Ep 135. Significance of Poppies on Veterans Day
Sat, Nov 18, 2023 9:31AM • 11:16
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
poppies, veterans, garden, day, flanders fields, fields, dilemmas, november, grow, poem, ended, nephew, observed, starts, 11th, learn, plant, armistice, annual, change, mary stone, garden, nature, inspiration
SPEAKERS
Mary Stone
Mary Stone 00:00
Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary stone, and welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.
Mary Stone 00:23
Hello there, and welcome to the screened porch. It is quite chilly, and the wind is blowing, but it is the cusp of Thanksgiving. And I am going on a road trip to Tennessee to attend my nephew Isaac's wedding. I can't help but reflect back to Episode 57, about the Mystery of the Mutating Alberta Spruce. There was a segment about genetic mutations and how they can be harmful. And then I ended on a personal note, I wrote, "that in the case of Alberta spruce, the genetic mutation was beneficial, turning into a lovely specimen plant, but mutations can be harmful. My nephew Austin's wife was airlifted to the Vanderbilt Hospital of Nashville last week; Sammi has been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of lymphoma that grew secretly inside her. The journey of Sammi's healing was remarkable. Her spirit was unwavering, as was her husband, Austin, my nephew. And I have happy tears already, imagining Sammi walking down the aisle as she will be as a bridesmaid for her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Samantha. I am so grateful for the prayers. I just believe that that was a big part of her recovery, of course, medical intervention as well, but the power of prayer. Boy, oh boy.
Mary Stone 01:49
And last weekend, we attended Curt's niece's wedding. So there are many weddings this fall, this time of year. And as I look at the leaves flying through the air, I can't help but look forward to the new season ahead. And the new beginnings of the young lives that are committed now to each other as they are to God or your higher power, if you prefer, who was committed to all of us if we choose to listen.
Mary Stone 02:16
Speaking of commitments, Saturday was Veterans Day, always November 11. But this year, it was observed a day early. It leads to this week's story about the History of Veterans Day Poppies; it starts like this.
Mary Stone 02:30
Hello, fellow listeners and readers. It was confusing the day before Veterans Day this year; folks were off, and schools closed, which surprised me as I always thought it was observed on the actual day of November 11. And there's a reason for that - a significance to 11-11-11. And why poppies are often on the lapels on Veterans Day, a day to remember the sacrifices of all who serve our country and serve the world in hopes of inspiring peace. It's devastating the violence is ongoing. Will we ever learn? It is so true, the troubling times we have going on in the world.
Mary Stone 03:12
So I dug into why the folks were off, and it turned out that, indeed, The Hill.com said that they were observing Veterans Day on November 10 as a federal holiday because of the date falling on Saturday. I hope the Federal holiday shift does not continue to make these three-day weekends so popular because I'm afraid that we'll lose the significance of the day, leading to the rich history of Veterans Day.
Mary Stone 03:39
While World War One officially ended with the Treaty of Versailles on June 28 of 1919. The combat ended seven months prior, and a truce known as the armistice was agreed upon between Germany and the allied nations. It went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. It is considered the end of the war to end all wars, coined after the war that will end all wars by HG Wells, published in 1914. If only that were the case. President Wilson declared November 11, 1919, The first Armistice Day, which became a legal holiday in 1938—the name change to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all American veterans of all wars.
Mary Stone 04:30
The date once floated to make a three-day weekend, like Memorial Day, Columbus Day, and Washington's birthday, but that changed in 1975 under President Ford. The US Department of Veterans Affairs explained that the restoration of Veterans Day's observance to November 11 "Not only preserves the historical significance of the date but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day. A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good." And as I said, I hope that tradition continues where we celebrate on the 11th. Because if it stands alone in the middle of a week, it stands alone in our hearts in the memory of the history that's so important to all of us. And let's not lose sight of that. How brave our men and women are that serve our country, and we honor you with humble gratitude for our freedom.
