SEASONS - MEMORIAL DAY THOUGHTS - REMEMBERING WORLD WAR ONE

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Soon it will be time to celebrate Memorial Day in America.

On this day we honor every Veteran who fought for our country in every war throughout the pages of time. God bless you everyone!  Your service and dedication to the lives, happiness and well being of all good people is appreciated and your valor is to be commended.

Today I want to explore some facts of a war that is probably the least known by today's generations. I want to look at what history records of World War I.

What must it have been like for those soldiers during this time that was often called “The Great War?”

World War I started on July 28, 1914,and ended on November 11, 1918.  During these, approximately four years, there were literally hundreds of actions and engagements.

Have you ever thought about how unnerving it must have been for the whole world to have been at war?  Perhaps it is to the advantage of the whole world that technology had not reached the state that it is in today.  The story might have been completely different.  

The first question I have to ask myself is how on earth did it all start?

What was the spark that fanned the flame into a huge fire?  I found the answer to this question was very complicated.  Basically, one country questioned the credibility of another country, then that argument quickly spun into a huge world event, with one country at a time getting involved, each for their separate reasons.

As I tried to reason all of this out – two questions arose: 

Why did the first crisis lead to a war between Austria and Serbia? 

Why did that conflict soon involve the rest of the Great Powers?

The most obvious beginning was the assassination of Austria-Hungary’s Archduke Franz and his wife.  Archduke Franz was heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.  This murder was believed to have been plotted by a Serbian National Secret Society group called “The Black Hand.”  Soon after this assassination, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia demanding that the assassins of the Archduke be brought to justice.  Unsatisfied with Serbia's response to her ultimatum, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia July 28, 1914.  That is a very simple explaination of what happened.  Actually so much political upheavel was going on between these two countries at the time.  You would need to study that all by itself in order to come up with the more-complicated version of the story.  There were MANY more factors and I highly recommend that you go back and reread the whole story some time.  My point for now is that Austria-Hungary and Serbia were VERY unhappy with each other and each felt threatened by the other.  

So, it seems the war started with just two countries involved.

Serbia had Slavic ties with Russia, which complicated the matter quite a bit.  Austria-Hungary was not really expecting that Russia would be drawn into the dispute, but just in case the unthinkable happened, the Austria-Hungarian government asked their ally, Germany, for aid should Russia declare war on Austria-Hungary.  Germany agreed to this and even encouraged Austria-Hungary's warlike stance. It took Russia about six weeks to utilize mobilization of its large army in Serbia’s defense.  When Germany saw this Russian mobilization, they took it as an act of war against Austria-Hungary and without warning they declared war on Russia on August 1^st.

So we now have four countries involved, Austria-Hungary and Germany vs. Serbia and Russia.  This count didn’t last long either.

France, bound by treaty to Russia, found itself at war against Germany.  Germany was swift in invading the neutral state of Belgium, so they could reach Paris by the shortest possible route. Britain had a 75 year old treaty with Belgium that obligated them to defend them.  Britain, as an ally to France, declared war against Germany on August 4.  When Germany invaded Belgium, Britain came to Belgium’s defense.  Britain had colonies and dominions abroad who offered their military assistance, this included Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and The Union of South Africa. 

So now on one side we have Serbia, Russia, France, Britain, including the British forces in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and The Union of South Africa.  On the other side we have Austria-Hungary and Germany.

In 1914, Japan declared war on Germany to honor a military agreement with Britain.  Right after this Austria-Hungary responded by declaring war on Japan.

So now on one side we have Serbia, Russia, France, Britain with the British forces in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and The Union of South Africa, and Japan; on the other side we have Austria-Hungary and Germany.

Woodrow Wilson was President of the United States at the time of these wars.  He declared the United States neutral.  This actually stayed the case until 1917, when Germany’s policy of unrestricted submarine warfare seriously threatened America’s commercial shipping.  This forced the United States to enter the war on April 6, 1917.

At this point we have Serbia. Russia, France, Britain along with British forces in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and The Union of South Africa, Japan and The United States; on the other side we have Austria-Hungary and Germany.

Italy was able to avoid the war for a while, because they were committed to defend their allies of Germany and Austria-Hungary only in the event of a “defensive war.”Italy was able to take this stand until May of 1915, when she took a hard stand and sided with those against her two former allies.

