Happy 249th Independence Day!

God Bless the U.S.A.!  

How many folks do you think there are in this country that agree with that sentiment?

I know a whole bunch who do not:

waving their flag, burning ours...must be a democrat

Wonder how all these violent, America hating illegals gained entry to our country?

Ask any democrat; it was their pet project for the last four years.

The results of a <recent Gallup poll> revealed the depth of the moral divide in our country, and disturbing truths about the decline in patriotism.

While 92% of republicans say they're proud to be American, only 36% of democrats agree.

Why is this a big deal?

Think of the founding of America:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

If you agree with that statement, then you're proud to be part of a country that strives, however imperfectly, toward that ideal.

If you disagree?

If you don't believe in the Creator, and don't believe our rights come from God rather than government?

Then you're not proud to be part of America; you disagree with its founding and you’re fine with tearing it down.

It's no surprise republicans are on one side of this issue and democrats on the other; it has ever been thus.

Democrats were the party of slavery in the 1800's; it was republican Abraham Lincoln who freed the slaves.

Today they're the party of abortion:  77% of republicans are pro-life; 83% of democrats are pro-abortion.

What's the common thread?

A disregard for the sanctity of God's gift of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

To be in favor of slavery you must see others as less than human; they can be property if it suits you.

To be in favor of killing babies in utero, you must see them as less than human; they can be disposed of if it suits you.

This moral divide will have to be addressed, because as Lincoln quoted from the gospel of Mark chapter 3 back in 1860, "And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand."

We need a revival in this country, a return to our roots of belief in God and respect for His laws.

In the meantime, I hope you and yours enjoy a wonderful Independence Day celebration.

Be thankful you live in a country founded upon belief in God; the One who gives us our rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Happy 4th of July!

later, mcm fans...

I've Discovered A Way...

...to stop time:  Don't Blink.

Think about it...how does time slip by before you know it?

It's every worker's lament:

"Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, blink, Monday, Tuesday..."

And every parent's dilemma:

"I blinked and suddenly I was an adult.

"I blinked again and I was married, with kids and a mortgage.

"Then I blinked once more, my kids were grown and now I've got grandkids!

"What the heck happened?"

Well, duh...you blinked!

See what you done gone and dooded?

So stop it already!

June is almost over!

1/3rd of the summer, poof!  Gone!

Let's go, troops.

Eyes wide open from now on.

Sorry for the <deja vu all over again>, but as fate would have it Justice Amy Coney Barrett kneecapped the Supreme Court's Biden era DEI hire...

...for her <unhinged dissent> on the recent birthright citizenship case.

Details can be found in the link above so no need to rehash them here.

Suffice to say ACB and KBJ probably won't be eating lunch together (“you’re a dummy head!”   “no YOU’RE a dummy head!”)...

yes, it's an actual place

...in the Supreme Court cafeteria anymore.

As predicted, our recent heat wave, coupled with the scarcity of early morning tee times, kept me off the links.

Consequently it's best to skip the usual HGU.

left to right: walking stick/club stand, long spoon, short spoon, brassie, lofting iron, putter

I mean, what's to discuss?

Putting?

"putting is a discipline unto itself"

Bunker shots?

no heroics, just exit the bunker in one shot

I think we've already covered driving and fairway shots.

head still, no tautness in the muscles at all, slight turn of the club head toward the body to start, slow on the backswing, quick to strike, see the ball, face the target

Let's just forget it and move on.

As we approach the 249th birthday of our nation, it's worth noting what founding father Benjamin Franklin said...

...about our fledgling Constitutional Republic.

In 1787, four years after the end of the Revolutionary War, eleven years after the Declaration of our Independence from Britain, the founding fathers gathered in Philadelphia to draft our constitution.

Assembly Room in Independence Hall

From May to September the delegates did their amazing work that produced our Constitution...

...which to this day has been the law of our land.

As incredible as this document is - unprecedented in its wisdom and provisions for guiding the affairs of government - even its authors and original supporters had their doubts about our nation's ability to adhere to its principles and endure through the ages.

On this subject, Benjamin Franklin said this (forgive the length of his quote; it's worth reading to the end):

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.

"As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.

"In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection.

"Our prayers were heard and they were graciously answered.

"All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of superintending Providence in our favor.

"And have we not forgotten this powerful Friend?

"Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?

"I have lived a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: God governs in the affairs of man.

"And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?

"I believe farther that this new government under the Constitution is likely to be well administered for a course of years...

"...and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other."

How right he was!

Gone are the virtuous and prayerful people who sought God's will and aid for every need, and then gave thanks to God for His gracious provision...

...replaced now by self-serving hedonists who've divorced freedom from its moral underpinnings and unleashed their unquenchable appetite for license.

People want what they want when they want it without regard for right and wrong.

