Fredericksburg National Cemetery Luminaria

The National Cemetery in Fredericksburg is located on Marye's Heights, which is a high point of ground that was the scene of a terrible massacre of Union troops during the 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg.  After the war, the US government created National Cemeteries to bury and honor the fallen (Union soldiers at that time only, of course).  Approximately 15,300 men are buried in this cemetery ... having been reinturred there from various locations around Fredericksburg.  Over 13,000 of them are unidentified.

Every Memorial Day weekend since 1995, on Saturday night, the local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts place 15,300 luminaries throughout the cemetery (one candle per burial), and guides are stationed throughout the cemetery to tell stories of some of the men who are buried there.

Most of the graves of the unknown contain more than one soldier.  Two candles are placed on each grave, with others along the paths, to make up the Luminaria's 15,300 candles.

The hill which contains the cemetery is terraced, with burials on each level.  We arrived at dusk.

As we reached the top of the hill, we saw an overwhelming panorama of candles.  To experience the full effect of this scene, we would have to wait a bit for the sun to set and the sky to darken.

There were scouts assigned to relight any candles that went out.

As the sun set, the sea of candles created an incredible moving scene.

Every 30 minutes, a bugler on top of the hill played 'Taps'.  These two older men were standing with their hands over their hearts.

As an Army brat, scenes like this always make me cry.  Though these men lived and died so long ago, I can't help but think about how each of them was someone's husband, or son, or brother.

As darkness fell, the hub-bub of visitors and guides faded into the night.  All we noticed were the candles ... which is as it should be.

Who's Watching the Goslings?

While The Husband and I were out earlier today running errands, we had to stop the car so I could get a photo of this.

This photo has at least 28 babies and only two adult geese.  There is more to the flock over a slight drop off behind these geese ... with two more adults and 25 or so additional babies ... for a total of four adults and 50+ goslings.  (The goslings wouldn't stand still so I could get an exact count.)

The only thing I can figure is that we accidently stumbled upon the local Canada Goose daycare center. 

Now we know where Canada Geese take their babies while they're at work during the day.

Rare Roses ... Ferdinand Roussel

My main objective when I started collecting roses ten years ago was to provide a place to preserve rare roses.  One of the stars in the garden right now is 'Ferdinand Roussel', a rambler bred by Barbier & Co. in France in 1902.  This rose grows on my Rambler Fence, beside the gate, and it is in full bloom right now.

I was outside with my camera earlier today, because I realized that I don't have a decent photo of this once-blooming rose in my files. 

There also was not a photo in the listing for this rose on Help Me Find  (the best and most comprehensive rose reference site!)  Now there are three, because I uploaded them to the site a few minutes ago.

I am trying to do all I can to make sure that I have at least one good photo of each rose I grow.  With once bloomers, there is only a short window of opportunity to do this ... or I have to wait to try again next year.

Now that I have these photos of 'Ferdinand Roussel', I can cross one more off my list ... not that I actually HAVE a list, you understand.

Saving Mrs. Sharpley's Rose

One morning last month, I received an email from a dear rose friend in SW Virginia.  It read,

"I have come across a rose that I believe is the Hybrid Perp, President Lincoln, Granger, 1863.  It belongs to a 91 yr old lady, Mrs. Sharpley, here in Roanoke.  She can trace it for certain to 1900 and the family history says they planted it, in Delaware, when Lincoln was president.  It was then moved to Maryland, where the family had to keep quiet about the name because Lincoln was not popular.  She herself has had the rose since 1940.  She moved it to her current house in 1960.  Two years ago it was nearly killed by "those folks who spray houses."  She moved it and it is recovering but it is still small.  The surviving [own root] trunk is appx 1.5 diameter.  She says it was a big bush, "nearly tall as I am" (4'10") in its prime.  On a scale of low-to-high 1-5, it is about a 2 in fragrance, maybe a 3, as it was cool and overcast this morning.  Attached are photos.  Do you want cuttings and if so, when should I take them?  It is a truer red than my photos, matches perfectly the red photo on the hmf site (there are only two) and, as you can see, has fingernail clipping of white at the center).  She would like cuttings for her grandchildren, tho at present there isn't that much from which to take cuttings."

