Theme: The first Memorial Day

[Judy Howle]

I restored this old 1941 reenactment photo and then used Portrait Painter at about 50% opacity over the original and I don't remember what else I did to it, other than adjusting color and tones. For the framing I chose a Photomorphis texture frame and I cropped it down some. I placed it over the image for a more antique look. Last, I added the text including the ending of the 1867 poem by Francis M. Finch that was inspired by the women of Columbus (my hometown) decorating the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers. His poem in the Atlantic Monthly sparked the creation of Memorial Day. At least in the South, it was called Decoration Day for many years.

Notice that they swept the ground at Friendship Cemetery which is large and has a lot of Confederate and some Union soldiers buried in it. That was easier than mowing as our mowing season is from early April until late October! Lots of people back then swept their yards too.

[Nancy Bell]

The textures and framing are outstanding, with the faint writing and the bluish colors, and the sepia tones uniting the entire image. When you say "swept the ground", do you mean remove all the vegetation to bare ground and then sweep it? In Africa, villagers would keep the ground totally bare around their huts so they could see the snakes easily.

[Anita Bower]

Everything works well together in this image. The frame is just right. I like the tones. Putting part of the poem on the frame was a nice idea. I, too, am a bit confused about the sweeping, as the ground looks littered.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Judy, very nicely conceived and executed. I love the writing on the frame and the history of the piece. In the south it was common for people to have dirt yards and they would sweep them to keep them tidy. They would usually have huge oak trees in their yard (for shade I guess) so grass didn't grow under them anyway. (I remember that from my childhood).

[Judy Howle]

Thanks Nancy! Yes they swept it to keep the grass off of it as it would be quite a chore to keep it under control otherwise.


The textures and framing are outstanding, with the faint writing and the bluish colors, and the sepia tones uniting the entire image. When you say "swept the ground", do you mean remove all the vegetation to bare ground and then sweep it? In Africa, villagers would keep the ground totally bare around their huts so they could see the snakes easily.

[Judy Howle]

Thanks Anita. The photo was made in winter so they didn't have to sweep it at that time of year. The litter appears to be magnolia leaves and pods from the large magnolia on the left.


Everything works well together in this image. The frame is just right. I like the tones. Putting part of the poem on the frame was a nice idea. I, too, am a bit confused about the sweeping, as the ground looks littered.

[Judy Howle]

Thanks Cheryl. Yes it was common in the South to have dirt yards.


Judy, very nicely conceived and executed. I love the writing on the frame and the history of the piece. In the south it was common for people to have dirt yards and they would sweep them to keep them tidy. They would usually have huge oak trees in their yard (for shade I guess) so grass didn't grow under them anyway. (I remember that from my childhood).

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Judy, I like your treatments and the assortment of image elements you used to make the image. I can remember being in Columbus, Georgia around 1971 or so and there were still dirt streets. Lots of history in the south...

[Judy Howle]

Thanks Kerry!

[Mitch Carucci]

I remember it being called decoration day. A day to decorate the graves. Nicely done restoration, but a sad image.

[Anita Bower]

Congratulations.