I am in the patriotic spirit today. In the United States, it is Flag Day and I took the opportunity to start two new blog “mini-series” posting a long article about the origins of the U.S. flag on Philatelic Pursuits and a much shorter one utilizing a postcard titled “I Am the Flag” on Postcards to Phuket. I plan to post a few more of each between now and Independence Day on the 4th of July. Please have a look if you are interested in such history.

As I wanted to create a flag photo for Asian Meanderings today, I broke out my big flag (I used to fly it from my balcony but the weather now is too variable as we enter Monsoon Season) as a backdrop on my backdoor. The only blatantly U.S. shirt that I own is this one that my sister sent me from The White House a few years ago (and today was the first time I ever put it on!). I also have a flight jacket from NASA with a U.S. flag arm patch but it’s too hot to wear that inside (or outside). And there you have it, a nice Red, White & Blue selfie for the holidays.

I tend to get into the Spirit of ’76 every year at some point between Memorial Day and Independence Day. Flag Day is a bit extra-special in that one of my dearly-departed grandfathers was born on this day back in 1907. Of course, the holiday wasn’t celebrated that long ago, at least not as a national observance. I wish that I knew more about my grandparents; I actually know more about my very long-ago ancestors — especially the one who became a friend of George Washington, even helping carry his casket at the former president’s funeral — than I can remember about my parents’ parents.

History has been a solid part of my reading lately, as I recently began books on the Indigenous people’s perspective of U.S. history as well as one on the Space Race of the early 1960s. The latter was inspired greatly by “discovering” the debut (and, sadly, only) season of “The Right Stuff” about the Mercury 7 astronauts. It’s been a while since I saw the original movie and I’ve never read the Tom Wolfe book but I do have several others about the early days of Apollo and a few written by Shuttle or ISS astronauts. Still trying to finish one about citizen resistance in World War II Germany as well. I really need to find another page-turning fictional thriller as most of the non-fiction is fairly slow-going but interesting nonetheless.

There really isn’t much more to report other than I am getting ready to go to the grocery store. I am starving!

Until next time….