So in an odd turn of events, we now have Serbia, Russia, France, Britain (including Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and The Union of South Africa), Japan, The United States and Italy against Austria-Hungary and Germany.  Who would have ever predicted this?  It just goes to show that you should be very careful upon entering wars, because you never know who the final players will be.  A very simple beginning can escalate and turn into a very complicated ending.  

No one went into the beginning of this crisis with the intention of world war; but the risk of world war did enter the equation in 1914, seen or unseen, because of the ethnic issues behind the Sarajevo crisis.

The beginning causes of the war are now much clearer, but my deeper mission for studying all of this in such detail was to see who from this war, among other wars, are we honoring on Memorial Day?  I did not want to know just names, but why DO we honor these men?  What was their roles as war heroes?   We say as a matter of fact that we are honoring them, but what do we really know of who they were and what they stood for?

Have we forgotten?

I took a trip back into time to examine the unfolding of these life-changing events, especially where Americans were involved.  I quickly learned that if one truly wants to try to understand the suffering experienced by those who were consumed by this war, one must visit the battlefields of 1914-1918. That is where you can get a mental picture of the Great War.  If you ever have the opportunity, walk through those battlefields to see firsthand for yourself what actually happened.  Spend some time imagining how these battles played out.  Many people did this very thing right after the war ended just so they could know for themselves how the last moments of their loved ones lives were lived out.  Some took tours of the battlefields even before the weapons were cleared from the area.  Many went into France and Belgium and crossed the English Channel and spent hours driving on the opposite side of the road than they were used to, in order to gather all the facts they could of the experiences of the men who fought and all the events that played out during this time in our history.

If you and I were to do the same, and go there to study all that happened, even if we went just to Ypres, Iper and Albert (Somme), we would soon come to understand many things, like the certain battle terms that were used.  For example; 'a flying pig' was the term used for a mortar bomb, and the “battle police” were military policemen deployed behind an attack to intercept stragglers.  We would also learn that a 'Tour' was a period of front-line service.

We would probably be horrified with all the statistics we would discover.  Some of them are quite shocking; such as the fact that Russia mobilized 12 million men during the war; France mobilized 8.4 million; Britain mobilized 8.9 million; Germany mobilized 11 million; Austria-Hungary 7.8 million; Italy 5.6 million; and the USA 4.3 million.  This tells me the World War I portion of the American Memorial Day Holiday honors 4.3 million men specific to World War I alone.

If we DID venture to those old battlegrounds; we would hear of the different battles fought. They took place on The Western Front, The Eastern Front, The Gallipoli Front, The Italian Front, The Palestine Front, The Mesopotamian Front.  There were also The African Wars, The War at Sea, The Far East, and so many different battles fought in various spots of the world.

The world history is very fascinating, and we could spend hours and hours discussing all of the interesting facts; but my original quest was to find out about the American Soldiers that we will be honoring on Memorial Day

Who were some of these gallant men who were not afraid to risk their lives to defend our country?  

My favorite of many known American heroes was a man called Alvin Cullum York, born in 1887.  Having grown up in poverty the young York honed his skills as a crack marksman.  He used this talent for hunting food for himself and his family.  This skill also proved useful during the war.  He was known for his bravery and his win-at-all-costs attitude. The very ironic thing about him being in the war and being known for his bravery is the fact that he proclaimed himself to be a pacifist.  In 1911 he served as a lay deacon of a local pacifist sect.  This was noted on his draft papers, yet he was drafted into the 328^th Regiment, 82^nd Infantry.  During his training however, he was convinced by his battalion commander who was also a bible scholar, that the Bible sanctioned active service.

 

York was sent to fight in France.  This is where he earned lifetime fame for his part in an attack in the Argonne Forest against German machine gun positions on October 8, 1918.  York, as a Corporal, led 17 men in action against a German stronghold in order to secure their position and return with German prisoners.  At first they were successful without even coming under fire, and the small group of men took a number of prisoners before the Germans launched a heavy counterattack.  With 11 of York's men guarding the captured prisoners (and with the other six killed) York resolved to proceed alone and tackled the German gunners.  York shot 17 gunners via sniping,before he was charged by seven German soldiers who realized that he was operating alone.  He killed them all with his pistol.  With the aid of a German Major he had captured earlier, York brought in a total of 132 German prisoners, a remarkable feat!

He was well rewarded.  He received lavish press coverage at home and the Congressional Medal of Honor, in addition to the French Croix de Guerre(and a fulsome citation from Supreme Allied Commander Ferdinand Foch.)

