Dan Antion

Flying High – SoCS

The perfect lime wedge.
A little bit of wind is filling out the flag at Veterans Park.
These guys keep showing up and getting themselves stuck. Yes, I set him free.

Welcome to Saturday, Week-1 of the six remaining weeks of winter, according to our furry friend Phil. We are at the bar, whatever bar has room, but David and I bring Cheryl with us to help with Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday challenge. This week’s prompt is:

“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘flag.’ Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!”

And, if we were having a beer, the prompt might let me scratch an itch or two.

“Good afternoon Dan. Welcome to the club.”

“Club? Did Cheryl change the rules around here, David?”

“Cheryl did no such thing, Dan, but he’s been talking about how ‘we’ finally won you over. I don’t get it, but I can get you a beer.”

“And to further welcome him to the club, Cheryl, put that beer on my tab, along with a John Howell’s special.”

“Hang on a minute, Cheryl. I need to know something. David, what club are you talking about?”

“UConn. I saw the picture you posted online of the UConn Women’s Basketball team flag.”

“Ah, I see. Cheryl, please put the drinks on my tab. I’m about to make David sad.”

“OK, Dan. I’ll get the drinks while you two work this out.”

“David.”

“Yes?”

“That image was of my neighbor’s house.”

“Your neighbor?”

“He’s the UConn fan?”

“Oh yes, big time fan of the UConn Women.”

“But, you…”

“Me, no. Not a fan. Not at all. No flag.”

“Here you go. A cold Corona for the WVU, Pitt and part time Iowa State fan, and a collection of glasses for our deflated friend, But, David, Dan’s neighbor is a fan, so you have that going for you.”

“Thanks Cheryl. I thought I had a convert.”

“At least the drinks are on Dan, now.”

“That’s true. Cheers Dan.”

“Cheers.”

“Do you have a WVU flag at your house Dan?”

“No.”

“What about Pitt? Or Steeler Nation?”

“No and no.”

“What about the American flag?”

“I cherish the American flag, David but I do not have one flying at our house.”

“Why not?”

“Because, if I had a flag, I’d want to be good about it. You know, bring it in in bad weather or at night, or keep it illuminated.”

“In other words, you’re lazy.”

“I guess you could say that. I prefer to think of it as being patriotic, but perhaps you’re right.”

“You know, Dan, these days, people read all kinds of meaning into the flying of the flag.”

“That’s stupid, David. The American flag is every American’s flag. Every citizen. Every veteran. Every man, woman and child in this country is represented by that flag. No one can lay claim to it and no one can ascribe meaning to it beyond its inherent meaning.”

“You show pictures of a flag often on your blog. Which one is that?”

“That’s the flag at Veterans Park. Maddie and I walk there, and we stop and acknowledge the people who fought for and who are fighting for the freedom that flag represents.”

“That’s nice. You know, Dan, I’m a veteran.”

“I know, David, umpteen years in the Coast Guard.”

“Correct. I was protecting you before you could spell Coast Guard.”

“That might not be that long ago, David. I still want to put the ‘a’ before the ‘u’…”

“Well, next time you have to spell ‘guard,’ think of me and think – “Gee – you – are a handsome bugger’ – get it? G-you-A-r…”

“Cheryl, give my friend another splash of John Howell’s bourbon, top off his seltzer and freshen his ice.”

“With pleasure, Dan. I’ll bring you another Corona, too. You boys want something to eat?”

“If Dan is still buying, I could go for a slice or three of a pepperoni pizza.”

“Dan is still buying, David.”

“Thanks Dan.”

“Thank you, David, and everyone else who ever served to protect that flag and everything – and every one – it stands for.”

Morning after the storm.
After five days, we set out for a short walk.
Maddie doesn’t like staying on the walk, but we don’t seem to have much choice.
We won’t be visiting the park for a while.
Winter is beautiful in black and white.
Sunset after the storm.
Smokey has his peanut and is climbing up and over the lilacs.
“I hope you brought peanuts, because I have to dig a long way to get to the ground.”
I did manage a quick trip to my favorite park. More pics from here on Monday.
Winter in New England.
The gray squirrels love to sit on this stub of a branch to eat their peanuts.
Maddie wanted to see her neighbor.
Chinook
I think he’s trying to make a snow angel.
Best when shared.
“Why did you wake me?”

