A Firecracker Of A Hodgepodge…

Another month has come and gone, and today marks the beginning of a brand new one.  What better way to celebrate than with The Wednesday Hodgepodge?!  Take off your shoes, grab a cold drink, and stay a while, won’t you?

This fun ‘escape from reality’ wouldn’t be possible without our hostess, Joyce, so I’m eternally grateful for her, as well as The Hodgepodge, today.

Here are today’s questions:

1. On Saturday July 4th America celebrates her Independence. (If you’re not American,  feel free to answer in terms of a national holiday in your own country)

I used to look forward to the fireworks displays, the most, but, these days, my favorite thing about the fourth is being with family.  The grilled food is an added bonus.

Your favorite food on the 4th?

My favorite food, on the 4th, is bar-b-q chicken or ribs, with all of the trimmings, of course.

Do you fly a flag at your house? 

We don’t fly an actual flag, at our house, but I have lots of patriotic decorations, including a couple of small flags sticking out of the top of my ‘year round’ tree.

Any special plans this year?

We’re keeping our Fourth of July celebration small, this year, and just planning to grill some burgers/hot dogs, late in the afternoon.

The celebration of Independence Day has lost some of its luster for me, these days.  We’ve lost so many of the freedoms we once enjoyed, I’m just not feeling as ‘free’ as I once did.

Fireworks-yay or nay?

Nay. Ed and I stopped attending fireworks displays, several years ago.  The last fireworks we saw were back in 2010–on St. Simon’s Island. We don’t care much for the traffic or the crowds that go along with the fireworks.

What is your favorite thing about the day?

Food and family, but not necessarily in that order!

2. What’s something you recently got for free?

I received some free gifts from Shutterfly, a while back– a photo magnet, and a couple of 8×10 enlargements.  Of course, I had to pay for shipping, so they weren’t totally free.

3.  The Statue of Liberty, The Liberty Bell, The Washington Monument, or Mount Rushmore…how many on the list have you seen? What is your favorite historical American monument, and why?

I haven’t seen any of these, but I’d like to see them all.  The Statue of Liberty has always fascinated me, so I guess it would be my favorite.

4. When it comes to the news are you more ostrich (stick my head in the sand) or hog (they have room to take a whole lot in)? How much attention have you given the recent news reports regarding ISIS and the acts of terror they’ve perpetrated against those who do not share their beliefs or support their cause?

For a long time, I was ‘a news hog’, but, eventually, things changed.  I found myself growing more and more anxious and a bit depressed about the direction our country is headed.  I could literally feel my body growing tense, and my blood pressure rising every time I watched the evening news.  Eventually, I made the decision to become more like an ostrich!  We still keep up with the news via the internet, but current events no longer dominate our lives like they once did.

5. We’re talking plain ice cream…vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry? Choose one.

Chocolate!

6. Share a song you love containing the word ‘stars’ in the lyrics or title?

Tracy Byrd’s “Keeper of the Stars”.  Our daughter and her husband had someone sing this song at their wedding, almost 14 years ago.

7. Describe and/or say goodbye to June with an acrostic.

J- Just celebrated 43 years of marriage on the 18th

U– Unbearable heat, for days on end

N– New challenges every day

E-Excited to see the month end

Random:

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I thought I’d share some of my favorite patriotic pics of some of the “grands” when they were much smaller.  Oh, the days pass so quickly!  Where have our babies gone?

granddaughter, Madison (2007)

grandson, Caden with his mom (2009)

an older Caden, with his little brother, Chase (2011, I think)

~~~~~~~~~~

Have a safe and happy 4th everyone!

one of the views from my chair on SSI