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Nutcracker with Tree

The zoo is already partially decorated for the Christmas season.  Kind of early as far as I'm concerned, but I guess it takes a while to get completely decked out for the season.

There are many nutcrackers scattered throughout the zoo and it's pretty difficult to pass by any of them without grabbing an image or two of them.

I think this one is really cute as he's holding a staff with a small Christmas tree on it.

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Admiral David Glasgow Farragut

seen in Knoxville, TN

It's so nice to be someplace different and see different photo ops for a change.  This is a statue of Admiral Farragut, who was born in July 1801, joined the US Navy when only 11, saw his first combat at that age and commanded his first vessel at 12. By the time he died in 1870 he had been serving 

the US in uniform for 59 years.

He is quoted as saying, 

"damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead".

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Unconditional Surrender

This is one of the most beautiful and meaningful sculptures I've ever seen.  This one is at the marina park in Sarasota, Florida.  I saw another in San Diego years ago.  

I actually felt weepy today thinking about how these two and all of the world felt at the end of WWII. 

My heart is grateful for: 

the freedoms we still have today, knowing how hard we'll have to fight to keep them