
see url Memorial Day Tribute at Old Courthouse © 2012 Bo Mackison
see url Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong. ~ James Bryce
click Memorial Day 2012.
watch Sherpa and I had a fair amount of driving time scheduled for this holiday weekend. Wisconsin to Iowa to Missouri to Illinois, and then across Illinois from the farthest city on the western border of Illinois, through the heart of the state, a swing to Milwaukee before finally heading home to Madison – where we collapsed in a heap of tired bones and weary minds.
https://purestpotential.com/pxoptzx0l We accomplished a huge number of things, including several family events that were celebratory. And as is now my habit while traveling and collecting large numbers of miles on the odometer, I kept my big camera in the back seat, snug in its camera bag, and photographed whatever caught my eye with my iPhone.
watch We took a detour off the interstate, mid-Illinois, after half a day of swerving through holiday traffic, and followed the scenic road along the Illinois River from Dixon (childhood home of Ronald Reagan) to Rockford. As we passed through Dixon, we noticed a display of flags on the old Courthouse lawn. Needing to stretch anyway, we got out and walked around the Courthouse Square.
https://onlineconferenceformusictherapy.com/2025/02/22/8nv0m2qr There was a temporary tribute for Memorial Day entitled “Lest We Forget” and I took a few photos. Each cross or star represented a soldier killed in war from the Dixon area.

here Dixon Illinois - Huge Oak on Courthouse Lawn © 2012 Bo Mackison
https://penielenv.com/qz6oc9z3 As we walked back to the car, I noticed a truly gigantic oak on the southern side of the Courthouse. I am not experienced enough to give a guess at the age of this tree, but I could not reach my arms around it and touch my fingers together.
Tramadol 50 Mg Online Uk I wondered how old this tree was, and how it looked at different periods of history.
enter Would it have been a young sapling during the Civil War? Probably, as the courthouse was built in the 1850s. Surely it was tall and provided a comforting shade during the hot summers throughout World War I, and has continued to do so these many years.
enter site I saluted this giant oak as I left the square, witness to over a century and a half of history.
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source url Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC.