It's a Grand Old Flag!!

Today is Flag Day here in the U.S. and it was also my dad's birthday. He liked that a lot. He was proud to have served in the U.S. Army in the last year of WWII and so patriotism was high on his list. As already noted, my husband, son and son-in-law all have birthdays between now and the day after July 4th so I am always thinking red, white and blue for those birthdays!! I like the U.S. Flag. I think most of us like the flag of our country or our state. When my kids were little they played a match game that was flags of all nations and while it was a game they were also learning about other counties! This photo below of the U.S. flag was taken a couple of years ago.........

and I couldn't believe the double rainbow when I saw it. Fortunately, I had my camera and could take the photo. This flag flies in Henderson (MN) but one similar to this stood at the Care Center where my dad lived until he passed away. But the same summer I took the photo above in Minnesota, strong storms in Iowa blew down the flag pole at the Care Center in Iowa. Last year after my mother had gone through all the Sypathy cards for my dad, she decided she would use the memorial money for a new flag pole for the Care Center. My brother took my mom to a company where she could order the pole and it was delivered to the Care Center. I contacted a local contractor, Jim Arends, in Lehigh to see if he could set the new pole in cement. I asked him to let us know the cost to do the job and he said he would do it for free!! He couldn't get it in before the frost last fall but in early May he saw to it the post was in and ready for Memorial Day. Many of the residents of the Care Center got to watch as his son and crew did the work. And now the flag flies high once again outside the Care Center. The last task with the flag is a small plaque that my sister will order that will say "In memory.....Melvin Linn". I think my dad would be really pleased.

I thought I'd also share these two quilts I made a few years ago. The one above was made in 2000 and the one below was made in 2004. My dad liked both of these a lot and so did some of the other guys at the Care Center (I brought my quilts in a couple times so everyone could look at them).

Interestingly, I never made a quilt specifically for my dad although I made other things for him. He liked buying up the old quilts and for his own warmth, he preferred the fleece blankets that my mother made with the crocheted edges. I want to make a little quilt in memory of my dad and give it to the Care Center. Many a veteran spends his last years at the Care Center where my dad was and so others will enjoy it, too. I'll be back in a couple hours then to tell you about the quilt I am going to make in memory of my dad and will also give you the update on the quilt for Emma.

Time out for supper..........

Sandi