It’s lilac time again in Sanpete. The fragrant blossoms are out and I love smelling them. I’m glad I don’t have allergies for lilacs because I like putting my nose right close and breathing in the fragrance.

Some of us complain about the smells of Sanpete. It’s easy to only notice the odors of the turkey farms; cattle feed lots, and skunks. But there are times of the year, like now, when we should pause and take a whiff of the beautifully fragrant air. Apple blossoms and lilacs, it’s hard to beat.

Back in the “olden days” of my youth, it was common to see lilac blooms cut and used for decorating graves on what was then called Decoration Day. What flowers you saw in the cemetery on Memorial Day were largely dependent on how the spring season had progressed. Home cut lilacs; iris, peonies and poppies were commonly arranged and placed on the graves of loved ones.

I don’t know the history of silk flowers. But, I do know that they weren’t prevalent in my youth. People did sometimes use plastic flowers for decorating graves. My mom didn’t care for them. I sometimes quote her and you may have heard it here, “I’d rather have a live stinkweed on my grave than a plastic flower.”

The holiday of Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, goes back to the honoring of the war dead from the Civil War. It continues as a day to pay tribute to our fallen soldiers from many wars and conflicts. We also, of course, remember our family and friends otherwise who have gone on before us.

My older brother Brent was born on May 30th, which was the fixed date for Decoration Day. So, at our house, Decoration Day was a doubly important day. In 1967, Memorial Day was declared the official name of the holiday. Like many other holidays, Memorial Day was changed to a “Monday holiday” which shifts dates each year.

As a result, Brent lost the status of the holiday falling on his birthday each year. He died way too young (57) and is buried in our family’s hometown cemetery in Richfield.

Some people aren’t comfortable in cemeteries. I’ve wondered why that is the case. Perhaps the “resting place” reminds them too much of the loss of their loved ones and their own mortality.

Maybe they’ve seen and been affected by too many scary movies that use graveyard suspense and drama. Michael Jackson’s video “Thriller” may be on their minds – who knows?

I’m grateful for parents and relatives who had me help, in a child’s way, with the gathering and arranging of flowers for the family graves on Decoration Day. It was a time to hear family stories of ancestors buried in the cemetery. I believe that those Memorial Day experiences were strong influences on me.

I don’t ever remember not having a good feeling about cemeteries. We have pictures of my dad lying down on his cemetery plot a few years before he died, “trying it out” for size, I guess.

This weekend, Sanpete, along with the rest of the country, has the opportunity to decorate graves and to teach children. Take the kids and grandchildren with you to the cemetery and decorate the graves of family and friends who have passed on. Tell them about the people whose names are on the stones. You may perpetuate and create memories that will be more important than you realize.

Changing subjects: don’t forget Spring City Heritage Day and the Scandinavian Festival in Ephraim this holiday weekend. These are terrific Sanpete celebrations and are great fun. If you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and attend one or both of these events.

I’m looking forward to hearing the musical headliner, Al Stewart, in Ephraim from 12:30pm to 2:00pm on Saturday. In my vinyl record collection, I have his 1976 album “Year of the Cat.” I’m thinking of taking it with me to the festival. With a little luck, I might wind up with it getting autographed.

I love our Scandinavian heritage here. Though my actual ancestry is mostly from the United Kingdom, I have reason to adopt Norway as my second “old country” having spent two years of my life there.

There are many Scandinavian jokes and humorous stories. While in Norway, I heard many at the expense of the Swedes. I know there are many jokes told on the Norwegians as well. The Danes and Finns get their share too.

Since most of this column as been pretty serious (boring?), here’s perhaps a smile at the end. It’s an Ole and Lena moment. Ole and Lena could be of any Scandinavian nationality.

Ole and Lena were getting on in years. Ole was 92 and Lena was 89. One evening they were sitting on the porch in their rocking chairs. Ole reached over and patted Lena on her knee. “Lena, vat ever happened to our sex relations?,” he asked. “Vell, Ole, I yust don’t know,” replied Lena. “I don’t tink vee even got a card from dem last Christmas.” — Merrill

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