EVER WONDER HOW LABOR DAY BEGAN?

I wrote this a 

LONG TIME AGO

and thought you might like to read it.

Did you ever wonder why Labor Day

Was formed to give us rest?

Did you wonder how it happened

Why someone formed the quest?

The year was Eighteen Ninety-Four

When the railroad union took a stand,

They refused to switch Pullman cars,

Throughout this grand old land.

They struck for higher wages

When their income was reduced.

Their cost of goods still stayed the same,

And they couldn't be seduced.

George Pullman talked quite loftily

Something they didn't like,

It finally took  US Marshalls

To step in and end the strike.

When George Pullman later died,

His wife and children sobbed,

As they encased his coffin in concrete

So his grave would not be robbed.

After the strike was ended,

Grover Cleveland had his way.

He declared a day to honor workers,

And they called it Labor Day.

Thank you to my forefathers

Who worked the morns and nights,

To create an easier world,

To ensure I had my rights.

I am so very grateful,

That I can have my say,

I know that working is a privilege,

As is celebrating Labor Day.

©Diana Kosmoski/2011

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND EVERYONE!

HAPPY, BLESSED FOURTH OF JULY!!!

It is a day for celebration

for most of us.

We wave our flags 

and grill our burgers

and wolf down our hot dogs.

We stand in line for dripping

ice cream cones

and we stare at the sky

in awe as fireworks

feed us a feast for our eyes.

We are free.

What a blessing to be free.

But that freedom comes at a cost.

A big cost.

I see it every day I work at the VA.

I see the sacrifices made

 by men and women

to ensure our freedom.

So, take just a moment today

and whisper a

THANK YOU

to all those that fought for us

on this, and foreign, land.

Wing a prayer up 

for those families left behind

when their sons and daughters,

husbands and wives,

gave their lives for all of us.

Say a prayer, too,

for all those who served

and whose lives are forever altered.

Prayers, too, for those in

ACTIVE SERVICE.

I am so in debt to all of you!

I will leave you with one of my

very favorite photos

of SweetCheeks.

This was taken on our dock

about 4 years ago when the

fireworks were

bursting in the air over the bay.

THAT is 

WONDER & AWE

I hope I never lose that

WONDER & AWE

and I hope I never lose

my appreciation for this

GREAT COUNTRY.

GOD BLESS THE USA!

At 1pm today our

granddaughter, Lulu,

(Alana in real life)

will start the city festivities by singing

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER

and

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

We are so proud and so blessed!

Have a wonderful, safe

 4th of July!

A MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE-

I wrote this for Memorial Day

a few years ago but I think it is

relevant every day.

This means even more to me now that I am

volunteering at the VA Center here. 

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is here once more,

We fly the flags above our door,

We plant our flowers that mark the grave,

Of every soldier that was so brave,

They fought for freedom for everyone,

Many lives snuffed out by a sniper's gun.

We proudly march in our little bands,

As daybreak filters across our lands,

But I wonder if we can truly see,

What cost it was to make us free.

Confederate soldiers fought the Yanks,

Some brothers fought brothers in those ranks,

To free the downtrodden that were lost,

To free all men at any cost.

My father was a medic in World War One,

A war not talked about by anyone,

Some men lost limbs and some were gassed,

Some were picked up by comrades, others 

bypassed.

World War II! How tragic indeed,

People standing by watching others bleed.

Souls thrown to the winds with no remorse,

Foreign government standing on their own 

course.

Vietnam was not a war they said,

Then how come so many soldiers ended up 

dead?

No heroes welcome for them in sight,

They slunk home in the dead of night.

Should I go on-with Korea & Desert Storm?

Iran? Afghanistan? Are you getting warm?

Do you feel the pain you see in their face?

Does it make you squirm in your warm, safe 

place?

I've just one more thing I'd like to say,

It's about celebrating Memorial Day,

Look around and everything you see,

Was paid out in blood so that we are free.

Put your hand on your heart,

For the blue, white and red,

Raise your eyes to the flag,

Say a prayer for the dead.

