God Bless America! 6-30-2019

Thoughts and Quotes: The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival…with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore. You will think me transported with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration and support and defend these States. Yet, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory.
           John Adams, letter to wife Abigail, July 3^rd, 1776, Philadelphia

Yes, I know I've posted it before, but we need to be reminded. At my age, I can remember saying the Pledge of Allegiance every morning in class. I remember the pride we felt, just being Americans, citizens of the greatest country on earth. Now many apologize for our country (though millions are striving to live here), and I also remember the pride we felt as a nation of people who worked hard to be self-sufficient, taking care of ourselves and our neighbors in need. Government handouts wounded our pride. Now the trend seems to be how to work the system to get as many freebies as possible. Abe was very wise when he said:

At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? — Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant to step the Ocean and crush us at a blow? Never! — All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years. At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.
                                                     Abraham Lincoln

And then in the comic strip, Pogo so wisely said, "We have seen the enemy and he is us."

And think about this: 

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage.”  Alexander Fraser Tytler

My weekly fun read - Dying for a Drive by Susan Harper

This is the first in a series, so I'll see if the next book is better. If not, I'll move on.
Click HERE.

My weekly salad - Audell's Broccoli Salad

AUDELL’S BROCCOLI SALAD

Salad:

4 cups small pieces raw broccoli florets

1/2 cup raisins or craisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice

1/2 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup cooked bacon torn in pieces

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Mix salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Thoroughly mix dressing ingredients and pour over.

Toss and chill.

And I had my Sunday afternoon nap. Kitties loved it. So did I.

The Summer Bucket List: I've added a few items.

Have a summer tea

Have Christmas in July - I copied this from My Special Girls Up North. They do it every year.

Plan a one-week staycation

The Pepper and Pals Report: It seems I've caused some confusion about kitties by posting too many photos. 

I have two indoor kitties - Pepper (a feral when injured, but stayed after recuperating)

Stormy (a feral who came to me when she was trying to abort a large dead kitten and stayed after recuperating)

Outdoor feral kitties: Clockwise starting with Midnight (the black one), Ginger, Flower, Fred, and BJ

Midnight (Pepper's sister) is the mother. She had only one kitten first, and that's BJ. Then she had Fred, Ginger and Flower.

Midnight and Ginger have disappeared.

Flower (who looked like a skunk when he was a kitten) lets me pet him and wants to be an indoor kitty, but Stormy won't let him

Fred comes occasionally and is very shy - won't let me near him.

BJ, who keeps having litters who disappear. I caught her in the trap once but had to release her because I forgot the vet is closed on Thursday afternoons. Now she's trap-shy. She had a litter of five and only one survived because she decided to become a house cat and ran in the door every time I opened it. She is Veronica - more on her later.

Then BJ had a litter of six who disappeared. 

Now she's had a litter of three and two are gone for sure and the other (Sweetie Face) a maybe. I haven't seen it for two days.

So I have two indoor - Pepper and Stormy; two outdoor regulars - Flower and BJ; one outdoor occasionally - Fred; and one maybe kitten - Sweetie Face

My friend Nancy adopted Veronica so her Pocket (boy kitty) would have company. Those are the two I showed last week which probably caused the confusion. Veronica (named for Veronica Lake) is the kitty who kept running into the house, and Pocket is not related to any of the others.

I've had eight kitties spayed or neutered (including my neighbor's cat, with her permission), but BJ (the only one left) MUST be caught. If Sweetie Face doesn't show up, the trap goes back out.

Time to Get Busy: I keep doing tables and meals and taking photos, but I haven't worked on my books in over a year. I tend to stick with the familiar and shy away from the unknown. I don't know how to do the books, though I have twelve dinners for the first theme dining book ready to go; nine for the second theme dining book ready to go; and all fifty-two photos for the tablescape book ready. I just need to refine the tea book. 

You know that I believe in signs from the Universe and from those who have crossed over. Yesterday I dropped into the local Chinese restaurant to pick up food for lunch and here's my fortune from my cookie:

My books are mostly photos, not words, but I got the message. I'm on it starting 7/5.

I'll keep in touch, even if it's just to say "Hi".

GOD BLESS THE USA

PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY

ENJOY YOUR JULY 4TH HOLIDAY

WATCH SOME FIREWORKS

HAVE A PICNIC OR BARBECUE

THANK YOU FOR SHARING MY LIFE