"The delight that World Cup visitors feel when they walk across an asphalt parking lot in Texas and through the sliding doors of a giant, air-conditioned Costco shows they might be down for the freedom to augment bureaucratic mitigation with some individual adaptation."
Surely you're not obliquely advocating for our visitors to return home and, having seen something different than portrayed, tell their countries' leaders and the EUrocrats Brussels where to shove their green virtues! ;)
This annual essay thing you have going with the 4th of July and America is something I really hope you'll continue.
The essence of the things you're capturing with these beautiful essays is providing badly needed perspective, Trevor.
Thanks 'Mental. I think a lot of our visitors would love to tell their Eurocrat rulers where to shove their green virtues. But I'm not seeing much evidence that they would listen. Happy 4th!
A reflection of progress, very well written. It was common practice to conquer land and expand a country. In some places in the world it’s still happening. It took time but the people spoke and eventually policies reflected the views of the vast majority of citizens. And the story of your parents rings true all over more rural areas of the country. It happened to me too. Curiosity got me during peanut harvesting some years ago. I stopped to watch and before you know it I was riding with the farm owner getting a first class tour and education about how they are picked, moved, hauled and where they were headed. Found out that day that peanut oil is so valuable they extract it and when they make peanut butter they mix it back with less expensive oils like corn, cottonseed, or vegetable oils. In 1997 I met a guy at a bird dog field trial. He invited me to his house on July 4th. He was from Lake Charles Louisiana. I had no idea what to expect. He lived in our current hometown, but at that time I was a few hours away NE of Atlanta. I showed up with a cooler of beers and some fresh sweet corn. He and his family welcomed me like family, around the back patio was a massive pot of boiling water. He looked at me and said “ you ever eat mud bugs” or have a low country boil? I was a bit lost for words, I saw these big bags of crawfish and was able to put the lingo together. I had eaten crawfish while on a canoe trip in the boundary waters once when we were low on food and the fish didn’t want to bite. I didn’t recall them being good or bad, we were hungry and they did the trick. Anyway, I watched in awe as he built this massive meal and as more and more people arrived I was sure they all must have been experts on eating these critters. There must have been 40-50 people there by the time it was ready to serve. He and his family gave a lesson on how to properly eat a crawfish 🦞. Most people had never tried them either, by the end of the afternoon it was like a giant family reunion, but none of us were related! Happy birthday America 🇺🇸 thanks for putting this out Trevor! You all be safe, I spent a July 4th weekend fishing out of Grand Isle in 2022. That was the wildest party I’ve ever witnessed! Bottle rockets and grenade type fireworks filled the sky on every night I was there, it was highly entertaining 🎆🇺🇸🤠🧨
A beautiful essay Trevor, thank you for sharing and have a wonderful 4th. Despite Australia's reputation, the US is truly the lucky country. (And Australia seems to be trying to destroy that idea anyway!)
Another insightful uplifting essay, thanks so much Trevor. I hope Freddy was able to see some “mooses” in Vermont…safely. The problem on highways is that moose are so tall that a motorist can actually drive between their front and back legs….BUT the whole half-ton of their body then plows into your windshield ….with usually very fatal results!
I grew up in moose country, so I'm aware of the danger. I had a pretty close call while driving a Toyota Celica at night. That would have been a good night for some modern, LED headlights! Thanks for the comment.
Trevor, I have told you a quadrillion times to never stop appreciating and honoring our great country. History knows no perfection, but it does know the American spirit of the last 250 years.
"The delight that World Cup visitors feel when they walk across an asphalt parking lot in Texas and through the sliding doors of a giant, air-conditioned Costco shows they might be down for the freedom to augment bureaucratic mitigation with some individual adaptation."
Surely you're not obliquely advocating for our visitors to return home and, having seen something different than portrayed, tell their countries' leaders and the EUrocrats Brussels where to shove their green virtues! ;)
This annual essay thing you have going with the 4th of July and America is something I really hope you'll continue.
The essence of the things you're capturing with these beautiful essays is providing badly needed perspective, Trevor.
👍👍👏💪
Thanks 'Mental. I think a lot of our visitors would love to tell their Eurocrat rulers where to shove their green virtues. But I'm not seeing much evidence that they would listen. Happy 4th!
A reflection of progress, very well written. It was common practice to conquer land and expand a country. In some places in the world it’s still happening. It took time but the people spoke and eventually policies reflected the views of the vast majority of citizens. And the story of your parents rings true all over more rural areas of the country. It happened to me too. Curiosity got me during peanut harvesting some years ago. I stopped to watch and before you know it I was riding with the farm owner getting a first class tour and education about how they are picked, moved, hauled and where they were headed. Found out that day that peanut oil is so valuable they extract it and when they make peanut butter they mix it back with less expensive oils like corn, cottonseed, or vegetable oils. In 1997 I met a guy at a bird dog field trial. He invited me to his house on July 4th. He was from Lake Charles Louisiana. I had no idea what to expect. He lived in our current hometown, but at that time I was a few hours away NE of Atlanta. I showed up with a cooler of beers and some fresh sweet corn. He and his family welcomed me like family, around the back patio was a massive pot of boiling water. He looked at me and said “ you ever eat mud bugs” or have a low country boil? I was a bit lost for words, I saw these big bags of crawfish and was able to put the lingo together. I had eaten crawfish while on a canoe trip in the boundary waters once when we were low on food and the fish didn’t want to bite. I didn’t recall them being good or bad, we were hungry and they did the trick. Anyway, I watched in awe as he built this massive meal and as more and more people arrived I was sure they all must have been experts on eating these critters. There must have been 40-50 people there by the time it was ready to serve. He and his family gave a lesson on how to properly eat a crawfish 🦞. Most people had never tried them either, by the end of the afternoon it was like a giant family reunion, but none of us were related! Happy birthday America 🇺🇸 thanks for putting this out Trevor! You all be safe, I spent a July 4th weekend fishing out of Grand Isle in 2022. That was the wildest party I’ve ever witnessed! Bottle rockets and grenade type fireworks filled the sky on every night I was there, it was highly entertaining 🎆🇺🇸🤠🧨
I used to work with a drilling manager who attended the Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo every year. His stories about that event were wild!
A beautiful essay Trevor, thank you for sharing and have a wonderful 4th. Despite Australia's reputation, the US is truly the lucky country. (And Australia seems to be trying to destroy that idea anyway!)
Thank you, Andy! Happy 4th!
Well written as always brother, have a great 4th
Thanks Tim!
Another insightful uplifting essay, thanks so much Trevor. I hope Freddy was able to see some “mooses” in Vermont…safely. The problem on highways is that moose are so tall that a motorist can actually drive between their front and back legs….BUT the whole half-ton of their body then plows into your windshield ….with usually very fatal results!
I grew up in moose country, so I'm aware of the danger. I had a pretty close call while driving a Toyota Celica at night. That would have been a good night for some modern, LED headlights! Thanks for the comment.
Great essay Trevor! No country is perfect but I do love this one and want it to get better.
Absolutely.
Well done, Trev! Very well done.
Boy howdy. I do believe we're in a tenuous spot currently, but it's not too late to reinforce that which made this nation great.
MAGA indeed.
Thanks Trevor! Wonderful essay stimulating very moving comments.
Thank you, Paul.
Trevor, I have told you a quadrillion times to never stop appreciating and honoring our great country. History knows no perfection, but it does know the American spirit of the last 250 years.