Returning home to a New York City parade, York was awarded a gift of a farm by his home state, Tennessee.  A film of his life was made in 1940, called "Sergeant York," starring Gary Cooper.

York used the fee he was paid for the film to fund a Bible college. He died in 1964.

Another soldier, a man from Fort Wayne, Indiana named Paul Frank Baer, served both the US and the French Air Services during the war.  He achieved nine air successes between March 1918 and the armistice.  Nine air victories qualified you to be labeled an “ace.”  After he achieved all of this, he was shot down, survived the crash, but was taken prisoner by the enemy until the end of the war.

Returning home to Fort Wayne on February 28, 1919 to a rapturous local welcome, Baer took up a post as test pilot for an aeronautical lab based in Detroit.  This was followed by a spell as an inspector for the Department of Commerce.  His next post took him to South America where he helped to establish an air mail service.  The recipient of both the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) and Cruix de Guerre with Palms (the former for single-handedly attacking seven German aircraft, destroying one, on March 11, 1918, and for downing two enemy two-seaters five days later.)

Baer was killed on December 9, 1930 in Hong Kong when his aircraft crashed while flying mail and passengers for Chinese Airway Federal, Inc. He was only 35 years old.

Then there was a man named George Michael Cohan.  He was, by his own account, born in Providence, Rhode Island on the 4^th of July, and went on after his brave service in the war to become a central figure in American musical and theatrical circles during the first half of the twentieth century.

His accomplishments are numerous and very famous.  I wanted to share specifically what made him famous during World War I.  He was the one who penned what quickly established itself as the leading American marching song of the war called "Over There."   Cohan was formally recognized for the role this song played in boosting wartime morale with the award of the Congressional Medal of Honor - albeit belatedly in 1940.  The song remains popular to this present day. Other renowned songs by Cohan are "Yankee Doodle Boy," "You're a Grand Old Flag," "Give My Regards to Broadway"and "Harrigan."

The ever-versatile Cohan transferred to the movie world during the 1930s, and is featured in The Phantom President (1932).  Cohan died on November 5, 1942 aged 64. He died from cancer.

Another noted hero was Sir Hiram Maxim.  Maxim was an inventor who designed the machine gun that bears his name He was from Maine and his father was a mechanic.  At age 26 Maxim applied for and obtained the first of many patents for a hair-curling iron.  This was rapidly followed by a machine for producing illuminating gas and a locomotive headlamp.  The United States Electric Lighting Company recognized his talents and employed him as their chief engineer.  He designed for them a method of producing carbon filaments.

In 1884 Maxim was living in London when he began to toy with the problems associated with the design and manufacture of automatic weapons.  From this resulted his most famous innovation; the Maxim Machine Gun. He later invented (in 1891) a smokeless cartridge, cordite, which further improved the effectiveness of his machine gun.  Maxim successfully sold his new weapon to the British army, although there were other armies expressing interest in buying his machine gun, including Germany.

In the 1890’s Maxim produced an airplane powered by a light steam engine.  Having invented literally hundreds of items varying from a mousetrap to a gas motor, Maxim received a knighthood from Queen Victoria in 1901.  His company, the Maxim Gun Company, was later absorbed into Vickers Ltd., of which he became the director. The Vickers machine gun subsequently became the standard issue weapon of its type in the British army during the First World War.  Sir Hiram Maxim died in London on November 24, 1916, while the Great War was still raging. He was 76 years old.

There are so many other stories of the men who fought and the lives they led before and after World War I.  Many of them lived to tell their stories, but the casualties were great in this war.  Let us not forget their honor as we think of our freedom that was made possible by ALL war heroes, especially those who will forever remain quiet and unknown to us.  Countless men gave their lives and no one told their stories.  Let this not be the case on Memorial Day this year.   Have you passed on the stories of the war heroes in your family to your children and grandchildren?   If you have one hero or many; please pass on their stories!  We must never forget and we must always honor their sacrifices.  

