For her birthday, I had arranged for Dawn (and I) to participate in an authentic Japanese tea ceremony, something she has wanted to experience for many years. As a special honor, ours was overseen by Sekino-sensei, the 93-year-old teacher at Nichi Bei Kai in San Francisco, and hosted by her daughter-in-law, a master of tea ceremony. John, a senior practitioner, acted as her assistant as well as our interpreter and teacher.

Tea ceremony (茶道, chadō - “the way of tea”) is a traditional ritual based on Taoism (Daoism) and influenced by Zen Buddhism in which powdered green tea is ceremonially prepared by a skilled practitioner and served to a small group of guests in a tranquil setting, in our case a traditional tea room. Since a tea practitioner must be familiar with the production and types of tea, with kimono, calligraphy, flower arranging, ceramics, incense and a wide range of other disciplines and traditional arts in addition to his or her school’s tea practices, the study of the tea ceremony takes many years and often lasts a lifetime. Even to participate as a guest in a formal tea ceremony requires knowledge of the prescribed gestures and phrases, the proper way to take tea and sweets, and general deportment in the tea room. Although Dawn and I had done some research on the subject of tea ceremony, each of the three major schools conduct their various ceremonies differently, so we relied heavily on John for instruction and guidance.

A significant part of the experience is becoming acquainted with the tools (道具, dōgu) and components used in the ceremony. There are many, but briefly they include a large iron pot which, in winter, is set into a recessed hearth and used to heat the water; a long bamboo ladle (hishaku 柄杓) with a nodule in the approximate center of the handle, used to transfer water to and from the iron pot; the tea caddy (natsume 棗) containing powdered green tea (matcha (抹茶); the tea scoop (chashaku 茶杓), usually carved from a single piece of bamboo or ivory and used to scoop tea from the tea caddy into the tea bowl; the whisk (chasen 茶筅), carved from a single piece of bamboo and used to mix the powered tea and water; and, of course, the tea bowl (chawan 茶碗). The best bowls are thrown by hand and some are extremely valuable, even priceless. Frequently named by their creators or owners, or by a tea master, bowls over four hundred years old, like the 16th century Black Raku chawan pictured below, are in use today but are used only on unusually special occasions. We were honored to use such a bowl in our ceremony.

Integral to the Japanese tea ceremony, and by far the most difficult part for me, is seiza, the basic position from which everything begins and ends. Both the host and guests sit seiza style, basically kneeling and sitting back on one’s feet, and maintain the position during the entire ceremony. All the bows performed during tea ceremony originate in the seiza position. If one isn’t used to sitting in this position for long periods of time, it can be quite uncomfortable, even painful. It certainly was for me, although Dawn had little difficulty.

Because ours was a somewhat formal ceremony, both our host and her assistant wore kimonos and we, had we owned them, would have been expected to wear kimonos as well. Dawn was the honored guest and so sat in the first position, with me to her left. She was served first and was the one to whom fell the honor of requesting permission for us to inspect the utensils before they were put away.

Our experience was memorable, enlightening and educational, a treasured glimpse into an ancient custom and culture. We were welcomed into another world and treated as honored guests. It was a wonderful and humbling experience!

Following the ceremony, we watched a student learning the intricacies of serving “thick tea.” I took the opening photo before we departed - left to right are John, our host’s assistant and our guide; Sekino-sensei, the school’s 93-year-old teacher; Dawn, the birthday girl and guest of honor; our host, Sekino-sensei’s daughter-in-law; and a student observer.

I ran across an article I’d written and posted on my AFP website last year about “Friday the Thirteenth” and thought I’d share with you some of what I learned about the subject. At least a few of you, I’m sure, believe that day to be unlucky while others of you believe it to be nothing more than superstitious folklore. Regardless, it is what it is and, right or wrong, some folks take it quite seriously. Here are a few factoids:

A Friday occurring on the 13th day of any month is considered to be a day of bad luck in English and Portuguese-speaking cultures around the globe. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia. (Say that three times quickly!) All months whose first day falls on a Sunday will contain a Friday the 13th. (Didn’t know that, did you!)

