Memorial Day

as Memorial day comes around once again, I'm thinking of friends and family that have passed on. and I was thinking of my grandmother, and how much respect she had for the dead. she was a poor woman, her husband was a coal miner and was killed in a mine by a rock fall, and left her with 8 girls and a son to raise. so needless to say, my grandmother had a rough life. and didn't always have the money to run to the store and buy everything she needed. like on memorial day, most people would go and buy flowers to place on their loveones grave. but as a small child, I remember my grandmother would start a couple months early, making flowers that she would place on the graves. I remember setting with her and watching her make Roses from rolls of crape paper. she would cut a strip of the paper off the roll and open her scissors, and use the sharp edge to scrape the paper. as she would scrape the paper it would curl up, and she would do several strips and connect them to a wire steam and it would make a beautiful Rose, and using different colors, the graves would be decorated nice. as I remember this, I think what has happen to the respect for the dead. it seams that people nowdays just don't care like they did in years past. have any of you guys family members ever made these hand made flowers like these.

I remember selling fake "poppies" when I was a child. All proceeds went to disabled military veterans. There was no set price on the poppies, just whatever the person wanted to donate. As a young volunteer of 7 to 8 years old I was given 2 cents for every poppie that I sold. Even though I could really use the money, I donated my pay back to the veterans.

That was back when the populous supported our troops, during war or not. Almost every citizen in our town would proudly display their poppie on their lapel or dress shoulder.

Then Viet Nam happened and our U.S.A. changed. Viet Nam was my war. I never went over seas but that was when I served. 1970 to 1972

[QUOTE=waterdog101;513413]as Memorial day comes around once again, I'm thinking of friends and family that have passed on. and I was thinking of my grandmother, and how much respect she had for the dead. she was a poor woman, her husband was a coal miner and was killed in a mine by a rock fall, and left her with 8 girls and a son to raise. so needless to say, my grandmother had a rough life. and didn't always have the money to run to the store and buy everything she needed. like on memorial day, most people would go and buy flowers to place on their loveones grave. but as a small child, I remember my grandmother would start a couple months early, making flowers that she would place on the graves. I remember setting with her and watching her make Roses from rolls of crape paper. she would cut a strip of the paper off the roll and open her scissors, and use the sharp edge to scrape the paper. as she would scrape the paper it would curl up, and she would do several strips and connect them to a wire steam and it would make a beautiful Rose, and using different colors, the graves would be decorated nice. as I remember this, I think what has happen to the respect for the dead. it seams that people nowdays just don't care like they did in years past. have any of you guys family members ever made these hand made flowers like these.[/QUOTE]

No I have nebpver been around someone making fake flowers...sounds like she was a strong woman. Can't imagine anyone raising 8 girls and a son by themselves. Good gosh the cost alone makes me shake my head!!

Memorial Day isn't a day I celebrate.....as in Happy Memorial Day!!! I recognize and appreciate the ones who died while serving. I have no immediate family or close friends who died while serving in the Armed Forces so to you folks that do....I really am one who appreciates what they gave us.....total respect and thanks from me.