Precious blessings

“My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!”

 —Thomas Jefferson

The labor of democracy: Happy 4th of July!

I found this little book on the bargain rack at Barnes and Noble.  It was marked down to $4.99.  Four dollars and ninety nine cents plus tax for access to the combined wisdom of our Founding Fathers - men of the Enlightenment, all too human, but wise beyond their time.  At a leisurely pace, and with many interruptions, I was able to read it cover to cover in a couple of days.

My wish, as we celebrate our nation's independence, is for more people to read for themselves the content of this little book; for more people to stop trusting self-serving politicians or bombastic commentators, and seek out truth, wherever it may lie.  And then, armed with the truth, change themselves. 

“This above all:  To thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

—William Shakespeare

Backyard barbecue with the red, white and blue!

The 4th of July is really a great holiday. I mean, what's not to like? For one thing, it takes place in the summer, so how bad could it ever be, even if it were to rain? But as it happens, this year we've had glorious weather! Here's my tribute to the day, gratefully enjoying some of the blessings of liberty.

This tower of cupcakes represents the combined efforts of my son, John and myself. I mixed the batter and filled the paper cups, he put them in the oven and took them out. I put on the white frosting but John didn't like the job I was doing with the colored gels so he took over the task himself (once an artist . . . ). A few months back we saw similar cupcakes at my brother's house (see posting from February 28, 2010). They were the inspiration for these . . .

The 3-tier stand is such a great multi-tasker; it's so practical!

The new outdoor flatware has been forever nicknamed “The Tornado Flatware” - a reminder of the day I bought it, after spending time in Pottery Barn's basement waiting for a tornado to pass . . .

The jacquard-woven napkins came from The Vermont Country Store catalogue. They are machine washable and iron like a dream . . .

These blue salad plates, with their sandy glaze, puts one in mind of the beach, don't they? I found them at Crate and Barrel . . .

Could these posies be any sweeter? The boxwood came from our bushes which, er, ahem . . . need a trim . . .

And here's the first course: Romaine salad with strawberries, mangoes, walnuts and crumbled blue cheese, tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Happy 4th of July! Be safe! Enjoy your loved ones!