I've been really busy with the long holiday weekend here in the USA so no scrapbooking. It's Memorial Day, to honor those who died in military service, AND somewhat warmer than it was last week. Saturday was finally gardening day and I got so much cleaned up! Sunday was a parade in Dundee, the next town over from me (where part of "Road To Perdition" with Tom Hanks was filmed). After that we went nature hunting! I have some pictures I'm going to scrap soon of the critter we got to see.... I just have to figure out which kit to use, haha! Today is RibFest in Elgin so we'll be coming home tonight with red mouths and sticky fingers. AND tomorrow I finally get to go to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago! I've wanted to go forever and I finally talked hubby into going (he isn't very adventurous). Anyway, that's my long weekend.
I have some random facts I found about Memorial Day that I never knew before... some that I did:
1. Memorial Day began in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania on May 5, 1866.
2. The official birthplace, declared by President Johnson, is Waterloo, New York.
3. Later in 1868, The date was changed to May 30th so it wouldn't coincide with a major battle date.
4. Memorial Day originally was called "Decoration Day" because the cemeteries, grave markers and memorials were decorated with wreaths, flags, crosses and flowers.
5. It wasn't called "Memorial Day" until 1882 as an alternate name. It's official name wasn't changed until 1967.
6. In 1971, the official date became the last Monday in May... one week later than Canada's Victory Day. This was so it would create a long weekend holiday.
7. In 1911, Moina Michael decided to wear and sell red poppies to honor military veterans who had died. This began the official "Poppy Day" in the United States.
She wrote this poem entitled "In Flanders Fields":
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
8. The Indianapolis 500 (car racing) is on Memorial Day, every year since 1911.
9. Memorial Day is considered the unofficial beginning of summer
The photos above are from the parade on Sunday in Dundee. I hope everyone had a great weekend too!
4 comments:
I love history lessons. Seriously, I do. Glad you had a good holiday weekend! I stayed home. I live in a resort area and the highways and streets become parking lots, so I just celebrate at the house...LOL
hi there beautiful!!! You've been on my mind all day....
How ya been? Feeling better yet?
Stalk me...
Mwah!!!
Great information on Memorial Day. I was suprised about how little I knew about until I went hunting facts for my blog.
what a beautiful place you have here on the internet! thanks for coming to my blog.
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