Category: Military

Fort Meade Florida

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date September 26, 2024

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. For 50+ years – Fort Meade was a military post and town that I grew up near in the 1970s. It’s in Anne Arundel County Maryland – between Baltimore, Washington, and Annapolis. It’s named after U.S. Civil War Union Major General George Gordon Meade (1815-1872).

But then this past year I was made aware of another Fort Meade – 30 miles away from my current home here in the Heartland of Florida. Fort Meade Florida is also named after George Gordon Meade. After graduating from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point New York in 1835 – he served in the Second Seminole War here in Florida from 1835 to 1842. He continued his service in the Mexican-American War from 1846 to 1848.

Fort Meade Florida is a small historic city in rural southwestern Polk County. It’s the oldest city in the county – with origins dating back to 1849. (Happy 175TH Anniversary !) It was established along a new military road (a portion of modern-day U.S. 98) that was constructed between Fort Brooke (Tampa on the west coast) and Fort Pierce (on the east coast).

Fort Meade’s population has held fairly steady over the past 60 years – between 4,000 and 6,000. I’ve driven through Fort Meade a few times recently – on my way to and from Bartow and Lakeland to the north (along U.S. 98). Kiki’s Egg House is a wonderful diner along the main road through downtown. They serve breakfast and lunch, and you’ll find a lot of the locals there. Every future drive through Fort Meade will probably include a hearty meal there for me.

I have not yet visited the Historical Society Of Fort Meade Florida Museum – which I had hoped to do before publishing this blog post. But there will be plenty of opportunities to do so. They are currently open 3 days a week – on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – from 10 AM to 2 PM. I actually have it on my schedule to visit today, so if I actually do so then this will become a 2-part series, and I’ll write all about it next – #TravelThursday.

#CountUp & #TravelThursday is on Facebook.

Tags Florida, Fort Meade, Heartland, Maryland, Museum, War

Holidays Military Travel

National Aunt & Uncle Day

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date July 26, 2024

Greetings my friends. It is Friday July 26TH 2024, and today is a very special day. As the headline states – it is National Aunt & Uncle Day. You say you never heard of it before ? You are not alone. Most Americans have never heard of it before. In fact – I’m the only one I know who is aware of the holiday. It’s a fairly new holiday. It’s only been around since perhaps 1997. I’m not sure that even the greeting card companies know about it; otherwise, they would be selling cards in the stores for it.

Unlike Mother’s Day (2ND Sunday every May) and Father’s Day (3RD Sunday every June) – Aunt & Uncle Day is always celebrated on July 26TH – no matter what day of the week it is. Maybe it would be recognized more if it were celebrated on the 4TH Sunday every July. That way we don’t have to remember a specific date, but rather a particular Sunday in July.

I’m closest to my Aunt Ida and Uncle Mac in the Wichita Falls Texas area. They’ve been married for almost 68 years. They’ve lived in the same area for the past 55 years. My Uncle retired from the U.S. Military in Wichita Falls (Sheppard AFB), and he decided to live the rest of his life there with his wife and two children.

I’ve been visiting my Aunt, Uncle, and Cousins almost annually for the past 10 years – usually right around their wedding anniversary in late-September. I’ve driven there and I’ve flown there. It’s always a fun visit with reminiscing about the past as well as creating new memories with mini-road-trips around the region.

I don’t need an annual holiday every July 26TH to remember and commemorate my Aunt and Uncle. I love them so much. I’ve gotten close to them over the past 10 years – ever since the passing of my Dad (one of my Aunt’s younger brothers). It’s what my Dad wanted me to do after he left this world. I wish I had been close to them before these past 10 years.

After a lifetime with various church families – they are no longer physically part of one – mostly due to health and mobility issues. I am essentially their Pastor now. I pray for them daily. I text them weekly early every Sunday morning.

I wrote all of the above at the start of July. My Aunt Ida sadly passed-on to Heaven early on the morning of Thursday July 11TH 2024. She was admitted to hospice care just the night before. She’s reunited now with her Creator, as well as her parents and all but one surviving brother. I love you Aunt Ida always and forever. 1936-2024.

#SundayScripture is up next in less than 48 hours. I hope that you’ll check it out sometime during the day this Sunday. Until then – tell your Aunt and Uncle how much you love them.

