zygo cactus …

… starting to bloom. No one told it that today is the second day of November, and it should not have buds to start opening until at least a month or six weeks from now. There are actually two: relocated from southeast Tennessee to north Georgia about four weeks ago. Healthy plants that have been sitting in a east facing window, getting morning sun but otherwise mostly ignored except for an occasional drink. The plants are native to rainforest environments: love humidity in the way that an orchid or fern will thrive when living in a place that gets a lot of rainfall, continually damp and the air itself feels saturated with moisture.

There are several different varieties, blooming at different times of the year: commonly known as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus. Although the plants are not actually a member of the cactus family – that plant often found in arid or desert-like environments – the name is likely associated with the fleshy quality of the stems and leaves. As do many of the plants that live in arid locations, with much porous sand that will not hold moisture and generally infertile soil, the succulents seem to thrive in such inhospitable circumstances. With little rainfall, the zygo plants store water like other succulents found in dry desert-like climates, though they are native to the high-humidity, super-moist environment of the rain forests of central and south America.

There are at least two dozen buds on the ends of the segments, looking like they want to open in the next few days. Oddly: the buds appear to be on only one side of the plant, with practically none on the side that is not facing the bight sunlight streaming in the window.

In my limited experience: it seems like most indoor plants tend to thrive when they are planted in containers with good drainage. Both of the zygo I can see from where I sit: in recycled plastic pots, tucked inside other ceramic planters that are water tight. The water poured into the soil around the thriving zygo can soak in, and any excess will drain out through the holes in the bottom of that inexpensive container with multiple holes in the bottom to avoid having the soil/roots sitting in too much moisture. The water can be poured off later, or left in the base of the ceramic container, where it can remain to create a moist environment, without damaging roots that will not thrive if sitting in water.

The top photo, with one white bloom, was taken about five days ago. Lots of buds maturing, in various stages of ‘getting ready’. Hopefully they will hang on, and gradually open over the coming days – but there have been times that some of those will just drop off – possibly due to a change in humidity, light source, someone turning the plant 1/4 turn like I try to do each week when watering. Meaning that the indoor plants, dependent on a human to water them and provide optimum growing conditions, would get a complete one-hundred turn-around in the course of four weeks/a month. Provided, of course, that human care-giver was doing a good job.

Who knows? Also: who knows why or how they can be so temperamental? There have been times when they would start the process of putting on buds, then drop most of them before they could mature enough to open… who knows?

traveling, part 7 …

… to New Orleans for a day at the National WW II Museum. A temporary exhibit that appears to have occupied space designed for rotating shows. Where the previous exhibit might have been the one recently disassembled about Women and the roles they played in the service and on the home front. Where thousands of females stepped into jobs previously held by men who were called up for active duty. The women jumped into assembly lines building ships, airplanes, munitions in factories, uniforms – materiel necessary to feed and arm the men who went to war.

The current exhibit consisted of details of one man’s life as well as dozens of original preserved, framed, hand-drawn cartoons by noted illustrator Bill Mauldin. An newspaper editorial artist embedded with the troops across Europe who sent his work back to the US. Raised in Arizona, trained in art school, Mauldin joined a National Guard unit, was almost immediately activated after going into the Guard, deployed to the European Theater with his fellow Guardsmen.

In time, he developed the cartoon characters of Joe and Willie, disillusioned infantry men in muddy boots and ragged uniforms, foxhole buddies who shared their insights and realities of life in the trenches with fellow soldiers. The illustrations were initially printed in the ‘Stars and Stripes’, eventually appearing in papers across the US, shared with readers on the home front. Years later, post-war, his cartoons and other illustrations were copyrighted and submitted for syndication, viewed in publications from coast to coast.

Mauldin was born in 1921, won a Pulitzer Prize for his work at age 22. Many of his cartoons, depicting the hardships of life in the foxhole, bad food and slogging through miserable weather were published in the “Stars and Stripes”, the newspaper. printed and published for the Infantry. Gen. Patton was very critical of his work, thinking it degrading and insulting to the Army, but Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Eisenhower overrode Patton’s orders and allowed Mauldin to continue his style of commentary through the pair of grubby soldiers.

After the war he continued his work as an editorial cartoonist, and campaigned for congress, but did not win. Mauldin died in 2003, complications of memory impairment and health problems, but continued to illustrate and draw political cartoons for most of his life. When a worker was questioned about the many framed illustrations hanging in the gallery, he insisted the Museum would not display reproductions, and that the dozens of cartoons and associated memorabilia articles were originals and authentic.