Mary Stone 05:30
How poppies became a symbol of Veterans Day stems from a powerful poem titled Flanders Fields, the name given to World War One battlefields from Southern Belgium to Northwest France. Flanders Fields is famously read at Veterans Memorial services. While there are different versions of the story, the most common is that Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was inspired to write Flanders Fields after presiding over a friend and fellow soldier's funeral, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer. According to legend, soldiers retrieved the poem after McCray, dissatisfied with his work, threw it out. The poem was first published on December 8, 1915, in London's Punch magazine. It starts with - In Flanders Fields; the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row. Though McRae's handwritten version reads the Flanders Fields, the poppies grow and grow they do. I can't wait to tell you about poppies because I love this alien-looking plant.
Mary Stone 06:35
Poppies have mixed meanings—the traditional red is a symbol of remembrance, healing, and eternal life. Creamy white signifies peace and restfulness. While pink, purple, and blue use represent creativity, accomplishment, and lavishness. We all know the scene in The Wizard of Oz when the field of poppies puts Dorothy and her friends to sleep. The annual poppies, which is Papaver somniferum, are what make opium. The same plant is the source of poppy seeds that adorn bagels. However, 90% of the opiate residue is removed during processing. There are both annual and perennial poppies. It's the annual common Poppy, Papaver rhoeas, that is the one in Flanders Fields. Folks also call them corn or field Poppy due to their proliferation as an agricultural weed. If you have pets or kids who have a propensity to eat things, they shouldn't skip the poisonous annual poppies.
Mary Stone 07:36
I adore how the alien-looking poppy flower pods ascend from hairy stems on spiky Fern-like leaves bursting into vibrant blooms. Blood red is the iconic color of the bowl-shaped flowers, but there are orange-yellow, salmon-pink pink, and cream-colored poppies too. They like normal to sandy soil, not clay, full sun to part shade, and are drought tolerant. Once established, they are deer and rabbit-resistant. So there you go, you must add poppies to your garden.
Mary Stone 08:07
Ken Roberts, who's my singing buddy and dear friend - we sing together at the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice - sent a link to a song that references Flanders Fields, titled No Man's Land, also known as the Green Fields of France, or Willie McBride, written by Scottish folk singer-songwriter Eric Bogle in 1976. The lyrics are about a 19-year-old fallen soldier, bringing me to tears. One chorus starts with While the sun is shining now on these green fields of France, the warm wind blows gently, and the red poppies dance. The trenches have vanished long under the plow, no gas, and no barbed wire. No guns firing now.
Mary Stone 08:55
Let us never forget or take for granted our veteran service and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Garden dilemmas, AskMaryStone.com. Yes, indeed, let's never forget, and let's pray and hope that violence ends in this world and that we learn to love each other.
Mary Stone 09:17
I came upon a song by Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real titled, Turn off the News Build a Garden. And while the lyrics at times can be corny, the message is so powerful, and I think we have a few minutes. I want to share a few of the words that start with I believe that every heart is kind. Some are just a little underused. Hatred is a symptom of the times lost and these uneducated blues. Turn off the news and raise the kids. Give them something to believe in. Teach them how to be good people. Give them hope that they can see, turn off the news, and build a garden with me. Perhaps we can change the words to stop the violence and build a garden of peace and love with me. Imagine that.
Mary Stone 10:09
Thank you, dear friends, for visiting with me each week. I so appreciate it. And I can't thank you enough for the fact that our community is growing because it inspires me to keep going with this each week because I think the more that join us and take time to watch the beauty of the rhythms of nature and learn from it, and learn from history instead of changing it or destroying it or hiding it. We can grow and heal this country and this world. We can heal our Earth. Thank you so much for being part of it. I look forward to the next time on the screen porch. Have a great day.
Mary Stone 10:46
You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook or online at Garden dilemmas.com and on Instagram at hashtag Mary Elaine Stone. Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries is produced by Alex Bartling. Thanks for coming by. I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch. And always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.