Most of our county's have one or more Veteran's Memorials on the grounds. I couldn't get a good photograph of the front of the Memorial because the sun was to low and I would be looking straight into the sun. Since I have plans to return I will photograph it again. I don't like the way this layout turned out....nothing about it. I had a sticker drop and stick on the photo.........grrrrr....... At least I was able to adjust it. I guess the reason I share this layout is how little most know about rural populations. I live in a rural community at the ranch, only 22,481 when we purchased the ranch. The population has been fairly stagnant the last 40 years. Move further west in Texas populations continue to drop in rural counties. Throckmorton is no exception. Throckmorton is only 33 square miles smaller then Limestone County. Yet their population in 1970 was 2238 and 2013 just 1600. Almost all jobs are on farms/ranches in the county and most children leave to wait for the farm/ranch to be passed to the next generation. Some will never return and sell the farm/ranch. But what struck me since I took photos of those honored for their sacrifice to our country it dawned on me that the county had lost 67 as of Fall 2013 when I was last there. That's 3.9% of the population since 1990. That is huge compared to Urban counties. On top of that so many families lost multiple members. Think of it this way instead and one sees how horrible the loss is. Mean population since 1990 and start of Gulf War I is 1733 people. If you consider that half the population is children that means they graduate 48 seniors a year in that time period from the two high schools. Consider, too, we weren't always at war during that time. When you live in a rural area everyone is related it seems. My heart broke as I took the photos and again when I scrapped this layout yesterday.

Cardstock: Bazzill White O/P
Pattern Paper: Monte Paper Mill Patriots 6x6 Paper Pad; Bo Bunny Liberty Stripe
Stickers: Bo Bunny Anthem Cardstock Stickers
Stars: Favorite Things