The parade and ceremonies went well today, and were well attended. Our color guard was in good form, and someone had arranged a Missing Man formation to fly over the cemetery. As far as I could tell, all branches were represented. Most of the vets who were in the parade marched right behind the color guard. One is with the band, and looked very smart in his sailor uniform -- he and L both play trombone. The flags in town and at the cemetery were raised and then lowered to half mast as appropriate. This year the military person giving a speech was a Captain Chadwick of the Air Force (I hope I remembered his rank correctly!). There was also singing by girl scouts, brownies, and a new local singing group, and also a soloist. The latter two were quite good, the first two were enthusiastic ;) The boy scouts had the honor of helping with the flag ceremony in town, and a girl scout and a boy scout hung a memorial wreath on the veterans memorial. Some local folks, I didn't quite catch who, donated two new stone benches that are one to each side of the memorial, for those who would like to visit there. The names of those from Ashfield who have been lost in the past year were read out (many from old age, so no, we didn't lose a bunch of people overseas this past year). An addition this particular year was a moment of silence for those who were lost most recently in a training exercise, at the request of one of the vet's son who is currently overseas.

The music is quite traditional for the most part, Grand Old Flag, My Country Tis of Thee, America the Beautiful; there was also a lovely song (God of All Nations, I think), about peace.

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My thanks to my ancestors, father, brothers, friends, and all the rest of the men and women who have fought to preserve freedom and justice. I know there are folks who will argue about war (and believe me, I have my thoughts on what's happening and what has happened), but these honorable folks have done and are doing the best they are able to serve our nation, often at great sacrifice of their own happiness and comfort, and sometimes the greatest sacrifice of all.

I salute you.

Saturday morning I was doing pretty well, so helped with setting up for the first day of Ashfield's farmers market. Attendance was pretty good there, we sold some maple products and a few eggs, chatted with various folks. Bought 3 sprouted LaRatte fingerlings from the Manda Farms folks, which I plan on planting today. Also got baby lemon thyme and rosemary plants, 1 each, from the Songha Farm folks.

One vendor had dumplings, soup, and steamed buns. Since we'd missed breakfast I bought L and I a couple of the steamed veggie buns, which had wild nettles as part of the ingredients. Very tasty! Euphoria Bread Bakery was there as well, so we tried some of their fare as well - also tasty :)

L's cousin Cynthia was recruiting for a new town band, as the regional high school doesn't have a marching band anymore and their orchestral band won't come here anymore (different director, whose sight is set on taking them to Florida). After getting a tentative agreement to try out the music, she went away and came back with trombone music for him and flute music for me, plus a loaner flute because mine needs work.

Happily, years though it's been, L has marching band experience and was able to get into good enough form to play. I gave it a shot, but I'm going to have to work hard at regaining the control for high notes, plus I never played as high as one of the pieces was written even when I used to play regularly as a kid. A couple of the members of the new band hadn't played in 40-50 years! Others were teens. Good thing they had all those other folks, as I'll need the year to practice and also memorize the music. I'm slightly dyslexic but can often compensate with extremely high pattern recognition -- in other words, I need to at least partially memorize the music because all the notes on the paper jumble together in my brain.

Have now seen the Indiana Jones movie, which was good.

Was definitely ready to come home and apply the hot water bottle to my right side/back!

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Sunday was Mother's Day/William's birthday/Father's Day for the local Grays. Folks came over for breakfast in the folks kitchen. We had waffles, pancakes (regular and gluten-free oat ones, with or without pecans and/or blueberries), bacon, sausage, a couple of egg-based breakfast casseroles, fruit, etc.

Ray (one of L's brothers) had brought over one of his business' lifts, and the guys learned how to operate it. Ray spent some time power-washing part of the barn's west wall. Brother-in-law Carl has it in mind to come back from Illinois for a week this summer to do some painting ;)

Cousin Karla Jean helped with planting and watering Morning Glory seeds. I planted some seeds and more seedlings (cold weather took out most of my squash/pumpkin seedlings). Watered those and all the other stuff we've put in this year. At least 4 potato plants are showing leaves!

Some of the folks were working on sanding and scraping the old family picnic table. Doris started and was the main supervisor, but Karla, sister-in-law Marsha, William, niece Brianna and nephew Brendan and I all helped. And sister-in-law Susan too, I think. William got out some paint and we got to painting it -- not enough brushes, plus people would need some shade or rest, so we took turns painting. It went quite quickly.

At one point Marian and Brianna picked some dandelions and wove them, eventually creating a crown for Brianna :)

Susan and Brendan tried out using the push reel mower.

L and I had a graduation party to go to in Amherst, plus Concentus practice at 6, so off we went. Had a great time at Eli's party (he got his Ph.D this year in mathematics). Practice was at his place too, so occasionally folks would come up to say their good-byes to Eli. His mom was apparently bringing folks to the bottom of the stairs to listen to us singing :D

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Today is Memorial Day, at least in the U.S. We went into town this morning, the new band warmed out and then we went out to join everyone else. Things started at the Fire Department/Town Hall area, with some singing, a prayer by St. John's new vicar, a poem, and the band. They raised the flag and then lowered it to half-mast. Then everyone formed up and processed down to the cemetery. Police car in the lead, walking vets, vets in an antique car, the board of selectmen in another antique car, and (not necc. in correct order), boy scouts, girl scouts, a tractor pulling a haywagon with the little league players, band, singers, emergency vehicles.

At the cemetery there's a place with another flag pole. A speech was given by one of our local folks who's in the service, P. Monahan, reflecting on values and traditions and why folks serve. Another fellow spoke, and in particular noted those veterans who'd passed on in the past year. There was a salute with rifles. Three of the armed services were represented there: Army, Navy, and Air Force. More singing and playing. Then folks processed over to the war memorial in another part of the cemetary, where there was reading of Lincoln's four score, etc. speech, and singing and playing of more tunes. Then everyone processed back into town.

There was a bbq at the first cong. church which a lot of folks went to -- we got a couple of ice creams and went back home, ourselves and rested. L's gone out to do some stuff around the farm now. I'll be heading out soon myself.

It was an interesting parade to be at, and I expect next year I'll be joining in. I didn't write up all the details of course, but I noted more than I might usually because I've never been to something like this. I guess it wasn't my dad's thing, because I don't remember ever seeing him in uniform... might have to ask my mom, see if he did when I was really young. Not all vets care to be in parades, or are able to be in them. And in our particular case with the salute in the cemetery, I can understand why some would actively avoid being there. But it was nice to see those who were there, and acknowledge their service.