Years ago I wanted to have my yard celebrate the Fourth of July. So I planted clematis under the deck, getting as close as I could to red, white and blue.
And, so I offer this metaphor as a simple Fourth of July wish.
I planted them, have cared for them, nourished them, protected them, and aided them, and responding they have done their part and grown and developed into beautiful plants, offering their flowers to me in return as a reward for my faith, and diligence and love.
As these flowers seek to grow and develop and use their God-given freedoms to their advantage, so should we, using our God-given freedoms to grow and develop, looking to defend our Constitutionally-protected, self-evident, "endowed by our Creator" freedoms from all threats, foreign and domestic. That is ALL threats, foreign and domestic.
As we seek to grow and develop, nourishing our freedoms as Americans always have, we too will be rewarded by the Giver of those endowed freedoms further protection and nourishment, and our rewards will be sweet, and beautiful, and will return self-evident, inalienable benefits to us year after year after year. This is America The Beautiful. This is the Land Bountiful in so many ways. Let's keep it so.
THIS IS TO WISH A HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO ALL!
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC 
Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia.
Office (703) 330-6388 Cell (703) 585-7560
Oh that is cool. So glad you could get the colors to work. Happy 4th of July, Jay. Enjoy the day.
Going to the Iwo Jima Monument, Debbie! The best place in town to see the fireworks!
Hi Jay,
Those are really neat to have. I bet it took a hile for them to mature to the size they are today.
Have a wonderful Fourth Of July in Bristow my friend.
Best, Clint McKie
They have done their part Clint! Clematis is a very fast-growing plant and will do this in one year!
Jay, that is beautiful! What a great idea that was. Have a wonderful 4th of July, stay safe and have tons of fun!
He might have been off by 2 days, but he sure got it right.
Letter to Abigail Adams from John Adams, July 3, 1776
The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.
I love that quote Andrea! He thought July 2 because all but a couple of delegates had signed the Declaration by July 2. The final three did so on July 4, hence our celebration. But he really hit the nail on the head.
Those signers all paid a huge price, individually and collectively, for what they did. And they were the MINORITY in the whole process!
To speak further Andrea, I am so impressed by the symbolism and history surrounding John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both dying on July 4, exactly 50 years from the signing!
Well said Jay!
The coolest fireworks display I have ever seen was in DC, we sat on the grass in front of the Washington Monument and watched the fireworks with that and the Lincoln Memorial as a backdrop. Can't get much more patriotic than that! Have a great 4th Jay!!
Thanks Fred. From the Iwo Monument the fireworks are great, but also, the cemetery is there, Lee's Mansion, the Bell Tower, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Marine band, a Marine rifle ceremony, and my grilled chicken.
Happy 4th to you and your family, and many more. I also think the Jefferson Adams date is very intriguing. I think the quote says that Adams, Knowing he was dying said "the country is ok as long as Jefferson was still around." I'm paraphrasing of course.
As he died, Scott, Adams said, "Jefferson survives!", not knowing he had expired a couple of hours prior.
During their political careers they were great friends, but also political enemies, but subsequently became different friends from afar, communicating via letters. I have a book with those letters, and it is an interesting view into their personas.
Jay, Happy Fourth to you! Adams and Jefferson are my two favorite historical figures and I constantly marvel at their vision. Favorite musical? 1776, of course!
I really like the metaphor Jay.
Enjoy this day my friend.
Thanks Susan. What a duo! They make interesting history together.
And thank you Tom. Hope to! It looks like raino. That won't stop my grill, but it might prevent us from going the 35 miles to the fireworks.
I guess I need to plant some clematis! They look great! Thanks for sharing your thoughts today, Jay. Ben Franklin said "Where liberty dwells, there is my country!". We have a lot to be thankful for.
They're easy Tom. Pretty much plant, trim, nourish and water when needed. Hard to kill!
Beautiful arrangement and a great wish. Happy 4th of July. Enjoy.
Thanks Rob. It is a beautiful arrangement.
Jay...what a cool idea. I am going tell my wife about this and do something also
Thanks William. It's sort of a red/purple, but it works for me!
Happy 4th of July. Hope you have a safe and insane celebration.
I think your metaphor will be lost on many or all they will see is how the plants depend on you at the start and not what they produced for you. (Missing the part where the plants become productive members of your garden.)
That's the part that must be strived for Than! What was it that Jefferson meant when he said the liberty tree is fed from time to time with the blood of patriots?
Jay, another piece of history, seems that there is real debate, it may not have been signed until August. But who can say. Franklin, Adams & Jefferson did say otherwise, but historians believe it not true.
I believe it is amazing they both died the very same day, after all their trials and tribulations with each other.
Also, a bit of trivia, one of my business partners is a direct descendant of John Adams. How about that!
Now why would they do that Andrea, and disallow us the 4th of July holiday? ;>)
Very cool about the descendent!
I am a direct descendent of this guy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zadok_Magruder
Which makes me a bona fide Son of the American Revolution. Now you know where I get my "don't tread on me" attitude!
Very cool Jay, mine aren't in Wikipedia, but they were in the Revolutionary War and Civil War. I was very lucky, some industrious relative put it all online. Most of them were from PA, immigrated here in 1698. Some day I hope to go to PA and see a few graves... and there is a cabin that is on some public school grounds that was built by the family.
Zadok is a very cool name!
He was Scotch, but the name is Hebrew, which his parents probably got from the Bible. It means "just," or "righteous." Our original last name was MacGregor, but it was taken away because of a conflict with the Campbells. Magruder was one of the resulting names. Zadok and his brother got the Maryland State Assembly to give the name MacGregor back. My recent tree says MacGregor - mother and grandmother.
Morning Jay foreign and domestic says it all. Lately it has been hard to distinguish between the two.
My point exactly James. You picked up on that!
Awww....ours are only purple of course...beautiful sentiment...lovely display ...all the best of the weekend to come !
Thanks Guys! Working this weekend, as usual.
Kick a little dog today ... just to show you're back!