Celebrating and Remembering

This weekend from coast to coast, the grill will be fired up, potato salad will be prepared, along with layered salads, baked beans, deviled eggs and picnic fare will be served far and wide to celebrate the official beginning of summer, and to remember those in the Armed Forces who have served and died.

Decorating the graves in the 1800's

Decorating the graves at Arlington National Cemetery

I grew up in the military; my dad was in the Navy and we moved almost every 2 years.  One year we moved three times in 9 months; I changed schools three times that year.  The happiest times I remember were when we lived in the DC area; so much history, and my dad not being gone on a ship, and my cousins just across the river in Chevy Chase, it felt like home.
Going to Arlington Cemetery to watch the President or the Vice President lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier and to see all the flags on the graves was part of our Memorial Days when we lived there.

Afterwards it was a barbecue in the back yard with my dad squirting lighter fluid into the lit the grill and having a huge fire ball erupt; many times he lost an eyebrow doing this, but it was great fun to watch!

 We also had championship croquet matches which somehow got very rowdy with the neighbors drinking Manhattans and martinis.  The foods were always a  potpourri of the neighborhood; southern, All-American, a bit of Italian, and cold libations, with sweet iced tea and lemonade for the children.

So, what's on your grill this weekend?