Allium, Memorial Day, Schreiner's Iris Gardens

One of the many things I enjoy about Schreiner's Iris Gardens is the mix of flowering plants on display. Every which way you turn, you see colors, shapes, textures. All that to say, this will not the only photo of allium that I will share with you.

It had been raining most of Sunday night and into Monday morning. I decided, what the hey, I'll get in my Zipcar McMinnville, the Mazda 3, and head on down to spend some quality time among the gardens and to enjoy the superb chicken lunch, cooked by the Gervais Knights of Columbus.

Here's some info about allium that I found on the Internet:

Allium is a monocot genus of flowering plants, informally referred to as the onion genus. The generic name Allium is the Latin word for garlic. The genus, including the various edible onions, garlics, chives, and leeks, has played a pivotal role in cooking worldwide, as the various parts of the plants, either raw or cooked in many ways, produce a large variety of flavors and textures. The genus contains hundreds of distinct species; many have been harvested through human history, but only about a dozen are still economically important today as crops or garden vegetables. Many others are cultivated as ornamental plants.

Onions, shallots and gardlic are members of the allium family that belong in the vegetable garden. But there are many ornamental alliums that deserve a hearty welcome in your perennial gardens. Alliums are plants of exquisite beauty in both flower and leaf, with tough constitutions. These easy-to-grow bulbs come in a broad palette of colors, heights, bloom times and flower forms. They make excellent cut flowers for fresh or dried bouquets. Even crowded gardens can accommodate a few alliums because they don't take up much space. What's more, alliums are relatively resistant to deer, voles, chipmunks, and rabbits.

Our Flag

I decided that this photo would do well for my Memorial Day post. I wanted to post a flag today after watching the news reports and reading them in the local paper about various dedicated people all over the country who place a flag on each person's grave for today's memorial.

This flag flies at Talladega Superspeedway. I took it before the NASCAR race on 11/1/2009. The flag is between half and three quarters of a mile from where I'm sitting--that's my best guess anyway. It's a huge flag. The tractor-trailer rig that you see there beyond the flag pole is actually on I-20, going east. It's probably another half to three quarters of a mile to the interstate. I boosted the colors at Picnik.

Memorial Day at the Guys'

Ribs--brownies are in the green tin in the background. I made them from a Duncan Hines box.


Brisket and smoker




Brisket from smoker to pan, with Lamont








Corn, ready for the Weber, and on then grilling on the Weber




My first plate of Memorial Day yummy food (rib, potato salad, slaw, Leland's fresh salsa with bought chips, and a deviled egg, made by me), enjoyed while the brisket rested and the corn grilled--I forgot to take a photo of that plate!


Our friend Leslie holds Kailey's Ginger (Kailey had eaten earlier and left for work) while Leslie and Chris' Brixx checks out tiny Ginger. Leland's got a tight hold on Brixx' leash--she's a strong gal!


Before everything got started, eating-wise, I got Leland to snap this photo of me, Duncan and Mama--I am beyond needing a perm, but I'm waiting because I want to get it done later on so that I can get another one right before heading to Mississippi and the NASCAR race at Talladega in late October, early November.

For Memorial Day, in honor of our veterans and current armed services' members and their beloved families--thank you.

I took this photo last summer at a Zoo Concert. The bald eagle moved swiftly, instantaneously it seemed. I am surprised that I got a single photo, even a mostly blurred one.

Our Memorial Day Get-Together

First, let me say that while I didn't take any food photos because I was busy looking out for Mama and Duncan, there was plenty of it--ribs, hamburgers, Zenner's Big Dogs (Louisiana Red Hot Sausage, Old Fashioned Double Smoked Sausage and Beef Coney Dogs--at least I think those are the ones I bought for them), home-made tortilla chips and hushpuppies, a really delicious pasta salad, fresh salsa, and all of the fixings. Everyone enjoyed being together, laughing, talking, eating. The kids had a great Memorial Day get-together for all of us family and lots and lots of their friends.

Here are a few photos I did get to take--wish I'd stopped to take more, but part of the time I also ate some delicious food and played in the street with the young people--see below.

Mississippi friends' Leslie and Chris' darling Rottweiler, Brixx.

My darlin' sons, Lamont and Leland, with their fresh flame in the background. In no time at all, it was ready for some of that luscious food I listed earlier.

Mama and Duncan, on the back porch.

Duncan and Brixx, nose to nose.

Neighbor Emily's baby boy, Duncan and Mama.

Leland with friends Anakin and Philip, playing street Frisbee, but it's not Frisbee, it's another Frisbee-like thing that isn't solid, hard, firm, or heavy.

Brody and Lamont going for the Frisbee-like-thing.

Mississippi friend Mabry lets it fly.

Three Doors Down fellow cook, kitchen, back-of-the-house friend Flash with a bit of a rib in his left hand and his phone in his right.

Rhododendrons in Ladd's Circle, seen on the way back to the apartment.

My Memorial Day Post

Those of you who visit my blog will understand that I am not being glib or crass using these photos for my Memorial Day post because I have a history of using what I call "color-coordinated street level accessories." You also realize that I put a great deal of stock in serendipity. Thus, this post.

I looked out the bathroom window Sunday morning and saw these vehicles and immediately thought of the red, white and blue and Memorial Day. I quickly grabbed my camera and opened the window wide so that I could get the shot without hanging out of the fourth floor window.



Satisfied with the photo, I started to close the window. Movement caught my eye. I watched this young man get into the white car.


As he drove off, I thought about how many men and women have left their loved ones over the years, in service to the red, white and blue. I stood there quietly, praying for the safety of those serving now.


Today I hope those loved ones find some sort of peace in the knowledge that, all across the country, folks are remembering their loved ones with gratitude for their effort and sacrifice.