The art of living lies less in eliminating our troubles than in growing with them
Memorial Day has always been a day we visited cemeteries and placed flowers in remembrance on headstones of those we loved. Isn’t this something everyone does? I’m not so sure. This is something I’ve done with my folks ever since I was a small child. We always picked flowers and went to the cemetery. It is a tradition for most families I believe. It is only right to remember not only the veterans but those you loved.
I usually still try to make a trip to the cemeteries we visit before Memorial Day to avoid the biggest part of the traffic jams. Those little one lane roads are packed bumper to bumper all weekend long. Besides isn’t it better to have the headstones ready before the others get there?
I don’t have a flower garden and I’m sure folks around here wouldn’t appreciate it if I picked their flowers so it was off to Fred Meyer with Tammi to purchase a few bouquets. In addition to the flowers, we also picked up flags for the graves of my father and uncles who served during WWII. We sure miss them all!
Tammi and I headed out bright and early Friday morning to beat the rush and have the flowers in place and looking nice before everyone else showed up to decorate the graves of their loved ones. Isn’t this tradition. Isn’t this what most folks do for Memorial Day?
It was a nice day. The sun was out and it didn’t have to compete with the rain. It was a holiday and we took it off. We also made a stop to visit Aunt Jenny. She’s doing much better. My daily visits changed to every other day. Now I’m moving it back to just a couple times a week. She still is having trouble walking, doesn’t eat right and has memory issues but after all, she’s not a spring chicken. She’s 93 years young.
Later that day I caught Justin coming back from working with the local recruiting office. Evidently five days of his leave doesn’t count if he volunteers five days helping the recruiters and that’s just what he did. Some of those five days are very long and some of them are very short. Obviously we prefer the short days.
I love this time of year. One reason is because we get to eat lots of watermelon and that’s just what we’ve been doing most every night.
‘Tis life on the road.
I remember visiting your graves with you the year we were out your way. Not sure if anybody will visit my folks graves or not today. Your watermelon sure looks good. May have to go to the store for one.
ReplyDeleteAunt Jenny looks wonderful. She has a ton of color. Glad to see her talking on the phone...always a good sign.
ReplyDeleteLove the cheeries in this part of the country. They are so sweet.
When I was younger, we always visited the graves this weekend...not so much anymore! Times have changed but we believe mostly for the better.
ReplyDeleteThis weekend is about giving thanks for our freedom and for all the folks who have put their lives on the line to give us that right!
Thank you for reminding us of what it is all about!
My family called this Decoration Day. Those graves are in Illinois so my step-mother and step-sister care for them now. Dave's parents were cremated so the closest we can come to their graves is to go sit by the river in which we distributed their ashes--a peaceful thing to do.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful tradition. We don't have a Memorial day holiday here in Canada, but do visit cemeteries when we are in the areas they are located.
ReplyDeleteI've never visited a cemetery where loved ones are buried, but I'm from California. I wonder if it's more a mid-west or regional thing? The few relatives I've lost are all buried in different places, far from each other.
ReplyDeleteSmall towns would have everyone buried close by, but in California, it would be hard.
Or maybe just not a family thing with my folks. I think it's a nice tradition.
So nice to decorate the resting place of loved ones. It keeps their memory alive in your heart.
ReplyDeleteJustin is looking like a recruiting poster for the Navy. What a fine young man!
Nice photos of your bouquets and decorations. Glad you can visit the resting places of those you love.
ReplyDeleteI gotta say that watermelon looks SOOO GOOD.
Nope, I'm not a cemetery person. My Father passed away just a few short years ago and he's with me on my travels and in my heart every day.
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