Fourth of July Songs

Break out in song at your fireworks celebration this year:
I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy by George M. Cohan

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy

A Yankee Doodle, do or die

A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam

Born on the Fourth of July

I've got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart

She's my Yankee Doodle joy

Yankee Doodle came to London

Just to ride the ponies

I am the Yankee Doodle Boy

Kids Version of Yankee Doodle:

Yankee Doodle went to town

A-riding on a pony

He stuck a feather in his hat

And called it macaroni

Chorus

Yankee Doodle, keep it up

Yankee Doodle dandy

Mind the music and the step

and with the girls be hand!

Father and I went down to camp
Along with Captain Gooding
And there we saw the men and boys
As thick as hasty pudding.

Chorus

And there was Captain Washington
And gentle folks about him
They say he's grown so tarnal proud
He will not ride without them.

Chorus

God Bless America

God Bless America, 
Land that I love. 
Stand beside her, and guide her 
Thru the night with a light from above. 
From the mountains, to the prairies, 
To the oceans, white with foam 
God bless America, My home sweet home.

"Proud To Be An American"

If tomorrow all the things were gone I'd worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.
I'd thank my lucky stars to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can't take that away.

And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I'd gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.

From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,
across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea,

From Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA,
Well, there's pride in every American heart,
and it's time to stand and say:

I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I'd gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.

The Star Spangled Banner 

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light  What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?  Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,  O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?  And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,  Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.  Oh, say does that star­spangled banner yet wave  O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave? 

 

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,  Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,  What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,  As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?  Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,  In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:  ‘Tis the star­spangled banner! Oh long may it wave  O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!  

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore  That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,  A home and a country should leave us no more!  Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.  No refuge could save the hireling and slave  From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:  And the star­spangled banner in triumph doth wave  O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!  

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand  Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!  Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land  Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.  Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,  And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”  And the star­spangled banner in triumph shall wave  O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Duckwater Recognition Award

Duckwater May 30, 1985: In Duckwater the tribe had an annual recognition dinner to honor their employees and tribal members.  I remember the first year I was there at the awards ceremony hoping maybe one of the awards would come my way.  It didn't.
However my second year the tribe did present me with a certificate of appreciation.  Jerry Millett, the Tribal Chairman, present me with the award.  Ironically it came on the same day I resigned to take employment in Utah.
My journal notes, "The Tribe honored me with a certificate of appreciation the same day I announced my resignation.  They had planned it previously"
I felt the award was well earned.  I really feel I did my best in my employment in Duckwater.  At times it took thinking of creative ways of making use of myself--but for the most part I kept busy, and hopefully I had an influence of good.

Moses Lake Stake Conference

When we lived in Othello, (up until 1963) Stake Conference was in Moses Lake, about an hour away in those days.  There were two Sunday Conference sessions, morning and afternoon.  I imagine it was feasible to run home; however a better strategy was to have a picnic lunch.  I remember the most common lunch was ham sandwiches.  I think ham sandwiches have been one of my favorites, maybe as a memory to good times with friends.  Even though it was the Sabbath, we kids would find something fun to do as we waited for the next session.  Usually we would play in the grounds of the church, tag or hide and seek.

Poetry I Like: Now We Are Six: A.A. Milne

Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne, decorations by Ernest H. Shepard, Dutton Children's Books, New York, 1927.
A.A. Milne has an incredible talent to entertain children.  He is the author of Winnie the Pooh.  These are poems as if they were written by Cristopher Robbin between ages three and six.  A couple of my favorites are:
Busy
I think I am a Muffin Man, I haven't got a bell,
I haven't got the muffin things that muffin people sell.
Perhaps I am a Postman.  No I think I am a Tram.
I feeling rather funny, I I don't know what I am--
BUT
Round about
and round about
and round about I go--
All around the table,
The table in the nursery--
Round about
and round about
and round about I go.

Swing Song
Here I go up in my swing
Ever so high.
I am the King of the fields, and the King
Of the town.
I am the King of the earth, and the King
Of the sky.
Here I go up in my swing. . .
Here I go down.

The End

When I was One,
I had just begun.

When I was Two,
I was nearly new.

When I was Three,
I was hardly me.

When I was Four,
I was not much more.

When I was Five,
I was just alive.

But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever.
So I think I'll be six for ever and ever.

I really enjoy this collection of poems, because of the facility Milne has to paint a picture outside the box.  He encourages imagination and exploration.

Anthony's Sealing, June 13, 2009

My daughter Miranda brought tears to my eyes today by reminding me that it is seven years since we took this little gut to the temple and he became a part of our eternal family.  We had already finalized the adoption a couple months before.  This was a special day.  How Tony enjoyed running around the water fountains.

Will Rogers Quotes

The humorist Will Rogers use to say, "Well, all I know is what I read in the papers."  He made a living reciting the humor he found in the papers.  He made fun of many politicians but said, "I never met a man I didn't like."  So here is some more of his wit:
An ignorant person is one who doesn't know what you have just found out.
An onion can make people cry, but there has never been a vegetable invented that can make them laugh.
Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for.
Diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice doggie" until you find a rock.
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
I never expected to see the day when girls would get sunburned in the places they do today.  (Wouldn't he really be embarrassed today.)
Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.
I'm not a real movie star.  I've still got the same wife I started out with 28 years ago.
There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.
I don't make jokes.  I just watch the government and report the facts.
When I die I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep.  Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.
Lettin' the cat out of the bag is a whole lot easier 'n putting it back in.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging.
Strangers are just friends I just haven't met yet.
Do the best you can, and don't take life too serious.
You've got to go out on a limb sometimes because that's where the fruit is.

Happy Birthday and Happy Mother's Day

I have shared Sheri's birthday and often mother's day since 1983 with this beautiful woman.  She is a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, primary president, driver, fixer, etc etc.