Memorial Day Parade, Norfolk, CT

 

Memorial Day tradition for us is to go to the Norfolk, CT parade. Norfolk is my husband's home town. Some years he has marched as a veteran. Some years he has just been an observer, but we have missed very few years--maybe one in the last thirty four years.

This parade is a typical small town parade however, there is an interesting twist. If you stand on the green in the center of town you can get a good view of the parade approaching down Maple Street. After it passes by you, you cross to the other side of the green where the parade marchers have stopped so there can be a gun salute, and taps played by the Congregational Church. After the National Anthem, the parade resumes. It's not over yet.

You then can march along side the parade and down to the other little memorial green in front of the Catholic Church. There there is an opening prayer, an introduction to a special speaker, a speech, the reading of all the names of veterans from Norfolk who have died and it ends with a prayer and then taps and again the Star Spangled Banner--this year by a wonderful sounding brass ensemble.

At this point the parade marchers re-assemble to march back up the hill and you can yet again watch it for a fourth time! That is the way to get the full advantage of the parade. After that there are donuts and balloons at the firehouse and at the town hall the band members are served canned soda. For most years my husband and his best childhood buddy have handed out the sodas from the back of a pick up truck. This year a couple of girls jumped in and did the serving--wouldn't you know--I was going to take a picture this year.

Stay tuned for more pictures from Memorial day.

The Great Flower Caper

Let me first give you some background about me. I do not have a green thumb, though sometimes I like to dabble with a pale green one. My efforts are weak, but last year a neighbor even commented on my little area by my park bench near the road. That encouraged me to continue on.

Last year I bought a little wooden bridge that holds flowers and I bought annuals to put on it. I also got some ceramic bird decorations and I have a container displaying my smooth ocean rocks that I hand picked on each of our trips. I bought a couple of plants. All of this is near our memory plaque for our beloved dog, Patches.

My kids gave me a gnome with a solar lantern for Mother's Day that will also be added to my little "park".

This year I got out the bridge and happily went to the Meadow View Farm (see previous blog) and put some pretty yellow and red flowers on it. Then I bought these cute yellow daisy type flowers that were also annuals (see how "into" flowers I am?--I don't know the names--though the tags are still in the pots.) I also bought some phlox that are perennials, to have something that might come up again like the tulips.

Well, I was lazy about the yellow daisy type flowers and the phlox and just kept them in their pots by the bench for now. I figured I'd get around to planting them in a couple of days. As I pulled in the driveway yesterday, I noticed the yellow pot was tipped over. Well, it was windy. I picked it up.

Today it was knocked over again and a few of the petals had fallen off. I picked it up again and tried to push the pot into the ground but it wouldn't go far. I decided tonight I would plant them.

So, I come home tonight and I couldn't believe my eyes! The pot is there, but the flowers are gone! I looked again. At first thought, I wondered if a neighbor kid had picked them, but we really don't have any kids who would do that. I realized something must have eaten them.

THEN I looked over and all the flower parts of the phlox were eaten too! At least if I plant those roots, they may come up again. I can't believe I've been a victim of flower theft.

I have been mulling over the suspects. We have some pretty bold chipmunks running all around digging holes. I have come home and had to tell one, "Excuse me." because he wouldn't move when I was walking to the house.

Then there's the kooky squirrels--flitting around here and there. I've been told there is a bear but I don't think he would stoop for the flowers when the neighbors have bird seed.

Alas, I think the guilty party is a rabbit. Rabbits seem so harmless and cute. How can I be mad at them? Now, I'm curious, why he didn't touch the flowers in the bridge. They mustn't be tasty. Maybe I should taste flowers before I buy them? I think I'll stick to gnomes, ceramic birds and things like that. I just can't force my thumb to turn green. It doesn't seem meant to be for me.