Saturday 9: Battle Hymn of the Republic

Saturday 9: Battle Hymn of the Republic (1963)

Unfamiliar with Judy Garland's rendition of this week's tune? Hear it here.

Memorial Day is the federal holiday designated to honor American service people who died in battle. 

1) On May 30, 1868, President Grant presided over the Memorial Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery. Have you ever visited Arlington Cemetery?  Yes, I have. It is a very humbling and holy place.

2) On Memorial Day, it is customary to fly the flag at half-staff until noon and then raise it to the top of the staff until sunset. Will you be flying the flag at your home this weekend?  It depends on whether Tim gets up tomorrow morning and fixes the flag pole. There are patriotic touches several other places, however.

3) Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, because flowers and ribbons were left on graves of soldiers.  Do you find solace in visiting cemeteries?  I don't know that I find solace, but I enjoy walking through cemeteries and reading the names and brief descriptions on the headstones. I like to imagine the lives that were lived and I do offer a prayer of thanks when I see a soldier's grave. I also have a habit of fixing things in cemeteries. If flowers or flags have fallen or blown over, I right them. I've even set a few headstones back up in older cemeteries.

4) The lyrics to this week's song were written by Julia Ward Howe in 1861. Her inspiration was a White House visit with Abraham Lincoln. In 2020, under normal circumstances, public tours of the White House are available but you must request your ticket in advance from your Member of Congress (House or Senate). When you travel, do you plan your trip weeks before you go? Or do you decide how your days will unfold once you reach your destination?  Now that it's just Tim and I, I tend to let things unfold without much planning. When the kids were at home, vacations were well planned.

5) Judy Garland performed this week's song before a live audience as a tribute to President Kennedy, who had been assassinated just weeks before. She knew Kennedy personally and considered this a farewell to a friend. While the performance was difficult for her -- at one point she flubs the lyrics -- she believed it was important, and could perhaps help the country heal. Tell us about a song that reminds you of someone you loved who is no longer with us.  My dad loved everything about John Deere tractors and was a big collector. The year he was dying from cancer John Deere Green was a hit country song. My son loved his Pap and when we painted the wooden stairs leading up to the above-garage house we were renting, he begged to paint them John Deere green. We did, not knowing that the last family gathering my dad would attend would be the party for my son's 7th birthday. We didn't think he would come at all. He was too weak to walk up those stairs, but he was determined. He sat down on the bottom step and painstakingly scooted up one step at a time. He passed away 3 weeks later. I can't hear this song without crying.

6) John F. Kennedy served in WWII and was awarded a Navy and Marine Corps medal and a Purple Heart. His brother Joe also served and was awarded the Navy Cross, but he received his citation posthumously, having died during a flying mission over East Suffolk, England. Here at Saturday 9, we consider everyone who serves a hero and want to hear about the veterans and active military members in your life.  My dad was part of the Army's peace keeping forces in Berlin during the 50's. My uncle served in the Marines in WWII. He worked with the Navajo Code Talkers and landed two beaches down from Iwo Jima. My father-in-law was an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force who was involved in a lot of secret type stuff. The family isn't even clear on where all and what all he did. We do know he was at the Bay of Pigs. My brother-in-law was in the Sea-Bee's, and my husband was a Marine. Since I've gotten to know my biological father and siblings, I've learned that my 3x great grandfather was wounded in the battle at Shiloh. His son was with him, but the troops had to move on. The son propped him against a tree and sadly, he died there alone.

7) Memorial Day is considered the beginning of the summer season. Will you be enjoying warm weather this weekend?  We are actually supposed to experience temperatures in the mid 80's with lots of humidity...so probably some thunderstorms as well.

8) Berries are especially popular in summer. Which is your favorite: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or raspberries?  I like them all, though I have ready access to as many blueberries as I want during the season so I tend to eat more of them.

9) If you could attend a Memorial Day picnic with any fictional character, which would you choose?  I just finished another Longmire Mystery so I'll go with Walter Longmire.

Linking up with Crazy Sam for the Saturday 9.

Thanks for the fun questions, Sam!