Saturday, May 28

          In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagvat Geeta, since whose composition years of the gods have elapsed, and in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial; and I doubt if that philosophy is not to be referred to a previous state of existence, so remote is its sublimity of our conceptions.

                                                                        -Henry David Thoreau

                                                                        Walden

Sunday, May 29

            The Memorial Day weekend brings out the American songbook.  I take my daughter to hear a concert of patriotic music.  We enjoy:

God Bless America, Irving Berlin;

America the Beautiful;

Battle Hymn of the Republic, which contains the lines – “Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on;”

Stars and Stripes Forever, John Philip Sousa;

My Country ‘Tis of Thee;

O Beautiful for Spacious Skies;

Star Spangled Banner; and

Armed Forces Salute, which contains the anthems of the Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy, Army and Marines and such memorable lines as  - “anchors away,” “off we go into the wild blue yonder,” “from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli” and “over hill over dale as we hit the dusty trail”.

Monday, May 30

            My daughter puts out our flags.  We grill, swim and enjoy the 100^th Indy 500 on the radio to heighten the sound the cars make zooming around the track.  It is now the unofficial start of summer.

Tuesday, May 31

            It was a nice Memorial Day weekend.  It included a backyard cookout at our neighbors.  My wife and I walked the two houses over to theirs bringing the new Blue Bell ice cream flavor Coconut Fudge.  We appreciate the sacrifices made by those that died, are wounded or still serving so that we could safely enjoy this simple pleasure of fellowship in our community.