Celebrating America’s Independence! 4th of July 1776-2012!

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

~~Lyrics from "America the Beautiful" by Katherine Lee Bates
Poem written in 1895, originally entitled "Pikes Peak," then turned into the song "America the Beautiful" in 1910 with melody by Samuel A. Ward

Happy Independence Day! I hope everyone is celebrating this pawsome holiday and honoring the many things that made America great, such as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet. But most importantly, and the reason we have today to celebrate, the United States Declaration of Independence. To quote its famous second sentence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Great words made more great when respected and put into practice.

~~ MOMENT OF BEAUTY ~~

Ferdinand Richardt, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, circa 1858-1863 (White House, Washington, D.C., America) [NOTE: Where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and signed.]

Liberty Bell, circa 1752, commissioned by London firm of Lester & Pack, recast in 1753 by Pass & Stow, (Liberty Bell Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, America) [NOTE: Rung to mark the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776.]

Back to me...

My human, K, wanted to get some midnight shots of me by our flag in honor of the midnight ride of Paul Revere. He was an American silversmith, early industrialist, and a patriot in the American Revolution, most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord.

Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.

~~ First stanza of "Paul Revere's Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, circa 1861

I am not going to woof, "The British are coming! The British are coming!"

It is 101 degrees Fahrenheit. I am a hot dog...without the mustard and pickle relish. BOL!

Happy 4th of July! Enjoy the fireworks! And dogs, enjoy the steaks and hamburgers that land on the ground when you "accidentally" knock over the barbeque grill. I'm just sayin'...