Author Archives: john

“You are about to embark on the Great Crusade …” – updated

johngregsite Posted on by
image omaha beach looking east
Omaha beach at Colleville-sur-mer, looking east from the American cemetery, May 2019; in the far distance is Gold and Juno beaches.
image omaha beach from cemetery
Looking down at Omaha beach directly adjacent to the American cemetery at Colleville-sur-mer; German defense forces woke up on June 6, 1944, with this stretch of water filled with incoming landing craft; warships and transports were spread across the horizon as far as one could see.
image coleville-sur mer cemetery omaha beach
Another look at the memorial for over 9,000 American soldiers; the bird’s eye view of this national monument is below
Image american cemetery coleville-sur-mer france
Credit to Google Earth: the American National Monument at Colleville-sur-mer, Normandy, France; part of the code-named Omaha beach landing zone is seen at top. My photo spot for the grave stone view (previous image) is the yellow star mark; it may be hard to see here, but the open green fields are filled with grave markers. It is hard to reconcile my comfortable life with this scene.

It’s a lady of the spring

johngregsite Posted on by
image lady slipper

With the relentless damp and chilly weather of this year’s Spring season plus our departure from the country for the first two weeks of May, I was not optimistic about my favorite wild flower this year.

Miracle of miracles; the rare and delicate queen of the backwoods are out there again.