69 comments

  2. That pizza looks delicious and, yes, to sharing. :-) I’ve always thought the same about what the flag represents, and I found it very disappointing when it became a political football. I have a very good friend who is a huge UConn women supporter so whenever I see or hear about them, I think about her. :-) Maddie would be walking on the sidewalks up here too. We’re snow covered and lots of banks.

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    • We are surrounded by UConn supporters. I understand, but Pitt and WVU were in the Big East for years, and I still can’t think of them (UConn) any other way than as an opponent. Maddie loves to get up in the snow, but I don’t like it when we’re connected. Once a dog gets in snow, there’s no stopping them. I hope we can get back to the flag just being our flag.

      We seem to have more snow coming. Not sure if it’s headed your way. Take care – stay safe.

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  3. Thanks, Dan, for featuring the American flag again at Veterans Park. It saddens me when one group or another tries to claim that it represents “their” group to the exclusion of others. That pizza looks wonderful. During this pandemic, I have eaten too many frozen pizzas, which definitely can’t compete with that one. I really liked the sky in the morning after photo and chucked at the idea of a leaf making a snow angel. We are in a crazy weather pattern. It got up to 57 yesterday and late tonight a storm starts that might give us 3-6 inches of snow. It is that time of the year.

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    • I’m glad you liked this, Mike. We get that pizza as takeout, but it is so much better hot out of the oven. That’s a small, but I’m pretty sure we could have eaten a large pie. This is the time of year that the weather goes a bit crazy. We have snow in the forecast, but you never know what might show up. I hope it’s a good week. Take care.

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  4. Beautiful Dan. I cannot see the flag flying high without tearing. But my age group lost friends and family to Vietnam and had parents who served in WWII. What folks don’t understand is that the flag is a symbol of hope. It’s not a political statement. Like a cross on a church, it welcomes all to draw near. In my area, veterans are honored throughout the year. No one cares who was president when they served. No one cares if they voted for the left or right. Everyone cares that the veteran offered his or her life that we might live. 💗

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    • Thank you for that comment, Gwen. My other big beef is with people who claim being Christian as if it’s unique to their brand. You’re exactly right about the cross, and no one said it better than Jesus – I’m pretty sure its for everyone who comes to him. I am in your age group, and disrespecting the flag has never sat well with me, regardless if it was as a protest or as a badge – it’s not why it’s still flying. I remember meeting WWII vets at the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC, and I was filled with pride just to see them.

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  6. I am halfway around the world in a foreign country but when I see a Canadian flag I feel protected. More great leaf pictures Dan! I am glad you released the one that was trapped. I am starting to anthropomorphize them!

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  9. Well said, Dan. Nothing gets my goat more than someone who uses our flag to make a negative statement about the very country where such a statement has been protected through the actions of those who fought to preserve that free speech. To change subjects that pizza is to die for. Excuse my reach. 😁

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  10. Yeah Dan, we all want to know, why couldn’t you just leave MiMi alone? 🤗

    The first leaf, the one you freed, if you look at it and envision a head on the left side, doesn’t it look like a bear stretched out enjoying some sunshine? Love this photo! Great shots of the squirrels. Beautiful sunset.

    Maddie and Chinook are always a treat to see when they’re catching up on the neighborhood gossip.

    Our flag is a symbol for everything this country was built on and stands for today. The flag represents all of us equally, not one group. It is not political and should never be disrespected.🇺🇸
    Ginger

    Think positive. Test negative.

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    • Oh my, Ginger. I just went back to look at the leaf/bear. You’re right! I love it.

      Maddie and Chinook gossip, bark, snarl and kiss. There’s another dog, Oola, an English Golden Retriever, but I’ve never been able to get a picture of her at the fence.

      I totally agree with your thoughts about the flag – absolutely NOT a political statement.

      Take care. We have more snow coming. I’m not sure where it’s coming from or where it’s heading. Stay safe.

