Category Archives: Memorial Day

End of May and Beginning of June

Things were so full and busy for the end of May and beginning of June that I wasn’t able to keep up with posting about all the good times happening. I’m re-capping here.

My sister and hubby arrived on Memorial Day and left for Montana on Wednesday morning. We enjoyed meals together with them and our Colville kids. Brother-in-law Steve was curious about a riding lawn mower and ended up mowing the front and back lawns while my sister and I worked on this puzzle.

These two went boating with their mom and dad and Addy caught her first fish on June 1st.

I’m guessing this was the icky baiting the hook part.

It’s always fun to be on the water.

Addy’s Mommy created this collage to document that first fish experience.

Our tree was felled on Saturday the 3rd of June. In the late afternoon our friends Bob and Jan arrived for an overnight. We met up at one of the Mexican restaurants in town and then came back to our home and enjoyed conversation until our eyes wouldn’t stay open anymore. After coffee on Sunday morning Bob and Jan left for Idaho and we took off to church. We forgot to take a selfie!!

On Monday and Tuesday the 5th and 6th the clean-up and cutting of the rounds began.

Our son came over on Tuesday morning with our Grands and while Baba kept the Grands entertained Dan cut the rounds with his chainsaw and then he and Gramps loaded the first of many trailer loads (it took 4 loads) to go back to Dan and Jamie’s. They have a wood burning fireplace and once this wood is seasoned they will have enough wood for a few years. The tree was 92 feet and the cuts are 16 inches. I think they had at least 65 rounds!

These two ran me ragged while we stayed far from the saw and noise. I didn’t get soaked like they did.

A fun day playing with the water guns and the sprinklers. Good thing their mom packed a spare set of clothes for them. She’s smart that way!

On this Thursday we had more tree branch clean up and moved the larger branches to the burn pile. I mowed the front and back and when we were done we got cleaned up and enjoyed another Mexican meal out.

The mosquitoes are so abundant this year. We had to spray ourselves with repellent. Ugh! This is the worst we’ve experienced since we’ve moved here.

I’ll share photos of friendlier flying things tomorrow or Monday! 🙂

As I type this we are having a thunder and lightning storm with some high wind gusts. Glad we got the lawns done early this morning. I think I’ll schedule this now just in case the power goes out!

Busy Times

We’ve had a busy few days with company. We enjoyed a meal together on Memorial Day.  The rest of the week I will be involved with a group garage sale. I didn’t have time to complete the answers to the Hodgepodge questions this week. My usual Thursday, Truth for Today, will not be happening this week. Hope you all have a good end to May and beginning of June. It was fun setting a Memorial day table. I’ll be back next week!

 

 

 

Cousins!

Wednesday Hodgepodge is not happening this week but will be back next week.

Our sons and their families enjoyed part and all of the Memorial Day Weekend in Arizona with their cousins.

Our kids and two of my sister’s kids gathered for their annual Memorial Day Weekend in Arizona. What a delight to see them all together enjoying one another. Our kids from Washington State and nieces and nephews from California.

The grands and their parents were able to drop in for a day and surprise everyone! They had responsibilities elsewhere for the rest of the weekend. Addy and JJ were so pleased to see their beloved Auntie Lolo, Uncle Joshie and their other ‘cousins once removed’.

It’s fun to document these special times and add it to our family history.

“Stay together, Love each other” Their Dzeda (grandfather) left them with that encouragement and they are doing a good job listening.

 

Memorial Day 2022

Blades of grass and pure white stones
Shelter those who’ve come and gone.
Just below the emerald sod
Are those who reached the arms of God.
~
Buried here with dignity
Endless rows for all to see,
Freedom’s seeds in sorrow sown,
‘Neath blades of grass and pure white stones.
~
Blades of grass and pure white stones
Cover those who left their homes
To rest in fields here, side by side,
Lest we forget their sacrifice.
~
Buried here with dignity
Endless rows for all to see,
Freedom’s seeds in sorrow sown,
‘Neath blades of grass and pure white stones.
~
Written by Lowell Alexander, Orrin Hatch, and Philip Naish.

Starting the Day…

Enjoy a cuppa of whatever you wish as we start our long Memorial Day Weekend here in the States.

Tea or Coffee?

What State or Country do you hail from?

What’s your favorite kind of muffin with your cuppa?

Maybe a scone is more desired. Plain or fruity?

Relax on a sofa or overstuffed chair inside or in a quiet spot with a relaxing view out of doors?

Thank you for dropping in. Have a good day and weekend.

Three Cheers for the Red White and Blue!

It’s the last Wednesday in May and time for Wednesday Hodgepodge. Thank you to Jo From This Side of the Pond for the questions and being the hostess with the mostess.

1. It’s National Wine Day (May 25)…do you like wine? Red or white? Dry or sweet? Do you have a favorite?

Yes, mostly red and mostly dry. We aren’t regular drinkers of wine but when we had it more often we enjoyed merlot from Chateau Ste Michelle Winery in Washington State. We moved to red blends more recently.

Have you ever been to California wine country? Or any other wine region?

