Happy Independence Day!!

And I'm proud to be an American,where at least I know I'm free.And I won't forget the men who died,who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood~~


We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.
~Robert J. McCracken~


In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.
~Franklin D. Roosevelt~



"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil Constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men."
~ Samuel Adams~



Happy Fourth Of July!
When we were kids that would mean a Day trip to the Beach. Usually down to Hunting Island. Back then the Island was in good shape. That was before Erosion and Hurricane Hugo took it's tole on the tiny island.


That was before the Island was a State Park. You just drove right down to the ocean back then and parked. We would find us a shelter and Set up all of our food and then we would get our feet in the ocean. I say this that way because if we got in much over our ankles Mama would yell for us to come back. That was just for us smaller ones though.. I well remember David being way out in the water once with His friend Frank Northcutt and you could barely see their heads bobbing up and down in the waves. I hoped and prayed for the day I too would be FREE to go deep into the wonderful Ocean water. Now that I could swim safely out that far I choose not to. Who knows what might be waiting on an old Lady like me just beneath those wonderful waves?



Daddy would sometimes take one of us by the hand and lead the chain of kids a tiny bit deeper into the waves Letting us jump over them before they washed over our feet. The salty water would splash into our faces as we screamed and yelled like crazy. Hopping over the foaming waves as they barely covered our ankles.


Mama would sit in the shade of the palms along the edge of the beach and crochet or knit. She had long hair and would let it hang down her back that day. I would run to her every little while and dry my eyes on her long dark hair. Rubbing them against her head. She would laugh and say.. "Now don't go too deep"... And as I scampered back to the water she'd always say.. " Yall better watch for jelly fish!" I think we all used her hair as a towel because by the end of the day her hair would be damp and trying to curl into ringlets as it hung down her back. Even Now I can picture her there smiling as we wiped Our eyes on her Hair. Content to watch over us from the shade of a tree. Counting us every so often to be sure we were all still where she could see us.


We would come in and out of the water and eat Chicken and sandwiches. Drinking Cool-aid from the jugs in the cooler. We would toss bread crumbs to the sea gulls as they circled us calling in others from far away.Until there would be a cloud of birds overhead grabbing the crumbs we would toss to them.

I have almost always spent The Forth Of July on the beach. I was In New Mexico last year On this holiday and Today I am at home. Dave and I talked about going to the beach.. Somehow we aren't there. But I guess that's what Independence and freedom are all about. The fact that we have a choice in what we do.. How we worship and where we go and when we go there. And even in who we go with.


On July 4, 1776, America claimed independence from Britain and Democracy was born. Every day thousands of people leave their homes to come to the "land of the free and the home of the brave" so they too can take part in the American Dream. The United States is a nation made up of Many different types of people. From many different Cultures and Nations. Each year on July 4, Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with barbecues, trips, picnics, and family gatherings. Many will shoot fireworks tonight and I remind everyone to be very careful with those!

Today, On Independence Day, let us remember the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. Let us remember those who have died for our rights.
Let us remember the families who have given sons and daughters for our freedoms. Let us also remember the great ideals that gave birth to this great nation.

Happy Birthday, America !!
Land Of the Free!
Home Of the BRAVE!