Memorial Day Weekend 2026

borrowing this from Mari's Little Corner

The above graphic is from Mari's blog today at http://marislittlecorner.blogspot.com/2026/05/memorial-day.html. I hope and trust she will forgive me for copying her message. It's just so accurate and appropriate (and "storing it" on my blog is a good way for me to save it for future reference.)

Once we understand the purpose of this special day, it seems odd to me to wish people a "Happy Memorial Day." Nobody wishes us "Happy Grief and Mourning" when our dear ones have passed, so why should it be any different when we focus on the dying sacrifices of our military? Sometimes we say the most inane things without thinking first. 

Okay, I'll step down from my soap box now. I feel certain the majority of my readers are in agreement with me on this. What follows are various snapshots from this weekend, (mostly) in the order in which they were taken.

My newest hobby or passion is jigsaw puzzles. I've brought this up before. 

It has been so much fun that a couple of times when I stepped away to attend to other things, somebody else took up where I left off. 🥰

The previous puzzle (below) was a bit of a bear to assemble. 500 pieces that didn't always fit together nicely, and a lot of dark, non-descript parts.

But (with help) I got it done. I didn't want to think of myself as a quitter, so it's done and now taken apart, returned to its box. It's an illustration and a reminder to think carefully before committing to things.

This one (above) is now done. It was so much fun because it was only 300 larger-than-usual pieces, and had many definitive patterns. It will be returned to Jersey Girl this week and I'll be on the look-out for more that are similar to this one.

In late April, Mari posted her recipe for Mini Air Fryer Cherry Hand Pies. (click on the title for the recipe) The idea of little hand-sized pies fascinated me, so I decided to give it a try. I used canned apple pie filling instead of cherry.

You roll out a prepared pie crust so it's flat, and then use a 3-inch diameter biscuit cutter to cut the individual pie crusts.

Mine weren't near as pretty as Mari's. Go to her blog to see her beautiful handiwork.

The first batch cooked nicely in our air fryer. They really are a convenient snack size. Translation: you can't eat just one!! 

For my next batch, I decided to use apple butter from a jar instead of apple pie filling.... I just wanted to see if it would work. I'm wondering if any jam would work, too. Jellies might be too runny??

They don't last long and they were very tasty.

Although it was our intention to have a quiet weekend, with pretty much just the two of us at home, we did have unexpected guests in the back yard. A lot of Ibis (white birds with long skinny beaks poking into the ground in search of bugs) have been in our neighborhood the past several weeks. They tend to be only a little tame, so I snapped their picture through the window screen and left them to their foraging. They are beautiful birds and do not harm anything that concerns us.

"You are not forgotten"

Specific to this holiday weekend, Gary put out his black POW/MIA flag. He likes to post it on the Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.

Then on Memorial Day, he posts the American flag. 

In the spirit of celebratory American themes, I had some leftover apple pie filling from the earlier project, so an apple pie was created (larger than the mini pies). An "emergency trip" to the grocery store was required for ice cream .....

After church on Sunday (we watch the service from home), we tuned in to the Indianapolis 500 race.

Indy 500

Of course, this event was dimmed by the untimely passing of famous race car driver, Kyle Busch. This weekend is particularly sobering.

Today, the actual holiday, we rode our bicycles through the neighborhood. Traffic was much less, which greatly adds to our enjoyment of the ride. For lunch, Gary grilled our steaks and served them with French fries. 

We watched the ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, appreciating how it is well-planned and carried out in every aspect. Gary tells me that in the many years he lived in the Washington DC area, he attended this ceremony in person a couple of times.

purchase info

This afternoon I began working on the book study one of my neighbors is hosting for the next several weeks. Getting together with neighbor gals to discuss Scripture and watch the accompanying video is enjoyable.

This dish towel from Phyllis sums up the weekend. How thankful we are for those who put themselves "out there" for the sake of freedom. May God comfort those who grieve over the ones who did not come back.

