Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Peony On My Lapel

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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