Jabberwocky for 2005 May 27

...the poppies grow, and also in my yard. But they are not growing anymore; they are getting rangy and weedy and dying out (and spreading their seed.) I have been ripping them out for weeks now. I fill the green compost bin, and then I fill the regular trash bin, and then I have to wait until after pickup to pull out more.

Something is going to have to change next year. I think I'll thin out the poppies when they are young and not have as big a show next year. The Flanders poppies are not as big a mess as the California poppies.

I planted the Flanders poppies in honor of Grandpa Call--not that he died in WWI, but he surely had a bad time, and afterwards was very active in Veterans' affairs, and also, during the Vietnam War, anti-war protesting. My grandfather was a Grey Panther, oh, yeah. Not everyone can say that.

When I was a little girl the veterans used to sell crepe paper poppies to pin on like they still do in England. I wish they did that now, but I guess the Vietnam veterans aren't that well organized. The nearest thing to a tribute I've seen this Memorial Day weekend is the article on poppies in the White Forest Nursery newsletter.

Lets have a lovely Memorial Day and remember those who have gone before.