Make Me Think Monday Archives - View from the Front Porch

20 07, 2026

Celebrating Summer with Ice Cream

By judythemorgan|2026-07-17T12:53:32-05:00July 20th, 2026|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

In 1984, July was designated National Ice Cream Month in the United States.

We can thank President Reagan for the celebration. He adored ice cream, as do 90% of Americans, who consume over 20 gallons per person annually.

I’m with President Reagan. Around our house, ice cream is the dessert of choice.

Before you start with all the extra calories talk, stop and consider all the ways ice cream is the perfect way to celebrate summer or any special occasion. The rich, creamy taste has a chill that cools us down in the summer heat.

Ice cream is a memory maker, too.

I remember as a child sitting on my grandparents’ hand-cranked homemade freezer at family gatherings. Someone had to keep the canister in the ice that was sprinkled with ice cream salt so it’d thicken. I still get a chill and a big smile thinking about it.

Ice cream is great for social gatherings, which means a sure yes from guests. Even the most formal event deserves ice cream. I’ve been to formal sit-down events where ice cream was dessert.

Have a tough decision to make—like selling/buying a house, getting a car, or changing careers? An ice cream cone or dish of your favorite flavor is sure to make the decision easier.

Ice cream is my comfort food. When my mood is down or sad, a scoop of vanilla with chocolate syrup is sure to cheer me up. How about you?

There’s ice cream for everyone: regular, sugar-free, lactose-free, frozen yogurt, homemade, piled high in a cone or scooped into a bowl with toppings galore.

Flavors range from Neapolitan to chocolate chip cookie dough to Banana Pudding to Pistachio Almond. Plain old vanilla is still the top flavor according to the International Dairy Foods Association.

Our love for ice cream goes way, way back. Ancient Chinese were the first to discover that cold + sweet created a delicious treat that resembles what we enjoy today. Most famous leaders, from Roman Emperor Nero to Alexander the Great, enjoyed cold treats.

By the 1500s, ice cream had spread throughout Europe, though only wealthy aristocrats could afford the expensive treat.

No one knows for sure when ice cream made its way to the US, but at least two early presidents were fans. Thomas Jefferson wrote the first known American ice cream recipe, and George Washington reportedly spent $200 in a single summer on ice cream.

Celebrating ice cream also supports our dairy farmers. But when it comes down to it… Do we really need a reason?

This year, National Ice Cream Day was Sunday, July 19. If you missed it, no worries. July’s not over.

Grab a dish or a cone and dig in today.

13 07, 2026

Patriotism and The World Cup

By judythemorgan|2026-07-13T08:18:46-05:00July 13th, 2026|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

The American Crisis is a collection of articles and essays written by Thomas Paine during the American Revolutionary War. Those essays provided ongoing support for an independent and self-governing America through the many severe crises of that war.

I’m a military brat and an Army officer’s wife. I grew up on posts where Reveille, Retreat, and Taps played.

I vividly remember hearing Retreat sounded at the end of the day when we lived on post. If I were outside, I would get out of my car and place my hand over my heart with pride. Hearing Taps played at military funerals brings the same feelings. So does singing the national anthem.

The lack of patriotism today feels like a Thomas Paine crisis to me and makes me sad.

The World Cup coverage highlighted so many of the positive things now taken for granted. Reels and reels on social media were posted by over 1.5 million people who came to our country en masse and experienced the U.S. for the first time. They experienced our countryside, food, citizens, and freedoms up close and were amazed.

The visitors’ comments on social media were a poignant reminder of what we have that others don’t and what we take for granted.

“You have so much to see, do, and eat.”

“There are free refills here…and air conditioning!”

They were shocked to discover the United States is so different from how it’s depicted on social media.

“OMG, you’re actually nice, generous people, …”

Our international World Cup visitors held up a looking glass, showing us everything we take for granted.

Maybe it’s time to sit back and think about what our visitors saw and felt—to internalize the freedoms we earned in the Revolutionary War and be proud of our country.

Personally, watching the reaction of our visitors, I’ve regained a new appreciation for my life and all my creature comforts. Shouldn’t we all do the same?

Please, this isn’t about politics or the games themselves, so any of those comments will be removed.

6 07, 2026

Deviled eggs and Semiquincentennial Celebrations

By judythemorgan|2026-07-05T10:16:12-05:00July 6th, 2026|Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

I’m guessing many semiquincentennial July 4th cookouts included deviled eggs. Ours did.

