In Flanders Fields,...

Today, is Veterans Day, or if you are not in the USA, Armistice day or Remembrance day. The point is the same however, to remember the Veterans of the Great War. And all of them since. Every year, around this time you might, if you look hard enough, see people wearing a small red poppy. The material differs from paper to silk, and many things in between.

The idea for selling the red poppy was thought up by a lady named Moina Michaels who was born near Good Hope Georgia in 1869. Good Hope is a small town in Georgia, barely a blip, but it is close to where I live. The town light posts are typically bedecked with hangings depicting the red poppy, and there is a Georgia Register of Historical places plaque and signpost at the corner of Moina Michael road and US 83 just outside of town. Most people in town though don't realize the significance of this.. It is after all only the second most famous event/person from this small corner of Walton County Georgia*

Ms. Michaels had the idea after reading a poem written by a Canadian by the name of John Macrae entitled "In Flanders Fields", She wrote a response to that in the form of her poem "We shall keep the faith" and while working at the YMCA war secretaries headquarters in New York, purchased the first 25 red silk poppies and distributed them among the other workers. Two years later at the American Legions national conference it was decided to make the Poppy the official National remembrance symbol. Field Marshall Douglas Haig liked the idea so much, he founded the Royal British Legion and adopted the Poppy as their official symbol as well.

From Dweomera Lagomorpha

*unfortunately for the small town of Good Hope, being able to boast this unique and inspiring citizen has not been able to overshadow the most famous event to take place there. Some 5 miles from town there is a small bridge called Moore's Ford. And in 1946, after a long string of unfortunate circumstances, one evening culminated in the murder of 4 African-Americans, one of whom was pregnant. The murders have never been solved, and every year attract regional and sometimes depending on who is in attendance, national attention.