Lest We Forget

In school we had to learn In Flanders Field every November. I knew it was written by John McRae but I never knew the story behind the poem. I did a Net search this morning and found it here. I'd would like to share it.

John McRae

Composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915

during the second battle of Ypres, Belgium

On May 2, 1915, John McCrae’s close friend and former student Alexis Helmer was killed by a German shell. That evening, in the absence of a Chaplain, John McCrae recited from memory a few passages from the Church of England’s “Order of the Burial of the Dead”. For security reasons Helmer’s burial in Essex Farm Cemetery was performed in complete darkness.

The next day, May 3, 1915, Sergeant-Major Cyril Allinson was delivering mail. McCrae was sitting at the back of an ambulance parked near the dressing station beside the YserCanal, just a few hundred yards north of Ypres, Belgium.

As John McCrae was writing his In Flanders Fields poem, Allinson silently watched and later recalled, “His face was very tired but calm as he wrote. He looked around from time to time, his eyes straying to Helmer's grave."

Within moments, John McCrae had completed the “In Flanders Fields” poem and when he was done, without a word, McCrae took his mail and handed the poem to Allinson.

Allinson was deeply moved:

“The (Flanders Fields) poem was an exact description of the scene in front of us both. He used the word blow in that line because the poppies actually were being blown that morning by a gentle east wind. It never occurred to me at that time that it would ever be published. It seemed to me just an exact description of the scene."

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead: Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved: and now we lie
In Flanders fields!

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Still sewing

This is my most fun thing I made for the bazaar yet. I actually got to make a lap quilt! This one is 45" square and is being sold as a wheelchair lap quilt but it's big enough for anyone to use. I was so excited to find the flowered fabric in the craft group stash and I had just enough of the blue for the sashing and borders. I do have six deer panels that I could make into a men's lap quilt but need to look for co-ordinating fabrics so will leave it for Spring. I'm anxious to get back to my own stuff. I still have a couple more small things I want to get made but they aren't a priority. If I get them done fine, if I don't that's okay too. 

I really want to get back to my daughters quilt that I'm hand quilting. I only have 12 squares left to do. She and her husband are moving this month and it would be nice to have it finished but I can't see being able to. Maybe by Christmas. They have a winter quilt I made them that looks good anyway. They're excited about the move. This town is owned by one man. You can't get an apartment (aside from a basement apartment) that isn't owned by him and he doesn't allow pets. Her mother-in-law and I use the same hair salon and when Clair mentioned to the owner that Lisa and Chris were looking for a place he said he has a carriage house he wants to rent. And he allows cats. Perfect! It's only 3 years old. The place they've been in for the last 3 years is owned by a lady who just wants the property to sell to a developer and is renting out this old house until it sells. She won't do any work on it. So it's been a depressing time living in those conditions. This will be so nice for them. I'm excited about the move too. She'll still be within walking distance of us. 

I've been very busy lately. I decided to join our prayer shawl ministry that's starting up. This Saturday is our second meeting. I don't have any patterns yet. There's one particular pattern that I'd love to make because it is a simple knit 3, purl 3. Doesn't take much concentration and you can't lose where you were when you put it down last. They want afghans as opposed to shawls. Wool is so expensive that they're hoping for donations. I would be willing to pay $30 to make one afghan but not on a continuous basis. I got a ball of Bernat Worsted Yarn that is 400 oz. for $8.00. That's more in my price range. Since I'm not real good at knitting I have no idea if that's enough to make an afghan. I'll have to ask at our meeting. 

I'm also still doing our Fall study at the church and DH signed us up for a course at Elder College. It's a thing that's been set up in our community so seniors (you only have to be 55) can take classes on various subjects. Ours is called The Majestic Universe and is about all sorts of interesting things from Astronomy to Greek Myth. They are 3 hour lectures though so I'm pretty tired when we get out of there. It's kind of heavy duty. University professors volunteer to come out and give the classes so it's not amateur stuff. 

Better get myself moving. I still do have to do housework around here.