The recipe is my mother’s. Though she never wrote it out, I watched her enough to know to mix the egg yolks, mustard, mayonnaise, and sweet relish, then fill the hollowed-out egg whites.

Sometimes I switch dill relish for sweet relish and use Miracle Whip instead of mayo. Don’t tell Mother. She’d probably spin in her grave if she knew.

Our family cookouts in the past have included other family recipes, like Aunt Bick’s baked beans, homemade ice cream, and my mother-in-law’s chocolate cake [the one with the secret coffee ingredient that my father-in-law never knew about because he didn’t like coffee].

This year, the grill baton was passed to our grandson, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. The first thing he did was buy a much-needed new grill. Our hot dogs were perfectly cooked!

All the guests bought dishes to share. We had pasta salad, chicken salad, dips, and fruit salads, plus desserts galore. I, of course, brought Mother’s deviled eggs on my sister-in-law’s special egg plate, pictured above.

As we ate, we wondered how stuffed eggs came to be called deviled. Out popped the phones, and the race for the answer began.

The answer: By 1800, deviling became the verb to describe the process of making food spicy.

We also learned:

Deviled eggs have been around since the first century in ancient Rome.
The recipe was first compiled sometime between the fourth and fifth centuries A.D.
By the 15th century, stuffed eggs had made their way across much of Europe.
The popular egg hors d’oeuvres are also called “mimosa eggs,” “stuffed eggs,” “dressed eggs” or “salad eggs”—especially when served at church functions.

Why change the name for church potlucks, you ask? I’m guessing to avoid any association with Satan.

We also learned that most published recipes since the 1940s use mayonnaise, so Mother was right again. 😉

Deviled egg recipe variations include fresh dill, bacon, crabmeat, sriracha, kimchi, wasabi, and caviar. I am so happy that some of those extras were not in my mother’s recipe!

If you had stuffed eggs at your semiquincentennial celebration, did you call them angel eggs or deviled eggs?

29 06, 2026

Are We Rushing through Life?

By judythemorgan|2026-05-28T08:56:27-05:00June 29th, 2026|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

Feels like life is always in a rush. We hustle from one thing to the next through the days.

It’s interesting to note that the first definition of the word RUSH is:

to move, act, or progress with speed, impetuosity, or violence.

I’m okay with moving with speed when needed, but impetuosity or violence, not so much.

My daddy always cautioned, “Slow down. Haste makes waste.”

Okay, I know those words weren’t original with my Daddy, but the older I get, the wiser his words become.

Of course, there are times when it is necessary to RUSH and move quickly. For instance:

Catching a plane or train.

Meeting deadlines.

Responding to medical emergencies or urgent repairs.

Arriving on time for important meetings or appointments.

Being on time for events like weddings, plays, or concerts.

Unless I’m facing one of those situations, I prefer not to rush through things. In my experience, the important things get done just as the quote says.

Do you agree?

22 06, 2026

Summer’s Arrived

By judythemorgan|2026-06-21T15:30:44-05:00June 22nd, 2026|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

Summer officially arrived yesterday.

Of course, if you judge by the ninety-degree temperatures we’ve been having, it’s been here since May.

Each day forward, we will head to bed later as dawn comes earlier, long days, late sunsets, and short nights begin.

Yesterday, the sun reached its highest point, signaling the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Meanwhile, south of the equator, winter begins.

The summer solstice has been around since the world began. Ancient cultures recognized that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of daylight, and the location of the sunrise and sunset all shifted regularly throughout the year.

Stonehenge stands as a testament to their knowledge. The summer solstice sun rises directly above the heel stone at Stonehenge.

Psychologists have long suspected a link between our level of happiness and the amount of sunlight in the day.

Studies show that what truly mattered was not the absolute amount of daylight but the relative change in that daylight. Or was the day longer or shorter than the day that came before?

When the change in daylight was positive, as the summer solstice approached, people reported significantly greater positive effects than when the change was negative, i.e., approaching the winter solstice, when days are short and dark. No surprise there!

Not only was yesterday the longest day of the year, but it was also Father’s Day. We had the longest day of the year to celebrate the dads, grandfathers, and father figures who shape our lives with strength, love, and quiet dedication,

That won’t happen again until 2037. Father’s Day date changes because the holiday is anchored to a weekday rule, not a calendar number: the third Sunday in June, every year, without exception. Same as Mother’s Day.

Now that summer is officially here, it will last 93 long days, 15 hours, and 40 minutes and end on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:05 PM EDT.

Some are happy.

Some of us, not so much.

