And while I don't mean to give anyone nightmares, I'd like you to think about what our semiquincentennial might've looked like had the 2024 presidential election gone the other way. Can you even imagine?
Every whiny "identity group" with an anti-American agenda, a scroll of grievances and an inflated sense of relevance would've been paraded past us. We would've seen special events for all the usual players -- trannies, furries and commies, me-toos and i-can't-breathes and baby killers. The mind reels.
Their theme? "Imperfect Union 250." The officially sanctioned groveling would've made POTUS #44 -- remember the infamous "apology tour"? -- look like Patrick Henry.
Is that really so far-fetched? C'mon, you don't think they wouldn't hold a "Reparations Night" on the National Mall if they could, do you? Or have the Declaration -- revised to reflect progressive sensitivities, of course -- read by a drag queen? How many pseudo-national-anthems would've been performed before Chuckles took the stage and served word salad to the crowd?
Okay, you can wake up now -- it was only a bad dream. Donald J. Trump is President of the United States. America 250 was the party our great nation deserved, and it was glorious.
Trump is the perfect man to preside over a celebration of such magnitude and significance. The 250th anniversary of boldly declaring separation from tyranny is no time to be reserved, measured or "presidential."
Send it.
And he did.
His keynote address was 40 minutes of unapologetic chest-thumping on behalf of an exceptional America on its birthday. Like this:
“For two and a half centuries, our American republic has stood as the crowning achievement of human history. This country is the home of freedom. This is the land of liberty, and this is a flag that’s the banner of the most extraordinary, most exceptional, most incredible nation ever to exist on the face of the earth. And we’re doing better now than we’ve ever done before."
“No people have done more good, shown more courage, made more progress, righted more injustice, or achieved more greatness than you, the American people. For 250 years, the United States of America has been the hope, the promise, the light, and the glory among all of the nations of the world. All over the world, they try and be like us. Nobody can be like us. And with God’s help, we will always be this, or even better.”
This was an American President conducting himself like an American President should. I'm glad that I lived to see the day.
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I took care of Smudge early Saturday morning before riding out to Daybreak Point. There I read the Declaration of Independence to myself, out loud. Then I did something that I haven't done on the Fourth of July in over 40 years.
I made the sweet music of Liberty.
A little .45ACP through a 1911. A little 5.56 NATO in a bolt gun. Since I have my own range now, that felt like the right thing to do on Independence Day.
'Merica.
I ran both pistol and rifle on the 35-yard lane. I'd brought along a couple of gallon jugs filled with water to inject some variety into my targets, and that was entertaining. I had no trouble hitting what I aimed at.
That is, I didn't miss. It would seem that I'm making progress toward resurrecting my skills.
Back at the cabin, I loved on Smudge awhile. Hot, tired, thirsty and a little hungry, I ate the Butterfinger candy bar I'd gifted myself for my birthday and cracked open a gaudily patriotic can of Monster "Ultra Red White & Blue Razz."
That, as we used to say, really hit the spot.
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Weather threatened to mess with my plans to grill outdoors like I had on Memorial Day. Skies darkened and storms looked imminent.
Ultimately, they didn't come to pass, but by that time I'd already moved cooking into the kitchen.
I really got my protein on. For a side, I made a small pot of pinto beans with Texas-style smoked sausage.
Low and slow, of course.
I opened a one-pound pack of locally raised, grass-fed ground beef and grilled it on the rangetop -- three burgers for me, one for Miss Smudge.
Smudge and I wrapped up our day listening to fireworks launched from the valley, both public shows and citizens celebrating on their own. Some of the charges soared high enough that we could see them over the treetops.
We had ourselves a very good, very simple day, just the two of us.
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| Wildfire danger remains low statewide... |
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| ...and most of Marion County's drought status has been reduced to simply "abnormally dry." A swath along the Missouri line is out of drought completely. |
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Yesterday was for catching up on a few chores and staying cool. Temps cooperated, beginning in the 60s and staying out of the 90s.
I was pleased to see that the clump of woodland sunflowers (Helianthus divaricatus) I worked hard to encourage last year is thriving this summer.
That wascally wabbit gets bolder by the day.
The Mountain is special place. Life is good.
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