Like many of you, I can say this verse is true:

The Lord is close

to the brokenhearted

and saves those who

are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

A Hodgepodge of Sage Conclusions

Fuchsia

A photo of flowers has been added to my blog header (at the very top). Many years ago when I lived in Seattle, I bought a hanging basket of Fuchsia to suspend from the eave of my deck. I was absolutely enthralled with the colors and design of these blooms. I still think they are remarkably beautiful in design and colors.

Sister, me and our Heinz-57 puppy, Susie ~ 1955 or 1956

Before I proceed further, here's a shout-out to Sister, who is having a birthday this week. Younger than me by 2 years, in keeping with today's post title, "... Sage Conclusions," she tells me she benefitted from lessons learned by observing our parents and my responses to them. 

There is some truth in the first-born being the "test kid." Sometimes in life "the second time around" is easier because we have a clearer idea of what to expect and perhaps some ideas on how to do it better. We must keep in mind that most first-time parents are inexperienced in their "newborn role," (pun intended) so we need to give them grace.

With that said, the kid turned out all right! A nearly life-long Christian, a college graduate, wife (married 50 years!), mom and grandmother, caretaker of our mother, and over the years she has had a total of 17 Basset Hounds living in her home (not all at the same time) -- lots of accomplishments in those descriptions!! Happy Birthday! ❤️

Today I'm answering Joyce's Hodgepodge questions. If you want to link up with your blog, click here.

1. What do you make more complicated than it needs to be? 

Overthinking is defined as "an exhausting mental loop of replaying conversations, second-guessing decisions, or predicting worst-case scenarios." (from Wikipedia) 

In recent years, opting for simplicity, deliberately choosing to let God stick up for me, and intentionally devoting myself to other things -- all that has distanced me from a lot of drama that used to tie me up in knots and sleepless nights.

2. What impresses you? 

Internet photo

good manners

politeness

expressing gratitude

thank you notes (email, too)

listening without interrupting

good eye contact

sincere apologies

3. On a scale of 1-10 how picky of an eater are you?  (1=extremely and 10=not at all) If you had to eat a meal made entirely of one color what color would you choose? 

On the picky eater scale, I'll rate myself at about 8 3/4. If I had to eat a meal made entirely of one color, it would be green (as in broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, dark leafy greens, peas). 

It is said that Broccoli is the healthiest of vegetables. Thankfully, I like it a lot (raw, steamed, roasted, boiled -- any way I can get  it).

roasted Brussel Sprouts and Broccoli
(internet photo)

My second choice would be red (tomato sauces in lasagna, pizza, spaghetti, pulled pork in BBQ sauce, sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and ketchup. Definitely ketchup). 

lasagna 
(internet photo)

4. What does balance in life mean to you? Does your life currently feel 'balanced'? 

internet photo

I try to keep my priorities in good order. When what is important to me operates smoothly, I feel balanced. When I have to rearrange my activities contrary to the original plan or against my preferences, I try to rectify that as quickly as reasonable. (Self-pity has proven to be of no value.)

If matters get beyond my boundaries, it is so helpful to remember that my attitude and my response are solely left to me. The story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906 - 1945) in Nazi Germany teaches the one thing others cannot take away from us is how we choose to respond to anything. The older I get, the more I meditate on that truth. It helps me to behave myself better.

5. If you could travel the world for a year what would be your first destination? 

Internet illustration

Traveling the world for a year is not something I want to do, especially at my age and with the conflicts in so many places. I feel safer not wandering too far away from home and/or for too long. 

Internet illustration

We have friends who post their world travels with wonderful photos on blogs and Facebook. I enjoy 'traveling vicariously' with them, allowing them to eat the unfamiliar foods, ask for the restrooms, figure out currency exchanges, and deal with cancelled flights, etc.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

my current project

In recent months I've added jigsaw puzzles to my pastimes, wanting to keep my brain strong. The photo above is my current project. It's been tough with a lot of dark, non-descript pieces, which I've saved for last.

