Celebrating Semiquincentennial and Summer Musings

It’s a holiday weekend here in the U.S. celebrating the 250th anniversary of our nation, otherwise known as our semiquincentennial celebration, as opposed to the bicentennial we celebrated in 1976.

Yes, most of us are aware that our country is something of a dumpster fire at this moment, at least politically, but I have faith we’ll reclaim it over time and sanity will ultimately prevail. Call it the INFJ “cynical optimist” paradox, meaning we deeply understand humanity’s flaws while remaining hopeful for its future.

At dinner with a few friends on July 4th, I asked the others what they recalled about celebrating July 4, 1976. Personally, I was pretty young, but I recall sitting on my grandparents’ front porch (That stands out because they almost never used that entrance.) to watch a local fireworks display and light off our own sparklers which my grandmother gave to me and my siblings each year for the 4th.

I also recounted fondly the many evenings in that era where we’d run around the yard catching fireflies, putting them into jars with holes in the lids, later letting most of them go. Where I live, I don’t see many fireflies these days and my own kid would probably have looked at me like I’m goofy if I’d suggested he try to catch what few there are when he was younger. Kids these days. ; A friend said she recalls being around five years old with her own older sisters, throwing objects in the air to garner the attention of bats.

If you’re following along in my blog, you’ll know I spent much of June doing some travelling to other areas of the U.S. wherein I had a pretty grand time, travel hiccups and all. It’s part of the memory-making, I suppose. When I arrived home a few days ago, I surveyed the gardens around my house for damage. Hundred-degree heat will do that. Most of it will survive, some may revive with consistent watering, though a few less- hardy ones won’t make it.

I have managed to grow a few tomatoes in pots along my front porch area which gets the most sun. Tomatoes don’t seem to like growing in pots much, though, so I don’t think I’ll get many.

How about that summer reading?

As I cruised along the highway, I listened to “Eleanore of Avignon” by Elizabeth Delozier, on my Audible phone app. It’s a novel about a young woman who is a gifted healer performing heroic acts in her town in a time of plague in the mid-14th century under the tutelage of a medical doctor but who’s cast as a witch by her detractors. I had started the book last summer on a trip, so it seemed a good time to finish it on this one. It’s a recommend, and I especially appreciated the intonations of the narrator whose voice deepened the drama of the story. I seem to gravitate to stories and movies about strong yet vulnerable or even troubled women who end up overcoming their turmoil or doing unusual things. Perhaps it’s how I see myself.

I’m also continuing on my journey reading through the classics with “Agnes Grey” by Anne Bronte, a novel about a young woman’s experiences as governess to intractable children. Apparently, the book is meant to highlight how unpleasant the profession of caring for other people’s children in the 19th century really was. I’d replace “intractable” with “psychopathic” children. I can’t say I’m especially enjoying this particular story but it’s short and I’m determined to finish it.

I’ve also read “Be Ready When the Luck Happens’ by Ian Garten which was a pretty cool recounting of her unique experience with her beloved husband Jeffrey as she makes her way to success in the food business. Then there’s “The Girl in the Road” by Monica Byrne whose sister I attended high school with. It’s a bit of near-term science fiction imagining of what life will be like in about 50 years as the main character makes her way to far off places in search of her identity. It’s a bit unusual and at times hard to follow because it’s set in such a different culture. I had to hang with the story for a bit, but I found myself riveted about half-way through. Byrne has written a few other novels I haven’t picked up yet. She also writes a blog entitled Byrne Notice about her unique lifestyle living in different countries as a creative sort. Again, unique women doing unique things. I’m sensing a theme here.

It’s become my practice to buy myself a book wherever I go on a trip. Since part of my journey this summer took me to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where some of the robber barons of the gilded age spent some of their time, I picked up the autobiographical “Thomas Mellon and His Times” in a museum gift shop. I also buy myself a ballcap naming where I’ve been and have by now accumulated quite a few.

Pittsburgh is a former steel-making town with a lot of history. Think former home of Heinz Ketchup, the Mellons of Mellon Bank, the Fricks, Andrew Carnegie who gifted cities with libraries, and many others. You can find some of their graves at Homewood Cemetery, one of the few actual planned cemeteries where I try to stop whenever I’m visiting for the peaceful scenery and history. Other things to do in a summer there include taking in a Pirates baseball game, visiting the Frick House and car museum, cruising in a boat along the river and exploring the many trails. The view from Mt. Washington where I stayed is a must-see for its wide panorama of the city and includes an incline dating to the 19th century that you can still ride down the mountain.

In a trip earlier in the month, I visited Acadia National Park in Maine, very worthwhile with its panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and mountainous terrain, wish I could have spent more time there.

I love New England and I love to find unique bed and breakfasts when I travel. A friend commented that he could picture me spending out my days writing the old-fashioned way from the old-time bed and breakfast where I stayed on an island off the coast of Maine.

Interestingly, another friend who also happens to do house-painting for me commented the next week that he could envision me opening a shop where I sell food on one side (He likes my lunches I’ve served him while on the job. Don’t ask me why I do it, it’s just a thing cooking for other people.) and vintage items on the other. I laughed and said, “What would I sell?” He couldn’t say. lol.

I take both their points that in some ways I’m a step out of time. How cool would it be to be able to briefly experience life in other places and eras? I’ll note, however, that the more I listen to “Boring Sleep Stories” on YouTube, the less I’d probably actually like the inconveniences and discomforts of other historical times. The stories are interesting though and sometimes I can fall asleep more easily to them. Worth checking out.

The remainder of my summer promises to be more home-bound with maybe some daytrips with a few friends. A few years ago, a few of us had decided to have what I dubbed “fieldtrip Fridays” in the summer where we’d visit somewhere new but not too far from home for a daytrip. This summer has proven too busy so far for some of us, mostly with travel. I still like the idea, though. Places to consider in your own area might include a museum, the zoo, a winery, a hiking trail, a farm, to name a few ideas.

Hopefully you have something fun planned for the summer. Life’s too short not to steal some time away from regular life even if only for a few hours.

Happy Sunday.

Peace.

A few pics from my trip -