The True Meaning of Memorial Day Weekend, 2026 Edition

I looked at last year’s column True Meaning of Memorial Day Weekend, and thought I can’t improve. With a few modification, I updated last year’s column is presented here:

Memorial Day weekend is often associated with the start of the summer season here in America. With the TV full of stores advertising Memorial Day sales, many people have forgotten the true meaning of the holiday. A few years ago, I created this mixed-media digital photo painting over Memorial Day weekend to remember all the people who lost their lives fighting to keep our wonderful country free.

I want to wish all veterans a Happy Memorial Day. Although I’m not a veteran (I still remember my draft number, 304), many of my friends served in the armed forces. Too many of them are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall on the National Mall in Washington, DC. When I graduated from high school in 1972, the service was not a popular option – the Vietnam War was in full swing.

Still, I’m very proud of my time working for DoD. For almost a decade, I was a civilian contractor technical writer working for the group that ran the Pentagon’s mainframe computers. Working with the military personnel, I learned that this day still means something special to my former co-workers. I especially learned the meaning of Memorial Day while watching co-workers who had to deal with the life of their spouses deployed on the battlefield.

Be safe, and have a great Memorial Day. Just remember to take a moment and think about the real reason why we celebrate this holiday weekend.

Golf a la Cart Book Version 2 Update

Now available on Amazon.com, in digital and paperback formats, my new book “Golf a la Cart Version 2: Selected Adventures on the Golf Course.”

From 1990 – 2010, I traveled, took photographs, played golf courses, and wrote articles for regional golf magazines. “Golf a la Cart Version 2” is a book containing a selection of golf travel articles. Version 2 is the expanded version of “Golf a la Cart” with better typeface and more pictures. Chapters include golf courses in Williamsburg, Virginia; Myrtle Beach; Jamaica; the Piedmont; and the Maverick Golf Trail.

“Golf a la Cart Version 2” also contains articles and columns I wrote about the golf environment. Subjects include Golf Etiquette, Senior Golfer, Being a Guest at a Country Club, LPGA is Better (LPGA vs PGA), Play it Forward, Going Home (to play golf), Golf with Jack (my father and my beginnings in golf), and Tiger Woods 2.0.

P.B.S. Studios

P.B.S. Studios is a feature and content writer/photography/digital painting company that has written and published over a hundred articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. I’ve also had many other photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. As a digital photo painter, I’ve displayed my work in shops, libraries, galleries, restaurants, commercial buildings (including Manassas City Hall), and on banners.

Check out the gallery section on my website, www.pbsstudios.com, to see digital photo paintings and other examples of my work. Please Note: All photographs and digital paintings are for sale, and you can purchase them online through my Etsy Store.

My book, “Creating Digital Paintings,” is also for sale. It’s a revised, updated, and expanded version of the 2019 publication of “Photo Painting using Adobe Photoshop.” It’s a hands-on, practical guide that shows you how to create a digital painting from a photograph or freehand.

For more information, please email me at psmolens@pbsstudios.com.