9 Things To Do on 4th of July

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by Victoria M. Johnson

1. Remember why we celebrate the day.

The holiday commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.  With this document, the thirteen colonies declared their independence from England.

2. Read Patriotic Words.

Last year I wrote a post about the gripping words that gives us goose bumps or brings us to tears.  You can read the post, Talk Patriotism To Me, at this link:  Patriotism post.

3. Watch an Amazing Video.

This powerful 4-minute video about the Declaration of Independence inspires and informs.  From the History website: 4th of July Video  

4. Attend a parade.

One of the few opportunities to hear live patriotic music is at 4th of July parades.  Plus you get to enjoy the many patriotic festivities, historic reenactments, and whatever else your local parade offers.  

5. Gather with family and friends.

Enjoy a picnic or barbecue with friends and loved ones.  Not only should we appreciate this great nation, but our loved ones, too.  The holiday provides a reason to spend relaxing time together.

6. Eat Great Foods.

What's a holiday without special recipes?  Some families go all out with red, white, and blue everything.  Others stick to traditional 4th of July eats.

7. View fireworks.

Firework displays are a fun way to wind down the day.  Back in the day, children could light their own fireworks out on the sidewalks of their homes.  Now they are limited to stadiums and other public venues.

8. See a Good Patriotic Movie.

Whatever genre you prefer--romance, thriller, western, drama, horror, science fiction, classic, or comedy--there is a patriotic movie for you.  I have too many favorites to list here.  Do you have a favorite?  Let us know in the comments.

9. Cuddle Up With a Good Patriotic Book.

Whatever age group of the reader, there is a wide selection of patriotic books to choose from.  Referrals from friends work well.  So, if you have a favorite, share the title with us in the comments below.

Hoping you and yours have a fabulous 4th of July!

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Victoria M. Johnson knew by the time she was ten that she wanted to be a writer.  She loves telling stories and she's happiest when creating new characters and new plots.  Avalon Books and Montlake Romance published Victoria's fiction debut, The Doctor’s Dilemma.  Her other fiction book is a collection of romance short stories titled, The Substitute Bride and a novella, Hot Hawaiian Christmas. She is also the writer and director of four short films and two micro documentaries.   Visit Victoria's website at http://VictoriaMJohnson.com for inspiration and tips and find her Amazon author page or connect with her on Pinterest and Twitter.

Talk Patriotism To Me

by Victoria M. Johnson

I am wildly patriotic and I always enjoy meeting others who are, too.  Upon discovering our commonality, we'll exchange stories of how this brings us to tears or that fills us with jubilation.  Quite often it's the same things that affect us so deeply and instigates powerful emotions.  Those things are words.  Not just any words, but patriotic words.  

photo by Neringa Bryant

Where are these words?

They're in patriotic speeches, national monuments, historic documents, museum exhibits, TV commercials, movies, books, poems, and in songs.  Basically, they're everywhere.  I can be having a perfectly perfect time at an event and hear the National Anthem and get all choked up.  I know to bring tissue to visit national monuments.  Seeing and reading the actual Declaration of Independence in the National Archives or the words in Emma Lazarus' sonnet at the base of the Statue of Liberty and I'm a mess.  I believe in those words.

What are those words?

At the Lincoln Memorial, I was in awe of the compelling words all over the interior, including:

" Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal... that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."  These words fire me up.  They give me goosebumps.

In the movie National Treasure: Book of Secrets (I loved both films and can't wait to see the third) the lead characters and story are as patriotic as they come:

Ben Gates: "...And because you're the President of the United States, sir. Whether by innate character or the oath you took to defend the Constitution or the weight of history that falls upon you, I believe you to be an honorable man, sir."

US President: "Gates, people don't believe that stuff anymore."

Ben Gates: "They want to believe it."

Oh, we do, we do!  Patriotic dialogue is sure to put a lump in my throat.  Is anyone else out there moved by hearing the real President give his inaugural speech and annual address to the nation?  Anyone need a hanky upon hearing The Star Spangled Banner while watching the Olympics?  You know what?  Patriotism is a turn-on.  Whatever country you call home, I hope you love it, appreciate it, and help care for it.

Victoria M. Johnson knew by the time she was ten that she wanted to be a writer.  She loves telling stories and she's happiest when creating new characters and new plots.  Avalon Books and Montlake Romance published Victoria's fiction debut, The Doctor’s Dilemma, (A 2012 Bookseller’s Best double finalist).  Her other fiction book is a collection of romance short stories titled, The Substitute Bride and a novella, Hot Hawaiian Christmas. She is also the writer and director of four short films and two micro documentaries.   Visit Victoria's website at http://VictoriaMJohnson.com for inspiration and tips and find her Amazon author page or connect with her on Pinterest and Twitter.  
 

More Shredding Words with Sofie

By Sofie Couch

Yes, I’m defiling more books this month. But it’s okay, because it’s actually the same book that I defiled for another craft project, which is sort of like being a cannibal and justifying it with the phrase, “yes, but I already started eating him. It would be wrong of me to waste the tasty bits.”

So today, being the day of Independence et al, I thought I should stick with a theme – a book theme and a patriotic theme with something near and dear to every writer, a little tribute to free speech and freedom of the press.

First, you’ll need some little flags. (Easier said than done. I finally found them at the local box store for $2.50 for four of them, three of which I use in this project.) You’ll also need a wreath frame – straw, grapevine, whatever you have in the attic that’s looking a little worse for wear. And finally, a few pages from an old dictionary. I’ve chosen a dated and crumbling Spanish-English dictionary.

From the internet, you can do an advanced Google search for copyright free images. Here, I’ve chosen an American bald eagle. Print it out on one of the old dictionary pages. (You may want to / have to tape the page to an 8-1/2 X 11 inch piece of printer paper to avoid getting it jammed.) This may take several tries to get the image positioned correctly on your dictionary page. Once it’s printed, pull out your color pencils. (Oh yeah. Did I mention those as one of the necessary items? Yeah. You’ll need color pencils.) Color the image. It’s best if your copyright free image is an old engraving, so it has white space and transparency .

Curl the edges of your picture and hot glue it to the wreath. (Behind the scenes note. I’ve just moved, so couldn’t find my hot glue gun. I know it’s here somewhere. So instead, I placed all of the items and with the help of gravity and camera magic, they look as if they’re all glued in place. I’ll probably use a couple of straight pins to keep them in place and hang it on the door.) In my example wreath, I’ve used some of that straw stuff, (there’s a name for it - Raffia?), to create a bow. Well, actually, the bow was on the wreath that I liberated from the attic.

And “ta-da”! A patriotic Fourth of July wreath, perfect for celebrating freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and all things literary and fourth of July-y.

OH! Don’t forget to grab a favorite Classic and Cozy novel to take with you to your fourth of July celebration. You’ll need a good book to hold you over until the fireworks start. Only question is, will you be able to put it down?