Memorial Day 2026

Rainy Day Thought had a blog set for today. Then I remembered that Monday was Memorial Day and thought I should not forget that day for what it means for Americans and for how long that has been true.

The origins of Memorial Day can be traced back to May 1, 1865, when a group of 28 formerly enslaved Black Americans in Charleston, South Carolina, organized what is considered the first known commemoration. Not sure what they did back then then. The important thing is showing respect and appreciation.

As a child, my family made a big deal out of Memorial Day but not about soldiers who had sacrificed their lives for our country. That was important but family graves were what the day was about-- clean up the graves and bring flowers to those gone on. Only years later did I understand the true meaning. Some always knew it and would put little flags on the graves of those who had been soldiers.

The photo of the mama bird with her two babies kind of suits life itself. She and the papa chose under our porch to raise a nest. They do that every so often and we like it, try not to disturb them. With doves, the parents trade off nest building and care of the offspring.

This week, we got a big windstorm-- not tornado big but big enough to make noise all night.

In the morning we worried about the babies. They were gone. Did the wind take them too soon or was this just their time to be fledglings. Hopefully the latter. Nature constantly reminds us of what we sometimes would rather forget-- the tough side of life and nature. The birds know.

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A heavenly birtday

 The only thing I have to offer today is I am still under the weather, but may be learning what might help. So what to write about???

Well, this is my mother's birthday, she died some years back at 85, fortunately in her own bed. She had felt il, refused going to a doctor, but never woke up the next morning. We think congestive heart failure. It was never diagnosed, due to her dislike of doctors. She visited them only long enough to keep her high blood pressure prescription, never had a physical, that I know of.

Mom and her sisters led interesting lives, from farmland as children to traveling the country and other countries as professional musicians in all girl orchestras, etc. 

Then they married and Mom returned to farm living where I grew up.

Since I have not been well, this will be short.  The following is a photo of my mom in her professional years.

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mom. Since I do not know, as some do, all of what might happen on the other side, I can just stick to hoping I see her again someday.

 

 

another week, another...

 

From Stencil 

 I say this almost never-- no new post. I hope there will be one next week, but the way things are going, I don't know. Disappointing for me if not readers but I am simply not up to it. Not only do I not feel well on assorted fronts, but our beloved cat is dying slowly of a cancer the veterinarian, two of them, says cannot be cured. We just have to wait until she seems so miserable that we have the person come, who gently puts her down. I have cried so much that I just have to try to not think about it.

Crying leads to blurry reading. I don't think I've cried this much in years. So sorry for the downer, but between that and my own health issues, I got nothin' else. 

Trying to find one of our own photos, yesterday, I took one of me. I smiled for it. I didn't feel the smile not sure if it shows.

Oh, and hoping I, at least, feel physically better next week. I want to write about the medical system. Let's just say, it won't be an upper either.

 

 

 

what else can go wrong?

This has been a terrible week for me on more than one issue, due to being sick, having to cancel a doctor's appointment. and then what did this computer do but screw up everything. I won't go into details but for now at least I can write something and maybe it'll show up on the week-end, but with it that goofed up, who knows. Hope your week has been better.

The first photo is one of our denizens here, not poisonous. The cats like it... to kill, of course, as if they eat them, it leads to stomach upset. We also have a lot of bunnies, packrats, rats and mice, but could not easily find their photos while I've been sick.

Just remember, in nature all is prey or predator to keep their world alive. Only a few vegetarians and most of them are in the prey category. 

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And here come more-- those all, who live here, and know better than we

 

  

 

ooL

 Look carefuly and you will see a diamondback's head on our front porch. Rattlesnake Soutions reestablished away from here.

J

Share and share alike? Right...

terrible 80s?

  

Humor From Animal World Wonders

As I mentioned in earlier blogs, I've been having some health problems. They seem to come and go. They came this week, which made writing a logical blog impossible, let alone a positive one. 

Some appear to shine through their 80s. I just feel lucky i had few major problems when younger. So much is genetic, luck, or maybe our behavior. Until likely my 70s, Nightshade Intolerance did not make me sick. They do now. I think, but cannot prove, that age makes some of us more sensitive to food allergies of all sorts (many of which are not labeled).

Nightshades are particularly bad because so few suffer from intolerance to them. Spices like paprika are often not labelled. Even a tiny bit can put me, and others like me, down for days. 

The thing is, knowing what is good for the elderly is more complicated like those who run marathons in their 80s and live into their hundreds. While some, like my beloved cousin, die in their early 20s and others even younger. Life... 

Thus, more desert flowers and I hope for better energy next week. Although, a diamondback rattlesnake rattled at our cats in their fenced yard...  We called Rattlesnake Solutions, a Tucson organization that finds responsible ways to deal with a problem, that could kill our cats. This was our second time with them. I won't go into details, but the guy found the female still in the yard and caught her. They don't kill the snakes but find better places for them to live (in our opinion). The guy was not sure where would be a good place, but hopefully she'll do better than in our cat yard...

 

cactus season

One thing about nature is it has its own seasons. It also knows what it likes and trying to force a plant into an area it does not like, and it's a waste of time. I by the way have tried that to bring desert flowers here, but between the bunnies and javelina, forget it. That's why trees work better-- higher. 

This is now beginning the season for cactus to bloom. Most are on our property but a few decorative ones on a neighbor's next to our place. Enjoy the beauty more will be showing up for a month or more. In a time when there is so much stress, this is pure pleasure.

  

Don't miss the bee heading to the saguaro. This is their happy season.

Spring has sprung in the desert

Some think desert in bloom means flowers on the ground. It does but first come the flowers on trees, bushes, and vines. We had many of them this week. I want to share a few of those with maybe more next week. We can all use some beauty and ongoing hope in our lives when it's possible. Nature is where to look.

 

Of course, all this loveliness means pollen is everywhere, the price of ongoing beauty. Allergy season but birds enjoying feasts and new life will be sprouting in the desert. Nothing is without some cost.

All blossoms are on our little piece of desert--- along with its critters.