tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post6259930156514409139..comments2023-10-25T03:45:03.077-04:00Comments on Confessions of a Watery Tart: Memorial Days—Old School StyleHart Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-64154954375188151282012-05-28T18:51:51.088-04:002012-05-28T18:51:51.088-04:00You really evoke a sense of place with this bit of...You really evoke a sense of place with this bit of family reminiscence, Hart. I've done plenty of cemetery visits in my time and you're right, there's a change when the list of graves visited includes one you've known well and loved.<br /><br />xxAdina Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08860528131098237473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-65429087213564133932012-05-28T11:09:49.382-04:002012-05-28T11:09:49.382-04:00Oh, TH. What a beautiful ritual and yet it's s...Oh, TH. What a beautiful ritual and yet it's so, so sad. I'm all misty, but I love the thought of cleaning the headstones--including the neighbors. Remembering, taking the children. But the part about "your" grave. Uhh... :o|<br /><br />But I know you're right that it was a time of family closeness. A solemn moment, but an important one. Have a wonderful week, and I'm so glad hubs is all better. ((hugs)) <3LTMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05239077455322030275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-20773021454725914732012-05-25T23:00:11.343-04:002012-05-25T23:00:11.343-04:00Beautiful T, takes on real meaning, especially wit...Beautiful T, takes on real meaning, especially with what's going on with our auntie M.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03207310440396247019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-16982096496233992212012-05-25T20:41:29.985-04:002012-05-25T20:41:29.985-04:00DOH! I answered several of you at work and then m...DOH! I answered several of you at work and then my computer started freezing. MAN, I hate that!<br /><br />Kathy-a whole weekend of it, eh? I can see how you don't do that every year. I'd probably alternate. Now that you mention it though, I had a few rare trips to Iowa as a kid to see family, and we always stopped at the cemetery.<br /><br />Teresa-I am a cremation girl, too. I figure ashes scattered on the ocean make the whole darned ocean a memorial! My mom feels similarly, so that is nice. Hubby is morose and wants to be in an urn on the mantle *rolls eyes*<br /><br />Johanna, thank you!!!<br /><br />Michael-definitely a nice mix.<br /><br />Clarissa-never? Seriously? Avoided, or just never happened?<br /><br />Elana-Means more when it's personal, eh? My grandpa was in WWII, but most of my family just missed wars, generationally, so this makes it more personal.<br /><br />Carol-Oh, I've never lived anywhere summer was here yet! Two to three weeks left of school in every case... (and sometimes snow in Michigan--thankfully, not recently)<br /><br />Maurice-I think a lot of people do. I somehow lived through a lot of deaths when young and it gets less scary, at least when people are old and have had long lives and are ready. And I DO like the nearness to those spirits.<br /><br />Tasha-so nice to have a family member do all that! Three strands of my family have traced back and I love knowing. Though I'm mostly Scandenavian and those strands have only been in the US 160 years or so, so it isn't as old as some people know.Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-41708634710025636142012-05-25T17:38:42.534-04:002012-05-25T17:38:42.534-04:00I have the good fortune of living in the town wher...I have the good fortune of living in the town where many of my ancestors lived and my mother-in-law is an ancestor genius. This is a great post.Tasha Seegmillerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11489911822054861132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-60101256639682503022012-05-25T16:25:29.564-04:002012-05-25T16:25:29.564-04:00Hart, I normally avoid cemeteries, but this story ...Hart, I normally avoid cemeteries, but this story is so beautiful. It's making me change my mind. Thanks<br />- Maurice Mitchell<br /><a href="http://www.thegeektwins.com" rel="nofollow">The Geek Twins</a> | <a href="http://FilmSketchr.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Film Sketchr</a><br />@thegeektwins | @mauricem1972Maurice Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15338165486757095191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-10489026794513870402012-05-25T14:50:50.461-04:002012-05-25T14:50:50.461-04:00Such a close memory for you. Thanks for sharing wi...Such a close memory for you. Thanks for sharing with us. Memorial Day is bittersweet for most of us, I think. The start of summer, yet remembering all those who have gone on - especially those who gave their lives for our country.Carol Kilgorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03745686632918324803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-43280480670976144642012-05-25T14:28:29.423-04:002012-05-25T14:28:29.423-04:00This is such a great story. Thanks for sharing you...This is such a great story. Thanks for sharing your family tradition. I think that's what Memorial Day is for me: a way to remember my family and our traditions.Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-57323441868612667242012-05-25T13:35:48.058-04:002012-05-25T13:35:48.058-04:00What a story. I'm not sure I've ever been ...What a story. I'm not sure I've ever been in a grave yard. But, I'm not sure I would want to visit the grave of someone I loved.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12160669603997465454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-31264730609787562242012-05-25T13:16:04.192-04:002012-05-25T13:16:04.192-04:00Beautiful post Hart. I love hearing how memorial d...Beautiful post Hart. I love hearing how memorial day affects you and how you cope with loss. Flowers, memories, and lake time sound awesome to me.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-8829695773549797082012-05-25T12:58:14.049-04:002012-05-25T12:58:14.049-04:00That was such a beautiful post Hart. Thank you so ...That was such a beautiful post Hart. Thank you so much for sharing those special memories, and I have to confess they made me a little tearful.Johanna Garthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15515478890074610814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-60750824156309507412012-05-25T12:44:18.677-04:002012-05-25T12:44:18.677-04:00Nice post, Hart. My preference (since it is well ...Nice post, Hart. My preference (since it is well past the 80s and I have a choice) is to be cremated. Still, I sometimes find myself standing at my parents' graveside while on the way home from work. It is a good spot for something that defies a name other than meditation. You lost your dad when you were so young! I am sorry for that. I know what you mean, though, about "my grave". My father died in 1987, when he was 67 years old. The cemetery took on a whole new meaning after that.