America

 

After three days of back to back driving we found ourselves in the Ark-La-Tex region. It was a relief to stop at the FamCamp, on Barksdale Air Force Base, outside Shreveport, for a few nights. Our driving days, to begin a trip, aren’t high mileage (never more than 250 miles) but we avoid interstates when we can, thus, 250 miles takes a lot longer when your average speed is 55mph.

I’m not sure the typical American civilian realizes how picturesque many of our nations military bases are. I’ve included a picture of a tree lined street, where commissioned officers live at Barksdale, to hopefully give a glimpse of the beauty many of these facilities have. I’ve mentioned before how much we enjoy the atmosphere and amenities provided; laundry, fitness center and the mournful bugle call of “Taps” signaling “lights out” at the end of each day. For some reason, I always feel more calm and grounded after a stay there.

Revitalized, we pushed on, into Texas, after passing the largest publicly-funded mural, in the nation, called “Once in a Millennium Moon.” It was created in the year, 2000, for the new millennium. It is a gigantic painting on the AT&T building in downtown Shreveport. The 19 people depicted in the mural are from 3 months to 80 years of age reflecting diversity in ethnicity, religion, gender, age and neighborhood. “America the beautiful” in acrylic!