A Pictorial Celebration of our Nation’s 250th Birthday
July 4, 2026
As I did my mid-afternoon run several weeks ago, I considered ideas for my July 4th blog. To my right, at the end of a beautiful lawn, a woman was painting her garage in red, white, and blue. I walked up to her and commented on how pretty it was and she said her husband gave her the okay to do the garage in these colors. As I returned to my running trail, I came up with my blog idea—a pictorial blog! Yesterday, I returned and asked for permission to take a picture which she and her husband happily gave me.
We lived in Oklahoma City when our nation turned 200 and it was on a Sunday, 1976. I dressed Rebecca and me in the appropriate colors and here we are—ready for church! That was the time in our lives when Don was working on his Ph.D. in Communication at the University of Oklahoma.
Fast forward to Topeka, Kansas, when Don taught at Washburn University. We decided to go to the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene on July 4th.
Rebecca always wanted to make Laura’s life fun, so she picked out these outfits for the occasion—and, of course, I had to follow their example!
This statue was erected at Veterans Park in Topeka, on the grounds of Gage Park. The sculptor, Jim Brothers, is world-renowned and lived in nearby Lawrence, Kansas. One of his most famous statues is the one of Eisenhower in the U.S. Capitol. This statue is called “Homage” and “depicts a soldier pausing to pay respect as he stands over a fallen comrade.”
Also in Veterans Park is this World War II plaque which shows the picture of Eisenhower speaking to paratroopers on the eve of D-Day, June 5, 1944.
My running route takes me by Veterans Park and sometimes I pause to appreciate these and other exhibits which honor the sacrifices of many for our country.
Here is a special treat for a July 4 celebration, one of my favorites—fruit pizza in red, white, and blue fruit. It’s a simple cookie dough recipe with cream cheese and sugar frosting. Then, you can arrange the fruit any way you want to. It’s a fun idea for kids to do.
My Country Tis of Thee was written in 1831 and was one of several unofficial national anthems until 1931 when The Star-Spangled Banner was made our official national anthem.
Click below to hear the beautiful words of this song.