Diet Coke Run

Typically when most people envision a Diet Coke run, they think of jaunting to a local convenience store to fill their mugs, or perhaps to a local favorite eatery to grab a refreshing drink. Some may think this is a new type of marathon race, considering how many of those are in existence. For me, a Diet Coke run was something I shared with a dear friend whenever we could work it into our crazy schedules. For several years, this good friend and I shared many things in common. Both Type 1 diabetics, we fought the same daily battle. Teaming up in diabetic rebellion, we faced doctor appointments together, and even ran the local county diabetic support group for many years. We always went for a Diet Coke run afterwards to touch base and toast our continuing war against a dreaded disease.

Today, I purchased two Diet Cokes from a local store, and headed up a lonely road. Stopping near a recent mound of earth, I pulled out a cheery bouquet of sunflowers, and both Diet Cokes. I placed the bouquet of sunflowers near the other flowers that were set there over the weekend, and placed one bottle of Diet Coke near the sunflowers. Then I pulled out the second bottle, removed its lid, and drank a toast to my friend. It was my way of showing respect and honor to Denise, letting her and her family know this valiant woman is not forgotten.

It is the traditionally celebrated Memorial Day today. Numerous tributes have been taking place all weekend. We've been decorating graves since Saturday, reminiscing about ancestors and close family members and friends who have passed from this mortal existence. Last night, we watched a tribute on TV for veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Tonight, I'll be helping my husband take down all of the American flags that were set in place on veterans' graves last Thursday night in the local cemetery. Since Kennon is the head of the Bennington Cemetery Board, it's one of his responsibilities to make sure those flags are only in place for the allotted time during this commemorative holiday.

There are many ways to remember those who are no longer in mortal mode. Each year, a close friend and I make the rounds of several cemeteries in our valley, leaving behind small tokens of love on the graves of six special people who were taken in an instant from our lives in a fatal car accident. It's something we have done now for 14 years--our way of letting their families know we're thinking of them on this tender day. We will continue to do so until we are no longer in mortal mode ourselves.

Some people think this is a morbid tradition. I've actually heard some people say that it's a form of worshiping the dead. I beg to differ. I was raised in a family who spent Memorial Weekend decorating the graves of loved ones. In my opinion, it is an important tradition. It was upon these occasions that I learned family stories and legends that are part of our treasured family history. These stories need to be passed onto future generations as we pay tribute to those who paved the way for us, and those who gave their lives for our freedom.

It is up to us to decide how we will honor those who have gone before. I know for many people, this is the weekend that marks the beginning of summer. Lots of camping, boating, and traveling adventures are taking place. There is nothing wrong with that, but I hope that at some point during this holiday, most will pause for a moment to ponder the lives of those who are no longer with us. Though I doubt the deceased  care how many flowers are left near their headstones, I suspect it does matter that they are not forgotten.

The Week in Pictures

Since this past week has been a blur of activities, I decided to share a few pictures in today's blog. Maybe this will make up for my absence on Monday. Long story short, after a week of whirlwind activities, I returned home with some sort of stomach bug\food poisoning and on Monday I was still deciding if I was going to live. =D Kidding . . . sort of. ;) Without further ado, here is a series of pictures and brief explanations. Enjoy!!!
First there was a camping adventure. Devin has been itching to do some camping and fishing since his return home, so he and Kennon camped up a local canyon for a couple of days last week. Kris and I joined them on Thursday. And yes, Devin out-fished his father . . . in case you were wondering.

It was a relaxing time of enjoying nature, good food, and soothing guitar ditties.

Not to mention delicious s'mores!

Kennon and I went for a 4-wheeler jaunt and saw that snow still exists up yonder.

If you examine the picture above closely, you'll see the rock chuck we spied, sitting on top of a large pile of rocks.

After deciding they had forgotten how to set up ye olde family tent, and realizing it was going to be cold, and they both had to work the next morning, our sons headed for the safety of home and Kennon and I stayed in camp that night. About 3:00 a.m. a piercing alarm effectively awakened us, and any hapless campers in the vicinity. Our camper battery was low and the CO alarm was screaming in protest. The only way we could get it to cease was to shut off the furnace. It was a very refreshing camping adventure. ;)

After returning home half-frozen the next morning (Friday) Kennon and I hurriedly put everything away, cleaned up, packed, and after decorating the graves in Bennington, we headed north. We drove up to the Lewisville Cemetery located about 20 minutes north of Idaho Falls and decorated family graves.