SEASONS - HOW DECORATION DAY BECAME MEMORIAL DAY

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Did you know that Memorial Day wasn’t called Memorial Day in the beginning?  It was called Decoration Day.  They called it that because after the Civil War, people decorated the graves of the soldiers who were killed in battle on that day.  It was a southern tradition, to decorate graves to remember loved ones lost, but this tradition was now shared all over the country, for soldiers from the north and the south.  Maybe it was a way to bring the people of the north and the south together after the war.  It took the South a long time after the Civil War before they joined in the celebration in a national way. As a matter of fact, it took another war, World War I.  There were many organizations of southern women’s groups that went about in local areas decorating the graves of the Confederate soldiers on random but different dates in May each year, and they finally came to see that this day was not about division, but about reconciliation and coming together.  It was to be a time for honoring the soldiers who gave their all for all of us.  The North and The South finally came together and began placing flowers on the graves of their heroes who were buried in the Arlington National Cemetery.   

The Civil War was such a misunderstood war.  Most people haven’t heard the whole story.  It wasn’t really all about slavery, as many think.  It was mostly about state’s rights and taxation without representation.  As wrong as slavery was, many believed that the whole situation would have worked itself out eventually with the invention of the cotton gin and new farming machinery.  At any rate, the subject was often used for a political soap-box in order to get at some of the underlying issues that were really more important to those involved.  It is a sad fact that though  many people DID care about the situation of slavery; the truth was that neither side would be willing to send their sons to fight over the issue of slavery.  They were, however, willing to die for their freedom to own and keep their own property, and their right to make a living and receive the financial benefit from it without government interference. 

To understand what really happened, you must first see and note the contrast in the cultures.  The North and The South were two totally different cultures, with two totally different ways of life.  Out of the 5.5 million people living in the south, there were really only 12 rich and powerful southern plantation owners, who owned over 500 slaves each.  These men had a lot of political power, and they were involved with legislation.  In 1860 everything in the South evolved around agriculture, mostly cotton.  Everything in the North evolved around manufacturing goods.  There were 140,000 manufacturing facilities in the North in 1860.  The North thrived on exporting goods.  The South thrived on exporting cotton.  Most of the southern cotton was bought by England.  The English people manufactured their own products, and were not likely to import the North’s exports, but they were glad to export their own to the southern traders.  As a matter of fact the English had a good trade deal established with the South, where they would buy their cotton and in turn the Southern plantation owners would receive good prices on English products.  The South wound up buying goods from England instead of buying the goods being manufactured in the North.  In order to counteract this, the North, who controlled the House of Representatives and the Senate at that time, decided to tax both imports and exports.  That put the South paying high taxes on both the cotton they exported, and the goods they imported from England.  By 1860 the South was actually paying approximately 85% of the taxes collected by the U.S.   They felt they were overtaxed and under represented by our government.  That was the main issue, and slavery was the song it traveled on.  The politicians of the day knew that slavery was the political subject that would pull at people’s heartstrings and evoke emotion, and they used it to their own advantage to stir up people’s hearts.  

Many good people, most from the north, but also some good godly people from the south, were already hard at work trying to change the situation of slavery.   Slaves were considered to be property, and therefore, they were a good source of tax revenue for the government.   

In this respect, the north was just as guilty as the south in not stopping slavery.  They thrived from the revenue received because of slavery from the large plantations.  There were also excessive property taxes taken from the huge lands that made up the southern plantations where the slaves lived and worked.  Remember “Gone With The Wind”?  A huge part of the story came to light because of the lack of tax money to pay Tara’s taxes.  This was a catch 22 type situation though – when it came time for the numbers to be counted of people in an area, the southern plantation areas could count their slaves and claim a larger stake of the pie.  There was legislation over this, and some real odd ways came about by trying to justify whether a slave counted in a region as a whole person or not.  The North got the slaves reduced to a fractional number until after the war when the whole issue was corrected.   Because of the heavy taxation, and the reduction of the number of people the southern legislators represented, the southerners became financially and politically strapped.   They could not exist any longer under the current tax situation, and they could not gain any power in the House and Senate to make a change.  Desperate, they exercised their state’s rights to pull out.  When they did, everyone suffered. The northern industrial states had depended on southern plantations for their food sources. 

It was a mess, and it was a stupid and greedy mess.  It took both sides a long time to recover from their wounds.
 

I find it very ironic that a war within our own country was the event that evolved into a time of remembering and honoring the soldiers that died protecting our country from other countries.  It actually started out because we needed to protect ourselves from each other.
    

