You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence
every July 4, not with a parade
of guns, tanks, and soldiers
who file by the White House 
in a show of strength and muscle,
but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees,
the potato salad gets iffy,
and the flies die from happiness.
You may think you have overeaten,
but it is patriotism.
~Erma Bombeck

 

Happy Birthday America!

 

I love the quote by Erma Bombeck, because really, we who are Americans, we who celebrate our Independence Day with fireworks and parades and BBQ’s are a blessed people.  We take so very much for granted.  This great American experiment is just that.   It’s a delicate balance between free people and a tyrannical government.  Men, of vision and character and courage, overcame incredible odds to deliver us the freedom and liberty we are blessed to experience today.

 

Star Spangled Banner - AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

My heart is grateful that as American citizens we live in this place at this time.

 

We on this continent should never forget
that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs
but to secure liberty for their souls.

~Robert J. McCracken

 

Small Town America :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Last summer was our first in small town America.

My friend came to visit and we walked around our square mile community.

Being new in town, I was kind of like your average tourist, taking photos of the quaint expression of patriotism I encountered on that walk.  At least until the battery on my camera died.

 

Sidewalk Flag : AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Flags were flapping in the breeze.  But not many.

Though heavily steeped in early revolutionary history, American flags were noticeably absent from the majority of front porches in this sweet and picturesque historic town.

Have we already begun to take for granted the sacrifice for our freedom?

 

Eagle :: Declaration of Independence :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions,
the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned

and refreshed – else like a flower
cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.

~Dwight D. Eisenhower

 

Sidewalk Flag : AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

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

 

Red Door Front Porch :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream.
It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
Ronald Reagan

 

Small Town Porch with Flag :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny
of the republican model of government are justly considered…
deeply, …finally, staked on the experiment
entrusted to the hands of the American people.

George Washington

 

Wreath with Flag :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

The red and white and starry blue
Is freedom’s shield and hope.
~John Philip Sousa

 

Town Hall :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

If anyone, then, asks me the meaning of our flag,
I say to him – it means just what Concord and Lexington meant;
what Bunker Hill meant;  which was, in short, the rising up of a valiant young people
against an old tyranny to establish the most momentous doctrine that the world had ever known
– the right of men to their own selves and to their liberties. 
~Henry Ward Beecher

 

Old Time Band Shell :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

May the sun in his course visit no land more free,
more happy, more lovely, than this our own country! 
~Daniel Webster

 

Happy Fourth of July :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Whatever you do to celebrate today….

wave the flag….

and give thanks to our Creator for the privilege of living in these…

United States of America!

Happy Independence Day!

 

Thank you so much for stopping by today.  You make my day!! I hope you enjoyed your patriotic photo tour of my small town.  Please be sure to share your thoughts below.   If you enjoyed this post, I’d be blessed if you used the sharing buttons at the end of the post to invite your friends for a visit!   Thanks!!

 Diane

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Comments

  1. Mel says

    Awwwwww……such a ‘neat’ and orderly little town. LOL NOT at all like our hot mess. Oh, there’s a lot of quaint to it, but we are not orderly. And…umm….where are all the tractors?! And the flags?! Gosh, we have ’em lining the streets into and outta town. And in this neighborhood, the house comes with a flagpole to put on the parking for every holiday. Quaint, no? LOL AND our tractors have flags on ’em.
    NOT kidding! LOLOL

    Happy Independence Day!! 🙂

    • Diane says

      Yeah…parts of it look like a postcard…but except the flags that got put up by the town in the center…there were few. I love how your spot on the map is big on wavin’ the flag and parades and being a community. You are blessed!!!
      We’ll be jumping in the car and driving to our friends’ home for a BBQ tonight. Hope the weather holds!

      Wishing you a spectacular Fourth!!

  2. Wonderful post, well said! All the photos are beautiful and burst with American pride 😉

    • Diane says

      Oh, JoAnn….I’m so so pleased that you enjoyed this post. Thank you for your encouraging words!
      Blessings!

  3. Glad to have all these fun posts for Open House! Love your photos!

    • Diane says

      It’s always a delight to share at your fun open house. I love the community and always sweet eye candy awaits!
      Hope your long weekend is Extraordinary!

  4. This post is just fantastic. You picked such great images and the quotes are spot on! Happy Independence Day!
    Liz

    • Diane says

      What a nice thing to say!!
      Thank you Liz! Hope your long weekend is Extraordinary!

  5. Festive and charming…LOVE the town square gazebo. Thx for taking us along with you (until your camera died! haha) HAPPY 4th!

    • Diane says

      Yeah…batteries! I’ve got to pay more attention to switching them out. LOL!!!
      I’m blessed that you enjoyed the tour.
      Hope your long weekend is spectacular!

  6. Carolyn says

    Diane, you did it again! You give us a little thrill w/the lovely images you share! Originally I came from a small town, scarcely more than a dot on the map. It wasn’t that picturesque!
    But over the years I’ve seen how other places decorate “to beat the band” & I have to say I personally go all out for the 4th of July at our house.
    Having lived many years in foreign countries, where any American flag display had to be behind our garden walls or inside our house, I love when my husband hangs Old Glory proudly to wave from the front & center of our home!
    Thanks so much for sharing. Blessings on you & your husband!

    • Diane says

      Oh Carol, thank you so much!!!
      You know….I think there are lovely things to find wherever we live. Right now we are grateful to live in this small town. It’s like God in his wisdom directed us to this house in this small town rather than the larger nearby towns where the job originally was. It’s a blessing.
      I can only imagine how good it must feel for you to be “home” again and able to freely fly your flag.
      May the rest of this long holiday weekend be Extraordinary for you and yours!

  7. Jean says

    Beautiful post and the pictures…again, I am in awe of your photos. I hope you had an amazing day yesterday!

    • Diane says

      Awww…Jean…you are so sweet. 🙂 Thank you!!!
      We did have a lovely day finished off with a wonderful dinner and games with friends. What a blessing.
      Hope your long weekend is extraordinary!!

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