to be simple, to be free

‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free,
‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

~Shaker dancing tune, 1848

Red, white, and bloom

[Photo: Jeff VanEchaute]

Here’s a simple bouquet, fresh from my garden, blossoms to celebrate our beautiful nation, a place “where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.”

May the blessings of freedom, the love of family and friends, and the gift of peace be yours, today and always.

Let freedom ring!

From ev’ry mountainside
Let freedom ring!

~Samuel Francis Smith (1808 – 1895)