I am forcing myself to finish it for the benefits of mental acuity and disciplining myself to endure; but I've concluded that puzzles limited to 500 pieces are my standard. I've also decided to be more discerning about the pictures I'm willing to tackle. A lot of light-colored pieces are easier than a lot of dark ones. 

Here (below) is the next puzzle, a loan from Jersey Girl. It looks more fun and cheerful with only 300 pieces, and they are larger. (Oh look! There's a jigsaw puzzle on the coffee table!)

Regarding puzzles, mysteries, and the complications of life, here's a Bible verse that comforts me:

The Lord is my light

and my salvation. 

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the strength of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1

Thanks for stopping by! Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

P.S. Finished!!!!!

Our Anniversary Celebration

 Thank you, everybody, for the kind and thoughtful comments on my previous blog post where I made the announcement of our anniversary. The actual day was the 14th (yesterday, as I write this) so today I will show you the snapshots taken as we celebrated. 

cards and Mother's Day flowers

My guy has many sterling qualities. One of them is that he gives me THE BEST cards!!! I save them all, making note at the very bottom on the inside of the card the year it was given. Now after 4 years of birthdays, Valentine's, Christmases, and anniversaries, I have a wonderful collection of the sweetest, most heartfelt words. His sentiments are no joke (I mean, his cards are serious), which stirs my heart. My personal "love language" is Words of Affirmation, which explains why his cards to me are so precious. 

click here for
purchase information

By the way, if you don't know what your "love language" is, look up Gary Chapman's book, pictured above.

diamond and garnet earrings

We began our day with the exchange of cards and then a small black box appeared from Kay Jewelers, you know the company that says, "Every kiss begins with Kay". (it's true, you know!! ❤️) Inside was this pair of beautiful earrings that match the necklace Gary gave to me for Valentine's Day. So, be-decked with jewels and a smile on my face, we headed out for our day-trip.

anniversary celebration destination

We both have been to St. Augustine before, and more than once, but this was our first time to go there together. Having found the address for free parking at our destination, we entered that into the Waze map app I prefer to use. (it's free and very user-friendly. Check it out on your cell phone's app store) 

Waze

Although this was probably my 6th trip to St. Augustine, I had pretty much seen the same [few] things on every trip and had never taken a real tour. After enjoying the trolley tour during our November trip to New Orleans, I became convinced that is possibly the best way to acquaint oneself with more than a general familiarization with a city, so that's what we did in St. Augustine.

stickers on our shirts 
for trolley admission

While not an inexpensive option for sightseeing, we saw and heard a lot of information in a 90-minute ride that made the $$ worthwhile. There was also the benefit of free parking just steps from the ticket booth. 

By the way, here is the address of where we parked. If you plan a road trip to tour St. Augustine, put this into your GPS:

167 San Marco Avenue

St. Augustine, FL 32084

There are other parking options, but this one worked very well for us.

We had a choice of 4 different tours, each one including admission to features we preferred. Our tour had 22 stops:

Oldest Store Museum

Visitor Information Center 

Potter's Wax Museum, Old Drug Store, Huguenot Cemetery

City Gates and Pirate & Treasure Museum

Colonial Quarter, Castillo de San Marcos

Bay View

Hypolita St., St. George St., St. Augustine Shipwreck Museum, Medieval Torture Museum

Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church, Grace United Methodist Church, Ancient City Baptist Church

Villa Zorayda Museum

Lightner Museum, Flagler College, A Ghostly Experience, Haunted Pub Crawl, Savory Faire Food & Wine Tour

Lincolneville Museum and Cultural Center

St. Augustine Distillery

San Sebastian Winery, Whetstone Chocolates of St. Augustine

Plaza de la Constitution, Government House, Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, Pena-Peck House