This illustration is one of the ones by Mauldin that won a Pulitzer for his work. Published after the Kennedy assassination.

remembering …

… all those who have served in the military. A rag-tag marching band showed up to play about twenty minutes for the entertainment of anyone who wanted to go out and listen. The group of musicians is called the ‘Feed and Seed Abdominal Band’. Not exactly precisely exclusively senior citizens – but it is obvious they have not been marching on the football field for half-time shows in quite awhile. It is possible the group never assembles to practice together, just getting a request to show up at a particular location and time – sort of ‘come if you can’ invitation. Resulting in any of those two dozen appearing at the designated time and place with musical instrument to perform.

It was mostly patriotic music, with the occasion for coming together out on the sidewalk to amuse attendees being Veteran’s Day celebrating. Some of those sitting out there on the breezy overcast day were veterans, but an equal number appearing just for the entertainment value of live music. The musicians: dressed to the nines. From trombone player who had on a kilt, to their leader who was wearing a sequined gold skirt, bright red uniform jacket and candy-striped tights. Dancers in frilly skirts, and one person in a colorful dress who was twirling batons to the music.

Drummers, a tuba player, trombone-ists, clarinets, and someone playing a cow-bell. Saxophone player, flutes, clarinets – all probably people who were part of a high-school band, and still enjoy being musical.

The lights on the bell of the tuba change colors!

This baton twirling is a skill you cannot do without practicing. She was pretty good!

In addition to maybe about two dozen musicians,there were half-dozen of the dancers,just flapping around, dancing to entertain themselves and onlookers.

11.11.26 …

… is an internationally recognized date that is more than just a reason for federal buildings and banks to have a day off rom work. Posting explanatory notices on the door about why they are not open for business. Identifying that fact that this is the day in history when the document was signed to end the conflict in Europe of World War One. Meant to be the definitive statement or agreement that a misery=inducing event of this maginture would never happen again.

The original agreement was signed in 1918, well over one hundred years ago. It took place in Compingne, France, indicating that the conflict between Germany and the Allied Forces would cease. Many European nations refer to the day as ‘Armistice Day’, observing two minutes of silence at 11:00 am. Meant to represent that gunfire has ended, and peace will prevail. The red poppy, worn by many is a nod to the poem ‘In Flanders Field’ by John McRae, who was a member of the Canadian forces as well as a surgeon.

In June of 1914, if you were paying attention in World History class, you will recall that Archduke Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were killed by the political faction known as The Black Hand.This started a chain of events that eventually let to the conflict. Various countries in Europe got involved, and the political turmoil became a war that affected most of the continent. The convoluted complicated series of alliances that followed included Britain getting involved when Belgium’s’ choice for neutrality was ignored as more countries choose to active troops.

The author of the poem was a Canadian citizen, who penned the lines after the death of his friend and army compatriot was killed in Belgium. The reference to Flanders is an area in western Belgium where much of the war took place, ultimately a million lives were lost in the conflict. At the time of the battles, the fields were blooming with wild poppies, which became a symbol of the horrific experience of lives lost, blood shed, price of men’s pride in waging war.

traveling, part 6 …

… in the roomette, on the Amtrak ‘Crescent’ from Atlanta, GA to New Orleans, Louisiana. Departing ATL at 9:08am, and arriving in NO after dark around ten o’clock, having done nothing all day long but sit, read, get fed pre-fab meals from the dining services. Probably actually prepared by the same people who do the contract catering for one of the major airlines flying out of Hartsfield-Jackson airport around the clock, around the globe. Delivered by a very friendly employee/steward? to the tiny roomette we had reserved that was barely big enough for two adults to stand at the same time.

We had questions, he had good answers as he had been on the job, working for the Amtrak system for nearly two decades, taking the train from NO to NYC and back every four days. Based in Louisiana, he gets on the train expecting to travel for up to twelve hours to get to Atlanta, then continue on up the Atlantic seaboard through Washington and on to New York. This is a four day job: with the crew working four on/four off before they start back on the same route again.

End of this particular route is NYC, where the company provides housing, and the crew has about a twenty hour lay-over before they get back on the train to return to New Orleans for a four day break before doing it all over again. Other routes will vary with the length of time and distance from one end to the other. Taking orders for meals from travelers, who have a pre-printed menu of options: breakfast, lunch,dinner, and delivering the meals (in take out containers bagged by room number on each side of the aisle by the person in the dining car who sorts and packages). Nicely appointed dining car: linen table cloths and bud vases with fresh flowers on each table. The workers/hosts?/porters? have some cleaning chores, as most railcars have two tiny rest rooms, and a shower in each car. They are required to have the rooms in their assigned car ready to roll for the next shift/steward to just climb the steps, welcome riders.

