As a tribute to Flag Day and Father’s Day I did a sketch at a National Cemetery.

My stepfather, a Vietnam Veteran, was laid to rest at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon.

The military service was very moving, especially when Taps was played.

When Steve was laid to rest, the tombstones were backlogged so I knew I wanted to return to see and sketch the military marker.

One my way up to my mother’s on my official first day of summer, I stopped at the National Cemetery just after it opened at 8 AM on a Friday morning.

Cars were already lined up for a morning service and there were plenty of cars parked in the parking lot.

The tall flag pole at the center of the cemetery had the Stars and Stripes flying at full staff.

I found Steve’s marker and I was surprised to see how many markers had fallen in line since my visit about a month ago.

I picked a sketching perspective with Steve’s marker in the foreground and the line of marble reaching out to the distant trees. Above the trees was the flag at full staff (featured sketch).

Shortly after my sketch the flag was lowered to half staff, a sign of mourning. I later found out that at Arlington National Cemetery, flags are lowered to half staff, half an hour before the first funeral of the day and a half an hour after the last funeral of the day. I expect this National Cemetery follows the same procedures as its more famous eastern counterpart.