My grandfather was a farmer. And although it may be hard to imagine, alongside the tomatoes and strawberries, peppers and corn, there was another important crop: peonies. I can remember, as a kid, buckets of bunches of peonies next to the boxes and stacks of produce at market. Every spring, in the days leading up to Memorial Day, folks would be buying peonies. Bunches and bunches of peonies. Flowers for the cemetery, blossoms of affection for loved ones lost.
Maybe because it was the 1960s and so many families were still grieving family members lost in the wars, but it seemed to me those peonies were bought and carried to the graves of all the beloved dead. Not just soldiers, but grandmothers and sisters, moms and dads and uncles. As I grew up, people started taking all sorts of flowers to the cemetery for Memorial Day, but when I was small, people took peonies. Lots and lots of peonies—cut and gathered from my grandfather’s farm.
I don’t think I’ve seen a bunch of peonies for years, but I remember them being enormous beautiful flowers that came in shades of red and pink and white. Sadly, I also remember them being quite buggy. Ants, I think. In a time before modern day insecticides, I remember the peonies being incredibly beautiful, but always full of bugs. You wouldn’t have wanted to bring these flowers inside, but they were perfect for the cemetery. Anyway, that’s the way I remember it. And Memorial Day always reminds me of peonies.
Nowadays, Memorial Day is about remembering those who gave their lives in service to this country and it is a good thing to honor the memory of these brave men and women. I, however, will be taking time out of this day to celebrate the memory of my parents and grandparents and all who I have loved and lost along my life’s journey. I don’t do the cemetery thing. Never have. Never thought the dead cared so much whether or not their loved ones brought flowers to their graves. But in my heart, I will be laying down bunches and bunches of peonies in the soft green grass and saying, thank you—for all the memories and for loving me.
Happy Memorial Day.
the pickled pastor 
peonies have something special about them. your memories are beautiful too!
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Special, yes. Thank you!
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I have that same memory of peonies. In Ohio, everyone had bushes of them in their yards. There was a veritable celebration as we went from cemetery to cemetery leaving bunches of those beautiful flowers. We moved to Utah in ’62 and, for us, there were no graves to decorate at that time. Not for years until HL’s dad passed in ’95. When it came our time to participate in that holiday (which is huge in Utah with all the interest in genealogy) I was shocked to find mums were the flower of choice. In pots, no less! Peonies don’t seem to grow well out here. Perhaps it’s too dry.
As to Memorial Day (or Decoration Day, as we called it back home), I think all of life is a war (which encompasses good times, too) and everyone who passes is a casualty. Whether you credit it to Plato, Philo of Alexandria, Ian MacLaren, or John Watson, someone said: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” No matter where they were “stationed,” to me everyone is a hero at the end of their life and deserves flowers.
I don’t remember the exact quote, but Scottish theologian William Barclay said it was a shame we wait to place flowers on loved one’s graves when we should have given them to them in real life. That idea has always stuck with me.
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Thanks for the pingback … I thought your comment had the makings of its own post : )
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I like that you were raised on a farm. I think there is a source of wisdom in the connection to how things grow, produce, decline, and are reborn. I would not trust a theologian who does not understand such things. The kingdom of heaven metaphors are mostly about seeds and vines and yeast and such. Well done!
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Thank you. I agree about the connection.
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mmm… If I close my eyes I can almost smell the Peonies. You did such a great job of describing them. A wonderful message to honor those who’ve fought for our freedom :).
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Beautiful. I have only one peony but it is the dark burgundy red that reminds me of my mother. Her birthday was May 31, so always near Memorial Day. I’m missing her a lot this week…. thank you.
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Beautiful peonies and family memories. I don’t go to cemeteries either and do not forget my loved ones buried there.
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Peonies are the Lady’s favorite flower. Unfortunately, they are very expensive in the city. But we enjoy sniffing them whenever we run across a bed of them in a park.
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Wow, awesome weblog layout! How lengthy have you ever been blogging for?
you make blogging glance easy. The full glance of your web site is fantastic, as well as the content!
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Oh my … Thank you. I use WordPress’ Penscratch theme. I selected it because I liked its simplicity. I’ve been blogging for a little less than a year. Good luck to you.
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