By Joann M. Ringelstetter
Today is Independence Day and this photograph speaks for itself.
Happy July 4th and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Shunpiking To Heaven Backroads Blog
Showing posts with label patriotic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patriotic. Show all posts
Monday, July 4, 2016
Saturday, June 14, 2014
National Flag Day
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
Today, June 14, is National Flag Day, and it is the final day of National Flag Week. It commemorates the day in 1777 when the United States approved the design of our first national flag.
Flag Day has its roots in Wisconsin’s history. In 1885, 19-year-old Bernard J. Cigrand was a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse named Stony Hill School, in Waubeka, Wisconsin.
Mr. Cigrand asked his students to observe June 14 as our flag’s birthday. He then placed the U. S. flag in an inkwell and asked the students to write essays on what the flag meant to them.
Later, Mr. Cigrand’s own essay was published in a Chicago newspaper. It urged Americans to celebrate our flag on June 14th.
Mr. Cigrand continued his efforts and dedication to the U.S. flag for another three decades. Finally, in 1916, his efforts were rewarded when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day.
Happy Flag Day and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Today, June 14, is National Flag Day, and it is the final day of National Flag Week. It commemorates the day in 1777 when the United States approved the design of our first national flag.
Flag Day has its roots in Wisconsin’s history. In 1885, 19-year-old Bernard J. Cigrand was a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse named Stony Hill School, in Waubeka, Wisconsin.
Mr. Cigrand asked his students to observe June 14 as our flag’s birthday. He then placed the U. S. flag in an inkwell and asked the students to write essays on what the flag meant to them.
Later, Mr. Cigrand’s own essay was published in a Chicago newspaper. It urged Americans to celebrate our flag on June 14th.
Mr. Cigrand continued his efforts and dedication to the U.S. flag for another three decades. Finally, in 1916, his efforts were rewarded when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day.
Happy Flag Day and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Memorial Day - A Day to Remember
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
Monday, May 30, 2011 is Memorial Day – a day to honor the men and women who served in the American military and died for our freedom.
Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, as a result of a proclamation by General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic (a fraternal organization of Union Civil War veterans). This first national celebration was held to honor the Civil War dead.
General James Garfield, who fought for the Union and who would later become our 20th U.S. President, gave a speech at Arlington National Cemetery. Following his speech, 5,000 ceremony participants decorated the graves of more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers who were buried at Arlington.
By the late 1800s, many communities around the nation had begun to observe Memorial Day. After World War I ended in 1919, Memorial Day celebrations began honoring those who died in all of America’s wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday and it is now celebrated each year on the last Monday in May.
Every year, the celebration continues at Arlington National Cemetery with this year marking the 143rd observance there. This year’s patriotic ceremonies at Arlington include an Armed Forces Full Honor Wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, followed by a remembrance ceremony, hosted by the Department of Defense.
Two years ago, Ruth and I decided to go photographing on Memorial Day and we stopped at many local cemeteries to visit and photograph the gravestones of U.S. soldiers who had died in various wars. At a small cemetery near Mineral Point, shortly after I finished photographing the gravestone of a Civil War veteran, a bus pulled up with several uniformed veterans. We stood in silence as they lined up, played Taps, performed a 21-gun salute, and raised the American flag.
In recent years, many Americans have forgotten the true meaning of Memorial Day. On May 2, 2001, President Bill Clinton established the National Moment of Remembrance program asking all Americans to observe a moment of remembrance and respect at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day. Please remember those who have died in service to our country.
In 1915, during World War I, the following poem was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a medical doctor who was serving in the Canadian Army. “In Flanders Field” has become one of the most famous and memorable war poems ever written.
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Have a good Memorial Day!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Monday, May 30, 2011 is Memorial Day – a day to honor the men and women who served in the American military and died for our freedom.
Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, as a result of a proclamation by General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic (a fraternal organization of Union Civil War veterans). This first national celebration was held to honor the Civil War dead.
General James Garfield, who fought for the Union and who would later become our 20th U.S. President, gave a speech at Arlington National Cemetery. Following his speech, 5,000 ceremony participants decorated the graves of more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers who were buried at Arlington.
By the late 1800s, many communities around the nation had begun to observe Memorial Day. After World War I ended in 1919, Memorial Day celebrations began honoring those who died in all of America’s wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday and it is now celebrated each year on the last Monday in May.
