Saturday April 20, 2013 was a beautiful spring day, although still a little chilly. It was bright and sunny...one of those days when you can't wait to get outside. It was a beautiful day to work in the yard among the blooming trees of spring. It was a day we chose to meet at the Oakwood Confederate Cemetery for our annual Spring cleanup.
Members of the Colonel Leonidas L. Polk SCV camp 1486 from Garner, NC converged on Oakwood Confederate Cemetery at 9 AM armed with buckets, brushes, hoses and bleach.
There are many ways to honor our Confederate ancestors...or Union if thats all you have. In my case, I have neither, but have adopted members of the 6th North Carolina State Troops as my substitute, since my ancestors were still in Europe at the time of the American war between the states.
We honor their memory with ceremonies and speeches, reenactments and blogs, but sometimes it requires more. Sometimes you need to get down on your knees....and scrub. Thats what we did on Saturday. We scrubbed away a years worth of dirt, pollen and algae that had stained the shining white headstones. We want them to sparkle on Confederate Memorial Day.
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| It takes elbow grease to keep the headstones clean |
The work was pleasant, surrounded by a dozen friends with the same mindset. The warming rays of the sun chasing away the chill and played hide n seek as fluffy white clouds gently floated by overhead. Everywhere you looked were the pinks and purples and whites of springtime blossums to cheer you on. The hum of diesel engines from the machines working on a nearby street faded into the background as the wind rustled the newly sprouted leaves. The leaves had that bright green, early spring color that dappled the sunlight, giving everything underneath a fresh look. Birds chirped and nearby the men spoke in quiet undertones, having a reverence for this sacred place. It was a very peaceful and refreshing way to spend a lovely spring morning. Looking back at the orderly ranks of headstones shining brightly in the noon-time sun when we finished filled you with the pride of a job well done. We had paid our tribute today with a little bit of elbow grease, bleach and good fellowship. We are ready for Memorial Day.
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| Members of The Garner, N.C. L. L. Polk SCV Camp pitched in to keep the Confederate Cemetery tidy |
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