Tags Aunt, Texas, Uncle

Blogging Driving Geography History Military Politics Sports Travel

Alabama

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date June 13, 2024

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about my scenic drive eastward across “The Magnolia State” Mississippi – from the Delta to the hills.

It’s Day 15 of my retirement road-trip – a Monday afternoon – and I’m in west-central Alabama along U.S. 82 approaching Tuscaloosa. Once I crossed-over the Tuscaloosa County Line – the highway widened from a rural two-lane road to a suburban divided four-lane road. Oh – and traffic gradually increased – particularly headed in the other direction – westward – away from the city. I felt like I was entering the metro area, and I was. Hello afternoon rush hour !

About a quarter-of-a-million residents live and work in the Tuscaloosa metro area, and almost half live within the city limits of Tuscaloosa. It’s the 5TH most-populous city in Alabama (behind Huntsville, Mobile, Birmingham, and Montgomery), and it’s also the 5TH most-populous county in Alabama.

It’s also the home of the University Of Alabama and the Crimson Tide. I arrived in town as thousands of students were ending their school day. I made my way to a popular local diner in the city for dinner, and then it was on to my hotel for the night overlooking noisy I-20. Like El Dorado Arkansas the night before – this was just a hotel night. Other than driving to and from the hotel – I didn’t get to explore the surrounding city. Tuscaloosa is loaded with historic homes / museums, and it’s a city that I’d like to explore further over the course of a few days – perhaps in a future summertime in-between school years.

Fun Facts: U.S. 11 runs through Tuscaloosa. It’s parallel to I-20 in the area. U.S. 11 is a 10-state / 1,645-mile transcontinental highway that runs in a northeast / southwest direction from the Canadian border in northern New York to near the Gulf Of Mexico in New Orleans Louisiana. On Day 3 of my road-trip in Hattiesburg Mississippi – I drove over U.S. 11 via U.S. 49 at a cloverleaf interchange.

Good Morning Day 16. Let’s head southeast to the State Capitol in Montgomery. On my approach – I drove right alongside Maxwell AFB. I don’t think I’ve ever been on that base. I have been on Gunter Annex on the northeast side of the city. I had a strong working relationship with various personnel at Gunter during all of the 1990s and into the 2000s as part of my job. (Gunter Annex used to be Gunter AFB before it was redesignated as an annex of Maxwell AFB in 1992.)

After struggling (and eventually succeeding) in finding a public parking lot and an empty space in said lot within walking distance of the State Capitol – I visited the “working museum of state history and politics”. Admission is free, and there are a couple of floors accessible to the public. They do lots of school tours, so if you’re visiting during the school year be aware of that. When I arrived – I was one of their few visitors roaming around. The place was soon filled with kids from multiple schools. I spent less than an hour at the Capitol. I thought that it was underwhelming. I was expecting a lot more exhibits for a historical building of its stature. I passed-by more offices than museum exhibits, and it felt weird walking by the open offices as employees were working at their desks.

After filling-up with gas on the way out of Montgomery – I took Alabama State Route 110 for 32 miles back to U.S. 82.

I reached Eufaula Alabama – a historic Chattahoochee River city that abuts the state line with Georgia. The state line is actually at the western end of the bridge over the river, so driving eastward – you’re in Georgia as soon as you reach the bridge. That’s also the time zone line between Central and Eastern. After 14 days within the Central Time Zone – I was back home in the EDT.

Next #TravelThursday – I’ve got Georgia on my mind. Let’s keep traveling together.

Tags Alabama, Chattahoochee, Eufaula, Montgomery, River, Tuscaloosa

Bible Holidays Military Scripture

Memorial Day

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date May 27, 2024

It’s Memorial Day here in the U.S.A. It’s not appropriate to say “Happy Memorial Day”, for this is a truly solemn holiday. It’s the day each year that we honor our fallen heroes – those military personnel who served their country in a time of war – and who gave the ultimate sacrifice to keep our freedom strong. They gave their life.

This is not a day for those like me who once served in the U.S. Armed Forces, for I am still alive. My day is Veterans Day on November 11TH. It is not a day for those who are currently serving in the military. That day is Armed Forces Day – the 3RD Saturday of May. In fact – the entire month of May is National Military Appreciation Month here in the U.S.A.

On this day – I remember our fallen heroes. I will never forget.

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13 NLT)