Dreaming of early gardening

I have written before that January drags  on and is a long month while February seems  short (even with 29 days)   Before we get days of cold and rain,  most of us will be demanding March bring us flowering plants  and trees.

I miss being able to   dig in the flower beds and start a vegetable  garden.   My memories may be imperfect but I think we used to expect to plant Irish potatoes by Valentine Day.      I can see myself hauling a load of chicken fertilizer to the garden and after beds were made setting out onion plants.  I can't place the dates we planted English peas, beets and similar vegetables. 

Cantalopes     and watermelons required too much space for the garden, but you  can be certain that  when weather permitted, Dad had them planted. Garden corn  was planted early, too.

Of course it was all subject to    rain and temperature.

Tragedy strikes

The Gulf coast of Louisiana was struck by hurricane winds and suffered two deaths and much  damage Monday and Tuesday.  Our sympathies go to those who were struck.


Our intent had been to call attention to another type of tragedy   -- the vote getting ability of  Donald Trump. Just think  -- Voters in the general election  may have to choose between Trump, Hillary and Bernie.  I cannot deny it any further  -- I am not with either one.  I am not  expecting actions that restore our economy, but please give us an  honorable judge..

2003 Coalition Members

Some  nuts claim United States went into Iraq on its own.  It is easy to show we were were not alone.
 



Who were the coalition members? See list from 2003.


President Bush assembled a Coalition that had already begun military operations to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction, and enforce 17 UNSC resolutions.

The Coalition also liberated the Iraqi people from one of the worst tyrants and most brutal regimes on earth.

Contributions from Coalition member nations range from: direct military participation, logistical and intelligence support, specialized chemical/biological response teams, over-flight rights, humanitarian and reconstruction aid, to political support.

Forty-nine countries are publicly committed to the Coalition, including:
Afghanistan
Albania
Angola
Australia
Azerbaijan
Bulgaria
Colombia
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Georgia
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Japan
Kuwait
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Mongolia
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Palau
Panama
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Rwanda
Singapore
Slovakia
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Spain
Tonga
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uzbekistan

This number is still growing, and it is no accident that many member nations of the Coalition recently escaped from the boot of a tyrant or have felt the scourge of terrorism. All Coalition member nations understand the threat Saddam Hussein's weapons pose to the world and the devastation his regime has wreaked on the Iraqi people.

• The population of Coalition countries is approximately 1.23 billion people.
• Coalition countries have a combined GDP of approximately $22 trillion.

Getting rich in a hurry

My sister Eunice  may remember this.  Dad had five brothers and  one sister -- Aunt Jane  had three girls and lived in Waldo.   One day dad was reading a letter from his sister.  She said that she was paying Sally (about our age) five cents an  hour  to work in the garden. Sally ran back and forth checking how much wealth she had acquired.

Daddy said a nickel was not much.  Eunice said it was  less than we were paid -- which was nothing.

Whom to vote for

I got caught between Blogger and Google  this morning.  No matter-- February has 29 days, long enough to get politics by the bushel.  It appears that much of the  nation  is enthralled with Trump, Hillary, or Bernie.  That does not give me anyone to  support.  I never thought I would be considering Hillary Clinton for president.

Odds are I will not be here when the next  term ends;  I can only hope and pray this nation will defeat terrorists and build an economy. The candidates for president do not excite me.  Hillary should be in jail; Bernie would have us living as communists  ant Trump  -- who know. There is  a little hope for Cruz or Rubio. 

Iwo Jima

My memories of Iwo Jima are going fast..  Anyone who would be interested in my experiences should read my February blogs of the past five years.  I remember the flag going up and being brought down, then raised again for Joe Rosenthal tt take his famous picture.

We made  friends with Marines who were going to invade.  I hope I never forget a boy who said "we are supposed to  take the island in five days but we'll capture it in three.".

Thoughts of Tokyo Rose

My busted ribs and bruised back hurt me so much last night that I could not find  any
 position  that would allow me to sleep.   My thoughts varied; some going back to WW!!. If there are  any veterans of that time  who remember Tokyo Rose let me hear from you..

We learned that many English speaking girls were Tokyo Rose.  Our first contact was with a girl who gave  us the date to attack Iwo Jima, changed it twice, and finally gave us the  right date.