Perhaps the greatest lesson of the Civil War was about coming together as a people of one voice, and putting aside our differences and creating workable solutions for all.  The abolishing of slavery certainly falls under this huge umbrella.  The Union soldiers never mentioned in their historical diaries that they were fighting to abolish slavery.  What you read in their writings was the fact that they were fighting to protect and establish the Union.  They wanted The United States of America to stay The United States of America, which was established as “one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.”  They gave their lives for the idea that we, as a nation, should always stay together and work out our problems, under all circumstances. 
  

Hence, Decoration Day was established, which later became known as Memorial Day after World War II.  It was officially moved to the last Monday of May in the 1970’s.  This was done so that all of America could enjoy a long weekend while they remembered those who died for their freedom.   

 

COME AS A CHILD - LESSON 121 - A RED RIVER OF DEATH

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

After Moses and Aaron had done all that God commanded of them before Pharaoh, and their snake had eaten the snakes of all of Pharaoh’s magicians; Pharaoh still would not let the people go.  

So God told Moses to go out to Pharaoh in the morning as he stood by the Nile River with his staff in his hand.  Say to him again that The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you:  "Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness.  But until now you have not listened.  This is what the LORD says:  By this you will know that I am the LORD:  With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood.  The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink, the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.”

Then God told Moses to take his staff and stretch out his hand over the waters of Egypt – over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs – and they will turn to blood.  Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone. 

Moses and Aaron did just as God commanded.  When Moses raised the staff in Pharaoh’s presence and struck the water of the Nile all of the water changed to blood.  The fish in the Nile died.  The river smelled.  The people could not drink the water.  Blood was everywhere in Egypt. 

Once again Pharaoh called his magicians and they did the same thing with their secret demonic arts.  Pharaoh still refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as God had predicted would happen.  Instead of taking all of this to heart, Pharaoh simply turned and went into his palace. 

All of the Egyptians dug wells along the banks of the Nile since they had no drinking water from the river. 

This changing of the water to blood was the first of ten plagues.  It was a horrible plague!  Imagine having no water to drink and being surrounded by stinking blood and the smell of dead fish.  The dead fish also affected the food supply.  

I think it is a bit comical that Pharaoh even asked the magicians to imitate this!  Why bring on more?  But we all know that the magic used by the magicians was just that; an imitation of the real thing.  So like the usual method of operation for Satan and his demons.  They can never do what God can do; they can only produce a counterfeit; something that appears to be the same that isn’t the same at all.  They were only capable of creating illusions.  

I doubt these tricks seemed too amusing to the people standing by with no water and no fish to eat, smelling the stinking river for seven days in a row.  I can just hear their comments now:  “If these guys are really magicians, then why are they not turning the water BACK to water?  Why are we having to endure this plague of the blood for so long that we are going to be forced to dig new wells in spite of the fact that we are located conveniently next to what used to be a very clean river and a good water supply!”

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from the blood of the Nile River, there was more to this story than being thirsty and hungry.  The main lesson being, the fear of God and the fact that God IS the ONE and only God.  The Egyptians had idolized the Nile. They worshiped it!   They used the river to enforce their pagan beliefs for their pagan gods. 

They had used this same river to drown the Hebrew babies.  Now the  same river that had been the scene of so many deaths looked the part it had played.  It was not a god at all; it was a stinking, bloody river in which innocent babies had been murdered.  

The truth eventually shows itself.  The counterfeit falsehoods of Satan can only stand for awhile.  Eventually God Almighty comes and sets the record straight.  Take note America.  Take note all you other countries in the earth that agree to murder unborn babies and sell their body parts for profit.  You twist the truth to fit your idols; yourselves.  Eventually God Almighty will set the record straight!  It is just a matter of time.  The truth of your idolatry (bowing to the almighty dollar) will show forth and the whole world will know who you really are.  

In Egypt, the land knew that the King who had murdered innocent little babies was now the King who had to dwell by a bloody stinking river with no water or no fish.  He was surrounded for seven days with the evidence of what he had done – death.  He could not escape.  Blood was on his hands and in his river.  The air he breathed smelled of death, the thirst in his throat felt of death, everything everywhere spoke of death.  How do you think it felt to him to be living in the same horrible circumstances that he had created for others in order to live in a luxurious palace and enjoy the life of a King?  

The people’s eyes must surely be opening to who their King really was, but he did not budge from his stubborn decision not to let God’s people go!  No, Pharaoh like so many others living today, never wanted to change his ways.  He wanted to remain the greedy murderer that ruled the land forever.  He was not even sorry for his sins.  This all sounds painfully familiar, as if it might not JUST apply to Pharaoh. 

