ragged old flag…

Ragged Old Flag
by
Written and Performed by Johnny Cash in 1974.
Recorded on Columbia Records.

(This is not a song. It’s a poem.)

I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench, an old man was sittin’ there.
I said, “Your old court house is kinda run down.”
He said, “Naw, it’ll do for our little town”.
I said, “Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit,
And that’s a ragged old flag you got hangin’ on it”.
He said, “Have a seat”, and I sat down.
“Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?”
I said, “I think it is.”
He said “I don’t like to brag, but we’re kinda proud of
That Ragged Old Flag.”

“You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it,
Writing ‘Say Can You See’
It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson
Tugging at it’s seams.
And It almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag.
But, she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville.
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg.
And the south wind blew hard on
That Ragged Old Flag.
“On Flanders Field in World War I,
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun.
She turned blood red in World War II.
She hung limp, and low, a time or two.
She was in Korea, Vietnam.

She went where she was sent
By her Uncle Sam.
She waved from our ships upon the briny foam.
And now they’ve about quit wavin’ back here at home.
In her own good land here She’s been abused.
She’s been burned, dishonored, denied an’ refused.
And the government for which she stands
Has been scandalized throughout out the land.
And she’s getting thread bare, and she’s wearin’ thin.
But she’s in good shape, for the shape she’s in.

Cause she’s been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.

“So we raise her up every morning.

Writer’s Notes: I found this poem this morning when I was researching

for a story and I wanted to share it with you today.

God Bless America and our Flag especially on Memorial Day.

By Barbara KisKis

May 28, 2018

Floating art…

The Riverside Art Museum (RAM), in collaboration with the City of Riverside’s Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department and the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD), will host a signature community art event that will involve hundreds of huge, floating, hand-painted spheres in Lake Evans at Fairmount Park. Called Art Float – Riverside, the project is patterned after one staged a few years ago by Portraits of Hope in Los Angeles.

The Art Alliance of the Riverside Art Museum, the volunteer fundraising group of RAM, is spearheading the event that will take place May 11 – June 1, 2018. When complete, the floating artwork will feature over 350 hand-painted spheres that will float in Lake Evans for a three-week festival.

Each plastic sphere is six feet in diameter and will be brightly painted by schoolchildren at 48 RUSD schools. After being painted, the spheres will be launched in Lake Evans at Fairmount Park and will float as a huge piece of community art. During the time the spheres will be in the lake, there will be multiple events for the public to enjoy.

“This will be a signature event in Riverside,”

says Lucile Arntzen, incoming RAM

Board President. “It will allow everyone free access to a unique kind of

community art.”

Art Float – Riverside chairwoman, Kathy Allavie, says that one of the unique aspects of the project is the involvement of thousands of schoolchildren throughout the city. Allavie, who also sits on the RUSD Board of Trustees, is excited to bring the art experience into the schools. “Our painting teams will be visiting each school and letting the children participate in the process,” says Allavie. “I know that when they see the spheres floating colorfully in the lake they will be thrilled to have had a hand in its creation.”

Art Float – Riverside is also a fundraiser for the museum. Allavie is hoping to have 350 spheres sponsored by community members for $350 each. After the event, the sponsors can keep the painted spheres or have them donated to a school, library, or community center. The money raised by the project will return to RAM’s mission-driven programs, including their award-winning art education program called Art-to-Go. Art-to-Go delivers art education directly to each classroom with age-appropriate projects and lessons given by qualified art instructors. RUSD has engaged the museum to deliver around 3,700 art classes in all their elementary schools, K-6th, this coming year.

Writer’s notes: I think this is a wonderful and creative way to get the children involved in ART!! I love the idea…I might have to go to Riverside to see this exhibit.

Enjoy the long weekend.

By Barbara KisKis

May 27, 2018

Photos from my facebook friend, Dede A.

I Do, I Do Saga #25

Deep in the heart of Texas

The day of Sarah’s wedding was not a good day for Sam.
No, he didn’t crash this wedding but went riding with, his best friend, James
on his ranch in Texas, instead.

“So, Sam what are you plans for the future?”

 

“I’ve thinking about going down to Argentina

and helping a certain person with a vineyard.”

 

“You mean go down and take what belongs to you?”

 

“If you are talking about my vineyard that I worked so hard at, yes. Some how, some way Suzanne got the government to claim the vineyard back to me. She’s a hectic of a strong woman, James.”

 

“I know, Sam. Go get her.”

 

“Thanks, James, I wanted you to approve. Come on let’s ride.”

By Barbara KisKis

May 18, 2018

I Do, I Do Saga #24

It was Sam and Sarah’s wedding date but something was wrong….

Sarah was not marrying Sam but she was marrying Duke
on the same date that was reserved for her original wedding.

Was she happy?

Would she and Duke be happy together?

The answer was “YES”.

