Abraham Lincoln

20 02, 2023

A Strange Holiday

By |2023-02-19T10:45:56-06:00February 20th, 2023|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Today is President’s Day… or is it Presidents’ Day… Presidents Day… Or Washington’s Birthday as the Office of Personnel Management notes on its federal calendar.

All those names are used.

With no official name, it’s hard to know how or what to call the holiday and it’s a grammar nightmare. The apostrophe is everywhere.

Sometimes there’s none, i.e. Presidents Day. Sometimes the apostrophe is placed between the last two letters as in President’s Day. Sometimes it’s after the last letter Presidents’ Day.

Then President is used as plural or singular.

To most people, the day is when banks and federal employees have a holiday and retail stores run sales.

Back in my day, we celebrated two presidential birthdays in February on their actual birthdays –George Washington on February 22 and Abraham Lincoln on February 16.

The 1971 Uniform Monday Holiday Act changed all that with the creation of three-day weekends and designated the third Monday of February to honor all presidents, past and present. That blurred the day’s meaning from the original purpose.

You’ll also notice Presidents’ Day never falls on either Washington or Lincoln’s birthdates or any of the other four presidents’ February birthdates—George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan.

Strange holiday, I say.

Whatever you call the holiday and however you choose to write it, enjoy the day.

Maybe do a little reading. Check out my author page for some excellent book choices.

20 06, 2022

A Twofer Holiday and One’s New

By |2022-06-19T12:52:42-05:00June 20th, 2022|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

This month Father’s Day and Juneteenth fell on the same day–June 19. Lots of social media about the Father’s Day holiday.Not so much about Juneteenth. It may be new to you if you’ve never lived in Texas.

Also known as “Jubilee Day,” “Black Independence Day,” and “Freedom Day, June 19 only became a national holiday last year.

Read President Biden’s proclamation HERE.

Emancipation of slaves at the end of the Civil War took effect in 1863 with President Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation, sadly, however, slaves in Texas would not be freed until two years later on June 19, 1865. On that day, 2,000 troops arrived in Galveston Bay and announced the freedom of enslaved Black people by executive decree.

“Juneteenth” has been celebrated in Texas ever since then with community gatherings filled with food, music, and fellowship. Now it’s a national day to celebrate freedom.

Learn more about the history of Juneteenth HERE.

If you didn’t celebrate Freedom Day yesterday, no worries. Mark your calendar for next year.

We also honored our fathers—a birth father, a stepfather, a relative or friend, whoever served in a father role. My father is gone now so the day is always a bit sad for me, but old pictures and memories bring a smile.

15 02, 2021

President’s Day – The Beginnings

By |2021-02-04T14:09:41-06:00February 15th, 2021|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

There are still a few of us around who remember celebrating both George Washington’s birthday on February 22 and Abraham Lincoln’s on February 16 instead of a single President’s Day.

Back then, the original emphasis for a President’s Day was our first president George Washington’s birth. In 1800, a year after his death, it became a perennial day of remembrance named Presidents’ Day.

At the time, Washington was the most important figure in American history. In fact, the 1832 centennial of his birth and the start of construction of the Washington Monument in 1848 were national celebrations.

It wasn’t until 1879, when President Rutherford B. Hayes signed the law that initially only applied to the District of Columbia, that Washington’s birthday became a designated federal holiday. In 1885, the holiday expanded to the whole country.

Gradually the George Washington emphasis shifted to others who had ever served as president.

Then, in 1971, with the enactment of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, President’s Day became another three-day weekend for the nation’s workers.

Several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other figures, but for the most part Presidents’ Day is now popularly viewed as the day to celebrate all U.S. presidents, past and present.

Four chief executives were actually born in February—George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan.

Presidents’ Day never falls on any of their birth dates. Rather it is always celebrated on the third Monday of February.

Probably more than you wanted to know about President’s Day. But isn’t history interesting?

17 02, 2020

Love Stories of Lincoln and Washington

By |2020-02-09T12:17:43-06:00February 17th, 2020|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Some of us will remember when February had holidays for only two presidents—George Washington on February 22 and Abraham Lincoln on February 16.Their actual birthdays.

These days we pay tribute to all presidents on one day in February.

To honor the two presidents with birthdays this month I’m sharing the stories of their marriages.

Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln

My wife was as handsome as when she was a girl,” Lincoln once told a reporter. “And I, poor nobody then, fell in love with her, and what is more, have never fallen out.

Mary Todd, the daughter of a successful merchant and politician, attracted the attention of up-and-coming politician and lawyer Abraham Lincoln. They shared a love of politics and literature and a deep love for each other. Unfortunately, her family did not approve of the match.

When he won his Congressional seat in 1846, she followed him to Washington. Something unheard of at the time.

 

George Washington and Martha Dandridge Custis Washington

The romance of George and Martha was not a passionate romance by today’s standards. In the eighteenth century marriages were made to ease circumstances and build a good life.

She was the wealthiest widow in Virginia, with a 17,500 acre estate to manage and two very young children when they first met. He was a general who had just retired and needed a job. At the time of their engagement, they merely liked each other a great deal.

