B&B, Marine & WW II Memorials & BBQ

Dear readers, I was going to lump our last two days of touring in one post, but it would be too long, so this is the 2nd to the last post.  We awoke in the Bed & Breakfast after the day of touring Gettysburg Battlefield.  The host seated us on the delightful screened porch and brought us our breakfast.  The weather was perfect for dining outside.  

My traveling companions from left, BIL Teddy, Dayle, BIL and tour guide Steve, sisters Denise and Roberta.  Togetherness for a week and we're all still smiling! :-) 

Breakfast was a coffee cake, and a beautifully arranged fruit "flower" of bananas, dates, mandarin oranges, blueberries and a strawberry with a mint leaf.   

The next course was toast, quiche topped with a sliced avocado, creme fraiche and salsa, with 2 sausages sauteed with maple syrup glaze.  :-) 

My favorite part of the B&B was their 12 week old pup, a Jack Russel/Chihuahua mix - a Jack-a-wawa?  How cute is he?  When I held him he nuzzled all over my face and neck, I think he missed his mama!

My one request before we left the charming and historic village of Gettysburg was to visit an antique store.  Steve, our tour leader obliged - that was fun!  It was right in the town center off a middle courtyard/fountain.  My eyes lit up when I found a display of authentic battle relics, and this came home with me.  

And then we headed back to the Washington DC area to visit a few more things.  We arrived at the Marine Memorial where the famous statue resides of the Marines who raised the flag on Mt. Suribachi after they took it in the battle of Iwo Jima.  This one was very meaningful to all of us, especially my 2 sisters and I, as our father, Wallace Shaklee, fought in this battle. He went in on the first wave at Iwo Jima on a LST, an amphibious vehicle.  Dad was in a foxhole for weeks and weeks - over 200 of his company went in and only 17 walked out not being killed or wounded.

The story of the men who raised the flag.

The other side of the memorial.  We were all quite disappointed that the American Flag was fouled up in lanyard and was not flying freely.  :-(  

The next stop is the World War II Memorial - which of course is the one Dad fought in.  This bronze medallion is inlaid in the entrance to the memorial.

This is actually one of the more impressive sites with the large fountain and pond.  It's difficult to get a photo without someone else posing in it. :-) 

Each state that participated in this war has it's own monument to it's lost service men and women.  Here is Oregon's. 

Dayle caught this great shot on his iPhone of the flag and the Washington Monument in the distance. 

He also snapped this one of the Lincoln Memorial in the other direction.  The famous Reflecting Pool is between them, but it was empty and under renovation when we were there.. boo hoo. 

Isn't it pretty? 

I walked up the steps here and zoomed in for this shot of the "pointy thing" which Dayle called this all week. :-)

Then we headed out of town to find our hotel in Maryland near my brother's wife's sister's house for a BBQ.  Kudos to my brother Rob for organizing the family reunion trip to WA DC.  He was the one who contacted our Annapolis branch of our father's family to coordinate a "Mini Reunion" - we have a big one every 5 years in Oklahoma - the home of our parents and many relatives.  Anyhoo... so Rob's wife D'Ann's sister Bonnie and BIL Gary live 34 miles from DC and Rob and D'Ann stayed with them all week - they invited us all for a BBQ at their house!  From left, sis Roberta, D'Ann, brother Rob and Bonnie.  Boy did they spoil us with BBQ ribs, teriyaki steak, crab cakes, peel and eat shrimp, fruit salad, potato salad, artisan bread and a fun ice cream bar dessert!  Thanks, Bonnie and Gary!  Gary is a aerospace engineer. :-)

I just had to take a photo of the potato salad that D'Ann made - it's reminiscent of the design my grandmother put on her salad.  It was delish! 

After a fun visit over dinner and afterwards - we got to see fireflies in Bonnie's yard - we headed back to our hotel for our final night of our vacation.  I will finish up the stories and photos in my next post.  Thanks for hanging in there and reading about this! :-)
((hugs)), Teresa :-)