A Special Mosaic Monday

A Special Mosaic Monday – Field of Flags Memorial

Today is Mosaic Monday again.  This is a very special day since it is the day after the 10th anniversary of 9/11/2001.  In my sleepy little town in the Willamette Valley in Oregon we had some very special events in our town….one that astounded me.  We had a Field Of Flags Memorial in our Riverfront Park.  These were flags that represented each of those lost in the Twin Towers, those who died as First Responders and troops and others who have lost their lives in fighting terrorism over the past ten years to keep our country safe. 

9/11 was already significant to me even before this event, since it is my son’s birthday and the birthday of a cousin.  Now it  represents something more – a memorial to those who were lost as well as a tribute to those who protect us.  During the first two years my son did not want to acknowledge his birthday.  However, I told him that if he did not celebrate he gives the perpetrators of the 9/11 attack a victory, and he must celebrate his birthday and life in general….as must we all.

Going to the park Sunday morning was an awe inspiring event.  This was a garden of another sort….a garden of remembrance.  The flags were laid out in the configuration of the Twin Towers  and the World Trade Center Complex, as well as that of the Pentagon and that field in Pennsylvania where Flight 93 ditched rather than become another instrument of terror.   We saw these Fields Of Flags and a tingle went up and down our spines and tears came to our eyes.  I think that I saw more flags on our block than I usually do even on the 4th of July.  In all, an awe inspiring day.  We stayed until it got too hot.

My mosaic has not only my own garden’s photos, but an upper quadrant with the best images from the Field Of Flags or “Garden Of Flags” if you will.

In the first row are two photos from that Field Of flags.  The first is the image I expected, yet the second I did not.  I initially thought that these were flags that had faded.  In looking at them I realized that the stripes were imprinted with the names of those lost on 9/11.  They were “Flags of Honor“.

The third photo is from my garden, but it is a photo of nicotiana from seeds that we bought at Monticello about seven years ago.  They are very tall nicotiana and they reseed year after year and are the most fragrant things imaginable.  This is a variety that Thomas Jefferson actually had in his garden.

The fourth photo is one of my beautiful fuschias.  I am unsure of the name.

On the second row, and completing the upper left quadrant are pictures of one of the bouquets of red, white and blue petunias that were placed at the bottoms of flags on the periphery.  The next photo is one of people looking at a red flag represeting the Twin Towers.

The rest of the photos are of my home garden.  The first is a basket of some pink ivy geraniums.  The next is of my cat, Esther, doing what she does best — lounging in the garden.

My ever hopeful side is represented by the peach colored bouganvilla that I have growing in a pot here in my Zone 8 garden. 

This is followed by yet another of my neighbor’s contributions of a magenta colored clematis coming over the fence.

Next, is one of my other kitties, Raja, my orange polydactyl (6 toed) kitty.

Finally, is one of the mountain blue jays that finally started returning to my garden after taking the summer off. 

In all, this was an emotional day with our visit to the Field Of Flags.  I wanted to show at least the best photos I got. 

I hope that you will enjoy these photos.  They are a little different from the usual, but very appropos to the day.  You might also want to visit some of the other gardens on the tour at Dear Little Red House.