My Grandmother Bell called it ‘Decoration Day,’ the day to bring flowers to the graves of family departed. The task was done the day before because Grandpa Bell helped in the American Legion ceremony on Memorial Day. 

This was long before the holiday was permanently installed on Monday. My sister and I left school early to help with the task. The station wagon was filled with flowers gathered from Grandma’s garden since there were a dozen or more graves to decorate. Her roses were that first flush of spring bloom. The car smelled heavenly.

After the work was done we feasted on a picnic dinner in a nearby park. There was time to play while my grandmother set out her fried chicken, potato salad and Aunt Esther’s lemon cake.

And so to remember Memorial Day and my grandparents, here’s a bouquet of 'Hot Cocoa’ roses  and other seasonal garden flowers I gathered recently.