I left yellow roses on my dad's grave this year.

We then journeyed to Annis and decorated graves in that location. Then it was on to Rigby, where we were spending the night with my in-laws. After grabbing a quick bite to eat, Kennon and I went for a soothing walk along the nearby Snake River.
We left on our annual Memorial jaunt a day early for a very good reason---a close friend's beautiful daughter was getting married in the Rexburg Temple on Saturday morning. It was a wonderful ceremony, but as soon as it was over, Kennon and I headed to Wyoming to meet up with varied family members.

We caught up with my mother and sister in Swan Valley, Idaho in our quest for the famed square ice cream cones. From there we drove to Thayne, Wyoming where we were spending the night.

The next morning we met up with lots of other relatives and decorated the family graves located in Thayne.

Most of my kids met us for a picnic in Thayne. (Devin & Kennon had to speak in a ward in our stake Sunday morning, so they met up with us later in Grays Lake) And those interesting looking beverage bottles are filled with IBC rootbeer, in case anyone was wondering.

On we went to Grays Lake, Idaho to Aunt Mary's house where we visited with a plethora of relatives. Devin and Kennon met up with us here and my cute little granddaughter decided Uncle Devin was pretty cool.
All in all, a good time was had by all, aside from the little stomach glitch I experienced Sunday night\Monday. It was the first time my entire clan has been able to enjoy the annual Memorial Jaunt in several years. True, some of us did it in bits and pieces, but we had a lot of fun, shared family stories, and honored those who have gone on before us. And to me, that's what Memorial Day is all about.

Memorial Memories

By this time tomorrow, I will be embarking on a yearly tradition---the annual Memorial Day Loop, as we call it. We journey north, meeting up with family members in Pocatello.(They drive up from Utah, it's kind of a half-way stop for everyone.)

On we travel to Idaho Falls, where we always stop for a bite of lunch. Our favorite restaurant there is Smitty's, home of the famous pancake breakfast. We partake of savory cuisine, then before leaving the Idaho Falls area, we usually visit with relatives and close family friends who live in that location.

When we leave Idaho Falls, we head to Lewisville, to the beautiful cemetery where my father is buried. His parents, and a brother and sister are buried there as well, so we decorate all of the family graves, then drive on to Annis, Idaho. Here another aunt and uncle are buried as well as one of my childhood friends who died from a rare kidney disease when we were about eleven years old. We honor their memory by placing beautiful flowers on their graves, and then drive on to nearby Rigby where we refuel our vehicles. Then it's on to Swan Valley, Idaho.

I've touched on why we stop there in other posts---those wonderful square ice cream cones. ;) I'm so looking forward to enjoying one of those this weekend. =D
From there we travel around the beautiful Palisades Lake and drop into Wyoming. Since my mother's family is from Thayne originally, we usually stay at a motel in that location called the Cabin Creek Inn. This place has wonderful cabins that are like a home away from home. And the breakfast they serve each morning makes my mouth water to think of it. Homemade biscuits and gravy, a variety of fruit, as well as waffles, cereal, and so forth.



We decorate several family graves in Thayne, and then spend some time at the Star Valley Cheese Factory where 3 generations of my family have worked. Both of my maternal grandparents worked in this facility, as well as my mother when she was a teenager, and several years ago, my brother worked there as well. This place holds a special place in our hearts and we enjoy purchasing cheese, and sometimes eating lunch in this fun location.
At some point during the weekend, we usually drive over to Grays Lake, Idaho where my mother's family has strong roots. Several of our ancestors are buried in the private cemetery in this location. Two of our aunts still live there and we try to spend time with them. From there, we part ways and journey home.

This loop has been an important tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl, I remember traveling with my parents from cemetery to cemetery, helping to place flowers on the various graves. Some might think this is a morbid thing to do, but I was always taught that it's important to remember those who have gone on before. Decorating their graves is a way we can honor their memory, and keep important family stories alive. These stories have been passed down from one generation to another, and they are always shared during the Memorial Day Loop. It's one way we can strengthen the link between the generations, inspiring a sense of love and admiration for those who have paved the way for the rest of us.