The plague of the blood lasted for seven days and Pharaoh did not change his mind.

FOOD ART AND FAMILY TRADITIONS - MEMORIAL DAY PICNIC

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Our season is about to change!  Summer is on the way! 

Right before summer arrives on Monday, May 30th we stop to observe Memorial Day.  

On this day we are remembering all the American soldiers that gave us the freedom to enjoy life in our country.   All the wars that our country commemorates on this day have brought change and transition to our nation, so it is fitting that this day also brings change and transition to the time and seasons of our lives here on earth.  We remember this as we move from Spring toward Summer. 

Spring has been so lovely this year that I hate to tell it goodbye, but I'm sure summer is going to be just as wonderful. There are so many things I love about Summer! I don't know where to start.....maybe a Memorial Day picnic is a good place to begin? 

I hope you and your family have covered the bases this year and taken some time to remember the soldiers in a specific way.  A Memorial Day trip I will always remember is one that my family and I took to the Berman Museum in Anniston, Alabama.  That is a great place to go if you want to bone up on your American and World History.  They have an amazing collection of the items from every war ever fought on American soil and foreign soil.  The trip is a great history lesson.

 After that trip,we were educated and totally prepared to have a little gathering to celebrate the fact that we do still live in a free country.  In all of these thoughts about the cost of freedom the emphasis hangs on the fact that we must be the heroes now.  All of us in our daily lives must do our part to carry on the victory that those who have gone before us have given.  It is a group effort that requires the motivations of every citizen of the country.  We all have to do our part to keep this country free.  We are living in a crucial time for America as well as the whole earth.  Recovery starts by remembering what has happened in the past and keeping a deep respect and appreciation for our history.  Perhaps a little patriotic celebration in the homes across the land will light that one little candle needed to instill a ripple effect of pride in our nation.

Of course we cannot gather without food!  
So here is our menu:

MEMORIAL DAY PICNIC MENU

Cool Red White and Blue Cocktails

Red White and Blue Flag Fruit Kabob Platter

The Ultimate Memorial Day Open Faced Short Rib Sandwich

Memorial Day Potato Salad

White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes with Blueberry Topping

The recipes are below, but first let's decorate our table!  I'm using the table on my back deck this year, so we can enjoy the beautiful summer day, but I'm also setting the dinning room table and the kitchen table for those who cannot tolerate the heat.  This gathering is a lot about the older generation communicating the past to the younger generations.  I want them all to be as comfortable as possible, so that they linger over the stories and soak them in to repeat to their own children in the future.

 I want to be very patriotic this year, so every thing is red, white and blue, not very original, but quite a cheerful setting.  

This will really throw our guest off, because I'm usually a modern-contemporary type decorator, but this occasion calls for some old fashion celebrating and I want the house to match the mood, nostalgic, old fashioned, traditional and colorful.    

I'm putting two deep red candle sticks at the center ends of the table.  I'm placing a patriotic basket container between them, and sticking  lots of little flags inside the basket.  The room is full of vivid colors!   

I'm mixing my flag patterned dishes with my solid blue plates and my solid red bowls, creating another mixture of cheerful red, white and blue.  This creates a casual, laid back summer kind of style that will suit the mood for the day.  

It is all about lingering and resting and listening to others talk.    I'm going to pick up some ferns for the deck and the hearth, because I think the greenery in the background adds a lot to all the red, white and blue.   Of course I want to incorporate my blue and white starred napkins into this whole tablescape.  I found an old red white and blue picnic basket.  Lovely! 

I hope you enjoy these recipes.  They were a lot of fun to find and try at our table, and they just seem to fit the whole occassion nicely. 

RED, WHITE AND BLUE COCKTAIL

1/2 cup crushed ice

1/2 oz Wild Hibiscus Flowers and Syrup (can be ordered on line from Amazon)

1/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

2 oz Hpnotiq Liqueur (A Refreshing Blend of Natural Exotic Fruit Juices, Premium Vodka and a Touch of Cognac)

2 oz Dry Sparkling Wine or Champagne

Mixing Instructions:

Separate the Flowers from the Wild Hibiscus Syrup. Place 1 Wild Hibiscus Flower standing upright at the bottom of the champagne flute.

