Happy Memorial day, everyone! I hope you are all enjoying this holiday with your family and loved ones. It truly is a special day to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.
Here are some interesting facts about this uniquely American holiday:
- It originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in1971.
- It was originally known as Decoration Day as women decorated the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers.
- Waterloo, New York is recognized as the “birthplace of Memorial Day,” having started the tradition of celebration as far back as May 5, 1866.
- President Ulysses S. Grant presided over the first Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in May 1868.
- It is customary on Memorial Day to fly the flag at half-staff until noon, and then raise it to the top of the staff until sunset.
To find out more, go to this link: http://mentalfloss.com/article/27858/10-things-remember-about-memorial-day
The tradition of decorating the graves continues to this day. Both of my parents are buried at the Fort Rosecrans Military Cemetary, located at Pt. Loma, near San Diego. Their plots are in a beautiful spot overlooking the Pacific, and we try to visit once a year. Like most, if not all, military cemeteries, it is decorated for Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day. It is quite a sight to see, and is very touching.
How do you celebrate Memorial Day? We generally stay home and enjoy the long weekend with friends and family. It’s usually nice enough to fire up the pool and barbecue. We keep things pretty casual. For my Memorial Day ensemble, I am styling a cute red off-shoulder top that I got at TJ Maxx.
We’ve been planting and refreshing some of our plants and flowers. After the long drought and only being able to water two days a week, things were looking pretty bleak. I’m going for lots of color in the yard and will water it enough to get things started and keep them growing!
My cuffed crops are older ones from Nordstrom by NYDJ. They have lots of stretch and are my go-to crops for days when I want to stay cool but don’t want to wear shorts.
I am loving my new espadrilles from Lands End. The navy stripes and frayed top are so cute! Another great buy at 30% off. I know I will wear these a great deal this summer. And of course, fringed and frayed looks are trending even in shoes!
For accessories, I am styling some large hoop earrings and a gold and white bracelet. Super simple!
I hope you have a lovely three-day weekend and a wonderful Memorial Day. I know we will all think of and remember those who have fought for our country, both living and gone. I am dedicating this post to my cousin, John Favor, who lost his life in Vietnam in 1968. His name is inscribed on The Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. and we were able to visit it and see his name some time ago.
Warmly,
Darlene
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