Why the big peony on my lapel? It was part of my costume for a keynote
presentation at the Pioneer Cemetery 30th annual Memorial Day
observance. When they asked me to speak they said I could dress vintage,
so I donned a snappy boater hat and my
Arizona jacket, but the outfit needed a little extra something to make
it pop. Perhaps a big flower? A poppy? An iris? My Mom reminded me that
in Indiana we would clip peonies from
our backyard and take them to grave sites. I happened to be at a
local cafe and noticed they had peony bouquets on the tables, so I took
it as a sign and borrowed one. While
researching Memorial Day, I'd learned that it was originally called
Decoration Day and the date was chosen because it was when the most
flowers
would be in bloom across the nation. That peony was just what I needed.
I was honored to speak amongst so much history and happy that I was
able to personalize the experience with a nod to my own history by
wearing the peony on my lapel.
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