The first recorded incident relating to Friday the 13th refers to the massacre of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307. Pope Clement V viewed the Templar as a threat, so he decreed that they be eliminated. The Vatican was not directly involved in the massacre, but rather acted through King Philip IV of France. Philip sent letters to his forces all over the country with instructions to seek out and arrest all known members of the Knights, slaughter those that resisted, and capture Jacques DeMolay, the last known Grand Master of the Knights Templar.

Another possible origin relates to the Last Supper. Judas, the thirteenth guest, was instrumental in the Crucifixion of Jesus, which is believed to have happened on a Friday. Other theories suggest that Eve offered the apple to Adam on a Friday or the slaying of Abel happened on a Friday.

Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they’re simply unable to get out of bed when Friday the 13th rolls around. The Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute estimates that more than 17 million people are affected by a fear of this day. A British Medical Journal study has shown that there is a significant increase in traffic related accidents on Friday the 13ths. (Despite that, representatives for both Delta and Continental Airlines say that their airlines don’t suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays.)

An interesting side note: In the Spanish-speaking world, it is Tuesday the 13th (as well as Tuesdays in general) that brings bad luck; a Spanish proverb reads, “En martes, ni te cases ni te embarques.” (On Tuesday, neither get married nor start a journey.)

Those of you who believe in this sort of thing will be relieved to know that 2007’s two occurrence of Friday the Thirteenth have already come and gone. 2008 will have just one — in June. But watch out in 2009 which has three — February, March and November! The chart on the right will help remind you which days to stay in bed, at least during the current 28 year cycle.

So, is Friday the thirteenth really unlucky or is this belief just a hangover from the time when the patriarchal, male-centered religion of Christianity was trying to differentiate itself from and destroy its ancient, pagan, goddess-loving competitors? Decide for yourself. You can learn more about Friday the thirteenth here, here and here. And no, none of the preceding material was sourced from Dan Brown’s fictional novel The Da Vinci Code. No, not the movie, either. Really.

I’m sure there’s a “phobia” name for the fear of DMV eye tests but I haven’t yet identified it. Irrational you say? Of course, but aren’t all phobias? And it’s not a gripping, debilitating fear. In fact, it’s more a nagging worry than an actual fear, a kind of “mini” phobia.” But ever since I hit my mid-fifties, I’ve had to take an eye test at DMV in order to renew my driver license for another five years, and each time I receive the curt reminder from DMV, I spend a month or more dreading the appointment.

Not that there’s anything wrong with my eyesight, mind you. It was 20/10 when I was in the Air Force and has always been above average. That is, until the aforementioned mid-fifties when I noticed I had to hold the newspaper a little farther away each year in order to read it and could no longer read road signs from as great a distance. So I guess you could say I’ve been avoiding the possibility that maybe, just maybe, I could use prescription glasses. And before you ask, yes, I have a pair of those drug store “cheaters” for reading but seldom use them!

I said that mine is a “mini” phobia that only occurs for about thirty days every five years. My friend Dave, on the other hand, suffers far longer. While enjoying cigars in Michael’s back yard a while back, he shared with me his own DMV-eye-test-phobia (for lack of a better term) and went into vivid detail about how terribly worried he was about his looming DMV eye test which, at the time, was more than a year away. If I were to venture an unqualified guess, I’d say his is closer to a “full size” phobia.

Anyway, I received the DMV “notice” about a month ago, reluctantly made an appointment for 9:20 yesterday morning and worried all month that, since my eyes aren’t what they once were, I wouldn’t be able to pass the eye test. I arrived at the Folsom branch of DMV about ten minutes early and was surprised to find only a few people waiting. I picked up my number at the designated window, was called after about five minutes and proceeded to Window 14 where a friendly (yes, even cheerful!) lady took my $27 and had me read a few lines on the eye chart behind her. And what do you know, it was a piece of cake just like the last two times I took it! All that worry for nothing!