      Liked by 1 person

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  13. I don’t fly flags either, Dan, probably because I’ve lived in an apartment most of my life and I’m not about to hang one over the balcony or display it in the window. Natasha and I used to put the green and gold Packer flamingos out on the deck during football season instead of a “G” flag, but now even those two (12 and 55) stay indoors where it’s warm.

    Enjoy your walks when you can get them. Our 10-day forecast has most of the highs in the single digits with sub-zero wind chills. Yikes, we’ll be frozen for awhile and not sure if outdoor walks of any kind, other than to the dumpster, will be part of this time. I may prefer indoor yoga. ;-)

    Have a great day, Dan. Enjoy the weekend!

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    • There is a house, not too far from us, where they fly a Steelers flag, and there’s a Steelers Fan Club at a local restaurant (but their pizza is meh). I honk, wave and give them a thumbs up if I see people, but otherwise I admire the flags when I see them.

      Single digits is no time to be walking. We have snow in the forecast for several days this week, along with lows in the teens. Still, 14° is way better than 4° – stay warm, stay healthy. Get down with your yoga buddy / fur baby.

      Winter won’t last forever. It’s February, we’re on our way back up.

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    • Thanks Teagan. I have long been bothered by the flag waving folks who act as if our flag is somehow linked to their cause. I have started that post many times, but I don’t like to go off on windmill tilting rants. SoCS has always been a place where I can sneak those social statements into my blog (in which I normally avoid issues).

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  15. This is a great message: “The American flag is every American’s flag. Every citizen. Every veteran. Every man, woman and child in this country is represented by that flag. No one can lay claim to it and no one can ascribe meaning to it beyond its inherent meaning.” Quite quotable! Everyone knows your not lazy, Dan. You are being patriotic and conscientious about not flying a flag unless it’s done right. Like people shouldn’t have pets unless they are able to take care of them. I enjoyed this post and the photos, especially that orange sunset it the distance with the snow in the foreground.

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    • “Patriotism” is a spectrum in this country, Roberta. Unfortunately, it ranges from extremes which have nothing to do with what the founders of this country set out to establish. I try to stay near the middle.

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  17. The oak leaf making a snow angel…oh, how I love that! Any tips to remember how to spell are wonderful. I have no problem spelling GUARD, but you know I will always think of David with his, ‘Gee, you are…’ Too funny. Just like the nuns telling us to remember that ‘principal’ means the nuns were our ‘pal.’ Right.

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    • I’m glad this post has gotten a good response, Janis. I’ve had to delete some comments on the days that I’ve shared the flag photos. Apparently some were upset that there were no posts sympathetic to throttle cause. They can start their own blog.

      Getting out early has helped me find pictures like that. The sky is that color for about 2 minutes. I have to thank Maddie for that. She also finds most of the leaves.

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  21. There is a balance with flags. Veterans parks yes. Worn on the sleeve for the purpose of increasing sales ? A strong No. Little flags by veterans graves seem like a good idea. Until one sees the aftermath. If the veterans were able to comment we might not like the answer.

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  24. We don’t fly the flag either for the same reason. My parents on the other hand went to the trouble. I say trouble because there are rules to remember that I didn’t retain but for them it was almost automatic. They didn’t really overthink things. They simply put the flag out and took it back in. I do remember volunteering at school to raise the flag. Now that was a special treat when you were picked to assist.

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  25. Flying a flag actually means you take on a lot of responsibility as to taking care of it. I appreciate seeing a flag anytime and appreciate all those who’ve fought to keep us free to have all the crap going on that we do now. :-) Even to have people denigrate the flag. I also remember the days when the flag was raised and lowered daily at school and we all said the Pledge of Allegiance.

    janet

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  26. That first photo is my favorite. Chinook is a looker! I agree about the flag and how to rightly display it. As a Navy Veteran my Dad was proud to fly his American flag and followed the rules they were taught about respect and care for it. I have seen far too many hideous flag abuses over the past ten years. I don’t care for its being used as a gimmick or seeing it mud stained and in shreds. 😔
    And that pizza……mmmmm….

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  29. The sky after the storm is or was gorgeous, and that pizza looks really good.

    I used to put the US flag out in the morning, but after it got tattered and I disposed of it I never replaced it.
    It is work to do it right. I loved your thoughts on the flag. My feelings are very similar.

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