A Memorial Day Tradition

62. 

 that's the number of geraniums that i have gotten every Memorial Day for the past several years. those 62 geraniums are put into a green rectangle flower boxes and a piece of grass green carpet is added to keep them upright as well as to cover the pots the geraniums are in. 

 we do it this way because that is how my grandpa has always done it.

for as long as i can remember my grandpa would put together these flower boxes each year and place them on family members graves each Memorial Day. six or seven years ago my cousin and i began helping my grandpa do this. 

 when we did this we would take a walk through our family's history each year. some years there were several family members that joined us. other years it might just be a few of us, but it always got done.

with the passing of my grandpa this past year it was more important to me then ever that the tradition is carried on. so just like years past i ordered the geraniums. placed them in the boxes with the carpet and got them ready for their time in the sun.

my cousin put them out this year and i will be picking them up and reversing the process i did just days before. the geraniums are then given out to family and friends for them to plant and enjoy all summer long.

(my great-great uncle)

as our list of family members who have passed on gets longer somehow we have always managed to make the 31 flower boxes always work.

(my great-great grandparents)

and each year we get to remember those who were before us and how we are related. i think its pretty cool that we go as far back to the relatives who first came to this part of the country. those who helped make our area part of what it is today. my great-great grandfather was the first tailor in town. i guess sewing is in my blood.

(our town's 1st tailor)

what ever you are doing on this Memorial Day i hope you pause and take a moment to remember those who have passed. those who have served. the people who are the reason we are here.

tomorrow i will be out picking up 31 flower pots. taking my walk through history and remembering my family members.

happy Memorial Day