8 06, 2026

The Wedding Dress

By judythemorgan|2026-05-31T16:11:06-05:00June 8th, 2026|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

Before the 1800s, brides rarely bought a special wedding dress, opting instead for a homemade dress or their best outfit. White fabric was impractical and expensive. It was reserved for the wealthy.

Other wedding dress colors also have symbolic meanings.

Married in White, you have chosen right
Married in Grey, you will go far away
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Blue, you will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Brown, you will live in the town,
Married in Pink, your spirit will sink.

Wearing a white wedding dress originated in 1499 with Anne of Brittany’s marriage to Louis XII of France. When Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840, wearing a white gown, the white wedding dress became popular.

Nowadays, a white wedding dress is the traditional classic.

But brides often choose colors based on personal style or cultural traditions. Colors like ivory, blush, and blue, as well as black or patterned dresses, are now common.

What Does the Groom Wear?

The groom’s suit should match the bride’s choice. That might be a dress suit, a cutaway suit, or a tuxedo.

A cutaway suit is distinct from a tuxedo or a standard suit because it has a unique tailcoat design with a front that tapers away into long tails at the back. The cutaway is usually worn with a waistcoat (vest), a crisp dress shirt, and a tie or cravat and matching striped or checked trousers.

Accessories might include a boutonniere, a pocket watch, and sometimes a top hat, depending on the formality and wedding theme.

There is no symbolism in his clothing like the bride’s. There is meaning in the boutonniere he chooses. Different flowers traditionally represent love, devotion, or gallantry.

A red chrysanthemum means “I love you,” a white rose means “I am worthy of you,” and a sweet William stands for gallantry. Find out more about the meaning of flowers here.

If you are married, what was your wedding dress like?

1 06, 2026

Wedding Traditions

By judythemorgan|2026-05-30T09:21:00-05:00June 1st, 2026|Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

It’s June, the most popular month for weddings. What makes June so popular for weddings?

First, the month is named for the goddess Juno, protector of women, especially in marriage and childbearing. A wedding in Juno’s month provides a providential start.

The second reason comes from the Celtic calendar.

On the Cross-Quarter Day of Beltane, May 1^st, young couples would pair off to court for 3 months then be wed on the next Cross-Quarter Day, which was Lammas Day, August 1. Impatient couples shortened that to mid-June, and thus June became the month of weddings.

Another contributing factor is June’s pleasant weather, which makes it easier for guests to travel to your wedding.

Sunday used to be the most popular wedding day until the Puritans strict adherence to no festiveness on the Sabbath stopped that.

In the United States, Wednesday used to be considered the luckiest day for weddings. Friday was avoided as the “hangman’s day.” Now Saturdays are by far the busiest day for weddings.

Brides seem to ignore the old rhyme:

“Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday best of all; Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses, Saturday for no luck at all.”

Wedding Party Traditions

Traditionally, only an unmarried woman could be the maid of honor, and only the brother, best friend, or father of the groom could be the best man.

In the past, bridesmaids were used as “stand-ins” for the bride to protect her from evil spirits. They would look and dress much like the bride to fool the spirits until the wedding.

Another theory is that bridesmaids were necessary as witnesses at a wedding. That one comes from the fact that ancient Rome required at least ten witnesses to get married.

Still, another reason for the bridesmaid and best man was to help capture a runaway bride or recover a bride kidnapped by a rejected suitor. They also made sure she got to the church on time and kept hostile family members away.

These days, bridesmaids usually help the bride with dressing. The groomsmen usher guests to their seats, and the best man carries the ring and offers a toast at the reception.

Flower girls were once meant to protect the bride from the Devil with their shield of virginity. Today, a girl, a boy, or even a dog can be seen as the ring bearer and/or flower girl.

Why Be Given Away?

This tradition evolved from the days when men bought brides from their fathers. Today, brides may ask either or both parents to walk them down the aisle. Or not.

The Wedding Vows

The declaration of vows symbolizes the moment when a couple officially becomes one, though the wording varies by religion. Or couples can write their own vows.

The most often used vow is the traditional version.

Wedding Rings

At most wedding ceremonies, the exchange of rings follows the vows and seals those promises. The ring symbolizes the unbroken circle of love, and, at many ceremonies, more vows are spoken as rings are exchanged.

While at some religious ceremonies only one partner receives a ring, many couples choose to have a double-ring ceremony. A practice that became popular in the United States after World War II.

Throwing Rice

Wedding guests usually toss rice or birdseed as the couple leaves the ceremony. The practice predates Christianity and signifies the guests’ and family’s wishes for good fortune, a prosperous marriage, and children if they desire.