She punched a hole in my old license (so I could keep it, I suppose, to remember how I looked before the gray set in) and directed me to another window to be thumbprinted and have a new photo taken. I suppose my mug needed updating; the last two times I renewed, they’d asked if I wanted to use the old photo and, since it was a pretty decent one, I’d agreed. But after fifteen years I must look a little older — this time the option wasn’t even offered.

Oh, well. My darling wife says my graying hair makes me look more debonair (I’m reserving judgement until I see my new license.) But at least I can put away my dreaded DMV eye test phobia for another five years. Maybe by then I’ll have come up with a more clinical sounding name for it.

We Americans often manage to put a humorous spin on events completely lacking in humor. And while I’m the first to laugh at good satirical humor, let’s not lose sight of the issue currently involving Michael Vick. Ever see a “professional” dog fight? “Gypsy” has. Click on the photo on the right for a closer look. And some people still think dog fighting is no big deal?

I’ve been following the Michael Vick story - so have you if you’ve read a paper or watched TV - and had decided not to comment, at least until the dust settles. But with his recent confession, I feel obliged to speculate on where the case might end up.

Let me first say that I abhor animal cruelty in any form and especially the so-called “sport” of training dogs to try to kill one another on command for the enjoyment of betting spectators. It’s a felony and Vick has finally admitted to his involvement in it. Everyone, with the possible exception of some die-hard Falcons fans, agrees that he should be punished. But we appear to be a divided camp, with one side contending that his not insignificant loss of income from endorsements is adequate punishment, and the other believing that he should face formal sanctions like anyone else similarly charged, that the courtroom should be a place that considers only the facts of the case with sentences based on that alone. I stand squarely in the latter camp.

So now that Vick has “confessed” and shown “contrition,” what’s next? Well, we’ll likely endure the usual public teary “apologies” followed by an obligatory appearance on Oprah where Vick will blubber how sorry he is, how he’s now found Jesus, and how he hopes people will forgive him for his “mistake.” Perhaps a probing interview by Larry King will follow, and maybe a book about how he followed the wrong path, found salvation and enlightenment, and established a foundation or two to help “under privileged” children learn to do the right thing. Eventually, folks will forget about Michael Vick’s evil deeds and, if he’s still young enough to play football after serving his sentence, another team will pick him up.

Some apparently feel he should be banned from the NFL. Sorry, but that’s going too far in my opinion. I don’t believe in taking away a man’s millstone. If he serves his time and if anyone will hire him to play or offer him endorsement contracts (pretty big “ifs” right now), then fine. Neuter him? Ban him from the NFL? That would be unreasonable punishment.

As a side note, I’m often amazed and sometimes appalled at how some people manage to find ways to make a quick buck off other folk’s troubles. To wit: The Official “Vick’s” Dog Chew Toy and chewed up Michael Vick memorabilia being offered on eBay. Only in America.

We live in a great, wonderful country filled with hope, freedom, respect for others and for the rule of law, and offering a system of self government that assures that these virtues will remain for our grandchildren and for their grandchildren. We relish diversity, not for diversity’s sake but because we learn from it as it assimilates into our American culture. And we’re a proud, noble people willing to fight any foe that might challenge our freedoms and way of life.

John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” He couldn’t have imagined that his words would still resonate after four decades. The brave men and women of our armed forces are today fighting to protect the very freedoms we too often take for granted. I think he would be proud.

But this war, the war against terror, is unlike any we’ve fought before. We’re still fighting for our basic freedoms and for democracy, but we’re at war with an evil, fanatical ideology that seeks to conquer and dominate the very underpinnings of our free society. Our enemy doesn’t wear distinctive uniforms and so they are all but impossible to recognize until they fire on us. Yet we’re engaging them on their own turf in a noble effort to spoil their goal of world domination and, perhaps idealistically, provide them an alternative form of government since, clearly, theirs hasn’t worked after thousands of years.

And we’re fighting for independence, our own and for others who seek it. Sure, we argue contentiously amongst ourselves over the cost of resources in both human and economic terms, but we all want what’s best for all concerned. We may not always agree on the best approach, but our beliefs are anchored in moral judgement, in doing what’s right, and from that we never waver. It’s one of the great things about Americans and our form of democratic self government.

