Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Flotsam and Jetsam

A quick post before I head out to a forward operating base (FOB). We just traveled via land convoy from the relative comfort of the big base at Al Asad to the more primitive conditions at Hit. I traveled in the open back of a seven ton truck. The road was straight as an arrow for about 25 miles before we went au naturale. This side path had that corduroied texture that unpaved roads start to resonate with after hard use. . All along our drive partially filled water bottles littered the sand like fragments of sea glass. We passed through a large bullrush marsh. At a distance this expanse of thick fuzzy headed reeds had me imagining Sesame Street Big Birds massing in the same way Emperor Penguins do at the South Pole. This wetlands, like others I've smelled in tidal Virginia, was as fragrant as Job Johnnys at a rock festival. As we passed into the perimeter of the Hit base camp squadrons of swallow tailed magpies were doing recon patrols among the man-made berms and garbage piles.

4 comments:

Maggie Goff said...

I just discovered your blog, and I don't even know what links I followed to get here, but WOW. I am in the process of reading through from the beginning, with a few side trips off to some of your links. I just want to give you a huge thank you. I am in total awe of your talent, and extremely grateful to have a man like you depicting the daily lives of our wonderful Marines with such...hmmm I'm at a loss for words, I think I'll use beauty. I read the newspaper article of the people who thought you should have dressed like an Artist at your showing, OMG, they have no clue. You are an artist, and how you dress is how you as an artist dresses. Holy Crow! Anyway, I am so glad I found you. Thank you for your service now and for your service in the past.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the wonderful pictures you paint in my mind. You give a new dimension to Iraq reminding us that beautiful landscapes and people await a life of freedom.

If you run into a Cpl Jimenez in Hit tell him Donna says Hi!

Can't wait to see and read more. Stay safe Warrior!

Donna in Texas

Some Soldier's Mom said...

Stay safe.... observant.

God (by all the names the people of the world call you), please hold the Iraqi voters and all the soldiers and police protecting them in your loving hands. God, let all those who love and yearn for peace prosper in this election. Let Freedom ring (and Our Guys all come home!) Amen.

Anonymous said...

Fingers (and toes) crossed for the success of the elections today 'over there'. Wishing, hoping and praying for ALL you troops' safety, and quiet days (of drawing?) before and after. I'm sure it's redundant to ask a Marine to be vigilant, kind of like asking an Artist to be observant, but well....humor this commenter, please!