Author: The Cedar Journal

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Memorial Day – The Netherlands

The Cedar Journal May 4, 2022

Tonight at 8 pm Dutch standard time the entire country will pause for two minutes of silence. This tradition each year is to honor, remember and respect all war dead. That it includes, not only military, but civilian casualties from those conflicts.

On March 10th this year, the Hubby and I visited the largest American Cemetery in The Netherlands from World War II, Margraten.

One of the thousands of graves of American military who died liberating The Netherlands in 1945.

Not our first visit, but I needed time to reflect on what was happening on the World stage. I needed counsel from the silence to make sense to what was happening in the Ukraine.

War is never cheap! It costs lives, some so young, they never got to live the life I have lived. Marriage, children, jobs that would give them joy. They never experienced Europe free from Nazi rule. Yet, each and everyone one of those souls helped to change the course of history. Leaders of the time after these soldiers had fought and died, said NEVER AGAIN!

Yet, here I was in 2022 trying to understand why? How?

Silence of those American’s who died for the freedom of Europe.

As we walked through the silence of the peacefully resting souls who now are forever part of the Dutch landscape, I cried. To know that so many were lost, that so many helped to make Europe what it is today without ever seeing the war at the ending…sad…yet sadder to see a repeat of something so similar in the Ukraine.

Some of the gravesites have been adopted by local Dutch families who continue to place flowers on the grave. This one just happened to be from my home state of Minnesota.

So, wherever you are in the World as you read this blog today, please stop and send your thoughts towards peace. War is never the answer but we must remember the ultimate cost for everyone.

Hummmm… Camping/Hiking in Netherlands

The Cedar Journal May 2, 2022

Those regular readers of my blog already know to be amazed at the items that the universe places in my path.

This week is vacation week in The Netherlands for most people. The Hubby only has three days off but we decided to escape to one of our favorite camping spots at the Biesbosch. Then I would try to get my hiking feet to pound the kilometers I still have to complete the Floris V Pad hiking trail. Oh, how I digress, this is a Hummm blog. Yes, I found these at our camping and along my route.

This electric panel needs a floppy disk? Hummmm… did I time travel?

Hummm… other than the finger that wanted some exposure… this stork nest stand seemed a bit out of place to me. Since there is not a stork using it guessing it thought Hummmm…strange location and looked elsewhere.

Hummm… maybe I need to stop and get some water, as I think this is an American Post Box…closer look…sure is…wonder if the Postmaster General really can do anything to me here? But wait… maybe I am in the USA…

…as I look down the street there are two more! Hummmm… hard to find the large ones in Minnesota with a dent from a snowplow… guess they don’t have that problem here in Dordrecht.

Hummm… this is the first hiking sticker I have found on a garbage can on this trail.

This last photo sums up my hummm for the last two years and all that is going on right now. Go camping, disconnect, drink and be happy.

Carpe Diem everyone!

cedar strip canoe

Wordless Wednesday 4-13-2022

The Cedar Journal April 13, 2022

Hummm…April Fool’s?

The Cedar Journal April 1, 2022

March filled my folder of Hummm, today it spilled onto my desk as April Fool’s joke from Mother Nature.

While waiting for my friend to arrive from Minnesota… Hummm… maybe I should be concerned? Did I miss the dresscode email?

When I texted it to the Hubby who was waiting at another door for my friend. He sent me this!

Hummm…he missed the dress code email too!

While walking in Gouda this one appeared from a rooftop.

Now, this happened while riding my bike. Luckily for me I was close to home and no human was hurt performing the acrobatic maneuvers needed to not fall off the bike, not have a sharp object up my six, or the flying saddle hitting the old lady who watched the entire entertaining event! Hummm…thank you universe.

Hummm… taking advice from tea bags. If life could be so simple.

Then came the snow on April Fool’s Day. One last joke on us before Spring really sets in. Hummm… something is just not right with the world when Mother Nature dumps snow on poor blooming tulips. Hummm… I wonder what the rest of April will bring.