From Grandmother’s Album -July 2, 1916

From my grandmother Charlotte’s photo album. My mother, Marian, is the little girl standing in front of her Aunt Edna and Aunt Mae. Younger brother Robert is seated on the left.  Their father, my grandfather, Judd, is the man smiling in the back on the left. My mother’s grandfather peeking between the women’s faces. Perhaps my cousins will be able to identify more relatives.

Durand Illinois  July 2, 1916.

Anna at the Alpaca Farm

My granddaughter Anna (15) is guest blogger today.

She photographed these alpacas at the Smith Mountain Lake Farm in Virginia last weekend.

 

She said the alpacas are nice and don’t spit at you like llamas They are like dogs. Plus they poop in the same place everytime..

Anna, thanks for sending the photos.

Stegosaurus Selfie

My son-in-law taking a selfie with the Stegosaurus. Carnegie Museum of Natural History. His favorite dinosaur when he was growing up. It was fun to see him enjoy the exhibit as much as his son Charlie.

Here’s Laura and Charlie by the T-Rex

 

Laura with the Triceratops 

Memorial Day Compendium

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Watching her father as Taps played- 2016 Memorial Day Etna, PA

A Day of Remembrance- Originally blogged May 31, 2010   Reblogged in 2016

Screen Shot 2017-05-28 at 9.46.08 PMMuskingum County   World War II/Korean War Memorial     Zanesville, Ohio

 

Family members plant flowers, trim grass, pull a few weeds, decorate graves of loved ones with wreaths.

One time Mary and I scrubbed lichen off the granite with our toothbrushes.  I saw a watering can hang from a spigot, a metal pipe in the ground.

Boy Scouts place American flags by white marble veterans’ graves.

I remember when Bill played taps and as the clear notes sounded, the wind kicked up, blew swirls of dust and leaves, the sky got dark. And we all felt  a shivering chill.

Each helmet bears a soldier’s name.

Memorial Day 2013 Guest Blog by son Mark Memorial Day 2013 Guest Blog by son Mark

 

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Photo by Mary upstate NY

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Photo by Mary from upstate NY
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Neighbor’s Memorial Flags for Each War

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Poppy

from Memorial Day 2014

Twenty four notes. Taps. 

The Origin of Taps, The Bugler’s Cry  by  “Jari Villanueva, a former ceremonial bugler at Arlington National Cemetery”

from Memorial Day post 2015   Poppies  for Disabled Veterans Assistance Programsimg_6663

 

 

May they all rest in peace and may we never rest until we make peace last.
Thanks for this, Ruth. Too many helmets!
Love, L

Here is a link to Lois’ obituary 2013

 

Found Dried Corsage From Unknown Occasion

Found while cleaning.

Dried corsage from an unknown occasion. It was resting  inside an opaque ceramic lidded box. And now that I look at it, boutonnière seems a more apt description. But here’s the thing- Preserved to remember a special occasion?  A sentimental moment. And I’ve not a clue what it could be.

I’m certain other people wear the flowers for the occasion, remove them from their clothing, then slip them into the trash.

 

A six word Saturday

Throwback 2013

Throwback to 2013.

Trying to get that photo in the backyard with the grandkids and a puppy. Photographed by my DIL or her Mom.  I can’t remember. I’m holding the baby doll in the second shot, you can see the hair. Six years sure went by fast!