“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.”
Psalm 77:11-12 ESV
Memorial Day weekend has arrived and some much needed rain arrived here last week as well. This particular group of ‘just before sunset’ clouds eventually drifted our way and brought us nighttime showers. Perhaps those with outdoor plans for tomorrow will have a nice day, but a cloudy, rainy day is in the forecast for us. Happy Memorial Day to everyone. Although the last Monday of May is our US holiday for honoring and remembering those in the military who died while defending and protecting us, other countries have similar observances at other times of the year.
Last week Pam and I stopped by the country cemetery where our family has burial plots. There were a number of flags on display. I had thoughts about lives lived and now passed. Thoughts of generations that have been, generations that are, and generations yet to come. Gazing across these markers and beyond to the background is a reminder of new life…a newly planted soy bean field where young plants grow in the same place other plants once flourished. There are soldiers buried here who died in wars, beginning with the Civil War!
This foot marker is near the flags seen in the previous picture. Mr. Kidd served in WW II, but did not die in battle. I show this because there is a story here related to our family. Mr. Kidd was a gentle and kind man, a farmer who lived a few miles from us. He fertilized our fields, cut our hay, and did other mowing for us faithfully for many years. As a little boy, Seth would sit for hours watching Calvin go back and forth on his International tractor, the same way Wyatt watches the guys that do it today. Mr. Kidd would at times stop the work, turn off the tractor and talk with Seth and me. Most of our conversations were done with us on the ground while Mr. Kidd sat on the tractor, wearing a big straw hat. I can guarantee Seth remembers it all very well!
Our city does a great job with displays and celebrations all around town. Memorial Day is no exception. I made a stop at this spot along the river near City Hall.
Another story if you don’t mind, this head stone and grave is in the same cemetery as we’ve been showing you today. Stephen Reed Hood was a Methodist preacher. He fought in the Civil War. So what is the story here? He came to the area from Georgia and built a house around 1860…the house stood less than 100 yards from where Seth, Allison and our grands live today! An old chimney stands by their driveway, and is the only thing that would cause a passerby to say, “I believe there was a house there once upon a time”!
Meanwhile, back at our house on a partly cloudy Friday, a light southern breeze keeps the flag moving, just enough to get our attention and remind us of its presence. It stirs a special memory concerning Memorial Day and calls on us to never forget the many who served and never came home!
The ever present May and June ditch lily is here in great abundance, I think more than ever. Surprisingly, after a drier than normal early spring, the orange commander of the roadside is dominating the landscape there, even overshadowing and dominating…
…the delicate evening primroses growing in their midst. It might be considered rude since the evening primrose is also known as “the pink lady”. Lilies have no shame!
Another very orange current occupant of the pastures and other open areas is milkweed. Like this bee, monarch butterflies will feed on milkweed nectar as well as nectar from many other flowers. But, milkweed is the only food source for monarch caterpillars! Since butterflies come from caterpillars, I’d say these plants are a big deal!
More beautiful and brighter than flowers or butterflies are princesses who are also ballerinas and dancers. One with dark hair and big brown eyes…
…and one with sparkling blue eyes and deep auburn hair with natural highlights. We loved watching our girls dance last weekend. It was spring ballet and contemporary dance time!
I made a trek along one of my favorite routes, figuring the oak leaf hydrangeas should be blooming. And sure enough, they had it going on. Interestingly, this particular hydrangea is only a few feet from the fringe tree I photographed which was all white in blooms about 2 months ago!
It is at least easy to understand why this hydrangea is called “oak leaf”. Some names leave me wondering where in the world did this name come from? Not true here!
A little patch of pink sorrel came up in an inside corner at the edge of the house many years ago. It was not in a garden area but in a place where I had always mowed and trimmed with the string trimmer. I cut it down time and time again. When EM started noticing and picking the flowers at about age 3, I started mowing and trimming around it, leaving the spot preserved for little eyes to see and little hands to pick. All 3 older grands now pick the flowers, presenting them to PJ. Maybe Daniel will follow their lead. This is Pam’s photo from last week. I treat the sorrel like an endangered species.
With a little rain and warmer nights, I think the garden is responding with gratitude. The red of the million bells underneath blue sky and white clouds brings us a nice rendition of the red, white, and blue on this Memorial Day weekend. We hope you can drop by on Tuesday as Pam is planning a garden post.
I don’t think I have a word or thought to leave with you on this one, other than it was one of the strangest bunch of clouds I’ve seen in quite a while. We had a lot of cloudiness last week. I kinda thought I would wait and see if you had any thoughts!
It was just after sunset. It was mid-week, and had been a mostly cloudy afternoon. Clouds can be great contributors to a beautiful sunset, but not this day, too many too low along the horizon. I thought I might have a chance for a great photo, but gave up and was headed up the hill toward home when a small, totally clear spot opened up in the heavens straight above me… and out stepped a waxing crescent moon!
May you all have a blessed week!
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8 ESV
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
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