Memorial Day is Much More than a Holiday in Shady Pines Story Town
Beyond The Picnics
Don’t forget the reason we celebrate Memorial Day! That’s the message dear readers our neighbors in Shady Pines Story Town want you to remember this weekend.
For many of the folks who live in our close knit community, this date on the calendar means more than just the unoficial start to Summer.
Because we do have Summer on the mind now, there will be outdoor gatherings, parades and lots of people heading out on vacations of course. And, let’s face it, there’s nothing like a good barbeque.
But as we gather with friends and loved ones it’s important to remember why this date is a national holiday.
Memorial Day is a time to remember the brave men and women who served in our United State military and gave their lives in the line of duty. 
They fought and died to make sure we have the freedoms we do.
Those rights and freedoms are sacred and cannot be taken for granted.
That’s why this day is different from Veteran’s Day. On that day, we pay tribute not just to the fallen, but to all who have served.
Each year soldiers place American flags on the graves of the fallen soldiers in honor of their service.
Close To Home
Maybe someone in your family or someone you know has given the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Why our very own mayor, Beauregard P. Fibbs has a story to tell.
“My uncle served in the Marines. He was in another country when his unit came under attack. My aunt told me his men remembered that my uncle Charles was brave when the fighting started. He rescued five other men before he was shot and went down. I still remember him as one of the kindest people I have ever known.”
Young Kids Know
Our very own seven-year-old Ray Robinson is aware of the meaning behind Memorial Day. His father is serving overseas. He’s been away from Ray and his mom for eight months. Even though his dad writes him letters and tries to face time him when he can, it’s not the same as him being home.
Ray worries that there may be a time when his dad doesn’t come back.
He realizes how lucky he is right now to have a father. And he has a mom and a community that loves and cares about him.
Kindness matter. It matters a lot.
So what can you and your loved ones do to mark this important holiday weekend?
Sing a few patriotic songs
Why not teach your children America the Beautiful, the National Anthem or say the Pledge of Allegiance, and talk about the meaning behind each one.
Remind your kids to stand and place their hands over their hearts during these songs. This is a perfect way to show them the importance of honoring the sacrifices made by those in our military to protect our nation’s freedom.
Observe a Memorial Day Tradition
Our nation’s flag is flown at half staff until noon to remember America’s fallen soldiers. Just after noon it is raised to full staff as a symbol to show hope beyond death and to honor the heroes that are still with us. Did you know that?
Take a Moment for Silence
Here’s something else I just found out. in 2000, Congress passed “The National Moment of Rememberance.” It asks that “Americans voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a moment of rememberance and respect.”
The idea is for you to stop whatever you’re doing and bow your head for a moment of silent remembering.
One Last Thing
Try this. You can listen to the playing of
“Taps. It’s all done at 3PM local time as a symbol of 
national unity.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PLAYING OF TAPS
From all of us in Shady Pines Story Town we wish you and your loved ones a safe, enjoyable and meaningful Memorial Day weekend!
Scoop the Cub Reporter with The Shady Pines Gazette news is literally running to keep up with events.
It’s the kind of gift that would be welcome all month long.
and leave it for the person who delivers you mail, walks your dog or mows your lawn.
Meanwhile, every horse lover knows to mark their calendar for the first Saturday in May. That’s because it’s time for the Run For The Roses
that $4 million dollar race is all that our Edna Sanders talks about.
They get gussied 
up like the folks do who actually go the the event. Edna says watching the 
fashion choices people make – especially those hats – is part of the fun.
army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. The day is also known as Battle of Puebla Day.
Kim is planning a dance downtown with tables of food.
If they hit it hard enough, candy pours out.
Mother’s Day
There’s no way to sum up all that mothers do for their children and their families. But it did get us wondering, who came up with the idea for a day devoted to moms?
It became an official U.S. holiday in 1914.
At the Sanders’ household, Harold decided to make Edna a Mother’s Day card. He got their four legged children to help.
things never go as planned. 
It won’t be long. Easter is only days away. 
The good folks in Shady Pines Story Town are all atwitter about this most festive of holidays.
the middle with colorful eggs around it.
You know, dear readers, Boomer and Halley have a point. And that got us thinking about the symbols and traditions related to this holiday.
Halley is eggsactly right. Bunnies don’t lay eggs. Chickens lay eggs. And yet, you always see a bunny surrounded by colorful eggs. Now how did that get started?
And, no, we’re not going to even try to explain The Easter Bunny that shows up in your local Mall. That’s a whole other subject.
are mostly born in the spring. That’s one reason.
the Easter Bunny and the eggs is a goddess. Pretty cool, huh?
When he sees Edna’s project, he can’t help himself. He starts unwrapping the chocolate eggs and eating them.
go back to the 1600’s. That’s when a rabbit known as Osterhas, begins popping up in literature. His name translates as ‘Easter rabbit.’ As the story goes, the furry critter was said to leave colorful eggs all around for children to find on Easter Sunday. When the first Europeans landed in America, they brought this tradition with them.
Easter Baskets and Containers
and sizes and are decorated to the hilt.
So remember two things before you go on an Easter Egg Hunt, or you dive into a basket full of goodies. You have the Goddess Eostre (Easter) and that rabbit 
Osterhas to thank for giving us an excuse to eat a few more chocolates on Easter Sunday!
Oh my, oh my. We’ve reached the end of March. Dear Readers, you know what that means don’t you? April will be here in the blink of an eye.
Let me ask you something about the foolishness that is nearly upon us.
Scoop swivels in his chair to look at her. “I know. All I could find is that this day of pranking goes back ages.”
or
“Yes,” says Zulah as she crosses the room to get another cup of coffee. “You’re suppose to be creative, but not mean. Like putting salt in the sugar container is not only a bad prank it can be harmful.”
Scoop scans his computer. “It says here a prank should be something that requires planning, timing, and maybe a little acting. The whole idea is that when you shout, “April Fools’ Day” the person you pranked should at least smile if not laugh. Oh, and here are some jokes.”
Zulah is on her computer searching for ideas, too. “Oh this sounds like fun for parents and kids.”
Zulah is scribbling notes in her reporter notebook. She looks up. “What do you mean Scoop?”
This month is jam packed with things to do.
very Lamb-like indeed.
The Ides of March. We’ll have more on that later.
What does that mean? Well, during the lunar eclipse the moon will block out the light from the sun for just a bit as it passes by. As that happens the moon will take on a reddish color.
It’s rare that both things occur at the same time. How cool is that?
Next, before you can say, “The Luck Of the Irish,” we’ll be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on Monday the 17th.
There are parades, costumes, good food, dancing and music – the works.
But you’ll have to wait until April to find out which teams finally win and hoist those trophies!
Make sure you visit often and tell your friends about us.