Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day.  I spent this morning mulching and weeding flowerbeds and getting in Jim's way as he tried to clean the garage.  I'm finally settling in to do a little writing. 

Memorial Day began after the Civil War as a day of remembrance honoring veterans.  Since then the holiday has expanded to include visiting and decorating the graves of loved ones who weren't veterans.  It's also become associated with backyard barbecues and long weekends for traveling, camping, catching up with friends and family, or catching up on chores.  My Memorial Day memories involve visiting cemeteries to decorate graves with fresh-cut peonies and playing trombone in the high school marching band for a service led by the local VFW.

I'm wishing I'd made it home to put peonies on my grandparents' graves.  Those I picked yesterday are in a vase on my table instead.  I can't look at them without thinking of Grandma and Grandpa, from whose yard the peony plants came.  It's my way of honoring them across the miles.

Today write a scene involving a gesture of honor or respect.