Mix Lemon Juice and Hibiscus Syrup together. Pour the Hibiscus Syrup and Lemon juice mixture over the flower. Add crushed ice on top of the Wild Hibiscus Flower and Syrup. Slowly pour in Hpnotiq Liqueur over the ice. Slowly top with Dry Sparkling Wine or Champagne.

How it looks is Red on the bottom, layer of Blue in the middle and the crushed ice floats to the top with the champagne giving the illusion of white.

To make this cocktail in batches make sure to separate the flowers from the syrup.   Each one liter Jar of Wild Hibiscus Flowers contains approximately 25 oz. of syrup, which will make 50 cocktails. To pre-mix the Hibiscus Syrup/Lemon Juice add 12.5 oz Lemon Juice to every 25 oz. of Syrup.

RED WHITE AND BLUE FRUIT KABOB PLATTER

Grab a bowl of freshly washed blueberries, thinly sliced strawberries, and button sliced bananas.  Dip the sliced fruit in lemon juice to maintain freshness and pure colors.  Lay kabob skewers horizontally on to a square platter.  Make a flag pattern with the fruit, using the blueberreis for the blue starry part of the flag, the strawberries for the red stripes and the bananas for the white stripes.  Clever and eye catching, but so easy and tasty. 

For the main course I selected The Ultimate Memorial Day Short Rib Open Faced Sandwich.  This is not just a sandwich – it is “quite a sandwich indeed.”  Your going to love it.  It takes a little planning ahead and a little time to prepare, but the results are SO worth the trouble.  Your guest will remember it forever.  

I originally began making this sandwich from a recipe in The Southern Living 2008 Annual Recipes Cookbook.  I’ve changed the recipe over time to suit my own needs by adding a few twists, and have accommodated it to my own style of cooking for Memorial Day.  My recipe should make it easy for you to prepare for 8 people.  If you want more, just add more ingredients. 

THE ULTIMATE MEMORIAL DAY SHORT RIB OPEN FACED SANDWICH

Ingredients for Cooking Ribs:

12 lbs. short ribs

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. Ground Pepper

12 tsp. crushed garlic cloves

4 Carrots, chopped very small

4 Celery ribs, chopped very small

2 Onions, chopped very small

2 14.5-oz cans Italian Style Chopped Tomatoes

4 cups dry red wine

2 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. Rosemary

1 tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Oregano

Make the ribs first.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  While you are waiting, gather the ingredients needed and use a food chopper to finely chop all the vegetables.  Rub the salt and pepper into the ribs, place ribs in a large Dutch Oven and cook in the oven for about 7 minutes on each side.  Remove the ribs to another dish.  Add garlic, carrots, celery and onions to the Dutch Oven.  Cook the vegetables on top of the stove on medium heat until they are tender and brown, this will take about 8 - 10 minutes.  Set the vegetables aside in another dish and stir the tomatoes, wine, chicken broth, rosemary, thyme and oregano into the dutch oven, bring this to a boil.  Once boiling, pour into a temporary container, wash and line the Dutch Oven with heavy duty aluminum foil, then return the ribs to the Dutch Oven.  Covering with a tightly sealed lid, to the stove, baking at 350 degrees for 4 hours until the ribs are tender.  At some point, while the ribs are cooking, drain the vegetables through a wire-mesh strainer and reserve the juices for gravy.  Let the juices stand while the ribs are cooking and skim any fat that forms from the gravy.  When ribs are cooked, add the gravy and vegetables back to the Dutch Oven and cook for about 20 more minutes over medium high heat uncovered until thickened.  Set this aside to cool.  After the ribs are cooled, remove the meat from the bones and shred.  Reserve the gravy in another bowl.  Gather the following ingredients for making the sandwiches:.   

2 large red onions sliced thin

8 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 12-oz. Sour Dough French Bread Loaves

6 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

6 cups of shredded short ribs prepared as noted above

 1 cup gravy from short ribs recipe above

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

6 cups arugula lettuce

Saute the onions over medium high heat for six minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add balsamic vinegar and let stand for five minutes.  Cut the sour dough bread into sandwich sized pieces.  Place on a wire rack in the oven and broil 6 inches from heat for about 3 – 4 minutes.  Bread should have a lightly toasted look.  Spread mustard on one side of the bread.  Mix the shredded meat and gravy.  Place bread slices on a baking tray.  Spoon the meat and gravy mixture over the bread.  Sprinkle this with crumbled blue cheese.    Broil in oven about 4 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted.  Toss arugula into onion mixture, which is now cooled.  Place sandwiches onto pretty patriotic plates (I mixed solid red and blue plates with flag patterned plates at my own table).  Top each sandwich with the onion and arugula mixture.  Serve warm open-faced sandwiches as your  main course.  Delicious!

