Gotta be honest

 I've never been a big fan of the Fourth of July;

too much privilege wrapped in a flag;

too much glorification of military might -

by people who went out of their way to avoid the draft

and military service

back in the day. 

 

I used to volunteer to work in the ER,

just so I wouldn't be available/required to watch our small town parade.

I've always been fascinated though by Grand Entry at a PowWow

and how seriously and lovingly their veterans participate.

 

 If ever a group of people had a right to complain about this country and how it treated them,

its our indigenous brothers and sisters.

Attempted genocide - check

Cultural erasure through boarding schools - check

Exclusion from mainstream society into remote poverty deserts - check

Lack of access to decent services - check.

 

Yet service and the opportunity to protect this land is seen 

as honorable and heroic.

They don't love our government -

which, lets be honest is made up of pretty flawed humans beings,

yet, they fight for our LAND,

Mother Earth;

its their home 

and they feel duty bound to protect it.

Their approach makes sense to me. 

I DO love this country,

the physicality of it -

from sea to shining sea;

its the government that sucks so often! 

 

I continue to be heartbroken by ways in which our current regime

AND our earth are being changed and deliberately destroyed. 

Freedom, Liberty and Life itself are on the line in ways

they never have been before -

at least not in my lifetime.

Heaven knows where we'll all end up. 

 Against that backdrop, 

it was hard to celebrate even the basic trappings of the holiday

although, 

at least this year,

 it was inside in AC, with no mosquitos around 

and a drink in hand.

 I've been scrambling for those glimmers of joy -

and they're definitely still

 out there -

                                Don't you love those rare shots that make it look like you're 

both a great gardener and a great photographer? 

When you were actually just standing in the driveway and got lucky?! 

 

I took a quick trip up to see where the Missouri River joins the Mississippi River;

its a MO state park - and frankly, it was underwhelming.

 

Not without beauty of its own kind

but also not what was expected.

Especially with a drive 5 miles deep into a cornfield.

and what seemed to be away from the river! 

Truth be told,

 the road also leads through what can only be described as petrochemical alley.

 Whatever you do, don't light a cigarette.

 

You finally get to a parking lot and then, down a short trail -

there it is.

The Missouri River on the right,

the Mississippi River on the left.

That's it ...

No metaphors about how two great powers come

together without fanfare;

just water seeking its own. 

With more corn and soybean fields on the way out.

Oh well,

it got me out of the house 

and away from playing with paper,

making more anthropomorphic creatures. 

 I also thought two of Edward Hooper's paintings could use a refresh.

 

 I recently discovered my 'art practice' philosophy.

 Thank God for these two;

they always keep it real. 

 Keep creating and finding joy, my friends.

It's gonna get rockier.