Christmas 2015

We were able to spend Christmas day with my youngest daughter and her family. This was a relaxing day of opening presents, taking naps and enjoying great food.

Greta ready to open presents

Wesley also ready to open presents

Inline skates were a hit

I really like this picture

Received family pictures

Granny Randi came up with wonderful handmade giftts - gloves in this case

Scarf in this case

Happy couple

Wesley was ready for a more capable bicycle so Santa found him this Raleigh Rowdy with aluminum frame and multiple gears and hand brakes. He is ready for the bike trails.

This is Sean's gift to Mandy. They raise chickens and harvest the eggs. This involves a trip to the chicken coop in the early morning and again in the evening to open and close the door to the chicken coop in all kinds of weather.

Sean created an automated process with a motorized door tied to a website that follows the changing times of sunrise and sunset and opens and closes the door at the appropriate time. There is a web cam to monitor the entire process and a light that is timed for the chicken coop.

This is shown indoors in his shop just before it was taken outside to be installed on the chicken coop. Many of the parts were 'grown' on Sean's SLA machine that he built. Truly amazing...

Eisenhower Museum and Library

President Eisenhower's Library and Museum are located in Abilene, KS. It is also the location of his boyhood home.

The museum covers his military accomplishments and rather extensively documents the entire D Day invasion history. It later covers his presidency and the cold war, fallout shelters, interstate highway system, elections and his retirement. His wife Mamie was well represented in the museum.

Typical 1960's living room 

Example of a fallout shelter - 'Preppers' of their day

Merchant ships and U Boats

There were no harbors available to the Allies for the D Day invasion, so we had to bring our own provisions to build our own to offload supplies to support the invading troops. Well done exhibits documented how it was all done.

An actual three rotor German Enigma machine is on display. This was the supposedly secure method used by the German military to send coded messages to the troops. 

Military history is well explained throughout

The Library also houses exhibits which change over time

President Eisenhower's thoughts on the election of Kennedy

His observations as to how he'd be remembered

Fort Riley

We've driven by the Fort Riley Military post many times and decided it was time the see the museums and explore the history.

This is the Calvary museum. It is constructed on limestone as are most buildings on the base

This monument is in honor of the millions of horses who served the U.S.Calvary. The last horse to serve in the Army is buried nearby

A variety of vehicles that replaced the horse are on display nearby

One display coverd the history of saddles for the calvary

Another museum is the Infantry museum for :The Big Red One" Division based at Fort Riley KS 

Exhibits included how the soldiers who fought in the Battle of the Buldge camouflaged their uniform with white bed sheets. 

The current tactics of todays military where shown

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Viet Nam history was included