No thought at all went into selecting this week’s word. =) Given that today is Memorial Day and all, here we go!
Memorial. Memorial is a word straight from the Latin memoriale, so it’s been in English approximately forever. Since the late 14th century it’s been used exactly as it’s used now – something by which a memory is preserved.
But the interesting thing is in Memorial Day. It’s been used generically, as any day of memory, since the 1830s. But after the Civil War it became a national holiday to commemorate the fallen Northern soldiers. It started unofficially in the 1860s and became recognized by veteran groups in 1869.
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t realize it was a Civil War thing! Pretty interesting.
So, everybody have big Memorial Day plans? My family is combining the M-Day picnic with my grandmother’s b-day party. So in honor of that, I made this cake, which I’m calling my Hydrangea-in-a-Basket cake. =)
Hope everyone has a fun, relaxing, rejuvenating holiday, and that we use it to memorialize those who have fought and fallen for our wonderful nation.
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
Thanks for letting me know, Annette! And the Decoration Day thing is interesting! I had no idea.
Carla, I was wondering if this Pirates movie was good or not. Glad to know it's worth my while, LOL.
My grandmother loved the cake and told everyone we weren't going to cut it and eat it, we were just going to look at it and smell it, LOL. (We ate it. 😉
Nice tidbit on Memorial Day. And what a fantastic cake! I bet your grandmother was very pleased with that.
We had a low key weekend, went to see Pirates of the Caribbean and loved it.
PS. I learned in the book Emily of Deep Valley that Memorial Day used to be called Decoration Day!
Just thought I'd tell you that today on my blog someone recommended your Stray Drop of Blood. 🙂