"Shake it up Baby"

It's another long holiday weekend. Memorial Day comes around every year and we welcome it as the beginning of the summer season. But, as an older American, I can remember calling the same holiday Decoration Day. The designation changed sometime in my childhood, as it became a day to honor our deceased Veterans, as well as relatives and friends who have gone before us.
I have many memories of the old fashioned Decoration Day.
My maternal grandmother had a large yard with an abundance of blooming bushes and flowers. Early in May, she prepared for Decoration Day, by cutting her pink, white and red Peony (she said,"Pee OH nee") buds and placing them in water filled Mason Jars. The jars were then set in rows in the ice box. They would stay there, several weeks, until it was time to go to the cemetery.
Then the icy jars, brim full of cold of water and buds, would join bundles of purple and lavender Flags (the local name for Iris) on the kitchen table, as she prepared for the yearly trek to the Wintle family graves.
To this day, I remember sitting in the back seat, alongside my sister, with jars of flowers on the floor between our ankles, and more jars on our laps. Between us, on the seat, were bundles of newspaper wrapped Iris. The scent of the cut flowers was overwhelming and disarmingly sweet. Iris and Peony scented perfume has never been marketed, for good reason.
We were cautioned to sit still to keep the jars from spilling, but no matter what we did, we always arrived at the cemetery with damp anklets, cold arms and legs.......and squirming. An interesting fact about Peonies is that they are always full of tiny black ants. During the trip, the ants would travel up our legs and end up in our underpants.
Never wonder again about the origin of the phrase "Ants in your pants."?

Dearest Lord; We are thankful for our memories. Looking back is often a good thing. We have so much to be thankful for.
Looking forward is good, also. You give us many opportunities to help others as we live our lives. Guide us and allow us to make good choices and improve your world.