My father was a B-29 pilot during WWII and part of what many call “the greatest generation,” willing and eager to defend our freedoms and those of our allies. He taught me and my brothers to respect our flag and our National Anthem, that they are symbolic of the men and women who have fought and died for our country and our way of life. I am immensely proud of his steadfast patriotism.

So when I hear our National Anthem and see our flag pass during a parade, I often think of him. I stand, cover my heart and salute just as he taught me. At 86, he’s still a devoutly proud American…and because of him, so am I.

Remember to check out the other Patriotic Journeyers… JimK, Scott, Larry, Drumwaster, and Cosmicbabe.

Today we welcome the Summer Solstice and the official first day of summer, although we’ve been experiencing summer-like temps in the Sacramento area for some time now. If you haven’t already, it’s time to scrape last year’s crud off the grill and kick off the BBQ season!

The timing of the Summer Solstice, my good friend Michael reminds me, depends on when the sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator. This occurs each year between June 20 and 22, this year the 21st at exactly 11:06 A.M. PDT. The word solstice is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and stitium (to stop), reflecting the fact that the sun appears to stop at this time (and again at the winter solstice.)

Midsummer Day falls this year on June 24. Midsummer Eve and Midsummer Day are considered sacred to lovers. Says Michael:

“On Midsummer Eve, pick seven different wildflowers and then walk home silently and backward. Place the flowers under your pillow and dream of your future husband.”

(Or wife, I suppose, as the case may be.) I’m not sure what’s supposed to happen; perhaps you’ll find one or the other under your pillow when you awaken?

In Lithuanian tradition, the dew on Midsummer Day morning was said to make young girls beautiful and old people look younger. It was also thought that walking barefoot in the dew would keep your skin from getting chapped. Hmmm…Need some of that…

Michael also tells me that the Summer Solstice heralds a national event in Finland where the entire country basically takes the week off and gets drunk while burning things. He may be pulling my leg on this one…

And according to Selena Fox:

“The Goddess manifests as Mother Earth and the God as the Sun King. Colors are Yellow, Green, and Blue. It is a festival of community sharing and planetary service.

Celebrate Solstice time with other Pagans — take part in the Pagan Spirit Gathering or some other Pagan festival happening during June. Keep a Sacred Fire burning throughout the gathering. Stay up all night on Solstice Eve and welcome the rising Sun at dawn. Make a pledge to Mother Earth of something that you will do to improve the environment and then begin carrying it out. Have a magical gift exchange with friends. Burn your Yule wreath in a Summer Solstice bonfire. Exchange songs, chants, and stories with others in person or through the mail. Do ecstatic dancing to drums around a blazing bonfire.”

Don’t know if I’ll go that  far, but I will at least clean the grill…

Another thing great about America is our apple pie. It’s what our country and flag are “as American as”, right? Since the earliest colonial days, apple pies have been enjoyed in America for breakfast, as an entrée and for dinner. Colonists wrote home about them and foreign visitors noted apple pie as one of our first culinary specialties.

We’ve all heard or used the expression, “As American as apple pie” to refer to things we know to have originated in America or otherwise associate with Americana. So you might be surprised to learn that apple pie may not have actually been invented here, at least according to Wikipedia and a few other sources that point out that apple trees weren’t indigenous to the colonies and had to be imported as saplings, and that Europeans made all sorts of pies before the colonies were even established.

“We may have taken (apple pie) to our hearts, but it is neither our invention nor even indigenous to our country. In fact, the apple pie predates our country’s settlement by hundreds of years,” writes Lee Edwards Benning in Cook’s Tales.

