Memorial Day
 

Wooden CrossesVeterans Memorial at Santa Monica Beach in California.  
 

Memorial Day is not about remembering things of the past or all loved ones whom have perished but rather to remember those that had fallen during war.  It was proclaimed Decoration Day by General John Logan on May 30th 1868 to remember the soldiers that gave their all in the Civil War.  He encouraged decorating the graves of fallen comrades and the date was chosen due to the fact that no particular battle had taken place on that day.  All northern states celebrated the day by 1890 but it was not nationally recognized until after WWI when the observance no longer only ment rememberence of Civil War soldiers but those that gave their all in any battle.  I encourage you to follow this link to USMemorialday.org  for a full and very nice history of the Day of Decoration.  
 

Laid to RestDecorated graves at Belcrest Cemetary in Salem, Oregon
 

The red field poppy is the recognized flower of remembrance and Memorial Day, a tradition that was adopted by the VFW in May, 1922.   A woman named Moina Michael,  wrote the following poem on November 9th 1918,  in response to an illustrated poem by Colonel John McCrae that appeared in the Ladies Home Journal "We Shall Not Sleep."   She later became known as the "Poppy Lady" for on that same day, through an interesting series of events, she went to market an had made 25 artificial poppies which she promptly pinned to lapels at a YMCA convention in NYC to remember those that now lay in Flanders Fields, France.  Her story and that of the poppy can be viewed on a website about the Great War.
 

Antique PoppiesField poppies in bloom around an antique and rusted car.
 

"We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies"
 

National Moment of Remembrance
 

Quiet BugleAntique bugle horn in its box.
 

Remember that at 3pm local time we are encouraged as a nation to take just 60 seconds out of our day for a moment of silence to remember and reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to provide freedom for us all.   Many Memorial Day Societies also encourage the listening of the military bugle call, Taps, that was made official by the US military after the Civil War.  Nationally recognized it is played at memorials and funerals and as the last call of the day as a notice to extinguish lights.  It absolutely gives you pause and reflection when it is heard.  To see the music notes and hear a sound bite of the 1 minute melody follow this link to this Army Website.
 

 
This is a small highlight of my favorite images encompassing this theme.  By clicking on any of these images you can be directed to a larger, theme oriented, gallery which I invite you to visit!