Because of a soldier I can have my say,

So ~God Bless you this Memorial Day~

And To All Our Soldiers-

© Diana Kosmoski 5/31/10

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY-IS NOT SO HAPPY FOR SOME

I wrote this several years ago 

and I got so many private emails

from women who felt that I had

 'hit the nail on the head'.

Not all women have been blessed

with wonderful mothers.

I am away for the weekend.

Our first 'outing' since last Fall 

when John started cancer treatment.

However, I wanted to post this for all of you.

Mother's Day

Some of us have been blessed with wonderful Mothers.

Some of us have Mothers that were not quite so admirable.

Some of us have Mothers that praised us and adored us,

Some of us have Mothers that never said a kind word.

Some of us have Mothers that loved us unconditionally.

Some of us have Mothers that loved us only

if we met all her expectations,

and even that was not enough.

Some of us have Mothers that smiled readily.

Some of us have Mothers that never found much to smile about.

Some of us have Mothers that~

whatever we did~ it is more than they hoped for.

Some of us have Mothers that

no matter WHAT we did-it was never 

"quite right".

Some of us have Mothers that had a charmed childhood.

Some of us have Mothers that were raised in pain & shame.

Some of us have Mothers that

 need us & want us in their lives.

Some of us have Mothers that are needy

 and we seldom see them.

Some of us have Mothers that complete our lives.

Some of us have Mothers that

leave us aching, wanting and empty.

Some of us have Mothers that stand

on this side of the Great Beyond.

Some of us have Mothers that have passed

 over this earthly barrier.

Some of us will emulate our Mothers.

Some of us will vow to never be

anything like our Mothers.

Some of us are happy and fulfilled,

no matter what kind of Mother we had.

Some of us will never be happy

even if we were nurtured by an amazing Mother.

Today I am blessed to be a Mother.

My daughters are blessed to be Mothers, too.

Today I vow that I will be

the best mother (and grandmother) I can be.

Today I vow that I will love

as deeply as I can those that share my life.

Today I know that I am blessed indeed~

Today I hope that you find blessings

in your own life-

and love your Mother

even if it is just because she gave you life.

~Happy Mother's Day from Me to You~

©Nana Diana 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

I wrote this for Memorial Day

a while ago but I think it is

relevant every day.

This means even more to me now that I am

volunteering at the VA Center here. 

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is here once more,

We fly the flags above our door,

We plant our flowers that mark the grave,

Of every solider that was so brave,

They fought for freedom for everyone,

Many lives snuffed out by a sniper's gun.

We proudly march in our little bands,

As daybreak filters across our lands,

But I wonder if we can truly see,

What cost it was to make us free.

Confederate soldiers fought the Yanks,

Some brothers fought brothers in those ranks,

To free the downtrodden that were lost,

To free all men at any cost.

My father was a medic in World War One,

A war not talked about by anyone,

Some men lost limbs and some were gassed,

Some were picked up by comrades, others 

bypassed.

World War II! How tragic indeed,

People standing by watching others bleed.

Souls thrown to the winds with no remorse,

Foreign government standing on their own 

course.

Vietnam was not a war they said,

Then how come so many soldiers ended up 

dead?

No heroes welcome for them in sight,

They slunk home in the dead of night.

Should I go on-with Korea & Desert Storm?

Iran? Afghanistan? Are you getting warm?

Do you feel the pain you see in their face?

Does it make you squirm in your warm, safe 

place?

I've just one more thing I'd like to say,

It's about celebrating Memorial Day,

Look around and everything you see,

Was paid out in blood so that we are free.

Put your hand on your heart,

For the blue, white and red,

Raise your eyes to the flag,

Say a prayer for the dead.

Because of a solider I can have my say,

So ~God Bless you this Memorial Day~

And To All Our Soldiers-

© Diana Kosmoski 5/31/10

I will be back on Monday.

Thank you for all the positive and wonderful

feedback on my book.

You are all

THE BEST!