That's a silly question ... of COURSE I want cuttings!  Any rose with this kind of story is one that I will do my best to propagate and preserve.

A Fed Ex truck arrived here the next afternoon, delivering a document envelope which contained a small piece of Mrs. Sharpley's rose.  That piece was adequate to yield two fairly decent cuttings, which gave me twice the probability of getting at least one of them to root. 

I decided that I would have the best chance of success by using my favorite low-tech milk jug/soda bottle method of propagation ... placing the container in the cool north-facing window in my basement workshop.  (Photo tutorial is HERE on the Hartwood Roses web site.)

It's been a month since I received and planted those two cuttings.  Two weeks ago, one of the cuttings turned black ... indicating that it was dead.  The remaining cutting has appeared to be doing fine.  The leaves are still attached, which is always a good sign.

This morning while I was in the basement, I checked on the cutting and found that it has rooted!!

That's a nice strong, healthy root ... and I am confident that there are more roots in the pot that I cannot see yet.  I will leave the cutting in its little bottle greenhouse with the lid on till I see signs that it is beginning to grow new leaves.  At that point, I will begin to transition the cutting out of the bottle by removing the lid for a week or so ... then I can remove the bottle all together.  The little rose can stay in the milk jug till it has a dense root system.

I know Mrs. Sharpley will be pleased when she finds out that the cutting of her rose has rooted, and that we can continue to propagate from this new plant in the future to share her rose with the rest of her family.

Running Individually ... but Together

Our youngest daughter ran the Marine Corps Historic Half marathon yesterday morning.  Her husband ran it, too ... 7000+ miles away on his base in Afghanistan.

She registered for this race months ago, and she had no idea that plans were being made at her husband's base for the Marines and civilians to run it there, too.  She found out about the plan last week, via a video sent to her by her husband.

The video was also sent to the marathon officials, who notified the newspaper.  Our daughter's story was on the FRONT PAGE of yesterday's paper.  She was photographed and interviewed last Thursday when she went to pick up her race packet.

My husband designed a special shirt for her to wear during the race.  The back of the shirt says it all.

Congratulations, Sweetie!  Your dad and I are so proud of you.

To read the article and see the video, click HERE.

The title of the article is a mistake ... it says that our son-in-law is a Marine and he isn't.

He is a civilian crew chief with the base fire department.

Lucketts, Day One

This year, Lucketts Spring Market is fabulous as always.  The vendors have all brought great stuff.  The aisles were crowded with enthusiastic shoppers, and very few folks appear to be leaving the show empty handed. 

Sales in my booth were steady all day, with large pieces and small items selling equally well.  (The credit card ap on my iPhone has worked flawlessly.)  The weather was clear and warm ... bright blue sky, light breezes, and temps topping out at about 80 degrees.  I applied a coat of sunblock to my exposed parts every so often, and I offered it to customers and other dealers who looked like they needed it.  (It was definitely a "sunburn before you know it" type of day.)

I was on my feet nearly all day, and by the end of Day One, I felt a lot like this vase of flowers that I saw at a fellow dealer's booth ... tired and wilted.

The Husband is working the booth with me today, so I will have an opportunity to get out of the booth and really do some shopping ... instead of yesterday's quick look at the booths as I went to and from the ladies room or to grab a bite to eat (crabcake sandwich ... yum!)

One more day!

Off to Lucketts I Go!

The Husband and I spent all of yesterday afternoon setting up my booth at the Lucketts Spring Market.  We loaded up the truck and trailer on Thursday, piling in everything I had that would fit.  I never in a million years believed that I could cram all of that stuff into a 10 x 10 space (with a bit of overflow) ... but we did!

This is only a small fraction of it.  (Took this photo with my new iPhone!)

I'm sharing a double booth with Deborah (Confessions of a Craigslist Junkie), and our booth is right beside Susan (Uniquely Yours or Mine), so it almost feels as if I'll be hanging out with friends for the weekend.  All of us are first time Lucketts vendors, so we can learn the ropes together.

If you are planning to come to Lucketts this weekend to shop the Spring Market, be sure to stop by.

I have to hush now, so I can finish getting ready and get out of here.

See you in Lucketts!