Thoughts For Thursday  -

Independence Edition...

Had some rain yesterday that did the watering job in the garden for me. No problem there.
Today will be a close copy of yesterday, according to forecasters.
Our Hoosierland weather brings us mostly cloudy skies, the possibility of scattered showers (better chance this evening) and temps once again climbing into the upper 80s (with all that humidity tagging along).

Now, let's get this nation's birthday gig started with a nice cool drink, as we see what else is going on...
*** First up is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:

"The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." 
This was spoken by none other than Douglas MacArthur  (January 26, 1880 – April 5, 1964) who was an American five-star general and Field Marshal of the Philippine Army.
And here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_MacArthur
While a lengthy read, it's worth your time to learn about someone who certainly saw his share of war.
*** Next, time for the "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
JULY 4 -
Independence Day (USA)

(more on this ahead)
National Barbecued Spareribs Day

(wish I had bought some last Saturday)
National Caesar Salad Day

(not in the mood)
*** Next up, time to stop by "Kitten Corner"...

Our kids had a decent day...lots to do which included napping a few hours away.

They did get a little bothered when the sun set and the idiots were playing with fireworks (in the bloody rain).
Still, it wasn't as bad as I thought.
*** Next...let's check in with "Midnight and Whiskers"...
The furry twosome had themselves a good day as well.

Guarding the walkway.

Midnight went on his patrol, while Whiskers stayed close by. They were both around for lunch, but it was a bit hot to eat a lot.

Catching a little shut-eye.

Later on, the rain came (not long after dinner, so we held off back step treats until we caught a break in the rain. We squeezed it in just before the rains returned.

The fluffy cat came by for dinner, but didn't stick around after that. I had to make sure it didn't eat the other cats' food. That worked out well enough
*** Last back to the flagpole... I'm going to borrow some words (from my 2014 post) spoken by some important people from our past, so we can better learn from our past, understand the present,  and protect our future:

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   "If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." 
Ronald Reagan 

   "I look forward to a great future for America - a future in which our country will match its military strength with our moral restraint, its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our purpose."
John F. Kennedy

   "Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory."
George S. Patton

   "America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand."
Harry S. Truman
   "True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else."
Clarence Darrow

   "The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults."
Alexis de Tocqueville

   "Patriotism is easy to understand in America. It means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country."
Calvin Coolidge
   "A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government."
Edward Abbey
   "Our national motto is 'In God we Trust,' reminding us that faith in our Creator is the most important American value of all."
Marco Rubio

   "When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, sir, was the primary object."
Patrick Henry

   "We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution."
Abraham Lincoln

   "If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter."
George Washington

   "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
John Adams

   "Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government."
Thomas Jefferson

   "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
Martin Luther King, Jr.

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That kinda says it all...or at least most of what NEEDS to BE said, right?
Have yourselves a very good day in knowing WHO we are as Americans and WHY we celebrate.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there.

May God Bless America.