Oh, and hold the consequences.

It's possible the end will be exactly as Benjamin Franklin foresaw 200+ years ago; certainly there is historical precedent.

Historian Sir Alexander Fraser Tytler said this almost 250 years ago:

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government; it always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by dictatorship.  The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years."

Thankfully we're not a democracy; we're a <constitutional republic>, but that may still crumble under a tidal wave of ungodliness.

America may end up being a cauldron of evil desires and self-destructive behaviors presided over by elites who care only for their own power.

Lord knows under Biden and Harris we were well on our way.

But it doesn't have to be that way now.

This year we can embrace the process of returning the power to the people and restore, as Lincoln said, "government of the people, by the people, for the people".

Something to think about as we prepare to celebrate our 249th birthday.

That's it, I've had it.  We're 23 Skidooing, I don't care what anyone says (except for Karen; life is better when I care what she says).

a faux flock of blue herons

remember last week we had our 1st tiger lily?  some friends showed up since then...

lots and lots of friends

and our yucca plants have flowered

like I said

the daisies have made an appearance, along with the perennial geraniums

getting the bonus room ship shape for #5 son and wife to stay with us over the July 4th holiday

I leave you with these words of wisdom, courtesy of the God of the universe:

27  All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

28  For the kingdom is the LORD'S; and He is the governor among the nations.

 - Psalm 22:27,28

later, mcm fans...

The Summer Solstice...

...has arrived...the official start of astronomical summer in the northern hemisphere.

We don't all celebrate this happy event the same way...

nice hat.  what's under it is a little suspect, but the hat - def cool.

...thankfully.

And I admit to some mixed emotions.

Yes, it's officially summer, so woo hoo!

Cue the gorgeous weather, outdoor fun, easy livin' and nature's bodacious display of floral beauty.

our first tiger lily of the year...soon to be joined by a whole bunch of friends

It's also the longest day of the year - about 15 hours and 20 minutes - which is great, but does mean we're now beginning that long slow march into...

shut yo' mouth

...well, you know.

In any event, while it is the start of astronomical summer, we're already 20 days into meteorological summer, so choppety chop chop!

It always flies by too quickly.

Do you remember the <Supreme Court nominee> who was so scared of her democrat supporters she claimed she didn't know what a "woman" was?

Sadly, this coward is now a Supreme Court justice, but lucky us, she's <written a book>!

I thought the title would be "Unqualified: My DEI Success Story", but no.

As the NY Post reports, it's "Lovely One"...

with any luck she'll trade her jurist robes for broadway footlights

...for which she has received almost $3 million (you read that right) in advances from Penguin Books.

(In related news, expect to read of Penguin's bankruptcy proceedings in the near future.)

The jokes write themselves with this one, so I'm going to leave it right here.

Would you cry crocodile tears if I told you there's no HGU* today?

You may escape next week as well, since I couldn't get an early tee time for Monday...and it's supposed to be in the 90's for the next several days.

If it is still oppressively hot by 7:30 in the evening, I shan't be plodding around the links with my hickory sticks.

So, lucky you!

Nothing about hickory golf today.

("The Duffers Lament, by yours truly, copyright 2024

"'Twas a cold and gloomy gloaming,

When the links I went a-roaming,

"With my sticks o' hick'ry flailin'

Like a madman I was railin',

"At the greens so o'erly soggy,

And the atmosphere, too foggy!

"But in spite o' dread conditions,

That at times felt like perdition,

"I endured the weather stormy,

And by six the match went dormie.

"Shivers icy coursed my spine,

When quoth I, The battle's mine!

"But my mashie lost its moxie,

And the last three holes were poxy.

"Thus I staggered off yon links,

Swearing Aye, this pastime stinks!")

Well, almost nothing.

*HGU = Hickory Golf Update

In the "No Particular Reason Other Than I Think It's Cool" department...

JP Seeburg founded a company in 1907 that sold and produced player pianos and "Orchestrions" - a sort of player piano on steroids:

<Maple Leaf Rag>

Enjoy this vintage musical miracle.

Time to 23 Skidoo:

especially appreciate the vibrant orange lilies

hollyhocks looking like floral cotton candy

chippy with a mouthful of fresh peanuts

"smooth as glass" outside Larry's cottage

Harry Vardon putting in the 1890's...

...and Johnny Miller at the 1973 US Open

cue up the movie, and good luck getting your hands on one of these.  $24 at the Universal Studios theme park, $100 and up on ebay.

Within the next couple of weeks, America will either have bombed the Iranian nuclear program out of existence, or not.

Either way - whether we do or don't - there will be haters who decry Trump's decision.

For my part, I'm praying for President Trump and our country, trusting God is in control.

"The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will."

    - Proverbs 21:1

later, mcm fans...