It's not always possible for everyone to make the yearly journey, but I know that those who can't come with us this year, are with us in spirit. And as we set out flowers as both of my grandmothers used to do, we can't help but feel a bond. We are keeping an important tradition alive, hopefully passing the torch on one day to those who will follow in our footsteps.

Memorial Day Jaunt

This past weekend, I traveled with my mother and youngest sister on our annual Memorial Day Jaunt. We were the only three who could make the loop this year. Despite that, we still enjoyed ourselves immensely. On Saturday, we traveled to Idaho Falls, Idaho stopping for lunch at the famed Smitty's Pancake House where we enjoyed delicious breakfast items for lunch. (Breakfast is served all day at this fine establishment) We met up with an aunt and uncle at this location and enjoyed wonderful food and a good visit.

Next, we drove to nearby Lewisville, Idaho to the cemetery where my father is buried. Most of his immediate family members are also buried in this location. It's a beautiful cemetery, filled with pine trees and flowering crab trees. Most weren't in bloom this year because it has been a cold spring, but other years, the vivid pink blossoms have been stunning.

After decorating several graves, we drove up to Rexburg, Idaho where we visited with one of my sons and his wife. Then it was on to Swan Valley, Idaho and the famed Rainey Creek Country Store where they serve square ice-cream cones. This year, we sampled the Bear Claw (chocolate fudge) flavor and enjoyed this treat immensely.

We drove around Palisades Lake and entered Wyoming and our target destination for that night, Thayne. My mother grew up in Thayne (we tease her a bit about that item---pun intended) and it has been like a second home to my entire family. Since no one from my mother's family lives in Thayne these days, we stayed at the Cabin Creek Inn. We love staying there---the owners, Kirk and Dannette Dana, know my mother's family quite well and it is always a pleasure to see them each year. The cabins are cozy and fun, with jacuzzi tubs in most of the bathrooms. There is also an outdoor pool and hot tub, but since the weather was still rather wintry, they weren't uncovered yet. One of the highlights of staying at the Cabin Creek Inn would be the complimentary breakfast that is served each morning. Items like biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, waffles with strawberry sauce, etc. are commonplace and delicious. If you are ever in this area and you're looking for a place to stay, I heartily recommend the Cabin Creek Inn.



While in Thayne, we decorated the graves of ancestors who are buried in that beautiful location---you can see a ring of mountains from the lofty hill. Another landmark is a large pine tree that was hit by lightening a few years ago. The base was carved into a bench seat as seen below. Years ago, this pine tree was planted by my great-grandfather, Benjamin Broadbent. It was planted between the graves of two babies who died shortly after their arrival into mortal mode. Heartbroken, my great-grandparents wanted to plant something that would represent their eternal love for these two precious infants. The evergreen tree was extremely fitting, although it grew to astounding dimensions, eventually disrupting the two graves. New headstones have recently been purchased to remedy the situation. (A suggestion: don't plant trees near headstones.)



During one of our days in Thayne, we decided to drive to nearby Jackson, Wyoming. It's only an hour away from Thayne, up Snake River Canyon. While in Jackson, we wandered in art and photo galleries, a fun bookstore, listened to live bands as they performed in Jackson Square, and ate huge (emphasis on huge) hamburgers at the Cadillac Restaurant.

All good things must come to an end, including our time in Thayne. Before we left, we met up with some of our relatives who were also visiting in the area. We ate lunch at the famed Star Valley Cheese Factory. Although the cheese factory is no longer in operation, the restaurant is still doing a brisk business, and the gift shop still sells cheese.

Our final stop on the way home was to visit relatives in Grays Lake, Idaho. Some of our ancestors are also buried in this location. The tiny cemetery is filled with those who first settled this gorgeous area. At the base of nearby Caribou Mountain, the site of a gold-mining frenzy in the late 1800's, lives a beloved great-aunt who loves to feed the multi-colored birds who are native to this area.



