peace,
Untrampled lies the sod;
The shouts of battle cease,
It is the Truce of God!Rest, comrades, rest and sleep!
The thoughts of men shall be
As sentinels to keep
Your rest from danger free.Your silent tents of green
We deck with fragrant flowers
Yours has the suffering been,
The memory shall be ours.– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Remembering those who’ve died for America and freedom, with thanksgiving.
Praying for those who are fighting now, and for their families who wait at home.
Praying for God’s wisdom, blessing and guidance for America.
Filed under What's Going On?
Dismal Swamp Ride and Zebra Swallowtail Butterflies
Memorial Day Weekend offered a beautiful Saturday – perfect for loading the bikes and driving to the Dismal Swamp Trail. We needed to fit in one more 10 mile bike ride to meet the requirements for GraceNotes’s AHG Bicycling Badge. This trail is flat road, formerly Rt. 17, and runs about 8 miles alongside the Dismal Swamp Canal. So, we planned to go 5 miles or so, and then turn around and head back. We had a great time! There was a wonderful breeze almost the whole time we were riding. A flotilla of immense fluffy white cumulus clouds held back the heat while allowing for occasional glimpses of bright blue sky. The trees that border the trail and the Dismal Swamp Canal kept us close to or in the cooling shade.
We saw a few Black Snakes (nothing venomous), a very busy Dung Beetle (who knew!?) , and heard a Bob White calling, but couldn’t find him! GN and I took a break on one of many benches along the canal and noticed a great many unfamiliar blue-striped butterflies fluttering about the clover. I managed to grab a few photos with my phone. Today, I looked them up in my Butterflies of North America and discovered they are Zebra Swallowtail Butterflies. The caterpillars require PawPaw trees, which are abundant in the Dismal Swamp region. The Pawpaw fruit is a favorite of raccoons and bears which may be why we saw a sign with instructions for bear sitings!
The Great Dismal Swamp Park has even more to offer, so we will go back again soon!
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Filed under Exploring AHG Badges, What's Going On?