Yet there are American apple-pie recipes, both manuscript and printed, from the eighteenth century, and it has since become a very popular dessert. And if the food-loving Pennsylvania Dutch people didn’t invent apple pie, they certainly perfected it. Evan Jones in American Food, The Gastronomic Story writes:

“Some social chroniclers seem convinced that fruit pies, as Americans now know them, were invented by the Pennsylvania Dutch. Potters in the southeastern counties of the state were making pie plates in the early eighteenth century, and cooks had begun to envelop with crisp crusts every fruit that grew in the region. ‘It may be,’ Frederick Klees asserts, ‘that, during the Revolution, men from the other colonies came to know this dish in Pennsylvania and carried this knowledge back home to establish apple and other fruit pies as the great American dessert.’”

Personally, I stand with Jones. Europeans may have invented something they called apple pie, but I’d wager that the colonists, particularly the Pennsylvania Dutch, reinvented whatever it was and made it as American as, well, apple pie! And whenever I enjoy a slice of warmed Dutch apple, usually with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top, I heartily thank those early Dutch settlers!

I guess what I’m saying, in a somewhat roundabout way, is that I’m really proud of America and her wonderful all American apple pie. So the next time you refer to the cotton gin, the telephone, jazz, the iPod or any of the myriad things we Americans have invented throughout our short history, go ahead and say, with well deserved pride, that they’re “as American as apple pie” because, after all, they really are.

Check out the patriots taking this journey with me: JimK, Scott, Larry, Drumwaster, and Cosmicbabe.

One thing you have to love about America is our western movies. To me they’re pure Americana, especially if they starred John Wayne. What makes the Duke special? Well, my father was a big Wayne fan and, thanks to these two men, I fell in love with film, especially the western. It’s a love that remains strong to this day.

Western movies were, for me,  an uncharted land filled with danger and excitement. They represented a place where a man lived by his own rules, where, to quote Wayne, “There’s right and there’s wrong. You got to do one or the other. You do the one and you’re living. You do the other and you may be walking around, but you’re dead as a beaver hat.” The westerns I watched growing up were always centered around morality and I believe they helped shape my views on right and wrong.

Of course, Wayne didn’t just star in westerns. I watched him kill half of the Japanese army, wrestle a giant octopus not once, but twice (okay, one was a squid), get lost in the desert with Sophia Loren, put out oil fires and catch animals in Africa. But the westerns were my favorites. John Ford’s cavalry trilogy, Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo and El Dorado, his Oscar winning turn in True Grit and, of course, The Shootist and The Cowboys were some of my more recent favorites. But I think my all time favorite Wayne western was The Searchers.

But film wasn’t my only exposure to westerns. My dad and I watched all the TV westerns during their heyday. Hondo, Have Gun Will Travel, Sugerfoot, Cheyenne, Bronco, Wanted Dead or Alive, Trackdown, Lawman, The Rifleman, Maverick, Tales of Wells Fargo, Death Valley Days, and, of course, Gunsmoke were regular events at our house. And before them (although my dad seldom watched them with me) were Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, The Lone Ranger, and The Cisco Kid. In all of them, the underlying message was one of basic, cowboy morality, doing what’s right ‘cause it’s right.

Many of my most vivid memories of growing up are shared film or TV experiences with my father. Even now, when I watch a modern western like Open Range, I find myself thinking, “Dad would have enjoyed this.”

Yes, the western movie is as American as, well, apple pie. But that’ll be another post during this journey.

Remember to check out the other Patriotic Journeyers… JimK, Scott, Larry, Drumwaster, and Cosmicbabe.

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag - the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory.  Here’s a very condensed history of why we celebrate our flag today:

Since 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14, Americans have commemorated the adoption of the Stars and Stripes by celebrating June 14 as Flag Day. Prior to 1916, many localities and a few states had been celebrating the day for years. Congressional legislation designating that date as the national Flag Day was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949; the legislation also called upon the president to issue a flag day proclamation every year.

According to legend, in 1776, George Washington commissioned Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross to create a flag for the new nation. Scholars debate this legend, but agree that Mrs. Ross most likely knew Washington and sewed flags. To date, there have been twenty-seven official versions of the flag, but the arrangement of the stars varied according to the flag-makers’ preferences until 1912 when President Taft standardized the then-new flag’s forty-eight stars into six rows of eight. The forty-nine-star flag (1959-60), as well as the fifty-star flag, also have standardized star patterns. The current version of the flag dates to July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state on August 21, 1959.

