We’re just past Independence Day, celebrated every 4th of July. Unlike the moveable holidays [MLK Day, President’s Day (formerly known as Lincoln’s Birthday and Washington’s Birthday) etc], this has to be held on it’s original day. So it is a rare and special holiday. And like most holidays it’s meaning has morphed into something else over the years. Now it’s fireworks, barbecue and beer (beer is an important ingredient for most holidays, especially if one has to see the relatives).
When Miss P and I had gone out to get our weekly sausage roll I noticed this patriotic mural on the side of an American Legion post downtown. It seemed rather fitting for the day.
American Legion is a place for veterans to hang out and drink beer I think, and of course there are plenty of retired military people here in town.
I’m not sure why the Continental Army had to have a fife and drum to fight, but they did. It’s part of the standard iconography of the Revolutionary War, along with 13 stripes.
And the building has an eagle, our national bird, painted on the front.
Most intriguingly there is this artillery piece out in front of the building. It is aimed at the church across the street and I am not sure what to make of this. To the right is the El Paso Club, a private men’s club for old rich guys, one might think it would make a better target.