2017 365 Project: Sharon's Week 45: 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.

These poppies were not photographed this week. It is a photo from my trip to China but I thought it matched my title today and it brightens up a rather serious theme that runs through the post.

Remembrance Day didn't mean much to me as a kid growing up...we had the standard assemblies in school but I didn't really give them much thought. I remember in high school standing in class during the playing of the Last Post and watching my teacher cry. I couldn't for the life of me understand why he was crying. Now, I can only attend Remembrance Day ceremonies while wearing sunglasses, regardless of the weather, to hide my own tears. I do not have relatives that were killed in the wars but I have read enough books, watched enough news stories and, in a short period of working for Veterans' Affairs, spoken with enough people who have experienced the horrors of war, that I can more readily appreciate the sacrifices that ordinary people have made to keep our country safe, independent and at peace.

Thank you to all who have served or continue to serve your country.

And on to the photos...

sunset

This topic was supposed to be last week but since we hadn't seen the sun, there was a little switcheroo. It wasn't much better this week...we had two evenings where the sun was visible. On Monday, I was driving home from work at about 4:40 and I noticed that there was a break in the clouds down at the horizon. I popped into the house, picked up Hermione and drove out to Gros Cap where I arrived exactly five minutes before sunset. It was freezing cold and the waves were smashing up against the rocks. I wished I had brought the tripod but I wouldn't have had enough time to set it up even if I had (and I don't think I could have stayed outside that long). I tried some longer exposures without the tripod but as you can see in the photo, I wasn't steady enough - the rocks are a bit blurry at the edges. I chose this photo even though it is not in perfect focus because I like all the little hexagons that were created from the droplets on my lens that were left there by the previous wave.

starts with U

I do plan ahead and I had an appointment to get my winter tires on the car yesterday. My routine is to get them on around Remembrance Day and off again around Mother's Day. I am usually safe with this plan but not this year. Our first snow was a snow squall with blowing snow leading to snow and ice covered roads. That was Thursday. My day to travel to Elliot Lake. I made it there and back safely but it took an extra forty-five minutes each way.

I decided that this early snowstorm (which preceded the installation of my winter tires) was uncalled for (it took a while but I got to the U). This is what Blind River looked like just after the sun came up.

remembrance

These poor cadets had to stand there in not enough clothing in the bitter winds for far too long.

gravestone

As I was driving through the cemetery yesterday, I was looking for a stone that had a wreath on it. We don't have a military section but I thought I might find a veteran somewhere. I didn't. Maybe there are wreaths there today but I was too chilled from being at the cenotaph this morning to head back out again. I chose this marker because it is so different from the rest...just a wooden cross with the angel nearby. I'm sure there must be a name beneath the snow but it remains unknown to me.

sunrise

This was a really bad week for both sunrise and sunset to be on the list. After the snowfall on Thursday, the forecast was calling for sunny skies yesterday. The problem is that the sun came with cold...

But, being the dedicated person that I am, I bundled up and headed to the river. I assumed that there would be fog on the water since is was so freaking cold. I was right. This photo was taken about ten minutes after the sun came up.