Mother’s Day and Decoration Day

Happy Mother’s Day to all those women who go the extra mile in caring for their children.  According to an article in Wikipedia, Mother’s Day was recognized in 1915 by President Wilson.  This wonderful holiday was first championed by Anna Jarvis, some ten years before when her own mother passed away.   West Virginia first recognized Mother’s Day in 1905.  We still honor our mothers on the second Sunday in May every year, but many countries celebrate Mother’s  Day on different days.  I love my mother because, to me, she is the best in the world!

Decoration Day in Alabama is held in spring.  The day was originally designed to have a cleanup day in cemetaries and to then honor the dead.  Families would gather with equipment to clean up local, private cemetaries.  With modern perpetual care cemetaries this need has lessened a great deal.  Near the Windy Knoll, families continue to honor the dead with Decoration Days.

At Skirum cemetary, affliated with the United Methodist Church, today is decoration.  I can remember Decorations from my childhood.  Early Sunday morning, prior to church, Mother would walk the yard, gathering fresh cut flowers.  She prepared some disposabile, makeshift vases using small glass jars or used plastic containers.  She then covered these containers with aluminum foil and arranged the blossoms.  This is picture of one of her favorite roses which is always in bloom on Decroation Day.

After the flowers are arranged, we would drive to Skirum Cemetary.  We would place flowers on my Grandmother Lang’s and my baby aunt’s grave.  We would also travel to the Crossville Methodist Church to place flowers on the graves of my Crumly grandparents.  I never understood the reason for this traditiion, but today, I completely understand and wish that I was able to make the necessary preparations.

Daddy and Donna did the preparatoins and place the flowers yesterday.

Honoring or Mother’s and remembering the dead are all apart of Country Living.