A visit to the War Memorial

I greatly appreciate everyone who has been here even though I was too sick to visit or post.

It's obvious I have made no art to speak of since I got sick.  However, I have a few things I've not shown from my blog when the youngsters were in Wichita last summer.  For those of you who are new to my blog, I had a friend who died of cancer nearly three years ago.  She left her three children in my care until her sister could fly in from California to bury her sister and take charge of the children, who she later adopted.

The children have visited me for the past two summers, and I am always on the lookout for free (or really inexpensive) and educational things to do with them.  I couldn't believe it when they got excited about visiting the Wichita War Memorial.  I thought it would be the last thing they would want to see, but I was thrilled when they got excited about going.

There are more than a dozen memorials, from the Revolutionary War all the way up to Iraqi Freedom.  The one above is the WWII Memorial.  I was surprised how many people were in the park that day, many with their children.  Even though it was a week day, it appears people bring their children here for either vacation or on their days off.

We sidestepped the WWII memorial and went directly to the Operation Freedom Memorial.

I got a little carried away with this statue.

I found it mesmerizing.

I wanted to get every part of it.

It's part of the Operation Freedom Memorial.  This memorial honors those service members who fell at the hands of terrorism.  It was dedicated in 2014. These thick, shiny, black granite walls list the names of all of the Kansas servicemen and women who died in conflicts related to the war on terrorism.

There are several Operations that were included in Operation Freedom.

Poignant and relevant, but incredibly difficult to photograph

because there were other people and the youngsters I didn't want to include in the photos.  You can read about the Walls of Honor above.

More Operations under the Operation Freedom umbrella.

These bricks can be purchased.  They are part of the Veterans Memorial Walkway.  The Veteran's name, rank, branch of service, and service dates are added to each stone purchased.

This tells the story of the statue.  It's a memorial known as the "soldier's cross."  It represents a fallen or missing soldier and:

consists of a soldier's boots, bayonet, helmet, rifle, and sometimes dog tags.

This  bench represents the Prisoners Of War and those Missing In Action.

This was just the first of the memorials.  I'll show more later.

Thank you beyond belief for visiting today.  I'll be by to visit you soon.  Right now, I'm trying to get my strength back.  It took every ounce of energy I had to get this completed.  Unfortunately, it's time to climb back into bed.

D-Day: honoring the invasion of Normandy

Appreciation for this image goes to the US Army web site as we observe, remember, or learn about the day much of the free world's (Allied) soldiers hit the beaches of Normandy.  D-Day is the day that started what is considered the single greatest battle of WWII.

In Memory

Although Memorial Day is a Federal holiday celebrated in the United States, I couldn't help but share it with the rest of the world and my blog readers. Where ever you call home, please remember I'll be thinking of YOUR troops today, too.

Downloaded from the Army web site.

Downloaded from the Air Force web site.
You'll need to click to see the entire image.

Have a safe Memorial Day, as we remember those who have given so much for us, and those who have gone above and beyond. May your memories be of happy times.

Silent Sunday:Looking ahead at lower Manhattan's new memorials

(all images from 911memorial.org)

Tea in memory of my friend Gina

Today I'm having a cup of tea in memory of Gina Wise, my dear internet friend who died last Friday. I hope this small memorial to her will help me, and possibly a few of her close art friends, find some closure in this absolutely unfair way that Gina was taken from us. As mentioned above, Gina died last Friday from a heart attack she suffered on Monday night. Cards and letters may be sent to her family by requesting her address from me. My e-mail is on my profile page.


Gina and I were in many swaps. Many of them were ATC swaps. I didn't have time to dig out the ATCs Gina made, but I took time to find the art she made that I found in some of my bound books. From left, the 6th Anniversary Swap, the 7th Anniversary Arches swap, and the Houses swap, all on ABC (Altered Book Club), and the Halloween stand alone page she sent as part of a hostess gift during the 12 Days of Christmas Swap. Today, along with Kimmie and the rest of the tea participants found on Kimmie's sidebar, I'm honoring Gina in the best way I know how: through her art.


Gina made two Arches for this swap. This one was witty and humorous.


For the Houses swap, I believe Gina told us this was a photo of her parents. Gina's photo is the one of the angel who sits on the roof, blessing the house.


I was never able to get a good photo of the other Arch Gina made for that swap.

On the left is one of 25 ORIGINAL zentangles Gina made. Although they were all very similar, there were minute differences in each.


Gina had one extra hand left from the swap. When she learned I was making a "Hands" themed book, she told me she was going to send it as soon as she found it. She laughed when she finally found it, and put the date she mailed it on the bottom. The back was actually made in June, 2009 and she sent it in November, 2009. I didn't care. I would have waited forever on Gina's wonderful art!


I'm not sure what swap Gina was in, but she made this "extra" one for me, because she knew I had a Halloween themed AB that had tip-ins in it. As soon as I get the Halloween book back from Dana, I will add it to the book.


Something you won't see on the table, because I only decided to show it after some gut wrenching moments. On Friday I received a package from Gina with a "thank you" written on it. When I opened it, inside was this note: "I'm sending you the prototype Mendhi hand I made for Patty. I thought you'd enjoy having it!" It was haunting seeing the hand written message on the same day I learned of her death.


But Gina was like that. Once she knew you, she was so generous, so sweet, so supportive.


And although the light was streaming onto my dining room table, Gina, at age seven, looked almost surreal, much like the angel she now is. Rest in peace, Gina, and teach everyone in Heaven about altered art. You sure influenced me.

Ironically, Gina left me a message a week ago Friday, after I showed the last of the Teal journal. She said she had not yet worked in the book I made for her, but planned to. Having left the message with her blogger icon, instead of as "anonymous," I was able to track down her blog. I was especially delighted because this is what she wrote when asked if she had a blog in a private swap group we were in:

I started a blog in the middle of the night a couple of years ago and have
re-visited only once so, no I don't.  For quite a while I couldn't remember my
password!  Elizabeth is always encouraging me to get back to it but I haven't
invested the energy yet. 

So today, please take about five minutes while enjoying your tea to visit Aunt Gigi's House. And if you want to see more of Gina's art, please visit Patty's tribute to Gina here.