MEMORIAL DAY POTATO SALAD
4 potatoes
1/3 cup French Dressing
1/4 cup chopped vidalia onion
1/4 cup green onion
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup sliced radishes
salt to taste
pepper to taste
3/4 cup thin sliced celery
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
Peel and cube potatoes.  Cook in boiling water until tender.  Drain.  While still warm, combine potatoes, French dressing, onion, pickles, radishes, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat potatoes.  Cover, refrigerate overnight.  Just before serving stir in celery, mayonnaise and eggs.   

(I serve the potato salad in a large deep navy blue bowl.  It adds another splash of color to the table.)


WHITE CHOCOLATE BLUEBERRY MINI CHEESECAKES

 

For The Crust:  2 cups crushed graham crackers, 1 cup slivered almonds, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup butter, melted, 2 tablespoons caramel topping.

For The Filling:  1 pound white chocolate (chopped), 4 8-ounce pkgs. cream cheese (softened), 3/4 cup white sugar, 4 eggs (beaten), 2 egg yokes, 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Topping:  1/2 cup white sugar, 3 teaspoons cornstarch, 1/4 cup water, 1 pint fresh blueberries, 2 teaspoons lemon juice.

Directions:  Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Make the crust by blending together the graham cracker crumbs, almonds and sugar until the almonds are fine.  Use a chopper, blender or food processor for this.  Melt the butter and caramel and pour into mix.  Press this mixture into individual wrappers inside a cupcake tin  (if you can find patriotic colors, all the better).  Be generous with the crust.    Make the filling by melting the white chocolate in a metal bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stirring until smooth.  Set aside.  In a large bowl beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar until smooth.  Beat in the eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time.  Beat in the flour and the vanilla and blend in the melted white chocolate slowly, beating until the filling is well combined.  Pour filling into the individual crust holders.  Bake the cupcake tin in the middle of a preheated oven for 45 minutes.  Turn off the heat, crack the oven door an inch, and let the cheesecake cook in the oven to room temperature.  Cover loosely in cooled cupcake tin and refrigerate overnight before removing from the pan.  Make the topping in a saucepan by combining 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch.  Stir in water 1/4 cup of water and 1 pint of blueberries.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  Press through a fine sieve.  Stir in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and allow to cool, then store in a glass jar until time to serve.  At serving time, pour over top of mini cheesecakes.   (I stacked these on top of two tiered navy blue glass servers, they add wonderful color to the presentation, and are so tasty!)

When you thank God for this bountiful feast He has granted, thank Him too for the soldiers who presently defend our country as well as those who have gone before them.  Pray that our country will be renewed to the glory of God and flourish and remain to be a place worth living and dying for. 

GOD BLESS AMERICA

  

PEN ART - MEMORIAL DAY POETRY

SOLDIERS AND PILGRIMS, PENTECOSTS AND MEMORIAL DAY

(Written By Sheila Gail Landgraf)

They came a marching through the land,

Many mocked, scourged, thrown in prison, stoned, slain by the sword,

Still they came marching on,

Ragged,

Destitute,

Afflicted,

Tormented,

Braver than the world was worthy,

They came a marching,

With a loud swooping sound, like that of a mighty wind,

With raging flames of fire burning in their hearts, 

driving them onward,

They came a marching through the land.

Onward,

Through deserts and mountains,

Through dens and caves of the earth,

Never seeing the final victory,

Yet knowing others would come after them and enter the promised land.

Medals were given and honors were spoken over their graves

Tears were shed in the memory of their valor

But there is a joyful celebration going on in an unseen place,

And the rewards being given are everlasting.

The Commander Of All will open His book,

And they will once again stand at attention.

He will note his observations of battles well fought,

He will remember those who kept His commandments.

And their crowns will all be solid gold,

The stars will light the sky in an amazing display of glory,

As they lay them at the feet of God,

And the stories of each soldier will be told.

Then the cherished words will fall softly on eager waiting ears,

“Well done, good and faithful servant.  You were faithful with a few things,

I will put you in charge of many things;

Enter into the joy of The Kingdom.”