On Flag Day and during Flag Week we celebrate and show respect for our flag and the people who designed and created it. Our flag represents our independence as Americans and our unity as a nation - we fly it proudly. We’re proud of our nation, our culture, our people and the flag that represents them.

Take a look on the American Memory: Library of Congress site under American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936-1940, and search “Flag Day”.  You’ll find, among other things, this entertaining exchange between two gentlemen that is today as indicative of how we Americans feel about our flag as it was then:

“Why ain’t you got your flag out?” says Mr. Richmond, entering the gas station in which he spends much of his time these days. “You know today is flag day, don’t you?”

“I guess the boss forgot to buy a flag, George,” says Mr. Davis, the station attendant. “And even if we had one, we ain’t got no place to put it.”

Mr. Richmond: “That’s a fine state of affairs, that is. Here they are tryin’ to bring home to you people the fact that you’re livin’ in one of the few countries where you can draw a free breath and you don’t even know it. You’re supposed to have flags out all this week. Don’t you know that? This is Flag Day and this is Flag Week. Where’s your patriotism?”

Mr. Davis: “What the hell are you hollerin’ about, George? You’re always runnin’ the country down. They can’t do anything to suit you. You’re worryin’ about taxes and future generations and all like that. Where’s your patriotism?”

Mr. Richmond: “Well, that’s different. A man got a right to criticize. That’s free speech. Don’t mean I ain’t patriotic. …”

Remember to fly Old Glory today and the rest of the week. Take a few minutes to reflect upon its proud history and what it symbolizes. It’s a grand old flag and it stands for all that is America.

Check out the other Patriotic Journeyers… JimK, Scott,  Larry, Drumwaster, and Cosmicbabe.

There are countless things we can place in America’s “Good” column, notwithstanding that a few things rightly fall in our “Not So Good” column as well. For instance, America creates most of the new pharmaceuticals for all that ails the world. Sure, we complain about the high cost of drugs, but we recognize that drug companies spend billions in R&D in order to create them and rightly need to recover those costs.

And let’s not forget that America put all - 100 per cent - of the men on the moon. Our unquenchable thirst for knowledge drives our indomitable desire to explore the unknown.

America invented the Internet, making it possible for people to spread their wisdom (and stupidity) to a wider audience at greater speed than ever before. No, it wasn’t Al Gore, but it was  American ingenuity.

Although we’re experiencing some growing pains with respect to illegal immigration, America still peacefully accepts more legal immigrants than any other country in the world.

And we have the longest standing constitution of any government, providing the strongest protection for individual liberty, of any nation in the world. That’s an amazing thing! Sure, organizations like the ACLU try to erode it, but our constitution has held up better than any other in history.

America props up much of the world’s economy through its massive foreign trade deficit, stable dollar, leadership of the G7+1, advocacy for free trade and funding of the IMF. That’s no small feat.

Let’s remember, too, that America has stopped all - 100 per cent - of the major wars the world has known in the last 100 years. Think about that for a minute. And we prevent or stop smaller wars across the globe in a way that no other country or international organization (think EU or the UN) can even contemplate. Who really stopped the invasion of South Korea? Or brought the killing in the Balkans to an end? Or keeps the lid on the Middle East?

And most importantly, America has the self-control, self-confidence, and morality to not use its global hyper-superpower to annex land and resources simply because it can. That’s never been nor will it ever be the American way.

Yes, our “Good” column is long and distinguished, and we continue to work on those things that land in our “Not So Good” column. It’s part of what has made America strong throughout our short history and why we will remain the greatest nation on earth. God bless the USA!

Remember to check out the other Patriotic Journeyers… JimK, Scott,  Larry, Drumwaster, and Cosmicbabe.

Since the early days of the republic, Americans have recognized Thomas Jefferson’s distinctive role in helping to shape the American national character. As Founder and statesman, Jefferson thought broadly about the virtues Americans would need to cultivate in order to preserve and perfect their experiment in republican self-government.

