My big backyard

I like living on an Army post. I like seeing helicopters and parachutes appear at odd moments. I like hearing the distant rumble of artillery fire and the much closer blasts of the bugle calls. I like living someplace where the lowering of the flag each day is marked with cannon fire, even though I will plan my schedule so as to avoid driving near the parade field at 5 o'clock and having to stop and get out. I like being a part of such a wildly diverse community of people who have so many important things in common.

This morning I walked from my house to a change of command on Brooks Field, and as I listened to the Army band and watched the commanders review the troops from a WWII-era jeep, I thought about just how much I like living on post. I wish I had thought to take my camera so I could have some pictures to share with you (just like I wished for my camera the other evening when I saw that big ol' coyote ambling along the side of the road). Since I didn't, I will share a rather cool photo that I took at a friend's change of command at Fort Sam Houston back in 2002: