Bugle Boy

Day is done gone the sun, ...... hearing Taps takes me back to Girl Scout camp, Camp Laurel in Lebanon, Ct and my introduction to Taps as an ending to a day and a final night at camp when natural log boats were set out on the lake each bearing a candle and a wish, we watched them float away as Taps played. I was nine at the time, now in my minds eye I can see it like yesterday. www.gsofct.org/particpate/camp/laurel-r.php

I recently read in the Ct. Boy Scout online newsletter that the Bugle Merit Badge was reinstated. The badge had been discontinued but an outpouring of comment from present and past Scouts in support of the Bugle Badge and in honor of the 100 years of Boy Scouting, saved the ill fated badge, it should be so. Taps and bugles are synonymous with our respect. The badge reinstated will hopefully urge more young people to learn to play bugle and share Taps at Scout and other functions. What a great honor for our scouts to play at Memorial Day, and other events even for lights out at camp!

Taps was born of the myriad of Bugle Calls used in the American Civil War and fitting with the 150 th anniversary of that war coming in 2011 for us to re-devote ourselves to some of the positive things that came from that bloody conflict. Around the world the 24 haunting notes of Taps are recognized as a melody of farewell and honor. It was the television coverage of the funeral for President John F. Kennedy that brought Taps to the world. I remember watching the funeral and seeing the bugler, and the caisson, and the Cavalry horse, riderless with the boots in the stirrups reversed, the symbol of a fallen soldier.

It is Military Funerals and Memorial Day functions that see the playing of Taps is still a daily event in our Nation. Unfortunately there are not enough Bugler's to play all the military funerals. How sad to serve your Nation and on the final day there is nothing more than the whir of a tape recorder playing Taps to bid a soldier his or her final farewell. An organization has sprung from that need which helps supply buglers to services. As a volunteer effort they are in need of more to help as well as resources, and they need the word spread about the volunteers who will provide that final call. Be sure to check out the work of operation Taps at www.operationtaps.org

"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" made playing Taps a rage for a time. As songs leave the top 40 play list the impact they make grows dim, until they surface again. Call a radio station and request it on holidays or in memory of a Fallen Soldier! The military still use bugle calls as a way to keep order in camp and signal changes in the routine. In the Civil War it was used for many events of the day, the Cavalry had a few calls of their own added to the Infantry. , the Call to Boots and Saddles, To Horse and Charge being the most common.

www.15thnewyorkcavalry.org/bugle_calls.htm

Pick up your old trumpet, pick up an old bugle and learn the call to Safely Rest, play TAPS!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhtr5J00ntA&feature=related

http://bands.army.mil/music/bugle/

In Awe of Learning

I hope to be in awe of learning my whole life, how about you? There are so many things new to learn and discover. We get complacent in life so easily and miss opportunities. I hope to feel as excited as my Granddaughter is to learn something new. Seeing places through her eyes is like seeing them again for the first time. I never enjoyed the Mystic Aquarium www.mysticaquarium.org as much as when we took her there. To see the wonder and delight at each new tank and sensation was to learn again as I did as a child.

I worry how we are turning that natural love of learning off. Why doesn't it stay with us. How do we reignite the love of learning. I got mine going again through my desire to be a storyteller. I am constantly seizing learning moments. They abound when we are open to them. The more I learn the more alive I feel!

I am a non- traditional learner and outside the box thinker, and I now know that it is a really good thing to be. It was not always accepted in school, they like everyone to do it the same way and are geared to education for the masses. We are all unique but that is hard to address in the public education scenario. I will continue to seek the off beat educational opportunity and draw my granddaughter to those unique experiences every chance I get.

I was visiting her last year and we went to a Civil War Museum. The guide looked less than thrilled when we joined a group going on a tour of the buildings because we had a baby with us. I was anxious to see and hear about this portion of the Civil War and the signing of surrender of the Army of the Confederacy at Bennett Place. www.nchistoricsites.org/bennett/bennett I assured them I would make sure the one year old would not interfere with the groups ability to listen and would step away if she fussed. I got a look of skepticism from the guide. Off we went down the dirt road and I pointed things out to my Granddaughters along the way. I stayed to the edge ready to distract her if the need arose and yet listening intently to the guides interesting dialog of the surrender. I asked a couple of questions. My granddaughter stared into my face each time I spoke. We went into the tiny house where the actual surrender was signed. A three room cottage, quarters were cramped. A small bed chamber was roped off around the corner I could barely see but again kept the respectful distance so she not disturb any of the guests on the tour. The guide spoke at length about the time of surrender and pointed out a couple of interesting items in the room and many of the group leaned in to see. I stayed back. They all backed away and continued to listen. At that moment my Granddaughter leaned way out from my arms and craned her tiny neck to peer with interest into the small bed chamber. I answered her physical request by stepping closer to the door and telling her softly, " See then old style bed and crib. What an interesting room." She looked it all over with interest and looked back at me. "It's a nice museum and very important things happened here," I told her. She was content and listening the whole time. That was when I noticed a look on all the guests faces, awe that the baby was interested, and maybe that I took hold of the teaching moment. I hope that they all greet every tour with a baby on it in the future as a learning moment for all.

I am so glad that by age one she had been to a museum and had seen how to be interested in a historic site. I hope I can give her my love of history and all the common people's stories that make the rich fabric of historical story. Historical story is by far my favorite genre. You can see more about that at my website www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.com

I want to be sure that I introduce her to many wonderful places. I can't wait for her to be old enough to attend a storytelling festival and share all those learning moments with me. Someday I will take her to the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tn.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzok5RwAvdA

There together we will share some awesome learning moments through story.