Iwo Jima Monument

Iwo Jima Monument, Harlingen

A busy week.  We visited the Iwo Jima Monument and Veteran's Memorial, both in Harlingen, on Thurs.  I was feeling a little closed in,  so on Friday Pat took us on a road trip to La Feria and down to the border.  

Saturday's dinner came from a craft burger joint in Harlingen.

Pat had the "Trump Burger Wall" and I appropriately had "The Granny."  We didn't realize they came with Parmesan Fries so we also got onion rings.

Pat's burger was HUGE.

I put the last piece in "The Quilting Craft Room" jigsaw puzzle this week.  I had my first quilting class which meets on the second and fourth Tues. for 3 months.  There are only 10 in the class, we are required  to wear masks, meet in a large hall, and socially distance,  so I feel somewhat safe.  In the fall I ordered a diamond painting kit so I have put it off long enough.  I told Pat he should try new things too, they could be fun.  He said he could try sitting on a nail, but that didn't mean it would be fun, lol!

There are a lot of pieces to the Diamond painting kit.  It's a picture I took.  What is it?  Stay tuned!

The first block we made this week in class. Four more blocks to go, one each week.

This was a pretty  tough jigsaw puzzle.

I bought a large foam board to do jigsaw puzzles on.  Most 1,000 piece puzzles fit and we can easily move it from the dash to the table.  It stores in the side of my closet.

The Iwo Jima Monument in Harlingen is the original, plaster, full-sized model that was used to make the Washington DC monument.  The plaster model took over 9 years to create.  In 1981 Dr. Felix W. de Welton, the creator, donated it to the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen as an inspiration to young cadets.  The nearly constant temperature and humidity made Harlingen an ideal place for it.

Harlingen has quite a few murals.  Pat is probably tired of my interests which include, but aren't limited to,  churches, old buildings and murals. We still have a few to look for.

We even got in a game of shuffleboard.

The soldier placing the flag in the ground was a south Texas native, Harlon H. Block, from Weslaco, near here.  His grave was moved to this site in 1995.  At 18 he  was killed just 6 days after the flag raising.

They were doing some work on the flag rope.  

They didn't have information on many of the outdoor displays.

Iraqi Howitzer captured during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.u

The Marine Military Academy is a prep boarding school for high school boys.

A couple of blurry Pelicans at Pendleton Park.  I have never seen so many ducks and geese, which also means a LOT of poop!

An overview of the Veteran's Memorial in Pendleton Park.

Stepping into the circle each war was honored on a large boulder.

Plaques of each branch of the military.  Will they add one for the Space Force?

My Dad served in WWII and Pat's  Dad in the Korean War.

The History of Mexico and Mankind, 1975, Raus Esparza Sanchez.  It is comprised of 905 hand-crafted ceramic tiles.

The Early Days. 2001, Jermaine Steed.

From Farm to Market Through Harlingen, 2015, Brett Oberthaler.  Produce labels are from companies that once operated in Harlingen.

Welcome to Harlingen's Downtown, Chris Valdez, 2005.

Historic Route 77, 2005, John Aretakis.

Our trip on Friday began in La Feria.  After viewing their murals we headed towards the border along the  Rio Grande Civil War Trail.  Lots of historical markers.

That's supposed to be my halo.

Pieces of the border wall.  There appeared to be pieces here and there.

Captain Philip Thornton is buried here.  He and 62 dragoons were attacked by Mexican troops in 1846.

Alonso de Leon's expeditions were near here.  Spain was trying to claim lands before the French.

The Confederate army under Col. John S. Ford defeated the Union army near here in 1864.