Life is grand at Las Islas Ranch

Sunset at Las Islas Ranch

Today we are driving out to the deer lease. The hunting season is over, but now it is time to fill feeders and do some clean up and repairs. The men will organize early in the morning and drive out. They'll be gone for about three or four hours and be hungry, dirty and tired when they come in. The ladies will congregate at someone's deer lease "mansion"... camper, cabin or duplex, which is what we have. We'll enjoy an old movie and lots of visiting. It's a great place to relax. In the evening we'll grill steaks and there will be more visiting. It's going to be great! I'll catch up with everyone on Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend, my blogger friends!

Friday is for Father

My father is the man on top of this armored car

In my father's book he writes, "This was taken during the Ardennas Offensive, and a few days after our withdrawal from St. Vith on the night of December 23, 1944. The crew of Pregi, Boykin, Hansen, and Powers lost their M-8 that night. So this must be the replacement M-8 to 1st Section 2d Platoon RCN CO, and the replacement crew, for Powers was transferred to Headquarters Plt., Pregi became 2d platoon sergeant, and Hansen became RCN CO radio man. As I remember, 2d Platoon was the first of RCN CO to begin taking on missions after the 23d December. The .30 cal machine gun mounted on the turret in the photograph is one I don't remember. This is the only doubt I have in my assessment of this."

This stated since some of you might be interested in this sort of thing (what a far cry from recipes and home decorating!) my father was a military historican, particularly for the 7th Armored Division. His stories were amazing. Most were recounted in his book Gare La Bete, published in 1995 and unfortunately out of print.

My parents - Rosemary and Cal

Fortunately my father survived a brutal war and married my mother. Many years passed before my father was willing to talk about his war experiences, but when he began talking and writing about the war, he revealed much of what made up his character - a love for life, adventure and he looked forward to every day.