The plan was to get on board, find seating and enjoy the scenery: looking out the windows as we traveled the rails from north central Georgia to the bottom of the ‘boot’ arriving in New Orleans to stay for two nights and then return to Atlanta. The day in=between devoted to touring the exhibits at the National World War II Museum, located within a couple of blocks of the Mississippi River. Expanded over the years to nearly fill two city blocks, with some permanent displays focused on either European campaign or the story of island jumping in the Pacific war battling entrenched Japanese forces. Also several temporary/long term but not permanent exhibits – one currently displaying dozens of preserved, original cartoons by noted illustrator and war correspondent Bill Mauldin, creator of infantrymen Willie and Joe.

This is wahat that tiny space looks like with both beds made up for overnight travel. Only room for one person to step inside the room and climb into a bed at the time.

This is one of two sleeping places found in each roomette, after it has been made ready. There are these straps that keep sleepers from falling out.

A tiny little fold-out table for food, dining up against the window between the two seats. People sitting on each side fill find their knees nearly touching, shuffling to make room for everyone’s feet. Not unbearable, but gets cramped after twelve hours – a trip down the narrow hallway to the rest room is a relief in more ways than one….

It seems quite possible that the train we traveled on for nearly twenty-four hours from Atlanta to New Orleans and back again does not actually any of the rails we were traveling on. And equally possible that the rail companies that DO own the different sections receive payment for other trains using their tracks. Not sure how it works, as the part where someone is responsible for keeping up with who, how long in both time and miles, how many cars, how frequently that competing business makes use of ‘your’ tracks is far to convoluted for the average human. I cannot imagine how anyone, without benefit of some type logistical plotting or algorithm or computer program designed to hold a mountain of information could manage the challenge.

traveling, part 5 …

… on the passenger train across the southeastern corridor from Atlanta to New Orleans, Louisiana. Basically on what might be considered a ‘lark’ or joy riding – but not like getting on your bicycle to go to the store for a Snickers or PayDay bar. Which is the sort of excursion a teenager might take on allowance day, just because you can, right?

There is a senset the scope of the project has grown over the years, expanding in size and quality/number of exhibits, both permanent and rotating.

With a running conversation about taking a jaunt on a train, and interest in things of a historical nature, the decision was made to combine the two: ride the Amtrak to NO, LA and spend a day at the WW II Museum. Reading details of Dr. Google, supplied by questionable AI sources. The Museum opened in 2000, started as uniforms, journals, letters found in attics, newspaper clippings, military paraphernalia, medals belonging to older veterans.

Many items donated, becoming part of a growing collection, accumulated by noted author Stephen Ambrose, and fellow historian Dr. Nick Muller, with encouragement by President Eisenhower. Apparently Ambrose was a young, ambitions college teacher, who approached the then President about helping to organize his personal papers, with the possible idea of accessing for Ambrose to assemble the documents in some fashion for later study/use. Reportedly Eisenhower expressed his desire to recognize the service men and women who were part of that ‘Greatest Generation’ – individuals who returned from active service to families, jobs, ordinary life after their experiences in Europe and the Pacific.

Eisenhower showered much praise on the man who is credited the development of the landing craft seen in the black and white snapshots and grainy video films. Those photos were displayed on the screens as the doors opened, where visitors viewed the decades-old film. Images of the first wave of military poured out in shoulder deep water on the beach of Normandy.

Known as the ‘Higgins boat’, it was built in a ship yard on the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans. A product of Higgins Industries, with the official military designation: LC,V,P (landing craft, vehicle, personnel) designed by the ship-building company of industrialist Andrew Higgins. Eisenhower believed that the landing on the beaches of France would not have been successful, without the boats transporting troops across the English channel, literally altering the course of world history.

traveling, part 4 …

… to Louisiana, viewing a special exhibit at the WW II museum, relating the history of the USS New Orleans, as it was involved in the fight against Japan in the Pacific Theater. Two films available for visitors to view (for a fee, after paying admittance): one narrated by Tom Hanks about WW II in Europe and the Pacific, and the other movie about the history of the USS New Orleans. Apparently the designation of the ships’ name can be reused as older vessels are retired, as there is more than one ship that has been given the title over the decades.

Starting with the Navy in WWII, when the Japanese blew into Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands and decimated the Pacific Fleet, sent from the California coast to the mid-Pacific,. The current version of the USS New Orleans is a San Antonio class vessel designed to transport Marines for fast deployment, shipping vehicles as well as logistical support. It is actually the fourth ship to be christened under this name, and was built in New Orleans at the Avondale shipyard, now known as the Avondale Global Gateway (at one time the largest employer in the state of Louisiana.)

