A STAY AT HOME FOURTH OF JULY

We stayed home this year for the Fourth of July.  We just weren't in the mood to picnic or see the fireworks.  To our surprise, our neighborhood came alive with fireworks, all illegal. With mixed feelings we watched these displays, while news that several Fourth of July parades and professional fire works displays went haywire, in particular the event in Simi Valley, California, where some of the fireworks shot into the crowds instead of the air.

There's something to be said for staying HOME SWEET HOME!  Something to be said for leaving all the "to do" lists on the desk and just sitting around doing nothing much real well!

WE'RE GETTING READY FOR OUR FOURTH OF JULY PICNIC !

We're almost ready for our Fourth of July Picnic. All we have to do is buy the food. On the menu, corn of course, along with the usual - burgers, chicken, hotdogs... pickles, relish, mustard, ketchup, mayo, and some home made potato salad with onions and bell peppers, cut small.

We also plan to run a couple movies on DVD borrowed from our public library and play some patriotic music, before we watch the fireworks, which luckily we can see without having to travel to a fairgrounds or football stadium to watch...

We challenge you to have a Fourth of July Picnic, where the tablecloth, the plastic utencils, paper plates, and decorations are all MADE IN THE USA!

NOWS THE TIME TO PLAN A PATRIOTIC PARTY! 4TH OF JULY? THE ELECTIONS?

It's not too soon to host a PATRIOTIC PARTY. Fouth of July is the obvious choice, but you might also want to think about election parties, President's Day, or, well YOU DON'T NEED AN EXCUSE TO THROW A PATRIOTIC PARTY, especially not for the kids.

HERE IS THE CHALLENGE!

Everything you serve, everything you use to serve, everything you use to decorate, everything from the TP and the GUEST TOWELS IN THE BATHROOM to the GRILL, OVEN, or MICROWAVE must be MADE IN THE USA - even if it's VINTAGE!

More, all guests should be advised that they need to wear clothes and shoes and hats MADE IN THE USA - even it it's VINTAGE!

We went shopping to a variety of dollar themed stores in our area from chains to independents and we know you can find CHEAP PARTY DECORATIONS that aren't made here...

Tempting to buy them, but then what do you do after? Usually throw away all that paper and plastic to fill our landfills where, covered with earth, it will take them years - even hundreds of years - to deteriorate. You're throwing away your time, energy, effort, and making more expense ultimately for yourself by doing so.

Look through what you already have, or go thrift shopping! We found mugs from the last Presidential Election at a thrift store for both Democrats and Republicans!

ARTIST JOHN TRUMBELL - THE MAKING OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Or well, the start of it. Everyone who has ever come to this country has been part of making it great, and we must continue to do so.

This image, like many others on this blog, is courtesey of Dover Publishing. Artist John Trumbell.

MAXFIELD PARRISH WITH TRUMPET and DRUM 1904

The Great American artist Maxfield Parrish ...