Five-thirty in the morning. Doors and windows open to a cooling breeze. Birds and crickets singing up the sun.
An old analog clock ticks off the seconds. The clock is the front wheel of a bicycle. I don’t think of this as time rolling away from me, because this tiny bicycle’s wheels do not move. But the hands of its clock do — tick, tock; tick, tock — so maybe I’m mistaken. I’m a scribbler, not a theoretical physicist.
As dawn unfolds the lawn looks good from my perch on the couch. After yesterday’s ride on an actual bicycle I watered, mowed, raked, and just sort of generally tidied up back there. This morning I’ve set aside my traditional practice of washing down the news of the day — The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Albuquerque Journal, The New Mexican, et al. — with the first cup of coffee. I’ve had enough of their squawking for the moment — call it a declaration of independence — so this limited reconnaissance from the couch will have to serve as my newsgathering as the sun comes up on this Fourth of July.
My first post this morning, like the ticking bicycle clock, was analog. I stepped outside and stuck our two cheapo plastic flags into the dirt at either side of the front walkway. Right side up, too.
I was thinking of our old Bibleburg friend and neighbor, Marv Berkman, who when asked why a freethinking old saloon picker like himself would fly the Stars and Stripes every morning replied, “I don’t want those people to think they’re the only ones who can do it.”
Mad Blog Media 
“I don’t want those people to think they’re the only ones who can do it.”
My sentiments, exactly. Personally, I’m a little sick of only seeing the flag on UnderArmor “freedom-wear” or on the back window of a jacked-up pick-em-up truck. It’s been co-opted as a marketing device, and like Hungry Joe said, there’s a sucker born every minute, and both K Street and Madison Avenue know how to get that credit card out of their wallets.
Like Ed Abbey said, God bless America … lets try to save some of it.
Marv and Ed were both spot on.
Graham Watson just passed through western Nebraska
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B1051rzbC2GXrl;D63A1AAC-1CB3-4713-BAC5-AAE4C8A74B56
Ol’ Graham is a travelin’ fool. You off visiting the kinfolk again?
Someone’s gotta help them eat all of that pie. Last of the rhubarb is in the freezer, so we’ll have to come back in August to deliver the palisade peaches for my favorite.
Mmm, pie. Suddenly I’m hungry for some reason.
I used to snatch up a pecan pie from Michael’s Kitchen every time I drove through Taos. They were not only delicious, they were an excuse to get out of the ridiculous traffic for a while.
As likely with many of you, I haul the old flag out and put it on the post in honor of my Father. When I look out it flying on a nice 4th of July like today, I think of him.
I hope those of you that have imbibed in this gin joint today have had delightful days and will have enjoyable evenings.
Cheers.
Shannon is testing the comments.