He and the Founders of our country understood the importance of good citizenship, and they understood what made someone a good citizen. To be a good citizen is to embody certain virtues, such as self-reliance, responsibility, honesty, charity, loyalty, and respect for the law.

These virtues are the strength of our nation and are necessary for our experiment in self-government. As President Bush has said, “When this spirit of citizenship is missing, no government program can replace it. When this spirit is present, no wrong can stand against it.”

Modern times have tested these virtues — and the traditional notion of citizenship — but they are still there to be called upon every day. They enable us to meet tragic events in extraordinary times, and in ordinary times to take back responsibility for ourselves and for the problems in our communities: drugs, crime, a faltering education system, family breakdown, and a corrosive popular culture.

But tough circumstances provide opportunities to rise to the occasion. And that’s where I think we Americans shine. As John F. Kennedy said, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And somehow, despite political differences and difficult times, we always do. Oh, we may stray outside the lines in the pursuit, but our inherent desire to do what’s right always manages to keep us on course and moving forward.

It’s another reason I’m proud of America and our system, flaws and all, and why I’m optimistic about the future we’re building for our children and grandchildren. There are tough decisions to be made but I think, in the end, we’ll again proudly meet the challenge.

Don’t forget to check out the other Patriotic Journeyers… JimK, Scott,  Larry, Drumwaster, and Cosmicbabe.

Today marks the 63rd anniversary of D-Day, an epic event in the history of our nation and the world. As the sons and daughters of democracy, we must remember this historic day and honor those brave liberators who defended freedom in Europe and around the world.  And we must resolve never to forget such hallowed words as Anzio, Nettuno, Salerno, Normandy. These names speak of the sacrifices of our parents and the freedom of their children and grandchildren.

Twenty three years ago, on the 40th anniversary of D-Day, President Reagan delivered a moving speech during the Normandy Invasion Ceremony at the Omaha Beach Memorial at Omaha Beach, France. I’ve linked to the entire speech, but here are a few of his words that remind us why we acknowledge D-Day and honor the brave soldiers who so valiantly stormed the beach that day.

“No speech can adequately portray their suffering, their sacrifice, their heroism. President Lincoln once reminded us that through their deeds, the dead of battle have spoken more eloquently for themselves than any of the living ever could. But we can only honor them by rededicating ourselves to the cause for which they gave a last full measure of devotion.

Today we do rededicate ourselves to that cause. And at this place of honor, we’re humbled by the realization of how much so many gave to the cause of freedom and to their fellow man.”

These champions climbed the cliffs, took the beaches, braved the machine gun nests, took out the gun batteries, did the unthinkable – the unimaginable. Their deeds that day define their valor and deserve our deepest gratitude and respect. They are the heroes we honor today.

Be sure to check out the other Patriotic Journeyers… JimK, Scott, Larry, Drumwaster, and Cosmicbabe.

“Proud to be an American” means different things to different people. Ask anyone and I’m sure they’ll provide a story that defines their patriotism.

Looking back, I guess I’ve always felt a sense of pride in being an American. From reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in grade school to standing as our flag passed during a parade, I’ve carried that sense of pride with me. And, as I’ve grown older, it’s grown deeper.

My father flew B-29s during WWII and I think I inherited some of my pride from him. He taught me the value of hard work and self reliance, the meaning of honor, and about love of country. I was proud of him and was honored to follow in his footsteps during the Viet Nam war. Military service further honed the love I felt for my country and I was proud to serve her.

After 9/11, I felt the national swell of pride as American flags flew from cars, storefronts and front porches. There were rallies every weekend and I attended many of them. The country was again united, proud Americans all.

And although there are fewer rallies and fewer flags adorning cars these days, I know that most of us are still proud Americans. Pride in America helped mold me into who I am today and I think I’m a better person because of it. I’m truly proud to be an American.

Be sure to check out the other Patriotic Journeyers… JimK, Scott, Larry, Drumwaster, and Cosmicbabe.

