Flag Day Hodgepodge

Beautiful photo by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

Wednesday, and time for the almost-weekly Hodgepodge with Joyce and the gang at From This Side of the Pond.   Joyce asks the questions; bloggers copy, paste, and answer on their own blogs, then link up!  If you've never joined in the Hodgepodge, why not give it a  try this week?  Here we go with the questions:

1. The Hodgepodge lands on June 14th this week, Flag Day in the US of A. Do you fly your country's flag at home? Sometimes, often, or every single day? 

We don't have an American flag flying here at our home, although we do at my Dad's.  Every single day.  And we do, as of Saturday, have a perfectly folded American flag on a shelf in our living room.  My nephew is going to have a case made for it.

Have you ever visited the city of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia)? Did you make a point of seeing The Betsy Ross House? Have you ever made a trip to Baltimore? If so, was Fort McHenry on your itinerary? (where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star Spangled Banner)

 I have not visited either Philadelphia or Baltimore.

2. Red flag or white flag? Which have you encountered most recently? Explain.

Good question.  And I can't think of a really good answer.

Photo by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

3. Are you a stay in the car listen to the end of a song kind of person? What kind of person is that?

 Sometimes I am the sort of person who stays in the car to 1) listen to the end of the song; 2) hear the end of the news story; or 3) listen to see how the at-bat or the current inning comes out.  NPR calls those "driveway moments", so I guess you could say I'm (at times, not always) a driveway moment kind of person.  Or a rest-of-the-story type person.

4. What are some of the traits or qualities you think a good dad possesses? In other words, what makes a good dad? 
 Patience; empathy; kindness; thoughtfulness; courage; integrity; a good work ethic and a sense of humor.  Just to name a few. 

What's an expression you associate with your father?

"It's a poor day when you don't learn something."

5. What's one rule you always disagreed with while growing up? Is that rule somehow still part of your adult life? Is that a good or bad thing?

My parents had a rule that there would be no singing at the table (at mealtimes).  I'm still not completely sure why they had it, other than that singing slowed down one's eating, could be considered rude or distracting to others,  and -- in our house anyway -- teasing was sometimes accompanied by a song or jingle aimed at the one being teased.

I haven't kept that rule in my own household and very occasionally I will notice one of us or a grandchild singing at the table.  And I have no problem with it.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Very thankful for my own wonderful Dad who is no longer with us, as of May 26. We will miss him but he is far better off, reunited with his loved ones who have gone on before.  As I looked back over many photos to make a display for folks to enjoy at the gathering after his service, I was reminded again and again of  what a good dad he had been.

The tenderness expressed in this picture ... there are just no words.

They are getting ready to pour concrete to install a flagpole!

Setting the base for the flagpole ... this is how I always remember my dad, with a pencil tucked behind his ear.

 
And so ends another Hodgepodge. Happy Flag Day!