When I was growing up, we anxiously watched our peonies, hoping they'd open by Decoration Day. Those lucky souls with early bloomers gathered them into enormous bouquets and off to the cemeteries we went, to decorate the graves. The dearly departed soldiers' final resting places were marked with small American flags. Many also had medallions on stakes, indicating they'd been Veterans of Foreign Wars or American Legion or Catholic War Veteran members. People showed up at the older cemeteries with clippers and trowels and annuals. (Not allowed at Forest Lawn, which had only in-ground markers to facilitate more efficient mowing.)
We could sit on our front porch and observe the parade of cars as they made their way to St. Hyacinth's Cemetery or St. Vincent's Cemetery. We'd already been to St. Vincent's, where we tidied the graves of our grandfather, aunt and uncle. The breeze would waft the sweet scent of peonies over the place and it was interesting to wander the oldest parts where the veterans of the First World War were buried. I do believe Uncle Cookie's grandfather, who was a Union veteran is interred there, as well, so perhaps there are also a few souls hearkening back to that era.
Today we are more apt to think of this day as one on which we throw a big barbeque, or take to the road for some entertainment.
I have some garden work ahead of me, but as I dig, I'll be thinking of my own dearly departed veterans: Uncle Joe, Uncle Hank, Uncle Cookie, Dane's granddad... I even have a pink peony that has opened this morning.
We could sit on our front porch and observe the parade of cars as they made their way to St. Hyacinth's Cemetery or St. Vincent's Cemetery. We'd already been to St. Vincent's, where we tidied the graves of our grandfather, aunt and uncle. The breeze would waft the sweet scent of peonies over the place and it was interesting to wander the oldest parts where the veterans of the First World War were buried. I do believe Uncle Cookie's grandfather, who was a Union veteran is interred there, as well, so perhaps there are also a few souls hearkening back to that era.
Today we are more apt to think of this day as one on which we throw a big barbeque, or take to the road for some entertainment.
I have some garden work ahead of me, but as I dig, I'll be thinking of my own dearly departed veterans: Uncle Joe, Uncle Hank, Uncle Cookie, Dane's granddad... I even have a pink peony that has opened this morning.
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