On Saturday morning, just as Dale was about to leave to go meet his Boy Scout troop and decorate the graves of our town’s soldiers with flags, he commented that he really wished people understood the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day.

I couldn’t agree more. While I believe it’s always appropriate to thank a serviceman or veteran, that’s not what Memorial Day is about. It’s about our fallen soldiers, our service men and women who died in the line of duty, who gave up their lives for our country.

It’s about people like Corporal Gordon Craig, a soldier from East Bridgewater who received the Purple Heart and the Congressional Medal of Honor for throwing himself on a hand grenade in the Korean War. He saved the lives of his comrades by sacrificing his own. Call it bravery, call it heroism, or call it love – as my fellow Kiwanian Phil did the other night. Whatever you call it, remember it and honor it on Memorial Day, a day dedicated to the U.S. men and women who died while in military service.

Happy Memorial Day. Let us never forget the fallen.

My peonies are in bloom and I hope I don’t sound like I’m bragging but – they are spectacular! Loads of hot pink and white blossoms!

It’s Memorial Day weekend – the unofficial start to summer! Enjoy!

As I mentioned on Monday, I finally blocked my Morning Surf Scarf this weekend. I won’t be wearing it anytime soon, as we have had record-breaking warmth here, but it’s ready for the cold weather when it comes – a long long time from now, please.

Anyway, I used handspun but I have no idea what it is or where I got it or when I spun it. Nothing like providing you with lots of details, huh?

The pattern is very easy to memorize and it is definitely perfect for handspun – even handspun of the unknown variety.

The colors are soft and pretty and they blend so nicely. I’d recommend you get some of this but – just in case you missed this point – I don’t know what it is.

I do know that I love it, though, and that’s what really counts.

I’m always looking for ideas for blog posts and I think – after showing you Adele the Woodchuck last week – that the occasional post about what’s in my back yard might be fun.  This week it’s all about hummingbirds.

We put out 3 feeders this year and they are all hanging in and around the perennial bed. The hummingbirds make a regular loop from the feeders to the walnut tree, around the house to the lilac bushes, and then back to the feeders.

You can almost always spot one in the nut tree if you look closely enough.

See what I mean?

The other day I sat out in the yard with my camera for a long time. I saw the little birds constantly but getting good pictures of them is tricky – they are fast!

Luckily, this one perched on top of this shepherds crook for a while. She must have been pretty comfortable because she sat there for a few minutes, looking left and right and all around.

At one point she looked right at me. This shot just cracks me up.

Finally, she moved off the crook and over to the feeder for a drink.

And then she was gone, back in her loop from tree to feeder to bush.

It must be exhausting being a hummingbird.

The first official weekend of summer is almost upon us! And so, in honor of Memorial Day, this week’s 10 on Tuesday topic is 10 Favorite Cookout Foods.

1. A nice juicy cheeseburger. Might as well start with the classic.
2. And I can’t resist a good hot dog. I like Kayem because they snap when you bite ‘em.
3. Serve up that burger and dog with some potato salad. I like mine the old-fashioned way with potatoes, celery, a little onion, mayo and hard-boiled egg. Simple but delicious!
4. Pioneer Woman’s Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies. I cook them on the grill and they are absolutely delicious.
5. Margaritas. By the bucket, please. Is a margarita a food? It is to me!
6. Beer. There is nothing like an ice cold beer at a cookout.
7. Kebabs. Chicken, beef or why not both?
8. Grilled veggies. I love zucchini and summer squash on the grill!
9. Three Bean Salad. I got a recipe from Cynthia ages ago and it’s wonderful.
10. Ice cream. What would you do for a Klondike bar?

Writing this list made me hungry! I hope I get invited to a cookout this weekend!

I got a lot accomplished this weekend.

I bought annuals and hanging plants and got things planted in the ground and in containers.

I had a fun dinner out with my husband.

I made some final decisions on the menu for the ever-looming graduation party.

I took down the heavy drapes in the living room and put up the sheer curtains and the summer slipcovers.

I knitted in the sunshine on my deck.

I blocked my Morning Surf Scarf.

And I finished my Jitterbug Socks.

It’s my basic sock pattern but in a slightly heavier yarn. I still used 64 stitches but made the legs a little shorter than I usually do to accommodate the shorter yardage of the Colinette Jitterbug.

I was a little nervous on Sunday afternoon that I was going to run out of yarn and then I remembered that I weighed my first finished sock vs the yarn I had left before I started the second sock and I relaxed.

When I finished I put my feet up, took some photos, and relaxed some more.

It was a busy weekend!

My iris are in bloom. They aren’t as pretty as Hillary’s but they will do.

This weekend will be spent doing yard work and shopping and prepping for the upcoming graduation party. It’s still 2 weeks away but it’s getting to be crunch time, you know?

Hope your weekend is full of happy!

The other day Kathy reminded me that Kim likes to see projects as we knit them, not just after they are finished. And so, here’s what I’m knitting these days:

Socks, of course. The yarn is Colinette Jitterbug and the pattern is my picot edge sock. There are lots of school things and meeting things these days so I expect these socks to be done very soon.

And a baby blanket. The yarn is Sereknity’s Verity in the color “Forest for the Trees” and the blanket is Anne Hanson’s new Cradle Me. I am really really enjoying this project!

How about you? What’s on your needles right now?

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
If a woodchuck could chuck wood?
A woodchuck would chuck all the wood he could
If a woodchuck could chuck wood!

My father-in-law, who lives next door, has a big ole woodchuck living in his shed. I have named her Adele and I’m really glad we don’t have a vegetable garden this year!

On Sunday Hannah and I went to see a musical at our local high school. We had a great time and it inspired me to come up with this week’s topic : 10 Favorite Musicals.

1. Hello, Dolly. That’s the one we saw on Sunday and it truly is one of my favorites. There is some really great music in this one.
2. The Music Man. You had to see this coming, what with Marian the Librarian and all.
3. Les Miserables. I’ve seen it 4 times but I would still go again if they brought it back.
4. Grease. I actually like the movie better than the stage production.
5. The Sound of Music. The hills are alive, baby.
6. West Side Story. It’s bleak and depressing but it’s a classic.
7. Spamalot. I laughed through the entire show. So funny and so entertaining!
8. Jesus Christ Superstar. Okay, so technically it’s a “rock opera” but I’m counting it.
9. Man of La Mancha. Isn’t it about time to revive this one?
10. My Fair Lady. The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain, you know.

That was easy and fun, too. And now I’ve got about eleventy-million songs running through my head. I bet you do, too. No need to thank me. You are welcome!