happy memorial day

When I was little, the iris would be in full bloom by memorial day, just in time for us to cut them down and take to my grandpa's graves. I can still smell the fragrance of the huge purple lilac bush outside the back patio door that we would trim to add to the bouquet in the tin pails. They were filled with water ready to go to the cemetery.

I never knew my grandpa's, so this was my only connection to them. I remember the imprint of pine cones on their headstones and how my and my sister would run around finding the perfect pine cones to place on the imprints. It was meaningful to me to have that connection and tradition.

I hope that someday we find ourselves in the same state as my family so we can show my children what memorial day is really about. For now we talk about it and share stories of those who have gone before and hopefully in some small way they get it. I know it has meant more to me as I received the print order for my friend Melissa on Friday of this weekend. To have those images in my hands meant something to me. I wanted to share a few more of my favorites to wish you all a happy memorial day and pay tribute to those who have given the most.