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing with us...and you have a good memorial day weekend, too!Teresa Cypherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08940430996766842518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-2326488291407462872012-05-25T12:38:34.912-04:002012-05-25T12:38:34.912-04:00Hi Hart, I grew up doing that too, and we still do...Hi Hart, I grew up doing that too, and we still do, though I skip some years. We go to the pioneer cemeteries on Saturday and to the in-town ones on Sunday. I have missed the Sunday ones for a long time now, and need to go see my grandparents graves this summer, I think.<br /><br />I loved this post and your remembering of the time with your Mom and grandparents ... the buckets of flowers part was so cool.<br /><br />Have a wonderful weekend,<br /><br />Kathy M.Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07171271956883698673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-12154965728117222662012-05-25T11:10:03.907-04:002012-05-25T11:10:03.907-04:00Trisha- that would be VERY hard to have it all com...Trisha- that would be VERY hard to have it all compounded!<br /><br />Kitty-peaceful and reflective is definitely what I shoot for. And naked.<br /><br />Alex-it is pretty special--you're right about that.<br /><br />Katie-that is a nice activity--your kids will remember it like I do.<br /><br />Diane--76, actually, but in summer, so 77 was the first Memorial Day... and you and I are exactly the same age. I was 10.<br /><br />Jan-nationally, that is what the holiday is, but we always did the personal remembrance, too. And see, I had 5 great grandparents when I was born! But the Hart side was more spread cemetery-wise and it wasn't really and activity my dad was into. But not anymore... we don't know any dead here... it is all on the other side of the country.<br /><br />Heather-I still love those lakes though! You're lucky to live on one!<br /><br />Jaybird-a sister would be VERY hard! I find cemeteries peaceful, thoughtful places, but am not sure playing would have occurred to me. Maybe for hide and seek or capture the flag...Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-22688771969931948732012-05-25T10:39:02.099-04:002012-05-25T10:39:02.099-04:00Growing up, I lived right across the street from a...Growing up, I lived right across the street from an old cemetary. People thought that was morbid, but we loved it. We played there. It wasn't scary, we thought it was the coolest place ever.<br /><br />Now, that same cemetary is bittersweet. It still holds many memories, but now it also holds my sister and nephew. They are both buried there. Hard to imagine how we ever played there now.jaybirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10708353376256621965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-73094531274403516012012-05-25T10:14:00.994-04:002012-05-25T10:14:00.994-04:00That's a really cool family ritual. So many ri...That's a really cool family ritual. So many rituals get lost as families spread. <br />I live on a lake up north too, seriously, do NOT go in there until at least July. I can't imagine a snowmelt lake. Holy frostbite!<br />Hope you and yours are doing well this long weekend.Heather Savagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978965489626420425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-81234154420984359892012-05-25T08:09:36.789-04:002012-05-25T08:09:36.789-04:00We don't have Memorial Day in Canada and someh...We don't have Memorial Day in Canada and somehow I always thought yours was like our Rememberance Day which is for the fallen of war. I have no memories like yours, not only for that reason, but because, being Air Force, we never lived near our extended family. All but my grandfather died before I was in school - well one grandma and one grandpa well before I was born. Sounds like a very good tradition. Do you keep it still?Jan Morrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01771180344305042855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-75974485287163499332012-05-25T07:48:13.730-04:002012-05-25T07:48:13.730-04:00Your father died in 1977? That is the same year my...Your father died in 1977? That is the same year my father died. I was only 11.L. Diane Wolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06425864276166334896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-18601184487578554912012-05-25T07:02:51.859-04:002012-05-25T07:02:51.859-04:00although sad, that's a really wonderful memory...although sad, that's a really wonderful memory and tradition. In France, its tradition to do exactly the same thing on November 1st every year and I've been with my mother in a law and husband to wash and restore gravestones and plant new flowers every year. It really is an experience.Creepy Query Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18115161057496086972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-29177786015719806732012-05-25T06:38:10.670-04:002012-05-25T06:38:10.670-04:00It gave you a special memory and appreciation for ...It gave you a special memory and appreciation for that day, Hart. That is priceless.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-10869610616882117642012-05-25T06:25:58.651-04:002012-05-25T06:25:58.651-04:00What a fraught journey to the cemetary!
I hope y...What a fraught journey to the cemetary! <br /><br />I hope you have a peaceful and reflective Memorial weekend. I think cemetaries ought to be such places too. Take care<br />xOld Kittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13185547869183611159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127677169344207651.post-11769322953139157162012-05-25T03:11:42.156-04:002012-05-25T03:11:42.156-04:00I've got a friend who has a hard time every Me...I've got a friend who has a hard time every Memorial Day, because her parents were murdered over that weekend years and years ago. So for her it's definitely more bitter than sweet.<br /><br />This post was definitely bittersweet. Sounds like some very special family memories were made on those weekends.Trishahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16927558937796802496noreply@blogger.com