Memorial Day Tradition

24 Responses to Memorial Day Tradition

  1. How lovely! What a wonderful way for the children to experience and honor the sacrifices that others have made. What a marvelous island you live on!

  2. Jackie says:

    Susan,

    This is such a wonderful tradition to start with young ones! I remember your picture of the parade and it is such a great reminder of what Memorial Day really means. This year I am putting a quilt in the Capitol Quilt Show in Denver, CO to commemorate this same theme. We should “never, ever, forget”. Thank you for your post.

  3. Cyndee Randall says:

    I love traditions and this is one every school should celebrate in some way. (Not all are so close to the sea.) I love this image of the 80-year-old recalling her days of marching in the parade. Thank you for sharing. Blessings on your weekend.

  4. Lynn Bauer says:

    I absolutely loved this article about the children’s parade. What a wonderful way to instill respect for our Servicemen and Women into these kids!

    • sbranch says:

      It’s perfect Innocence, youth and beauty honoring what has provided the peaceful setting that allows them to BE children and to carry their flowers down a street decked in flags.

  5. Mary Pat says:

    Bringing tears to my eyes, but filling my heart with love for all those who have given their service to our country and paid the ultimate price. Thank you!

  6. Jo in Western Springs, IL says:

    Thank you, Susan, for this beautiful post. Your work is so satisfying to look at and your sentiments completely express my feelings. It means a great deal to me to call you friend even though we’ve never met face to face. My day gets a jump start with a “Susan-fix” and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Always remember how important you are to all of us and how loved you are. Thank you for just being Susan Branch.

    • sbranch says:

      What a nice thing to say Jo, thank you so much — you should know, it’s a two way street, I feel we’re all friends here. xoxo

  7. Oh, that is just the sweetest tradition. Maybe I sound like a grandma, but we need more traditions that we do for generations. They remain in our heart and we remember them year after year. For our little town in the foothills of the mountains, it is Logger Rodeo when the local loggers have a parade and they show off their skills at a rodeo without horses! Have a wonderful Memorial Day!

    • sbranch says:

      That’s wonderful, keeping the history of your town alive for the kids. We also have Sail Martha’s Vineyard, an organizations that teaches local kids to sail — keeping alive our maritime history.

  8. Nettie says:

    What a wonderful tradition! This is one of those things that brings tears to our eyes, tears of gratitude.

  9. Amelia J. Hankins says:

    Thank you for a smile on this day and all the others when I read and see what you have created. You are a blessing.

  10. Paulie says:

    These are the things/memories that make childhood so special and most importantly teach the young how important the old are……….and about history!
    Thank you for the post, the flashback memory and reminders of where we came from……it’s a wonderful thing! And for those of us who can no longer watch these parades, the photos and drawings are marvelous memorials for us to be able to see once again each year!
    Have a wonderful Memorial Day Susan!

  11. Marsha Whitestone says:

    Thank you Susan for always sharing such uplifting messages with your readers (a.k.a friends). Hearing from you always brings sunshine into a day. How I wish you lived right next door to me but reading about you will have to do. Hooray for the red, white and blue and you!!

  12. Kate McLaury says:

    Lovely. As is so often the case, your blog is the sweet repose after a busy day.
    Thank you, yet again.

  13. Judy Kruse says:

    What a delightful story! Memorial Day has always been a big deal in our family…I remember actually making all of our flowers out of tissue paper with my grandma. It was a bigger deal to her than Christmas or Easter because of how we remembered our loved ones who’d already gone to glory. After we’d cleaned & decorated the graves, we’d have a huge meal…on boards placed across sawhorses & starched linens on top…outside of course, because it was hot & humid & no one had air conditioning…this is in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks. We were ‘city folk’ visiting Grandma & Grandpa on their dairy farm. Ice cold buttermilk or lemonade were the drinks of choice with watermelon & strawberry shortcake among a host of desserts topped with homemade, hand-cranked ice cream. All of us cousins would romp & play, getting re-acquainted while waiting for the ice cream to finish up…or we’d listen to the tall tales of the adults. As dusk settled in we’d start trying to catch lightening bugs for the ‘ring’ on our finger, or add to a collection in a jar. Completely worn out as we rocked on the porch cooling down after our baths, we’d listen to the whippoorwills & soak in the beauty of the season & family & talk about what a day we’d had! Even as a child, I knew these times were special & treasured them in my heart.

  14. Joan Lesmeister says:

    So beautiful, age old tradition honoring our service men and women! Love this! xo

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