Blip-meet on the verge of the 4th of July

Here are Connections and Pilipo, who met me for brunch and coffee on their way to the rail station, ending their week in the heat of Portland to return to their home in cool, low-key, small-town Bellingham. We talked for two hours about people we love in the Blip community, and that (and the heat) brought a pink flush to everyone's cheeks.  

Now I'm back to hanging pictures, unpacking the last of the boxes, and then heading out to take care of some dogs while friends are out of town and folks in their neighborhood are setting off fireworks for the 4th of July. 

I am touched by the kindness of many friends in the UK who celebrate this holiday because they like some Americans and wish us well, but this is not my favorite holiday. I see it as an opportunity for flag-waving, animal-intimidation (those fireworks), nationalism, and (if you ask me) unjustified patriotic pride. We are a country with massive income inequality; a militarized police force that engages in racial profiling, white supremacy, and shut-down of peaceful citizen protests; international policies of domination and warfare to protect American business interests; and a health service that serves corporations rather than citizens.  

I'm glad some people have picnics and time with their families. I'm glad there's a summer holiday that gives working people an extra day off. But the only flag I feel like waving is a flag of caution that says, "Capitalism Kills." 

P.S. Now that I've had that little rant, I observe that this picture, crystal-clear and sharply in focus on my computer, has "softened" somehow in the posting. PaulaJ mentioned the same thing. I wonder what that's about.