Every year, the celebration continues at Arlington National Cemetery with this year marking the 143rd observance there. This year’s patriotic ceremonies at Arlington include an Armed Forces Full Honor Wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, followed by a remembrance ceremony, hosted by the Department of Defense.
Two years ago, Ruth and I decided to go photographing on Memorial Day and we stopped at many local cemeteries to visit and photograph the gravestones of U.S. soldiers who had died in various wars. At a small cemetery near Mineral Point, shortly after I finished photographing the gravestone of a Civil War veteran, a bus pulled up with several uniformed veterans. We stood in silence as they lined up, played Taps, performed a 21-gun salute, and raised the American flag.
In recent years, many Americans have forgotten the true meaning of Memorial Day. On May 2, 2001, President Bill Clinton established the National Moment of Remembrance program asking all Americans to observe a moment of remembrance and respect at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day. Please remember those who have died in service to our country.
In 1915, during World War I, the following poem was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a medical doctor who was serving in the Canadian Army. “In Flanders Field” has become one of the most famous and memorable war poems ever written.
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Have a good Memorial Day!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Rural Patriotism
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
Last week, we showed you a picture of one of our favorite blacksmith shops with a promise to expand on that topic this week. However, because we’re celebrating Independence Day this weekend, we have decided to share some displays of rural patriotism. We’ll return with the blacksmith shops next week.
The above photo was taken on a beautiful sunny day last autumn. It was displayed proudly on the front of a nicely painted red barn in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. Earlier this week, on our way back from photographing in northern Minnesota, we passed a farm with a large pond and a white barn with an American flag on the side.
I snapped a couple of pictures from the road, but I had a feeling that, if I was standing in the right spot, the barn would be reflected in the pond. Luckily, it appeared that someone was home in the farmhouse, so we drove in and I got permission to walk down by the pond. It ended up being a bit too windy for a clear reflection, but the view from across the pond was still a nice one.
Last September, we visited a farm in northeastern Iowa that had a large American flag displayed on the end of the barn. We spent a couple of hours there, enjoying a number of whimsical animals, which we will blog about at some point. I believe the owners of this farm had a son in the military overseas.
In the spring of 2009, on our way back from photographing in the Ohio River Valley, we came upon a barn in Indiana whose entire roof was a large display of the stars and stripes. We desperately wanted to capture this barn, but we realized that it couldn’t be done. The barn was mostly hidden behind a wooded area and the only way to photograph it would have been to drive down the long driveway, which dropped steeply from the highway and then went through a large stream (in other words, there was no bridge or culvert for crossing).
If it had been a dry period, this would have been no problem, but the area had suffered some recent flooding and there was no way we could have driven through the rushing stream. We turned the car around and drove past it again trying to figure out how we could capture it. I considered parking the car off the busy highway, which would have been about a half mile away, and hiking down to the barn. Even that seemed a bit too dangerous because of the size and speed of the stream. So we had to forego one of the best rural patriotic displays we had ever encountered.
On our spring trip this year to North Carolina, shortly after we visited the Old Mill of Guilford (which we told you about a couple weeks ago), it began to rain heavily. As we passed through a small crossroads town, we saw a farm outbuilding that had three American flags displayed vertically on the door and windows at the front of the building. In spite of the rain, I couldn’t resist capturing this wonderful rural scene.
I think the most interesting patriotic scene we’ve encountered in recent years was last fall in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. We were looking for an old grist mill and as we pulled up to the mill, we noticed this humorous scene on the other side of the road. Imagine that, a patriotic snowman, in October no less.
Ruth and I hope you are enjoying a safe and happy 4th of July weekend. We’ll return next week with a story about blacksmith shops we have discovered in our travels – we promise!
Until then, Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Last week, we showed you a picture of one of our favorite blacksmith shops with a promise to expand on that topic this week. However, because we’re celebrating Independence Day this weekend, we have decided to share some displays of rural patriotism. We’ll return with the blacksmith shops next week.
The above photo was taken on a beautiful sunny day last autumn. It was displayed proudly on the front of a nicely painted red barn in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. Earlier this week, on our way back from photographing in northern Minnesota, we passed a farm with a large pond and a white barn with an American flag on the side.
I snapped a couple of pictures from the road, but I had a feeling that, if I was standing in the right spot, the barn would be reflected in the pond. Luckily, it appeared that someone was home in the farmhouse, so we drove in and I got permission to walk down by the pond. It ended up being a bit too windy for a clear reflection, but the view from across the pond was still a nice one.
