Happy New Year 2018!

Happy New Year 2018!

May the New Year bring us joy, health and better times than this past year.

May we find a solution to the separation of children from their parents and the caging of them in areas without end and may we find a solution to these endless wars we continue to fight that only profits the rich at our expense. 

May those in the government who have brought us to this low level be brought to justice this year.

It's time for a new beginning.

Happy July 4th, 2017

On July 4, 1976, the United States celebrated its Bicentennial. In 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.

Memorial Day

 

Today is Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor the fallen men and women who have laid down their lives sacrificing them with honor in all of our wars.

I used to sing a Stephen Foster song that was written in 1854 before the Civil War entitled, "Hard Times." The first stanza of the song was:

"Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears . . ."

This always reminded me for some reason of my own past service to my country and more importantly those who never came back to meet the love of their life or perhaps, raise a family and grow old to see them raise their own families. These honorable people sacrificed everything for our country and today is the day we honor them.

So, if I may borrow that stanza from Mr. Foster's song:

"Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears" and during a part of our days celebrations with friends and family, let's not ever forget them as well.

Butch

Happy New Year 2017!

Happy New Year!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and to all!

Happy Independence Day!

Today is July 4th, the day we celebrate our independence from Great Britain in 1776. 

Last night, our sub-division celebrated by sending off its fire-works in our private park

by the Long Lake. Not only were their spectacular colors from the fire-works, but the deafening 

booms from when they exploded seemed much louder this year and I am very hard of hearing at

my age. I was smart enough not to wear my hearing aids to the event. ;-) 

 

For all of my American friends, do have a safe and happy Independence Day! 

Memorial Day 2016

Memorial Day is a day of reflection for me. As a Vietnam Veteran, my war claimed the lives of more than 58,000 Americans. When you add the lives from previous wars and the wars that have happened since, it makes me wonder what these brave men and women would have contributed to our country had they had the chance to live and enjoy the freedoms for which they died and perhaps, what their children might have contributed as well had they been allowed to carry on to marry and have lives to live as well. 

I dwell during this Memorial Day to think about these things and to ponder what if things could have been different and we didn't have to always go to war to settle our differences?  Perhaps some day we will learn to get beyond the fighting, but until then, let us pause for a moment this year and think about those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so we can remain free. I will remember them with the honor they so deserve forever.