I’ve decided to join the 4th Annual Patriot’s Journey wherein I’ll endeavor to post something positive about the USA each day between Memorial Day and Independence Day. If my math is correct, and assuming I have access to a computer and am not otherwise indisposed, I’ll have 28 weekday posts, 28 good things to say about my country. Sounds worthy and doable, right?

Other bloggers participating are Drumwaster’s Rants, Speed Of Thought, The Bastidge, Right Thoughts and Cosmicbabe. 

If you have a blog, feel free to join in or, if you feel so inclined, feel free to contribute to this one.  So let’s begin:

As I was preparing yesterday’s Memorial Day post, I stumbled across this short essay written in 2001 by a third grader named Ali at Academy Elementary School in Madison, Connecticut, presumably as a class project. I was immediately taken with the beautiful simplicity and wisdom of her words, and amazed that someone so young could so clearly see what so many of us have seemingly forgotten: that we owe a debt of immeasurable gratitude to the men and women who made the supreme sacrifice to insure our liberties and freedom, and that we should always remember how they set us free.

“As the flowers rest on the decorated graves and the sunlight shines on the beautiful sailboats, Uncle Sam whispers in my ear about how we should care for the soldiers and remember the ones that have died. Swimming pools open, BBQs fry. Today is the day to think of what they have done for us. There are blurs of red, white and blue marching down the street and flags are lowered at half-mast. But we should always remember and never forget what set us free, from this very day on.”

Whenever I read or hear something like this, I’m relieved, thankful that there is hope for our future, that we won’t forget those who gave their all to preserve liberty. And I’m reassured knowing that young people like Ali will help keep the fire burning in all of us.

Capitol Park, a 40 acre oasis surrounding the State Capitol in downtown Sacramento, provides a respite from the daily hustle and bustle of government and private business in the state’s capitol. Dawn and I occasionally stroll along the many paths leading through the beautifully landscaped grounds and marvel at the variety and abundance of trees and shrubs that thrive within the park. A multitude of bird species and squirrels call the park home and provide endless entertainment to park visitors both young and old.

Beautification of the park began in 1870, four years before the Capitol’s completion in 1874. The land was graded and augmented with river silt and soil, then planted with 800 trees, shrubs, and flowers. The landscaping included more than 200 varieties of rare plant life from nearly every continent and climate around the world, from sub-tropic to sub-arctic. Many of the non-native tree and shrub species planted over a century ago continue to thrive. In fact, due to Sacramento’s temperate climate and steady water supply, several of the park’s tree species are said to grow larger and better here than in their native habitats.

Over the years, both acreage and plantings have been added to the park which now spans 12 city blocks. Its landscaping includes hundreds of species of trees, shrubs and flowers from sequoias, redwoods, and magnolias to roses, camellias, and cacti. An average of 20,000 new plants and flowering bulbs are planted annually. Countless birds and squirrels occupy the trees, walkways and even benches. And more than a million people come to the park each year to visit its memorials and monuments, sit or stroll among the greenery and participate in a variety of activities.

On a recent visit to the park, we enjoyed watching the resident squirrels who have, after years of indulgence by park visitors, become somewhat insistent about receiving payment, in the form of peanuts, in exchange for posing for photographs. It’s like dealing with a union shop; there’s little room for negotiation. And so on this outing, Dawn and I came prepared.

They approach without fear, stand on their hind legs and say, “Okay, buddy, I see the camera; whatcha got for me?” And right on cue, we paid up. After all, we wanted a few photos once they’d devoured or hidden the peanuts. And like clockwork, the little guys kept their part of the bargain, posing atop fences, park benches and low hanging branches. It was quid pro quo; peanuts for pictures. They’re so cute, we sometimes forget they’re rodents!

After leaving the squirrels a generous tip, we strolled the park and took in the Viet Nam and War Memorials, numerous statues and the abundant flora, marveling at the beauty of it all. Then we returned to our regular routines, refreshed and rejuvenated, eagerly looking forward to our next park visit. We’ll bring peanuts.