wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderrings

“Honor to the soldier, and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his county's cause.” 

~ Abraham Lincoln

Veterans' Day was originally established as Armistice Day in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson to mark the end of World War I which formally ceased on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

My maternal grandpa, Army, World War I. He was Mennonite and believed that violence was not the best answer to problems or conflict, but wanted to serve his country. Grandpa joined the Army in a noncombatant military service capacity. He worked in the Quartermaster Corps, helping provide general supplies (food, water, clothing) to keep soldiers equipped and operational.

My father-in-law, Navy, World War II. He was an air gunner but he also worked in a CASU, a Combat Air Service Unit, to maintenance the airplanes. He served in the Pacific Theater on the island of Espiritu Santo. When a bunch of guys had down time, they played basketball in a CASU league. The teams were from Espiritu Santos and neighboring islands.

Dad's team called themselves the Buckeyes because all of these young men were from Ohio. A team member, Tom Grucella from Akron made the uniform. The basketball trunks were made from satin toe targets lined with parachute silk. The warm up jacket is a converted Navy undress jumpers (shirt). The jersey is just a t-shirt stenciled with BUCKEYES. They wore field boots, the only footwear available.

These Buckeyes lost a total of 3 games in 16 months. They were the CASU champs in 1945. Dad is the last one in the lineup.

My dad, Army, Korean conflict. He was Baha'i which, like the Mennonites, do not believe in fighting in combat. Dad fulfilled his military duty through a non-combatant role working in a medical corps doing administrative tasks. And there we are having a father/daughter chat.

Three generations of service, three different paths, but a shared sense of duty, commitment, and love of country. Each of these men served according to his beliefs and abilities, finding a way to contribute without compromising his convictions.

I am proud of these men and grateful for the example they set. Their service, their convictions, and their quiet sense of responsibility are part of my family's story, and I am honored to remember them today.

On this Veterans Day, we honor all who have served, in combat and noncombat roles, and recognize that patriotism takes many forms. Thank you to all our veterans, past and present, for your service and sacrifice.

transitions and transformations

Halloween is behind us, our thoughts are turning toward Thanksgiving, and the transformation to Christmas is picking up speed.

Carillon Park has made the most of these beautiful autumn days, preparing the bell tower to once again light up the Dayton skyline on November 24 with its spectacular Tree of Lights.

From autumn leaves to Christmas lights, the seasonal transformation is underway and the magic of the holidays will soon shine.

 

monday's mulling: fact checking

Last Wednesday, the day after the midterm elections, two photos began appearing repeatedly on friends’ Facebook pages. The first showed Niagara Falls illuminated in blue, accompanied by comments such as “This is so great!” and “Thanks, Canada!” Others shared similar sentiments, celebrating the election results.

But in their excitement, many people failed to look at the bigger picture. As much as Canadian government officials might have enjoyed sending a political message, the joint U.S.- Canadian Niagara Falls Illumination Board strictly prohibits partisan political lighting. The widely circulated image was not a live political tribute at all. It was an older photograph taken by a visitor in September. On November 3, the Falls were actually illuminated in teal for a 15-minute period at 10 p.m. to recognize Alzheimer's Awareness Month.

Nevertheless, some people interpreted the blue illumination as a symbolic middle finger to Donald Trump.

The second image came from a Facebook page called Denmark. At first glance, it would be easy to assume that the Danish government was celebrating the election results or expressing its political views. But doing a little bit of digging tells a different story.

The page identifies itself as Denmark. v/Jeppe Frederiksen. That name is associated with a registered business in Odense, Denmark, listed with the Danish Central Business Register as a sole proprietorship involved primarily in communications consultancy and advisory services. In other words, this is not an official Danish government page. It is a page associated with an individual and his own opinions, not an official statement or endorsement from the country of Denmark.

These two examples illustrate just how easily social media can blur the line between fact, interpretation, and wishful thinking. A photograph gets shared, a political meaning is attached to it, and before long, people are celebrating something that may never actually happened.

It's understandable that people feel strongly about election results, and there's nothing wrong with celebrating a political outcome. But enthusiasm needs to coupled with questioning, and a convincing photograph or official-sounding page name should never be mistaken for proof.

still going strong...

I do love taking photos of flowers, and I’m loving how some are still blooming so prolifically during this first week of November. Just look at that fence lined with all those beautiful pink flowers. Summer colors are still showing off, joining the spotlight with autumn’s gorgeous shades of gold and orange.

There’s frost on the ground this morning and the weather forecast is calling for temperatures to dip into the 20s°F (-7°C) next week. It won’t be long before those lingering summer colors fade away and join the fall leaves placed in the street for the city's leaf pick-up trucks to take away.

For now, I will enjoy every last bit of this floral show.

 

hey, little cutie

This photo is self-explanatory.

#someonecomegettheirdoggy

Someone is missing his or her stuffy. Thank you to the good samaritan who rescued this sweet little pup from the sidewalk. Hope he's back home soon.

 

the friday feed: apple cake

I love apple pie, but I don't bake pies. My mom was an amazing pie baker, but that gene didn't pass down to me. My favorite fall dessert to bake is apple cake.

October 31 was the farm's last day of business for 2026, and I made an apple cake to take in to celebrate the end of the season. I've had this recipe for almost 50 years.

I got the recipe while working at my first job out of college as a paralegal. The week before Thanksgiving, one of the other paralegals brought an apple cake to share with everyone who worked on our floor. Oh my, it was delicious! It ranked right up there with Mom's apple pie.

This cake always takes me back to those early working years: driving my VW Rabbit or taking the bus downtown, the things I learned, and the transition from college student to young professional. I remember realizing that the bosses' secretaries were the ones who really ran the ship, figuring out who to avoid at the office Christmas party, and making friendships along the way. There were late nights preparing for trials, out-of-town trips to clients' businesses, and being recognized for my research skills. After five years on the job, the decision came to stay home after my son was born.

So much of those work days comes back with making this cake The workplace was a very different place back then. We gathered in offices, shared coffee breaks, celebrated birthdays, exchanged recipes, and got to know one another in ways that just happened when we worked side by side.

It makes me wonder if today's work-from-home generation has those same opportunities to make connections with coworkers, share favorite recipes, and discover that someone down the hall makes an apple cake worth keeping for 50 years.

thursday's thought for the day

Autumn isn't really about endings. It's about having the courage to change, the grace to let go, to make room for what comes next, and the faith that something beautiful will grow again.