Couldn't Ask For More: Civil War

Showing posts with label Civil War. Show all posts

Friday, May 18, 2012

Where Are They Now? Another Teaching Year Comes to a Close

Teaching. Last week two of my teaching commitments came to a close. As I was packing up my class supplies I began to reflect upon the year. I get so sentimental, so easily. I realized this year how much I love teaching, not just teaching my kids, but others. I really do love it! Perhaps this is why I'm so passionate about homeschooling. I love learning and presenting material in a way that hopefully appeals to students.

Reaching the end of yet another year has given me cause to reflect on my brief experience in the public school arena. The first kids I taught are now in their 30's!! How can that be! I wonder what became of them? What happened to those little 4th graders? Also, when I look at the precious gifts given to me by dear Ukranian students and their families, I wonder if they made it in their new found country, America. What happened to Yuri, Alexei, Nazar, Ludmila, and so many more? Did they embrace the freedom they were seeking? Did the kids who struggled in 4th grade, make it through and find a love for learning? I often wonder where they are now. Teachers spend a year with kids, pour into them, and then the kids have to move on. Next grade, next teacher, next year.

Little Nazar, Travis, Olga, Travis, Antonio...1992

Civil War Study: Gingerbread

During our Civil War study this year we made a few simple foods of the era like Johnny Cakes and Hard Tack. Just like our soldiers of today, Civil War soldiers awaited special packages from home. In these packages they would find items like socks, soap, and food. One special treat was Gingerbread.

In honor of Flag Day (there's always a good reason to celebrate) we made Gingerbread once again today.

Gingerbread

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter (for buttering 9X9 baking dish)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick butter, softened)

1 1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 cup very hot tap water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 X 9 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl combine flour and baking soda. Cut soft butter into flour mixture with fork or pastry blender.

Measuring out the 2 1/2 cups flour

Dip-Level-Pour

Cutting butter in with pastry blender

My little baker

Add molasses, egg, cinnamon, allspice, and water. Stir well.

Stir wet ingredients well into flour ingredients.

Pour batter into baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

In the oven for baking

Done

We doubled our recipe to share with friends

Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Discovering We Might Be Philatelists- Ronald Reagan & Civil War Inspired

What's a Philatelist? According to Webster, a philatelist is a person who studies and collects stamps. I would definitely not consider myself a stamp collector, but there are a couple stamps available now that could spur on a new hobby for our family.

A couple years ago, while cleaning out the file cabinet I noticed an obscure file folder labeled "Stamps." In it I found a couple forgotten purchases. Apparently, if the stamp features someone of interest, I might buy a sheet. Look at what I found.

Elvis Stamps, 1992

James Dean Stamps, 1996

In the last 15-20 years my interests have dramatically changed. James Dean still holds a special place in my memories as does Elvis, but Ronald Reagan is now my kind of Hero. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's birth. There were and continue to be a number of Centennial Celebrations being held at The Ronald Reagan Museum and Library, including a recent renovation. We've been blessed to attend a number of the festivities.

My sweetheart and I at the Reagan Centennial Celebration

Centennial Celebration Concert For America

With Fred Thompson

Lee Greenwood singing

At the Birthday Celebration, Simi Valley is so beautiful!

Enjoying President Reagan's favorite Chocolate Cake

We also attended a leadership symposium with great biographers moderated by Tom Brokaw

With Tom Brokaw

Recently at Reagan Museum & Library the United States Post Office unveiled the second Ronald Reagan stamp issued. The first stamp was issued in 2005 as a 37-cent stamp and reissued as a 39-cent stamp. The centennial stamp commemorating the birth of our 40th President is a Forever Stamp.

We didn't make it to the stamp dedication ceremony in Simi Valley, however we did purchase the stamp sheet this week. I think I'll need to find a nice frame to display this treasure. Maybe I should work on having a notable history/Reagan room in the house.

On this stamp President Reagan is casually featured at his beloved ranch outside Santa Barbara.

Another educational and historical stamp sheet available through the USPS is the tribute to the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. I'm so glad we chose this year to study the Civil War and what a great item to collect as memorabilia. The first in the series features stamps of The First Bull Run- July 21, 1861 and Fort Sumter- April 12-13, 1861. The stamp sheet gives historical background and quotes from Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Thomas J. Jackson and Frederick Douglas along with a traditional lament.

USPS Civil War Stamps- first in the series

I guess it's never to late to start up a new hobby. Philatelists we may be!

Monday, May 30, 2011

Memorial Day- Let Us Not Forget

The Flag at Arlington National Cemetery

Memorial Day has been recognized in the United States since 1866, when Henry Welles, from Waterloo, New York suggested store owners, like himself, close their shops for one day to honor local soldiers killed in the Civil War.

Retired Major General Jonathan A. Logan had a similar idea in May of 1868. He honored the dead and the soldiers who had survived the war. Leading a procession of veterans through the town, General Logan went to the cemetery where they decorated the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers with flags. This day was known as Decoration Day.

Retired Major General Logan proclaimed,

"The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country and during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit."

Following the Civil War, many cities in the North and South set a day to honor the soldiers and decorate their graves with flags and flowers. Cities such as Waterloo, New York; Columbus, Mississippi; Richmond, Virginia; Carbondale, Illinois; Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, and others initiated these early memorials.

In 1882, Decoration Day was renamed Memorial Day honoring soldiers from previous wars also.

In 1971, Richard Nixon declared Memorial Day, the last Monday in May a federal holiday.

The Thursday before Memorial Day there is a tradition known as "Flags-in." At Arlington National Cemetery, the soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry place flags at more than 250,000 gravestones. The gravestones and flags are patrolled for 24-hours a day to make sure each flag remains standing. At 3:00 pm local time, all Americans are asked to pause in remembrance for a moment.

As part of our homeschooling adventures we were able to field trip to Washington D.C. this past year. I stood in awe, in tears many times as I looked upon the memorials. I am humbled by the service of our military. To them I am forever grateful!

May you honor those who willingly served our country and fought for the cause of freedom.

Arlington National Cemetery

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Changing of the Guard- an humbling emotional experience

Arlington National Cemetery

While in Washington D.C we were able to view an Honor Flight ceremony at the World War II Memorial. According to statistics, approximately 1,000 World War II veterans are lost daily. These veterans are Heroes! I'm so glad there is an organization that gives them the honor due.