Honoring Veterans' Day at Home and Beyond

Today, in honor of Veteran's Day, I'm posting this entry. As most of you know, "Veterans Day is an official United States holiday that honors people who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, also known as veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. It coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark the anniversary of the end of World War I (major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect). The United States also originally observed Armistice Day; it then evolved into the current Veterans Day holiday in 1954."*
This means the current naming of Veterans' Day was sixty years ago today. Unfortunately the number of veterans continues to grow as war has not ceased.
And in honor of those who have served in the war many brownstones in Manhattan hang an American flag in solidarity such and an example of this can be seen in the image below.
[*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Day]
Homes on Fire Island, and the captain of the boat to travel there, will probably remember too.


This can be seen in the pictures below, featuring American flags hanging in the aforementioned places. The pictures were taken on a trip (summer 2014) that I made to Kismet, a town on Fire Island.
Kismet is where The Fire Island Lighthouse** (seen in photo below) is located.


[**http://www.fireislandlighthouse.com]
My image of The Fire Island Lighthouse was featured on TLLG's FB Page in honor of National Lighthouse Day this past August. ***


I have been to The Fire Island Lighthouse on a number of occasions, climbing 182 stairs to the top.


[***https://www.facebook.com/TheLastLeafGardener/posts/698336630215713]
Stair climbing is not foreign to me, as there are seventy stairs leading from the door of my apartment to the building's entrance, and I go up and down them on a number of occasions on a daily basis.


However, this past Thursday (11-6-I4), I had to descend those seventy stairs in the building where I live, via my rear-end!


This was because I had had surgery my right eye on the prior day, and needed to return to the hospital to have the bandages removed from that eye.


Since I only have vision in my right eye, the eye that was operated on, I wasn't able to navigate well with my left eye; and even though I had an escort to the hospital, I opted descend my stairs, sitting down. I was truly afraid I would pull my companion down with me and was glad he could tell me where the edges of the stairs were!****


If anyone out there in cyber-land finds themselves in a similar situation, I would recommend wearing cycling pants as they are padded. This is something I did not think of doing, but can now offer the suggestion to others.


In any event, I probably could not descend The Fire Island Lighthouse stairs on my behind and am most thankful to have had the opportunity to do this task on a few occasions in the"proper" manner.


I was rewarded for my Fire Island Lighthouse accomplishment with a number of awesome views, including ones featuring American flags sporting flags.


[****https://www.facebook.com/TheLastLeafGardener/photos/a.355589574490422.73015.247917655257615/734376486611727/?type=1]
And I was also rewarded warm staff, including Christine, David Griese, Harold (and terrific guide), and "Damn-It" Janet who filled out my certificate of accomplishment, using her one of her accomplishments: handwriting!
Today, in honor of Veteran's Day, The Fire Island Lighthouse is honoring Veterans Day by allowing veterans to "climb the tower for free...on Veteran's Day!"


And they state that "At the Fire Island Lighthouse, we celebrate and thank you all for your service."


I hope that veterans fortunate enough to have the mobility to climb the stairs, can avail themselves of this opportunity, but, it would be worth going to The Fire Island Lighthouse even without climbing for there are also historical and attractions on the grounds!


[*****https://www.facebook.com/FireIslandLH/photos/a.137375912941758.22541.129090787103604/930131736999501/?type=1]


However, for those who cannot go to The Fire Island Lighthouse or hang an American flag outside their home, there are always whimsical patriotic figurines, such as those which visit my succulent garden and my armoire to honor this special day. They can be seen in the next five images.


You might recognize their faces from my previous posts on HT.******


[****** http://www.hometalk.com/diy/craft/holiday-crafts/july-4th-ambiance-in-the-indoor-garden-4014633 AND http://www.hometalk.com/diy/veterans-day-honor-it-in-your-home-with-a-cast-of-characters-2509908]
While these patriotic figurines may remind one of our beloved veterans, a few of my figurines, who were visiting for Halloween told me that they too, can be a reminder of honoring veterans.


These include three folks dressed as characters from the Wizard of Oz. They can be seen below in a photo you may recognize rom one of my recent HT entries.*******


[*******http://www.hometalk.com/diy/decorate/rooms/honoring-national-pumpkin-day-with-a-contest-in-my-garden-5383671]
Here's the connection between these Oz characters and honoring vets:


While it's true that the Tin Man wanted a heart; and it's true that the Scare Crow wanted a brain; and it's true that the lion wanted courage; all of them would agree with Dorothy: there is no place like home, a sentiment, I'm sure those who served in the armed forces experienced when serving our country in distant places, far from their home.


Thank you again, dear veterans, for all you endured and continue to endure as a result of your service to our country.
TheLastLeafGardener
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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