The first USS New Orleans: severely damaged by a Japanese torpedo that literally destroyed the bow of the ship. The Heavy Cruiser was at the Battle of Guadalcanal in the south Pacific, when the magazine/munitions storage on the front/bow was hit by a ‘long lance’ torpedo that detonated fuel tanks. Amazingly it did not sink, even with 150 feet of the bow missing. The ship limped nearly two thousand miles to Australia, in reverse, where temporary repairs could be done. With enough work done there to get it to the US coast where there is a ship yard in Puget Sound. While the New Orleans was en route, damaged, chugging in reverse, the ship builders had been fabricating a new bow to military specifications, based on plans for a sister ship the SS Astoria, long before the actual arrival of the damaged boat.

That missing section of the bow was recently found by divers. Covered in coral growths from decades of salt water. Where it has laid on the ocean floor since November 30,1942. There are photos available online, showing the open compartments where the metal was sheared off from the bow.

All this trivia courtesy of wikipedia, and generated by AI, the world worrier that is filling our heads with flotsam and jetsam. Also: Dr. Google, who might be making stuff up out of whole cloth to weigh us down and drown our senses with useless information.

book review: “I is for Innocent”…

… by Sue Grafton. Well-respected and prolific writer of novels featuring the hapless PI Kinsey Millhone, recurring in the many books written as Grafton used letters of the alphabet as inspiration for the titles of her tales. Millhone lives in the fictitious town of Santa Teresa in southern California, where she rents a small apartment from Henry Pitts, a retired baker. After working in public safety and as an investigator for an insurance company, Millhone has trained and acquired a license to become an independent private investigator.

Although the title, used by Grafton as a prompt to build her tale around the letter ‘I’, proclaims innocence: no one really is. The characters all seem to have secrets, something to hide, not fully coming clean about their past experiences. Unwilling to be transparent about possible misdeeds that could be incriminating, so they choose to keep others in the dark, declining to reveal.

The teenager joy-riding in the middle of the night keeps a tragedy to herself, living with guilt, a mistake she will never fully be reconciled to. The friend of Millhone who helped her get the PI training to become an independent contractor is not who he appears to be, and proves that his history is clouded with dishonesty. The character we as readers are lead to believe is the culprit, protagonist is not the person we expected as his story is revealed.

traveling, part 3 …

… to Louisiana, to visit the WWII museum. With pre-purchased tickets for a couple of movies and planned wandering through static exhibits around starting times for the two films: one of which was produced and narrated by Tom Hanks. Exhibits were divided by ‘fronts’, as the US was involved in fighting two entirely separate foes at the same time. Starting with trying to support England in their opposition of the invading Germans, through Lend/Lease programs that provided supplies including food, equipment like airplanes and ground vehicles as well as arms and munitions.Then suddenly that unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, where the US Navy was decimated in Hawaii: a necessity to recruit men and provide ships to defend against the Japanese.

Buying tickets for special events on line seemed to be a goof idea. To be able to walk up to the ‘will call’ window, give a name and get service. As well as this little device to attach to clothing that would prove paid admittance was a smart move.

Graffiti left all over Europe by American GIs

traveling, part 2 …

Arriving at the Amtrak station in New Orleans after riding for ten hours, the skyline of NO. At the other end of the building where the Amtrak arrivals come into the facility, is a Greyhound bus depot.

… The World War II Museum has been mailing ‘invitations’ to contribute to their fund-raising challenges since it first opened in 2000: thereby becoming a charter member of the organization. Not one with the resources for corporate giving like the Boeing company or the family-owned Higgins Boat company that started making landing craft in the early 1940s supplying those personnel carriers you see in black and white stills of Normandy Beach. Or even the distillers of fine beverages that could make a donation to be recognized for providing the elevated walkways above the busy surface streets from building to building.

The museum was originally opened on June 6, 2000 as the ‘D-Day Museum’, with a focus on the events of that day in history as the Allied forces crossed the English Channel and approached Normandy Beach. With air support of bombers and paratroopers, as well as hundreds of vessels bringing men from the south of England onto the beaches of France in a surprise attack, the casualties were horrific: but ultimately successful. Congress designated the building complex here in downtown New Orleans as the National World War II museum in 2003.

The several buildings covering nearly two city blocks in downtown New Orleans, are almost in rock-throwing distance of the Mississippi River. With cantilevered, glassed-in covered walkways connecting the buildings that are an obvious asset to visitors, as well as making the entire complex ADA compliant for guests with varying degrees of abilities. Including older people with military service who would find the displays touching, memorable, and well worth the visit.