St. Augustine Marina, Ripley's Bayfront Mini Gold, Schooner Freedom Scenic Cruise, Eco Tours, The Black Raven, Spanish Military Hospital Museum, Zimenez-Fatio House, St. Augustine Parasail

Oldest House, Fernandez Llambias House

Castillo de San Marcos

Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Red Train Tours

Old Town Trolley Welcome Center, Ghost & Gravestones, Uptonw San Marco Shopping District 

Mission of Nombre de Dios, Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche

The Old Senator, Villa 1565

Fountain of Youth

me with Mr. Ponce de Leon himself!

The tour bus allows riders to jump off and on at any of the stops. Fortunate for us, one of the main things we wanted to see was at our last stop, The Fountain of Youth. This was one of 3 or 4 attractions included in our trolley fare, so we just had to show our trolley receipt to get in. 

The water for the Fountain of Youth was inside a stone building and dripping out of a clay urn. Disposable cups were provided. 

We both drank deeply and our thirst for hydration was satisfied. No immediate physical changes took place. It's now about 24 hours later as I write about it and so far we are both as gray-haired, wrinkled, and in need of an afternoon nap as we were yesterday. 🙄

However, as born-again Christians know, the real 'fountain of youth,' or another way of phrasing it, 'the water of life', is our belief in Jesus Christ, as recorded in the New Testament where Jesus said, 

"Everyone who drinks this water

will be thirsty again, 

but whoever drinks the water I give them

will never thirst.

Indeed, the water I give them

will become in them 

a spring of water 

welling up to eternal life."

John 4:13-14

milky white Gardenias

After exiting that building, we toured through the gardens, which were much more quiet than the noisy (although enjoyable) trolley ride.

One notable exception to the tranquility were several peacocks strutting about announcing their presence with their noisy call. I took 3 snapshots of this one but even with the tools in my photo program, I'm not able to bring out the vibrant colors of his feathers. He walked in a particular way, much like those showgirls in Las Vegas when they wear huge headpieces as they swagger across the stage.

As I said earlier, our trolley fare included some attractions. After enjoying fast-food-type sandwiches (which were very good) at outdoor picnic tables, we got the tour of The Oldest Store Museum. My photos of that follow. Wax figures looked shockingly real.....

 

This (above), however, is no man made of wax! Nor is the jail bird pictured below.....

The Old Jail tour

Probably the most revealing information I gathered from the entire visit to St. Augustine was given at The Old Jail tour. Our guide (above) gave us a very interesting as well as entertaining excursion through the original jail house in St. Augustine. Comprised of 3 floors and lots of metal cells lacking absolutely any means of privacy for the most personal of needs, this tour should make anybody think twice before committing a crime -- at least in those days!! 

In this photo, some government officials were having a meeting in one of the jailhouse rooms. Both men are made of wax. The one on the right, especially looked so real that I had to squint my eyes as I approached him, not sure if he was alive or fake. His left hand had the blood vessels and bones showing through his skin as it is on my hands. It was an amazing work of skill and art!

It may have been that same man who mercifully released us so we could leave the dark gloom of that jailhouse, (hopefully never to return!!). You see our documents of pardon pictured.

Back outside in the brilliance of sunshine and freedom, I couldn't resist taking this picture of Gary since his military service included law enforcement, security, investigating crime, and wrestling bad guys to the ground.

These two museums were in the area of our free parking, the kiosk where we had bought our trolley tickets, and a large, well-supplied gift shop. With plenty of touristy-type T-shirts in my closet already, I opted for refrigerator magnets. There were many from which to choose and they were reasonably priced! (such is not always the case)

The gift shop also had ice cream, so Gary got a chocolate mallow blend in his cone, and mine was rainbow sherbet. We enjoyed them in the car on the drive back home.

It was a full day, well-spent. We made more good memories to add to our happy marriage, for which we are both profoundly grateful.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara