A visit to Fort Benning

July 16, 1014

We belong to a camping club called Yosemite Sams. This is a Good Sam club from Georgia. Our members are located all and around Georgia and even two couples with homes in Florida. We meet every month except for January. This group loves camping, sightseeing, and socializing, We also do lots of good works with several charities. Among those are Murphy Harpst Home in Rome Georgia, A school  in a very poor district of Middle Georgia and Childrens Hospital of Atlanta.

Our last campout was hosted in the Fort Benning area. We had many good memories to bring home.

Among our best memories was a visit to the National Infantry Military Museum

Yosemite Sams, a Good Sam camping club

For 23 years, the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall has traveled throughout our country to make the Wall experience real for those who had not had the opportunity to see the original Vietnam Wall in Washington D.C. And like the Wall in Washington, more than 58,000 names of patriots who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country are etched on it.

The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall will now remain at the National Infantry Museum until at least 2019, standing alongside the permanent memorial to Vietnam veterans at the museum.

During our visit we wanted to honor one of our own. A member and a man who served in both Korean and Vietnam War.

We salute Bill Day.

Visiting family for the 4th of July 2014

 What a weekend!  The Jinks family celebrated the 4th in the traditional way of gathering in Ideal, Georgia. Since the end of World War II when a family member returned from being a prisoner of war a Hog has been prepared and cooked over the open pit with a watching eye for just the right time to taste the meat.

While the men (and women) watch over the meat the women (and men) are in the kitchen preparing the large pots of Brunswick Stew from a famous unknown exact recipe that is supervised by our 89 year old Aunt Dorothy. While stirring, tasting, and adding ingredients we enjoy a lot of love and laughter.

Families, what fun to share life with. Never cut ties with those you love.

Shipshewana, Indiana

We arrived in Shipsy to great weather and a very nice campground. We came in two days early to have work done on our F350 Ford Diesel. A problem with the Re Gin whatever that is. So I Stayed at the campground to do laundry and have some me time.
The others arrived a couple of days later and off we went to tour the area and experience a little of the Amish and Mennonite way of life. The farms here are so clean and the people are friendly and like to talk to us "English". Shopping is a must and we picked up souveniors (that we probably did not need) but felt we could not live without.
The second day after our group joined us we purchased tickets to see the Oak Ridge Boys. This included a dinner at the Blue Gate Restaurant. It was a family style meal with two meats, vegetables, salad and of course a big piece of PIE. Also served was homemade bread with Amish peanut butter and Apple Butter. Yummmmmmmm

I also attended the Musical Half-Stitched

Also a trip to a Cheese Store where an added treat of Homemade Ice Cream by the Amish

Iris Farm outside Empire Michigan

I love Iris and those in Michigan were simply beautiful. There was a farm that was growing some of the most vibrant colors I had ever seen. They were not selling bulbs yet but you can order them this fall.

Holland Michigan

Even though we left our group briefly and skipped Holland Mi. they shared these pictures with us and I want to share them with you. The Tulips had already stopped blooming but the town was still very picturesque.

 Yes, even the bathrooms have a dutch decor

Sorry we missed seeing Holland but maybe on another trip.