Comments on: May, Poppies, and Remembering Veterans

By: Guyanne

Guyanne — Sat, 28 May 2011 15:11:04 +0000

Beautiful post Michelle. And fascinating info! Sadly I don’t think most Americans know any of this…

Oh I sure hope they do…or at least will learn!

By: rel

rel — Sat, 28 May 2011 12:33:18 +0000

Michelle
Thanks for doing your part to keep this tradition in the forefront of our minds!
” Who kept the faith and fought the fight;The glory theirs, the duty ours.”
~Wallace Bruce

Excellent, rel; thank you

By: Louise | Italy

Louise | Italy — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 06:46:27 +0000

I, too, didn’t know that the British shared the poppy tradition with the US. Interesting.

Thanks for coming by, Louise!

By: Valerie

Valerie — Thu, 22 May 2008 14:21:18 +0000

I love the poppies - in the fields as well as those sold by the veterans. I always bought one and hung it in my car. I get all sappy about them and at Memorial Day parades. Our first Memorial Day in Italy was spent at the American military cemetary in Nettuno. I was a blubbering mess of tears at the ceremony! It was so touching and beautiful. Valerie's last blog post..Anniversario Oh I'd have been a blubbering mess too Valerie. I get so emotional watching memorials and such. Sounds wonderful.

By: jen of a2eatwrite

jen of a2eatwrite — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:46:29 +0000
My heart is sick over the neglect of the VA hospitals and services these days. For me, poppies signify the wonderful movie scene in A Room with a View (in the book, the field is covered with violets). I will look for the paper poppies. jen of a2eatwrite's last blog post..What's Cooking Wednesday - Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:12:53 +0000

I didn’t know this. Thanks for educating so many of us.

Rebecca’s last blog post..Peekaboo

Glad you enjoyed the info Rebecca

By: Wunschdenker

Wunschdenker — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:26:26 +0000

Every year, starting in May, in my small town of Bolton Landing, NY, 6th graders were given these same hand constructed paper poppies to sell. The boy and girl who raised the most money were crowned Poppy Queen and King and rode in a convertible in the Memorial Day parade wearing a silver Reynold’s wrap looking crown decorated with…..poppies….down mainstreet, through the town, stopping at the WWII memorial statue so one of the band’s trumpet players could play taps. My older sister, Carla, was Poppy Queen and recently my best friend’s son was the trumpet player who played taps. I’m happy to know it’s a time honored tradition in my town and throughout the good ol’ U.S of A. Thanks for reminding me of this.

What an awesome tradition! Every town should have a poppy king and queen–I’m sure we all have WWII memorials all ready for the event. Thanks for sharing

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:08:08 +0000

I didn’t know there was a poppy day in the US until I read this! Nor did I know that Canada shared the same remembrance day as the UK. I always used to buy and wear a poppy around November 11th, and the whole family observed the minute of silence while watching the Queen and co on TV as they lay wreathes at the cenotaph in Whitehall.

It was always a sad but moving experience, and as children we were always reminded of the brave people who laid down their lives for us.

Now I’m in Italy I don’t really observe this tradition any more, so well done to you for doing so.

All the best,

Alex

Alex’s last blog post..Italy Is In – An Italian Art Project

Sad but moving is a great description Alex. I’ve always had a particular reaction to such memorial services, so it’s nice to be able to at least bring out the story of the poppy–and I just love how we’re all finding out different but similar traditions in other countries

By: Ice Tea For Me

Ice Tea For Me — Tue, 20 May 2008 19:03:19 +0000

Thank you Michelle for the information you share with us. I knew most of the story behind the paper poppies but did not realize they were made by veterans. That makes them all the more special. I too feel this is something we should not forget and always make sure I locate where I can get a poppy so I can make a donation.

Linda

Ice Tea For Me’s last blog post..is there an artist within you?

I’m pretty sure that when I first learned that veterans made them, they became all the more special to me. I just always remember my grandmother having a few around the house–we’d keep them year-round and then get new ones the following year

By: sadira

sadira — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:48:30 +0000

I too love poppies! I had a neighbor once who grew the most amazing Oriental poppies, and it always reminded me of OZ…

sadira’s last blog post..Meme + More PIctures of the Hike With Z…

They are just some of the loveliest flowers…Oriental poppies are especially pretty