When I was a child living in Utah, Memorial Day was called "Decoration Day" in our household...Since my parents lost a little boy, Joel, at 2 1/2 years of age and his grave was in a different city...Preparations were made in advance to "decorate" his grave and grandparents graves every year...I remember Mom and my sisters making flowers using crepe paper and paraffin wax...They shaped the paper into petals, added a stem, wired them together, dipped them in warm paraffin and assembled the gaily colored flowers into bouquets, placed them in canning jars for vases, no water needed...Along with freshly gathered lilacs and peonies, using old Folger's coffee cans for vases, add a picnic lunch and we were off on a long drive...I remember the drive because I always got carsick...Stops were made, soda crackers nibbled and finally we arrived at my uncle's service station in Woodruff, Utah, where I could choose the green 7up bottle from the pop cooler, put the nickel, sweaty from being clutched in my hand, in the coin slot and with the first sip, soothe my churning stomach with the bubbly liquid...This bottle of soda pop and maybe one at a 4th of July picnic was my quota for the year!
Now most years I rely on my flowerbeds (memorial gardens) as a remembrance for our loved ones...Memorial weekend quite often brings snow showers to Wallowa County...It is not a good time to plant bedding plants such as marigolds and petunias, so I will be waiting at least another week and see what the weather does...In the meantime we will enjoy the fragrance of the lilacs each time we drive into our driveway and also a small bouquet in the house, as we honor special people always present in our memory... Hugs to All... OWAV:)
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| Purple and White Lilacs in bloom |
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| Marigolds and new planter box staying undercover. |
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