We were exhausted upon our return home, but as always, it was worth the effort to make the "loop" as we call it. Not only does it give us a chance to pay homage to the ancestors who courageously paved the way for us, but it also reminds us of the importance of family ties. Sometimes it's a needful thing to get together with loved ones and savor a road trip. Those adventures are the stuff of which fond memories are made.

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Culture, Tradition, Travel

This could prove to be interesting. I just learned that I will be blogging about 3 items, those mentioned in the title above. I'm thinking I will have a lot of fun with this. Hopefully, you, the avid reader, will too. ;) And no worries, I will still be posting at least one poem a week in between everything else. (This is for my 3 fans out there who faithfully read my poetry).

I've also learned that my posts will show up in the New Neighbors section of LDSneighborhood. It is sounding like they'll have everything up and running by Monday. My blogs will be available on this site on Mondays and Thursdays.

That said, I've decided that I will touch briefly on the importance of traditions, since a huge family tradition is rapidly approaching. According to my good friend, Webster the dictionary, a tradition is "the handing down of opinions, doctrines, practices, rites, and customs . . ."

According to my family, a tradition is anything fun we do each year as we gather together. ;) We have several Christmas traditions that I will share closer to that glorious season, some things we do each summer, and toward the end of this month, we will embark on our annual Memorial Day Jaunt, something we actually enjoy. Let me share why.

My mother was taught by her mother the importance of decorating the graves of family members on Memorial Day. It was a way to show respect, and to honor the memory of those who left mortal mode ahead of us. When my grandmother died, the weighty responsibility of decorating graves fell to my mother and her siblings, something they have faithfully adhered to each year.

As a youngster, I loved the opportunity to gather with my cousins on Memorial Day and to run amuck around the cemetery. We found all kinds of treasures, interesting names on weathered headstones, bugs that some of my cousins captured to scare me out of my wits (I won't mention any names, you know who you are, and to this day when I see a spider, I scream, but I digress . . .); and a ditch we could access if we climbed over the fence around the cemetery. When our parents caught on to the fact that we were playing in forbidden water, they dragged us across the cemetery to look at the tiny headstone of a young boy. He had fallen in said ditch and drowned one Memorial Day. That's all it took for me. A chicken at heart, I faithfully stayed away from the forbidden zone from that point on.

Memorial Day took on a different meaning in 1984. That was the year my mother, siblings, and I gathered to decorate my father's grave for the first time. There we were, standing around Dad's headstone, all of us struggling with difficult emotions. Our father, who had been suffering from a rare liver disease, had taken his own life eight months earlier. Tears were threatening to make an appearance. Then it happened. Our mother said something outrageous, directed toward our father, a colorful phrase I won’t share. Suffice it to say, her comment worked. At first, we were shocked, glancing at our feisty mother who was making her way back to the car with her head held high. Then we dissolved into laughter that inspired tears. We laughed loud and long, ignoring the perplexed looks we received from other people who happened to be at the cemetery that day.

We then drove on to our mother's childhood home in Wyoming, making our first annual Memorial Day loop. It was there that we would be decorating the graves on Mom’s side of the family tree. When we arrived in Afton, we found that most of my mother’s family had already gathered at the same motel where we were staying that night.

There was strength in numbers as our mother’s siblings and their spouses and families did their best to keep our spirits light. They knew that weekend would be difficult for us, and they helped us through. We visited, we played games, and we frolicked in the motel pool playing an intense game of keep-away with a koosh ball. Through it all there was sense of camaraderie, and plenty of laughs to go around. We ate more food than is healthy, but as we sat, too full to move, we realized we had survived a holiday weekend that could have been depressing. It wasn’t, and it never has been. We have stubbornly held to the formula we discovered when a difficult holiday season appears on the horizon. Mix family members with a large dose of laughter and good food and the results will usually be the same—survival with peace of heart and mind intact.

As this year's Memorial Day season approaches, hearts will be tender as we face decorating my brother-in-law's grave, someone who passed away last month. Once again we will strive to combine reverence for those who have gone on before with a healthy dose of laughter, memories, and family fun.

It is my hope that many moons from now, when I've passed from this mortal sphere, not only will my children and grandchildren come to place flowers on my grave, they will also remember the importance of strengthening family ties during traditional gatherings like Memorial Day.

Cheri J. Crane

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