Memorial Day 2022

 

Good day friends, I hope this message finds you well. On this day of remembrance, I wanted to remember how the  family of my childhood recognized this day. It was solemn, flags were placed on graves, wreaths on some, a parade meandered through the next little town downriver. With their folding chairs perched on the sidewalk, my grandparents watched as the firetrucks, boy scout troops, and local police cars made their way down the streets. Flags draped on flatbed trailers pulled by farm trucks, marked the respect this generation held for the sacrifice of those lost in battle. My grandfathers both served in WWI and returned. My father and uncle served in WWII, not all of their company returned. D- Day was devastating. My father never forgot about the horrors he witnessed and this day was his way to process some of what he saw. 

After the parade, the folding chairs were loaded into the ancient vehicles, children were divided among the vehicles and we all headed for home. The extended family gathered at my grandmothers house, the picnic gear came out. The much revered coffee pot. Long story for another time, and the watermelons were carved while the charcoal burned and settled down to a nice gray coal.   

 

The holiday weekend is upon us. My mother always called it decoration day. *info from Wikipedia

Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day^[1]) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces.^[2] It is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formerly observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970.^[3]

Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on Memorial Day to honor and mourn those who died while serving in the U.S. military. Many volunteers place an American flag on graves of military personnel in national cemeteries. Memorial Day is also considered the unofficial beginning of summer in the United States.^[4]

Many cities and people have claimed to have first celebrated the event. In 1868, General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic called for a "Decoration Day", which was widely celebrated. By 1890, every Northern state had adopted it as a holiday. The World Wars turned it into a generalized day of remembrance instead of just for the Civil War. In 1971, Congress standardized the holiday as "Memorial Day" and changed its observance to the last Monday in May.

Two other days celebrate those who have served or are serving in the U.S. military: Armed Forces Day (which is earlier in May), an unofficial U.S. holiday for honoring those currently serving in the armed forces, and Veterans Day (on November 11), which honors those who have served in the United States Armed Forces.^[5]

^{And life goes on. Our lives, the procreation of the local wildlife. The peace we have been blessed to have on our homeland.} 

'Tis the season so they say. our momma bunnies are preparing their nests. All over the place. They dig close to the house because its safe here. Relatively. I can't let Lola out in the back of the house because there are two nests so far. Lola has a very strong prey instinct due to her poodle ancestry. The little ones are so vulnerable. In a few weeks they will grow strong and leave the nest, we will be able to go there again. 

Once the hole is large enough, she will start pulling grass and then fur to line it. Then we will have babies. I am not close to her, I used a telephoto lens to capture these photos from my dining room.

 This photo is about 2 years old. Last year my roses were decimated by a critter of some sort, this year they are perking up but no blooms yet.  Soon rose season will be upon us, if possible tour a rose garden, it will brighten your day. I have no red poppies, a red rose, a rose of honor and respect to honor our soldiers.