World War II

Honoring Pete (And Dad)

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While the events in this post happened at the end of 2019, I’m just now sharing them here on my blog.

Most people who knew my dad knew that he had a whole room in our old house in Hanover dedicated to his great uncle, Captain James “Pete” Stepro, who died in WWII in Africa in 1943. (I have previously blogged about Pete here.) Dad became the caretaker of many of Pete’s personal effects/letters/photos/pre-Army documentation from the late 30s/etc. in the early 80s, having received them from Pete’s widow. He then contacted as many people as he could who served with Pete and knew Pete in his Army days to gather as many stories as he could, and that resulted in Dad writing a book about him called Captain Pete.

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Terrarium rejuvination

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I’ve had two terrariums for the past several years, but the moss keeps dying. The fact that I can’t even keep moss alive isn’t a surprise to me, but it’s still frustrating. Last time my terrariums died, I lived in Indy and had to order moss off Etsy. I rebuilt the terrariums with North Carolina moss and documented it here. Now that the NC moss has bit the dust, it was time to restore them again. Lucky for me, I now live in a state where moss covers everything that doesn’t move. Literally.

What a sad state of affairs for my 1945 Times Square kissing couple.

What a sad state of affairs for my 1945 Times Square kissing couple.

My farm scene was a hot mess, too!

My farm scene was a hot mess, too!

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Journey to Tunisia blog active again!

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For those of you interested in World War II, my Journey to Tunisia blog is active again.  I let it go dormant after our initial plan to visit my great-great uncle’s grave in Tunisia fell through, but I’m now back at it as a way to honor this man who gave his life fighting the Germans in Africa. Please check it out.  There’s a lot more to come, as I’m going to start putting up Pete’s writings and letters, as well as more pictures. I have so many of his things and they need to be shared!

The 70th Anniversary of D-Day – a powerful monologue

/ Rachel / 1 Comment

Bob Hope was not only an entertainer but a passionate supporter of the troops both during World War II and after.  The night of D-Day, June 6, 1944, Americans were tuned to their radios, eager for any invasion news updates that they could get.  Most shows were pre-empted for news broadcasts, but Bob Hope went on the air at 10:15pm on NBC.  Instead of his normal antics, he began his show with this sober and reverent monologue that withstands 70 years of time.

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DIY – Make your own terrarium (and repair the one you killed)

/ Rachel / 1 Comment

I don’t have a green thumb.  My thumb is as black as they come, which is highly awkward for someone dabbling in herbalism as I am.  But I love plants, and I love terrariums.  I bought one from Twig Terrariums (chronicled here) and paid a pretty penny for it since it had teeny tiny customized characters in it.  And I loved it dearly, right up until the moment I murdered it due to overwatering and general stupidity when it comes to terrarium maintenance.

Since the demise of my terrarium, I vowed to fix it and make one of my own.  The resurrection of my old terrarium and creation of a brand new one happened this weekend.  If you’re interested in making a tiny ecosystem of your own, I’ll show you how!  (And here is where I solemnly pledge to keep my moss alive this time.)

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