Sun. Nov 11, 2007 - Today is Remembrance Day in the UK, Veteran's Day in the US, and "Red Poppy" Day according to Ms. Jen.

Starting this Thursday, while at Chicago O'Hare airport, I saw a few red poppies pinned to coat lapels. Growing up in SoCal, I don't remember red poppy pins as a way to symbolize the Great War (WW1), although my Mom says they wore them to school when she was a child in the 1950s in Los Angeles.

The first time I can remember noting them was in Ireland two years ago. Ever since arriving here in the UK early on Friday morning, I am have been seeing Red Poppy lapel pins en masse.

Walking around Hyde Park, the Great War Memorial, the Australian Memorial, and St. James's Park this afternoon, red poppy wreaths and lapel pins were everywhere. I apparently just missed the big parade, but was just in time for the Welsh Guard veteran's march.