November 11, at 11am is the 90th anniversary of Veteran’s Day (formally known as Armistice Day). In a time of war, I hope everyone will take a moment out of their Wednesday to stop and thank the 24.9 million Veterans who weave in and out of our lives.  The Sunday ads would belie the importance of this day, with special mattress sales and slashed clothing prices. Somewhere, the importance of the day has been lost, as consumerism has usurped the day. Sift through the clutter, wipe away the ads and find a moment to say thanks.

Wednesday offers many opportunities to honor the fallen, as well as celebrate those who are still with us. Below are a few opportunities. Read more…

Yellowstone Falls at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Amanda Rinkel.

Ken Burns, the documentary filmmaker famous for his films on Baseball, The Civil War and World War 2 has managed to create another masterpiece chronicling American life. This time he’s tackling the majesty of America’s national parks, complete with touching sincerity and beautiful imagery.

In “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” a 12 hour documentary, Burns documents the early formation of the the parks and National Parks Service to the modern day, where more than 275 million people visit the parks every year. The film tells the story of the “famous white guys,” such as Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir as well as the every day story “that’s black and brown and red and yellow and female and unknown.”

In an interview with the Christian Science Monitor, Burns passion for the six year project, as well as his tremendous love for our national parks, emerges.

If there were no national parks,” Burns said, “the Everglades would be drained and filled with subdivisions and tract housing.”