Honoring All Who Served

 It's a day of sadness and mourning, yet a day of happiness and celebration.  We are honoring all the Veterans who served this great country, keeping us free and safe.  It's a very big deal in this small community!!

First off there will be not one, but TWO ceremonies, along with a parade.  Pray for no rain!!

The Elks Lodge has been preparing for days.  This is a small farming community, so there will be lots of pickups decorated to the nines, tractors, big trucks pulling trailers and of course fire trucks!  

It will end up here at the Field of Honor.  If you've never been to one, you should check it out.  In one day, our Veterans group, the Honor Guard and the local city, along with dozens of volunteers, set up thousands of flags at our college.  It's an amazing sight to see.  Oh ... and of course we fed everyone.

Each flag has a tag with information about who the flag is honoring.  Most are for those Veterans that have passed, but many are for those still living.  It's one of the most moving things you will see here.  I do love that red, white and blue!!! 

Anyone can have a flag placed ... and I think they charge MAYBE $10 for each one.  Once you purchase a flag, it is placed every year in the exact same spot.  

Still not finished, they had many more to put up.  Once complete, they guard this huge field ... maybe 10 acres? ... all night and all day for I think a week.  Then they take them all down and pack them away, storing them for next year.  

What's most amazing to me is the number of local folks who have served and are still serving this great country.

On the way back home, I stopped in at another quilters house to pick up what I thought was just some panels to make Veterans quilts.  Little did I realize they were dropping the entire project in my lap.  Wait ... what?  Oh gosh ... that wasn't really what I had in mind, but what could I say?  It's for Veterans!!  More on that tomorrow.

Finally back home and trying to rest up from another long day on my feet, I whipped up some ham and Swiss sliders.  What an easy treat!!  Hawaiian heat-and-serve rolls (or any kind for that matter), stuffed with lots of ham and Swiss cheese before topping with butter, dijon mustard, worcester sauce, garlic and onion powder.  

Pour the sauce over and bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes.  YUM YUM!!  I could eat these things all day long.  Next time I'll add a little more cheese!!

I'm trying to rest up today, but we all know that won't happen.  I've got some quilts to quilt.  Who knew this areas Quilt Guild did so much for so many!  I'll explain all that tomorrow, before I gear up for another fabulous night of BINGO!!  Boy this week went by FAST!!