Last September, we visited a farm in northeastern Iowa that had a large American flag displayed on the end of the barn. We spent a couple of hours there, enjoying a number of whimsical animals, which we will blog about at some point. I believe the owners of this farm had a son in the military overseas.
In the spring of 2009, on our way back from photographing in the Ohio River Valley, we came upon a barn in Indiana whose entire roof was a large display of the stars and stripes. We desperately wanted to capture this barn, but we realized that it couldn’t be done. The barn was mostly hidden behind a wooded area and the only way to photograph it would have been to drive down the long driveway, which dropped steeply from the highway and then went through a large stream (in other words, there was no bridge or culvert for crossing).
If it had been a dry period, this would have been no problem, but the area had suffered some recent flooding and there was no way we could have driven through the rushing stream. We turned the car around and drove past it again trying to figure out how we could capture it. I considered parking the car off the busy highway, which would have been about a half mile away, and hiking down to the barn. Even that seemed a bit too dangerous because of the size and speed of the stream. So we had to forego one of the best rural patriotic displays we had ever encountered.
On our spring trip this year to North Carolina, shortly after we visited the Old Mill of Guilford (which we told you about a couple weeks ago), it began to rain heavily. As we passed through a small crossroads town, we saw a farm outbuilding that had three American flags displayed vertically on the door and windows at the front of the building. In spite of the rain, I couldn’t resist capturing this wonderful rural scene.
I think the most interesting patriotic scene we’ve encountered in recent years was last fall in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. We were looking for an old grist mill and as we pulled up to the mill, we noticed this humorous scene on the other side of the road. Imagine that, a patriotic snowman, in October no less.
Ruth and I hope you are enjoying a safe and happy 4th of July weekend. We’ll return next week with a story about blacksmith shops we have discovered in our travels – we promise!
Until then, Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
For Teddy
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
Whenever we head out for a day of photographing, we always have an area and an agenda of sorts in mind. And in most cases, we end up capturing at least some of the things we had intended to photograph. But more often than not, we are rewarded with something that we never expected, something that touches our hearts, something simple, but profound.
On August 29, 2009, we began our day before dawn, exploring the Stoughton, Wisconsin area. At one point, we stopped at the Cooksville Store and I captured this patriotic flag scene. Around 4:00 pm, we started heading for home. Although I was getting very tired, we decided to go on a mission to photograph some weeping willows that someone had asked for. After completing our mission, it was close to 6:00 pm and I said, “I can’t wait to get home. I’m really beat.” But the universe had one more opportunity in store for us.
The quickest route home took us past a historical farmhouse that I had photographed before in the winter. This time, it had an American flag flying out front at the edge of the porch. I had wanted to find an old-fashioned porch scene with an American flag flying and here it was. I pulled over in a nearby parking lot and called the owner to ask if it was okay to photograph the scene. She graciously gave me permission and then explained that she had spent the day watching the funeral of Senator Ted Kennedy on TV. And when it was over, she knew she needed to display the flag in his honor.
As she explained this to me, I could feel how much Teddy’s death had touched her heart. I could feel the mourning of the end of an era and I was grateful that I was allowed to capture it with my camera.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Whenever we head out for a day of photographing, we always have an area and an agenda of sorts in mind. And in most cases, we end up capturing at least some of the things we had intended to photograph. But more often than not, we are rewarded with something that we never expected, something that touches our hearts, something simple, but profound.
On August 29, 2009, we began our day before dawn, exploring the Stoughton, Wisconsin area. At one point, we stopped at the Cooksville Store and I captured this patriotic flag scene. Around 4:00 pm, we started heading for home. Although I was getting very tired, we decided to go on a mission to photograph some weeping willows that someone had asked for. After completing our mission, it was close to 6:00 pm and I said, “I can’t wait to get home. I’m really beat.” But the universe had one more opportunity in store for us.
The quickest route home took us past a historical farmhouse that I had photographed before in the winter. This time, it had an American flag flying out front at the edge of the porch. I had wanted to find an old-fashioned porch scene with an American flag flying and here it was. I pulled over in a nearby parking lot and called the owner to ask if it was okay to photograph the scene. She graciously gave me permission and then explained that she had spent the day watching the funeral of Senator Ted Kennedy on TV. And when it was over, she knew she needed to display the flag in his honor.
As she explained this to me, I could feel how much Teddy’s death had touched her heart. I could feel the mourning of the end of an era and I was grateful that I was allowed to capture it with my camera.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
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