Home Of The Free, Even Banshee!

Here's To Your Freedom, Banshee & All Dogs!

Every year about this time, we begin to once again ponder the meaning of FREEDOM. What does it stand for? Have I, you, our nation lost most of our freedoms as so many believe today?

This captivating piece features Banshee, with his before and after shots, a purebred black lab who spent the first six years of his life on a chain. Banshee has a very high need for action and a job, and he must have been driven crazy on the end of that chain with nary a ball or toy in sight.

He proved to be such a challenging foster, he was the final prompt for me to write a book on fostering America's homeless dogs with an eye toward helping the people who are helping the dogs, appropriately entitled Scream Like Banshee: 29 Days of Tips and Tales to Keep your Sanity as a Doggie Foster Parent.

Banshee made me crazy at first, but we eventually came to an understanding. It took me awhile to fall in love with Banshee, but I finally have, and spend a lot of time taking him swimming and trying to meet his needs for a job. He's still seeking a home where he can swim and play fetch to his heart's content, if you are interested in adopting him, please visit the site athttp://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/adopt.html.

For more information on the artist and how to order other prints click on the link below:

http://www.tammygrimes.com/freedombanshee.html

A Veteran's Day Collage, Honoring All Our Veterans!

The site Picablog created a great collage of our Veterans.

Photos submitted to Picablog were gathered & used to create a great Veteran's Day Collage. It's wonderful & really turned out good. They did a great, we should all thank them.

Thank you Picablog, my Father's photo in the top right corner,

Sgt. Jimmy D. McDaniel, Special Forces, US Army.

To view the collage click on the link below...
 http://blog.picaboo.com/2011/11/veterans-day-2011-collage/#comment-871

I would like to honor my Father this Veteran's Day!

For my Father on Veteran's Day!

Sgt. Jimmy D. McDaniel, Special Forces/Forwarding Observer, Vietnam 1968. He joined the Army just after he graduated high school and trained with the Marines for a year to move onto the Army in Special Forces. He became a Platoon Sgt. In March of 1968 he was ordered to go to Vietnam as a Platoon Sgt./Forwarding Observer in Special Forces. He returned home in March of 1969 with hearing loss. He is now suffering from PTSD and Parkinson's Disease due to Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam.


He has no regrets, he was and still is proud to have served his country. He is doing well and is my Hero. Happy Veteran's Day to my Father and to all of our Country's Veterans. They gave their all then and are still giving with their health.

Our country is a free country because of all the brave Veterans who served and are serving for us to be free. We owe them more respect and honor than we can possibly express. Today 11/11/11 is the day to do the best we can and express how grateful we are for everything they do, did and are still doing in more ways than we can even imagine.

To our Veterans, Happy Veteran's Day and please have good memories today. While you are thinking of our Veterans today don't forget their families and what they have been through and are going through, they are very brave and have to say strong for the Veteran in their lives. Give them a wonder wish today as well to keep them going and strong.

101 Ways to Thank a Veteran...

There are so many ways to thank a Veteran this Veteran's Day.

I have just listed ten here and attached the link to the site with the full 101 ways to thank a Veteran this Veteran's Day. Please go to this link and read the whole article, it is a really good one and full of great ideas.

 http://www.militaryavenue.com/Content.aspx?Name=ways_to_thank_veteran 

1. Take a Veteran out to eat; whether it is a fast-food chain or a fine-dining establishment.

2. Are you a knitter or crocheter? Make a scarf for the cold-winters ahead. Donate them at a local-VFW for a veteran in need or contact Operation Gratitude to see how to donate.

3. Listen to their stories with interest. If they are a war-veteran they have seen things you will never see. Listen and Learn.

4. Call and Visit a local nursing home or VA Hospital. Find out what you can do to help. If you quilt make a blanket for a needy veteran. If you bake call and find out if you can bring in something special. Bring a book to read to a veteran "ready and willing" to listen. We all have talents that can be used.

5. Send an 'E-Card' through the American Legion to the Veterans in your life that use email.

6. Support a Military Family through Operation Homefront. Watch their website for 'current needs': http://www.operationhomefront.net/currentneeds.aspx

7. Military-member at the same restaurant as you? Send them a drink or pay for their dessert.

8. Do you have a website? Make a page dedicated to our military. Need some help finding content for it?: For your site

9. Do you bake? Make an Apple Pie or another specialty and bring it over to a neighbor-veteran. Don't forget to grab a box of ice cream to take. Now I'm hungry!

10. Employers: Host a special luncheon for all of your veterans. Recognize their service to your company and your country.