Memorial Day

A sad today, especially this Memorial Day don't you think? I always send a check to my cousin for flowers to place on all the graves in Kansas. Such a sweet little cemetery there, but but encroached by industry, alas. In Kansas, it's always been called "Decoration Day," but maybe that has changed now.

Today we will visit a couple local cemeteries, old ones, with graves going back to the revolution. Then we will feed the Highland Scottish Cattle and come home to dawddling on the deck, cooking ribs on the grill and I hope a bit of writing and thinking.

Yesterday we visited the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA, and saw the Chinese House which was certainly worth the trip. It takes you into another world and culture, completely foreign to us. We also saw the Cornell boxes and collages. Very interesting and creative, but 'way too many to absorb properly.

We had a nice seafood lunch at Finz, and barely got our dinner grilled before darkness fell. I made a marinade from an ancient recipe in the NYTIMES, and grilled shish-kebabs (beef) and zucchini, summer squash, big thick mushrooms, red peppers and scallions. Dare I say "yum!" Simple and satisfying and not too much after a moderate midday meal.

It's so nice to use the grill and I hope to get out the smoker, soon. The smoker requires more time, prep, and planning, so one must be a least somewhat motivated.

Take some time today to think about our servicemen and what this day means. Forget television and celebrities and practice a little introspection.

Grapeshot