re: A day for remembering...

Memorial day seems to be a day for big sales, to kick off summer or to go camping but that seems to be a thing for the younger generations. I grew up spending time with my grandparents and their generation on Memorial day. And it seems I am still the one who arranges the plastic flowers, helps remove the tags, makes sure the real flowers have water, etc.

My grandfather gets nervous ever year. Maybe its visiting people who have been somewhat forgotten or ignored the rest of the year or maybe its remembering how much has changed in such a short time. So many who used to meet us on Memorial day are now gone and it is good to go and remember God's faithfulness and how much we loved the ones who are no longer with us. We usually don't go on Monday. This year we went Saturday and it was absolutely beautiful. Here are some of the pictures.

This picture is at the Lacombe cemetary. There are several special things about this little place. Its where my grandfather's family is buried just a short distance from Clark-Smith Road where he grew up. Much has changed up here and some things are very much the same.


This is a picture of my great-grandparent's grave. My grandfather was standing to supervise me putting the flowers on and removing the old and weathered ones while telling me stories about his parents.

This is the view from the Gates Cemetary in Crow. It is phenominally beautiful here. Usually you have to open the two horse gates and even then usually it is very quiet here. This time we ran into my cousin's uncle but other than that it was very quiet. Monday it will be busy with people and those tending graves.

My grandma, great-grandma, cousin and their families are here. Some times it is hard to remember. With memories come great emotion.

This mix of real and plastic flowers was a little obnoxious but I tried to keep the roses to a minimum. My grandmother used to always get annoyed and frustrated with my grandfather bringing her roses. Too funny, I still dont think he has any idea.

Very close to my grandmother's grave is my great-grandmother's. Its hard to believe they went just a year apart but their headstones remind me. I remember so many good things they taught me and they gave me so much for which I am thankful. I love them and miss them and am thankful for the time to stop and remember. It would take a volume to remember all God's faithfulness in this place and for that I am also thankful.

Almost summer...

I decided a few weeks ago that I needed flowers. It helped that driving by Home Depot on the way to Starbucks I spotted some of my favorite flowers on the clearance rack. I bought all four and headed to my grandfathers (it was Friday night - my night to beat him at cribbage). Since I only had room for one plant, I gave him the other three which he potted near the garage and they are flourishing beautifully.

I did manage to get mine into a pot but somehow it contracted little tiny bugs and before I could kill them, it killed my plant. So, today I bought replacement plants and added in a purple daisy too. Here are some pictures from the flowers. Hopefully they make it a few more weeks than the last ones did.




These are my favorite flowers (the pincushions on the left) with their new pot-mate the purple daisy.

These are my grandfather's plants. His seems to have made it more than a couple weeks and are growing beautifully. I'm so jealous! It must be the beautiful setting because other than that, I promise we did the same steps.... er.. though he might water his a little more than I seem to remember to.