Memorial Day 2011

I've kinda made it my tradition to post pictures of the graves I decorated for Memorial Day. Today was similar to just about every other Memorial Day I can remember, only windier. WeatherBug for Android said gusts were up to sixty two mph. I had to put my foot on the decorations in order to have the time to drive my homemade "C" stakes in the ground. These particular Styrofoam ring based arrangements come with a triangular stand with a small ninety degree single bend on one end so the ring can be stuck there and leaned against the "tripod." I'm sure that works just fine in other parts of the world. I cut the legs and bend 'em into brackets to drive into the ground and hold the ring. Pliers are necessary to help grip the legs to drive them into our drought hardened ground.

One thing I'm gonna do differently is put the pictures below the fold. I'm not sure I had that option last year, but there are a lot of pictures, and not everyone will want to have their pipe ate up loading the things.

A shot of all the graves in the "new" section of Cimarron's cemetary. There is a new one this year to the north (left) - my Aunt Patsy.

This is my father.

This is his father, my Grandpa. He passed away before I came along, unfortunately.

His wife, my Grandma. She was a corker.

My aunt. The battles she and Grandma had were epic. Odd how they ended up next to each other for eternity.

This is the old family plot in the "old" section of the cemetery. If you want a vertical headstone, ya gotta be buried ovah hyeah. The caretakers don't like mowing around all the stones in the way.

A great+ uncle.

My namesake - my grandfather's father.

.,

R.J., my great grandmother, and a great great aunt.

Those little flags come in packages of four, I bought two. I only used six on my relatives, so with two left over - well - why not use 'em on a neglected veteran's grave? Unfortunately, it didn't take much walking to find this warrior - only about twenty yards west. I said a pair of Our Fathers and Hail Marys over his grave just like the rest of the family got. It is a shame his resting place was available for my purposes. I wish I could afford to decorate ALL the veterans' graves. In the old section, there are ancient flag holders for the VFW Women's Auxiliary, too - most of which are falling over and forgotten. I cannot do it. But, I may start buying some extra decorations next year, just to ease my mind.

So, remember that we owe a great debt to our military predecessors - from all walks of life and places on the globe, they all shared a commitment to maintaining our freedoms and way of life, often without enjoying much of it themselves. Others, who did manage to come home paid a different price, having "seen the elephant."

To any veterans who might read this - I will always remember, and not forget. I stand in silent awe at all the sacrifices endured.