“Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.”
The snow is gently falling in tiny flakes. It’s leaving a coating on the lawns but not the roads. I think it’s pretty. Today is cold but without a wind it seems warmer. Finches have taken over my feeders. Most are goldfinches, but I did see a house finch. A nuthatch flew in quickly, grabbed a seed and settled on a branch to enjoy it. I haven’t seen a chickadee in a while. They used to be my most frequent visitors, and I miss them. The suet feeder is empty. I’ll have to brave the elements later and fill it. I have a couple of woodpeckers who drop by all the time to dine at that feeder.
Today is called Presidents’ Day. It didn’t exist when I was young. We observed Washington’s birthday, February 22nd, as a holiday and always had it off from school because it usually fell during our February vacation. Lincoln’s birthday was February 12th, and we had that off from school too. Later, the powers that be tinkered with the birthdays and decided a Monday holiday combining both was the best idea so today unofficially celebrates Lincoln and Washington. There is no official federal holiday called Presidents’ Day. The federal government celebrates today as Washington’s Birthday and that’s it, nothing else. The other presidents were tossed by the wayside.
I’m okay with recognizing Washington. He was, after all, the first president, and there are some great myths associated with him like his wooden teeth and the chopping of the cherry tree. I went looking and found some facts I didn’t know about Washington. He was the only Founding Father to free his slaves; he is credited with introducing the mule to America; his second inaugural address was the shortest ever given, and he grew marijuana on his farm, never smoked it though, didn’t even inhale. He used it for hemp.
I figure lots of presidents belong by the wayside and ought not to be celebrated so, like the federal government, I’m sticking with Washington.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
February 21, 2011 at 1:10 pm
It has been cold here today too no wind and no sunshine either, except for a fantastic sunrise that lasted ten minutes or so.
Since Sweden is a kingdom we have no holiday like that over here, not even a Kings day 🙂 But to be honest, most of them has been terrible towards the people so I wouldn´t celebrate it anyway 🙂 🙂 🙂
Have a great day now!
Christer.
February 21, 2011 at 3:29 pm
Your present Royal Family’s a pretty good bunch, though. Aren’t they?
Of course they tend to “Represent” rather than “Rule”. That makes them much easier to like.
February 21, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Europe is full of useless Monarchies. What does the richest woman in the world, the Queen of England, and the other kings and queens really do? The Netherlands, Belgium, Monaco, Sweden and Spain all have Royals. How much tax money is spent to keep these guys living in the lap of luxury? What national holidays do you celebrate?
February 22, 2011 at 12:23 am
I have to say that they are rather decent 🙂 As long as they don´t have any real power I think they can stay. They do give us good PR when they are out traveling 🙂
Christer.
February 22, 2011 at 12:27 am
Bob!
The swedish Royal House is the cheapest in all of Europe and to be honest, they don´t cost more than a president would. Most of the money they get goes to maintain the castles and to pay staff, but they do get rather a lot of money to spend too.
But to be honest, what would catch Your interest the best? That the President of Sweden and his wife comes to visit Your country or that the swedish King and Queen comes? They do help to put this little country on the map. So as long as they don´t have any real power I´m happy with them.
Christer.
February 22, 2011 at 12:34 am
Bob! I missed what national holidays we celebrate 🙂
The only national holiday we have here is our National Day, June sixth. The rest of them are the old religious like christmas, easter, ascension day and midsummer (pentecostal is always on a weekend so I don´t count that) and May first of course, the workers day.
Otherwise we don´t have any more holidays here.
Christer.
February 21, 2011 at 6:38 pm
Christer,
It stayed cold all day here as well. The sun disappeared for a while so it was cloudy and cold.
I figure if it’s a day off from work or school, it can be celebrated however we want it.
February 21, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Bob,
England has been unhappy for years about the cost of the monarchy, but they seem to like the idea of William as king.
They are just titular heads of their countries, no more absolute rulers. Peole seem to like pageantry.
February 21, 2011 at 3:30 pm
The more I read of Washington, the higher on my list of Presidents he becomes. My two favorites, though, are still Teddy Roosevelt and Harry Truman.
February 21, 2011 at 6:44 pm
John,
Teddy Roosevelt is also one of my favorites as is his cousin Franklin.
February 21, 2011 at 7:04 pm
I too was raised a Washington Birthday kid. I knew about the hemp in College but read that they all grew it for medicinal purposes in those days and it was a very high profit plant, so much so that Jefferson had three scientists trying to improve the quality of the plants. Whether he succeeded or not his scientist probably headed out to Asia where it became a huge cash crop. Or Mexico. But I remember having to read lines from Washington’s first address. WE did things like have parades; stores dressed up their store fronts in red, white, and blue. It was a huge patriotic day for us in Mt Vernon and all along the parkway were signs of celebration. Even Old Town Alexandria dressed up the town for Washington’s Birthday. Nowadays there’s not much left but store discounts.
February 22, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Z&Me,
We used to make a big deal of it too when I was in school. You were really close to the action, but we did red, white and blue as well. It was exciting.
I’ve always been sorry that small town American has mostly disappeared, at least here in the east.
February 22, 2011 at 7:57 am
one of the best things about reading Coffee is also reading everyone else too! I learn more about my country and Sweden’s history here than anywhere else, because it is told first hand and interestingly!
xoxoxoxoxox to all the coffee gang!
February 22, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Splendid,
It is fun to read everyone’s comments and to hear of their childhoods. Christer always makes me laugh!
February 23, 2011 at 3:20 am
When I was growing up we celebrated Washingtons birthday and Lincolns birthday in February but we didnt get either day off from school and we used the days to learn about the two presidents. Washingtons Birthday has been a federal holiday since 1885 although it was celebrated since his presidency. In 1968 the federal government moved Washingtons Birthday to as part of the Monday Holidays Act.
February 23, 2011 at 10:42 pm
Kelvin,
I got both days off but one, Washington’s, always fell within our February vacation, but we celebrated anyway, prior to the holiday. I knew all about both presidents, wrote compositions and made collages or whatever art project we could think of. It was a big deal back then.