Memorial Day Remembrances

We had a lovely Memorial Day weekend, complete with cemetery visits and time to be with family.  We made our annual pilgrimage to Goshen and Eureka, and to Salt Lake, and though we had talked about going to Tooele, the day was wet and we would have gotten too late a start.  We did gather with the Barri at large to share a meal, and we talked about our dearly departed ancestors.  We finished it all off with a temple visit on Tuesday night to do sealings, linking parents and their children for eternity.

A funny story from the weekend.  On Saturday, on our way to Salt Lake, Kent and I were talking to the children about our grandparents.  I told them about Grandpa DeMartini and Grandpa Hare who were both pilots, and about Grandpa Barnes who had sheep, like Grandpa Droubay.  Kent asked where Grandpa Barnes (or his remains) was, and I reminded him that Grandpa's urn is still in my parent's basement, in the vault.  Kent suggested that we take a mum down and place it in front of the vault door, to honor Grandpa.  We had a good laugh.  I called my mom to share, and she thought she might bring Grandpa up and put him on the kitchen table for the weekend, with a few flowers next to him in a vase.

This is the first year we have had somewhere for Grandpa Hare to be.  His urn has also been hanging around Aunt Georgianne's house, without a permanent home.  Upon Grandma Hare's death, it was decided that Grandpa's urn could be tucked in at the bottom of Grandma's casket.  They would then be together--in bodily remains at any rate--and we could put their names on one headstone and visit both at the same time.  Georgianne worked hard to get the headstone ordered and placed before the weekend, and I think it turned out quite nicely.  And although Grandma and Grandpa divorced, Grandpa is now right where Grandma would likely want him--at her feet.

 Brandt is "driving" that pinwheel.

As always in Eureka, the wind was blowing and it was cold.

We unpacked our picnic and huddled into ourselves trying to stay warm, 

eating quickly so we could get back in the car.

Georgianne called us "hearty souls."

 

In the Eureka Cemetery.

 

I wanted a picture of Brandt and Blythe together at the grave.

Blythe was non-compliant.

See her hiding behind Brandt? 

Katherine, Sue, Mikayla

Brandt, Blythe, Georgianne

at my great-grandparent's grave.

Next to Great-grandma and Grandpa, there is a plot that has a chain around it.

Hard to say why.  

As you see, there isn't much to protect.

Brandt said, while ducking under the chain,

 "Maybe they want to keep people out.  It doesn't work."

Doesn't keep animals out either.  

Brandt pointed out lots of deer poop.

The children are watching ants all over an anthill. 

 Ah! They managed to cooperate enough to let me get a decent picture of both of them together.

But only for a moment.

Grandma and Grandpa's new headstone.  

The deer have been eating the mums.