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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Patriotic Kitchen Counter Vignette

 

WELCOME through my red door!

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Oh don’t you just love patriotic holidays?

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They’re so festive.

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Red, white and blue is such a beautiful color combination.  So cheerful!

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The food alone is something we all look forward to.

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Barbecue ribs, hamburgers, hot dogs,

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baked beans, potato salad, corn on the cob…watermelon!

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Just love it!

Monday, June 27, 2011

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2011

 

My goodness!  Is it July already?  Wasn’t it just Easter?  After a long hiatus from blogland, I thought I couldn’t let America’s most important holiday slide by without paying tribute.

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I’m sure everyone has many memories of how they’ve celebrated the Fourth of July.  Some do the same thing every year.  Some do something different.

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Most celebrate with a cookout, barbecue or picnic with family  and friends in their backyards or at local parks,

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and follow the festivities with fireworks in their neighborhoods or by watching the town sponsored displays.

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In Maryland, backyard fireworks are prohibited, so you won’t see any stands in parking lots doing booming business.   But we can go to any number of the local cities’ beautiful shows.

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Or we have the privilege of fighting our way down to the National Mall to experience the fantastic shows put on there every year. 

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I moved to this area in 1979.   In 1980 the Beach Boys made their first performance on the 4th of July on the National Mall. 

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And that is where I spent the day that year!

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Now my memory doesn’t go back that far with complete accuracy, so I won’t even try to remember all the details.

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I do remember a very hot, muggy, DC day in the sweltering sun surrounded by thousands of people sitting on blankets.

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Some of them, most of them, drinking beer and smoking…stuff! 

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The day progressed with a great concert as I recall, and then the sun started baking some, most,  of those people sitting in such close proximity to me who were drinking beer and smoking…stuff. 

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The sights and smells turned unpleasant!  Time to move to another part of the mall for the fireworks extravaganza.

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Which didn’t disappoint!

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The ride home to Virginia on the Metro was a cattle call as it usually is after a huge event downtown. 

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But when you’re young,  an experience like that day is more exciting than bothersome.

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I’ve gone downtown for the fourth, maybe a couple of times more since then…with my husband and  kids.  But now the kids can go down on their own.

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And I’m content to watch those beautiful colors on TV, or down the street from the fairgrounds, rather than fighting the traffic and crowds.

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Or I’m content to celebrate America’s most important holiday on my deck with a great meal with friends and family, remembering (or trying to) past 4th’s.

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I hope I never grow too old to enjoy the sparkling bursts of explosions in the sky that we are privileged to experience with our senses wherever we live in this great country,

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reminding us always that we truly do live in the land of opportunity.

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I hope you all have a fun, happy and delicious celebration this year in honor of our country’s birthday!

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                                      HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

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                               And may God continue to bless us always!

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Hope to see you at all the festive red, white and blue parties at Table Top Tuesday and Between Naps on the Porch!

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Thanks for visiting!

Sheila