Saturday, July 3, 2010

Pic-a-nic Basket

Yogi bear used to love to try to pilfer picnic baskets from unsuspecting visitors to Jellystone National Park. It was kind of his thing. He knew the fun and joy of eating al fresco. Heck, homemade pies, fresh potato salad, and deli sandwiches sure beat foraging for bark and twigs out in the woods. Given this background, I would venture to guess that Yogi was a big fan of the fourth of July. I mean a big part of this holiday is the eating. Whether it is a picnic in the park or at the beach, or an evening eating grilled yummies with friends, food is front and center.

However, in all of my many years orbiting about the sun, I have never (at least in my memory) actually celebrated the fourth of July. I mean I can never recall going to a picnic-type shindig on this day. I'm sure that I have been invited to go, but I guess something has always come up. This kind of made me think, especially given the buzz that I have sensed overhearing several hallway conversations this week. If you took a random sampling of what folk's favorite day of the year was, I would have guessed their birthday or Christmas or, perhaps, Arbor day, but people actually were giddy about July 4. I guess the big to-dos that they were planning were something special to them and their families and friends.

Anyway, whether you are feasting on delicious goodies with folks you care about, alone with your thoughts and a bag of chips, or even anywhere in between these limits, remember that July 4 is really all about celebrating the United States of America. God bless the U.S.A.. Have a great weekend everyone.