When Sarah walked down the aisle on her wedding day,

she was all smiles and had her eyes fixed on Duke standing at the altar.

They were in love.

Sarah said, “I Do.”

Duke said, “I DO.”

and just then the minister announced that they were husband and wife

and Duke kissed his bride.

( to be continued )

I Do, I Do Saga #23

You win some and you lose some..

Aunt Beatrice visited Sam at his ranch after she heard the news.

“Sam, I’m sorry that it didn’t work out between you and Sarah

but as my grandmother always said:

you just have to accept the fact that it was fun while it lasted,

let them go and move on.

Sam laughed at Aunt Beatrice’s effort to cheer him up.

“Come on Aunt B. let’s have a drink.”

“I thought you would never ask me. It’s 5 O’clock somewhere.”

“Yes, Aunt B. it is.”

( to be continued )

I Do, I Do Saga #22

Sam wasn’t sure if it was the rain outside falling on him or his own tears.

His dinner with Sarah didn’t go in his favor.

She broke off their engagement.

Sarah had realized, during Sam’s absence,

that the marriage would never work between them.

Sam would be traveling and she would be left alone.

That was not a marriage to her.

She kissed him and thanked him and then she left him.

( to be continued )

I Do, I Do Saga #21

Sam Houston’s homecoming was not what he expected.

Where was the Sarah he left behind?

Sarah was not at the airport when Sam arrived in Dallas. That was odd, she always made a point of greeting him after he had been away.

Was there a new Sarah coming?

Sam called Sarah after, she was a no show at the airport.

“Sam, I’m so sorry, I got distracted. Can we have dinner together tonight?

We need to talk.”

These were the words Sam hated to heard from Sarah.

( to be continued )

 

I Do, I Do Saga #20

He loves me, He loves me not…

“Crystal, I just don’t know about Sam Houston. Why is he helping me start a new life in Argentina if he didn’t love me?’

“I wish you the best in whatever happens. Do you  want me to go to Argentina with you for a few weeks until you get settled?”

“Yes, oh, yes, please come with me. I’ll take you up on the offer.”

“It’s a deal that, Suzanne. I’m going to have to get use to life in another country. I’m starting to feel like a gypsy when I’m around you. By the way,  what did Majors say to you about his wife in London?”

“He finally admitted it…too bad, he was a heck of a nice guy.”

“You are so funny, Suzanne, you manage to find humor in his carrying out a fake wedding with you.”

“A shining knight he was not;  I will breathe in deeply, hold, and exhale.
Just let it be, Crystal.”

“I know the rules do not apply to you, Suzanne. I’ll just leave it at that.”

Both ladies laughed and sat at the bar and drank the last of the champagne.

( to be continued )

 

 

I Do, I Do Saga #19

Meanwhile back on the ranch in Texas….

Aunt Beatrice was playing match maker because she loved drama and could see where things were headed with Sam. She introduced Sarah to a ranch hand named, Duke.

At first, it was a pleasant friendship because Sarah didn’t know very many people in Texas and Duke was her first real friend in Texas. They were about the same age which made talking with each other easier. They liked the same music and they laughed a lot about the way Aunt Beatrice was always around to entertain them.

Since Sam was away in South America, she was in need of company and Duke filled the void in Sarah’s life.

Duke, was a ranch hand on Aunt Beatrice’s ranch, who was working his way through graduate school. Duke had taken off a semester to work so he could save money for his schooling. He was studying to be in Project Management.  Duke was originally from California but chose a school outside of his home state. He wanted to have an experience away from his family. His mother was a equine veterinarian, and his dad was a medical doctor  in the military.

Sarah watched how gentle Duke was with the horses on the ranch and she spent long hours talking with him about his passions and her hopes for the future with Sam.

“So, Sarah, you are going to married Sam in a few weeks. Are you excited?”

“Yes, I am excited.”

As they talked out my the horse stables, Sarah started to question her excitement about getting married.

Was she going to be happy with her life with Sam?

( to be continued)

 

I Do, I Do Saga #18

Sam flew back to the states will the reassurance that Sally
would move to Argentina and still use her new name, Suzanne Swan (not Majors).

After all, Majors was married to someone else in the UK and Sally’s marriage was not legal since there was no marriage license issued.

Sam saw to that before he departed Rio.

His report to the Agency would be that Sally Steele was taken care and they should not any worries about her showing up somewhere to embarrass them again.

Sally took Sam’s money with a promise to pay him back, some day.

Sam knew he would never see the money again, but that was fine with him. He arranged for her to have employment in Argentina.

There was this old rundown vineyard that needed attending to and Sam thought Sally would be the best candidate to bring it back to life. After all, it use to be his vineyard before the government took it over from Sam a number of years back.

Sam sat back in his seat and smiled.

He was going back to
marry Sarah in a few weeks.

Life was good.

( to be continued )