We’ve been to California wine country North of Napa/Sonoma, Central Coast California and in the Santa Ynez area northwest of Santa Barbara. We also used to live close to Woodinville where Ste Michelle and other wineries are located. Chateau Ste Michelle was one of the favorite places to take our out of town visitors. The grounds are gorgeous and the free tours are fun.

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Our niece and her hubby in 2016 at Chateau Ste Michelle.

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What’s a dish you make that calls for wine? 

Sangria. LOL Seriously though a yummy mushroom sauce that calls for white wine and cream. Oh and this memory popped up when I searched sauces on my blog.

Sat. July 5-Chipping Campden 016This was my proper pie with all the trimmings.  The description from the menu: Chicken, Ham and asparagus short-crust pastry pie (with top and bottom), white wine sauce, new potatoes and peas. It was delicious. We had a fun conversation with our waitress on “proper pie”. She was appalled when she ordered pie at another establishment and it came to her with no upper or lower crust but just a round piece of pastry propped up along one side of the filling. It was cute when she exclaimed “how can they call that pie?!”

This was in Chipping Campden (Cotswolds, England) at the Eight Bells.

2. What’s something you’ve whined about lately? 

Oh boy. I’m trying to eliminate whining in my life. I’ll go with our internet connection and connectivity. It’s a Country hazard!

3. Last time you were ‘wined and dined’? Tell us about it. 

I’ll go with Mother’s day when we were visiting our kids on the West side of the mountains.

4. Three cheers for_____________________.

…the Red, White and Blue!

5. This will be the last Hodgepodge in the month of May. Somehow next Wednesday the calendar rolls into June. Before we go though, sum up your May in twelve words or less. 

A little bit of travel, sunshine, good eats, rain, and loved ones.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Hope you all have a good Memorial Day Weekend and that you can pause and remember those who died for our freedom and protection.

Hello June Hodgepodge

It’s Wednesday and time for the Hodgepodge  Jo From This Side of the Pond has a set of questions for us to ponder.

1. Besides the flag, tell us about something red, something white and something blue from your weekend. 

I’m going to lump the red, white and blue all together. We had a weird Memorial Day Weekend. Dear and I facilitated the food for a rehearsal dinner on Friday night and wedding on Saturday for a family from church so we were in the church kitchen for several hours. We didn’t have anything else planned for the weekend into the holiday on Monday and we found it relaxing to work on my London jigsaw puzzle which is mostly red, white and blue and on a blue tablecloth.

2. June is here and it’s National Give A Bunch of Balloons Month. Who would you give a bunch to if you could? Tell us why. 

Dollar store has their helium tanks again so I’m excited to buy a bunch of balloons to have here for the grands to enjoy when they visit. I will also buy a few to put out at the street so my Tea guests know which driveway to pull into. Our driveway is easy to miss and since it’s on a 50mph road it’s nice to give ample warning! My Tea date is June 19th.

3. What are three adjectives you associate with the month of June? Something you’re looking forward to this month?

Growing up in southern California we associated June with gloom because of the weather, June gloom. June is also associated with blooms so bloom June. “June is bustin out all over” Honeymoon June since June is associated with weddings.

I’m looking forward to having a Tea for Eight guests in my home on June 19th. I don’t have to cook or serve. I will set the table.

4. Tell us about a time (besides the obvious Corona answer) when you felt stuck in second gear.

Lately I’m stuck in second gear as far as meal planning goes. I’m unmotivated to come up with a weeks worth of meals or even a couple days worth of meals.

5. Sum up your May in fifteen words or less.

A month filled with flowers, joy and sorrow, special hellos and unreasonable goodbyes for now.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Highlight of our Memorial Day Weekend was this little guy coming to play at our house. More to come.

Memorial Day 2021

We take time to stop and remember the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. Some gave all. This is Memorial Day. This weekend we remember those who served our country and died in combat. The following photo was taken at the Arlington National Cemetery.

Blades of grass and pure white stones
Shelter those who’ve come and gone.
Just below the emerald sod
Are those who reached the arms of God.

Buried here with dignity
Endless rows for all to see,
Freedom’s seeds in sorrow sown,
‘Neath blades of grass and pure white stones.

Blades of grass and pure white stones
Cover those who left their homes
To rest in fields here, side by side,
Lest we forget their sacrifice.

Buried here with dignity
Endless rows for all to see,
Freedom’s seeds in sorrow sown,
‘Neath blades of grass and pure white stones.

Written by Lowell Alexander, Orrin Hatch, and Philip Naish.

Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. Romans 13:7 (NRSV)

From the Past…

1970ish

Memorial Day 2009

2010

2011

2013

In 2014 Andrew returned from Afghanistan on Memorial Day Weekend.

Memorial Day 2016 we remembered these fallen Marines…so young.

It was a busy week leading up to Memorial Day weekend and we still have some responsibilities through Saturday. I have a few of my Red/White/Blue decor sprinkled around the house but the majority of my ‘stuff’ will have to wait for the 4th of July to don our property. Our flag is flying. We will have a low key Monday. I have a Memorial Day tribute scheduled for Monday the 31st. And just like that May is gone…

For those of you in the U. S. of A. we hope you have a good long weekend with a time of reflection on what it meant to many for our country to be free.