Interesting that the ancient Celts tossed grains to appease spirits and ask for blessings and fertility for the couple. Ancient Romans used wheat. Italians toss candies or sugared nuts. The Polish use rice and place coins at the couple’s feet to ensure prosperity. In Morocco, it’s dried dates or figs, and in Eastern India, the tradition is a rain of flower petals.

Why A Diamond Engagement Ring?

Before 1477, engagement rings held different stones. The diamond engagement ring was first used in Austria when Archduke Maximilian presented Mary of Burgendy with a diamond. After that, the diamond became the symbol of love.

25 05, 2026

MEMORIAL DAY and a Wedding Anniversary

By judythemorgan|2026-05-17T16:00:27-05:00May 25th, 2026|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Today is Memorial Day, a day established for reflection and remembrance of those who died while serving in the U.S. military.

From 1868 to 1970, the official date for the holiday was May 30, whichever weekday it fell on, not the fourth Monday of the month. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which passed in 1968, created three-day holidays. In 1971, Memorial Day began being celebrated on the last Monday in May.

There’s a reason I remember those obscure facts.

Many, many years ago, my husband and I chose Memorial Day for our wedding ceremony. For years, we celebrated the holiday along with our wedding anniversary. Not anymore, because now Memorial Day changes its date. Our anniversary doesn’t.

Why did we pick that date? Back then, we were financially strapped college students. Time off from work for a honeymoon was out of the question.

That particular year, Memorial Day, aka May 30^th, fell on a Thursday, which meant we only had to take one unpaid day off work to prepare for our wedding.

To save more expense, I wore my mother’s wedding dress, which she’d worn twenty-five years earlier.

My mother is in the dress in the picture on the top left.

I’m in the picture below her, wearing the dress with an altered neckline and a let-out hem.

The larger picture is our daughter in the same dress for her wedding, twenty-five years later. We added lace to the hemline and around the neck.

Otherwise, the dress, made by my grandmother from imported French Alençon lace, is exactly as it was when my mother wore it. Now safely stored in my mother’s cedar hope chest.

Memorial Day was set up to mourn and honor our nation’s fallen service members. It’s evolved into the unofficial start of summer and a long weekend of travel and discounts on anything from mattresses to lawn mowers.

Today will be filled with happy thoughts of our wedding, coupled with deep sadness for friends and family we’ve lost in military service. There are so many families out there that don’t have loved ones around to celebrate their wedding anniversaries with.

Join me at 3 p.m. for the National Moment of Remembrance to give them some silence, to say a little prayer, and acknowledge their ultimate sacrifice.

18 05, 2026

Monday Fun with Books

By judythemorgan|2026-05-13T08:57:58-05:00May 18th, 2026|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

Ever wonder what books do when the bookstore closes? I did and found this fun YouTube video to answer the question.

ENJOY!

4 05, 2026

Busy, Busy May

By judythemorgan|2026-05-03T16:41:37-05:00May 4th, 2026|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Welcome to May, the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Time to celebrate the return of Spring.

It’s a month filled with graduations, dance recitals, piano recitals, and celebrations, plus other holidays filled with traditions like the maypole dance.

Never heard of a maypole dance?

Many haven’t in today’s world. It’s a way to “bring in the May” by gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral hoops and hair garlands.

Many of us still remember weaving ribbons around a maypole at school to celebrate the return of spring.

From the late 19th century through the 1950s, the maypole dance and festivities were a rite of spring. In the 1960s and 1970s, interest started to wane. Today, you may see a maypole dance in elementary schools as a fun spring activity.

People still decorate bushes and trees in Ireland with colorful strips of cloth.

Called a clottie, the ribbons carry their wishes and prayers, and you can still spot them if you go to Ireland.

The Kentucky Derby on May 1st started the month. The annual horse race held in Louisville, Kentucky, is known as the “Fastest Two Minutes in Sports.” The event inaugurates the Triple Crown, a series of three horse races. Watching it is a tradition around our house. Did you watch?

On the second Sunday of May, we honor mothers, grandmothers, mothers-in-law, and all motherly figures. There’s time to plan your celebration.

Then May 25 is Memorial Day. A day we honor those who knew the risks, who accepted the odds, and who marched onward anyway to make the ultimate sacrifice.

A holiday with mixed feelings— sadness for the losses, and anticipation because it signals the unofficial start of summer.

Lots of celebrations, plus school graduations and recitals. May is perhaps as busy as December, don’t you think?