Eight months into his marriage, George wrote, “I am now I beleive fixd at this Seat with an agreable Consort for Life and hope to find more happiness in retirement than I ever experienced amidst a wide and busthng World.”

George and Martha chose their partners wisely, perhaps more than they realized at the time. According to historians, the couple shared forty years together during which they grew to love each other with true devotion.

I do love good love stories.

20 02, 2017

Three Presidential Love Story Quotes

By |2019-02-03T20:50:06-06:00February 20th, 2017|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

It’s President’s Day. I thought it might be fun to look at love stories/quotes of presidents. In my day, we had holidays for Lincoln’s birthday (February 12) and George Washington’s birthday (February 22) instead of the singular day to honor all presidents. For that reason, I begin with Lincoln and Washington.

Teddy Roosevelt’s story touched my romance writer’s heart so I had to share it too.

~~Abraham Lincoln to Mary Todd Lincoln

Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS an illustration done shortly after they moved into the White House.

Mary Todd, the daughter of a successful merchant and politician, attracted the attention of up-and-coming politician and lawyer Abraham Lincoln. Her family did not approve of the match, but Mary and Abraham shared a love of politics and literature and a deep love for each other. When Lincoln won his Congressional seat in 1846, Mary joined him in Washington. Something unheard of at the time.

“My wife was as handsome as when she was a girl,” Lincoln once told a reporter. “And I, poor nobody then, fell in love with her, and what is more, have never fallen out.”

~~George Washington and Martha Dandridge Custis Washington

The romance of George and Martha was hardly a wild passionate romance by today’s standards. By the time their engagement was determined, they liked each other a great deal. Eight months after their marriage, George Washington wrote to his agent in England.“I am now I beleive fixd at this Seat with an agreable Consort for Life and hope to find more happiness in retirement than I ever experienced amidst a wide and busthng World.”

 Eighteenth century marriages were formed for ease of living. George and Martha chose wisely, perhaps more than they realized at the time. According to historians, they shared forty years together during which they grew to love each other with true devotion.

~~ Theodore Roosevelt and Alice Hathaway Lee RooseveltAlice was Teddy Roosevelt’s first wife. He wrote of her: “Sweetest little wife, I think all the time of my little laughing, teazing beauty, and how pretty she is, and how she goes to sleep in my arms, and I could almost cry I love you so.”

Unfortunately, their love was short lived. On Valentine’s Day in 1884, Roosevelt suffered a double loss. His mother died of typhus and his beloved Alice in childbirth. His  diary entry for the day is shown above. Later, he penned this private tribute for his sweetest little wife.

She was beautiful in face and form, and lovelier still in spirit; As a flower she grew, and as a fair young flower she died. Her life had been always in the sunshine; there had never come to her a single sorrow; and none ever knew her who did not love and revere her for the bright, sunny temper and her saintly unselfishness. Fair, pure, and joyous as a maiden; loving, tender, and happy. As a young wife; when she had just become a mother, when her life seemed to be just begun, and when the years seemed so bright before her—then, by a strange and terrible fate, death came to her. And when my heart’s dearest died, the light went from my life forever.

How does your love story compare to these presidential love story and quotes?

17 02, 2016

Presidents Day Quotes

By |2016-01-30T16:27:09-06:00February 17th, 2016|Wednesday Words of Wisdom|2 Comments

Last Monday we celebrated President’s Day. Most people look at the day as a tribute to all who have ever served in the office of the President.

Those of you as old as me will remember we used to honor only two presidential birthdays in February — George Washington on February 22 and Abraham Lincoln on February 16. Modern day President’s Day falls between those two birthdays.

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Wikimedia Commons

Yesterday was Lincoln’s birthday and Washington’s birthday will be Monday, I offer these Wednesday words of wisdom from both two presidents.

George Washington (1789-1797)

“Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ’tis better to be alone than in bad company.”
“Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience.”

 

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Wikimedia

Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.”
“A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the already solved problems. And not only so. It gives a relish, and facility, for successfully pursuing the [yet] unsolved ones.”
–September 30, 1859 Address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society

25 11, 2013

Counting Thanksgiving Treasures

By |2023-11-19T12:48:08-06:00November 25th, 2013|Make Me Think Monday, Thanksgiving|0 Comments

It’s three days until Turkey Day.O

Time for family reunions, food, fun,

travel, football games, Black Friday

and being thankful.

Not necessarily in that order.

Family reunions may be iffy this year with a major storm wreaking havoc over the entire U.S.

Off-topic here, but I found this interesting blog about a similar weather pattern fifty years ago. Read November 1963 vs November 2013. Is Weather History Repeating Itself? for the full comparison of weather history.

Even Black Friday shopping will be difficult. I do worry about all those people camped outside stores to be first in line for the extra savings items. It’s got to be cold and wet in their tents. Are the savings really worth all the effort and discomfort?

This year things are different than they were for that first Pilgrim Thanksgiving feast. What hasn’t changed is the basis for Thanksgiving.

The celebration became an annual tradition with Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation of a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

As early as 1607, the inhabitants of the Commonwealth of Virginia held Thanksgiving services. Celebrations rooted in their religious beliefs and to show gratitude to their Heavenly Father.

Pilgrims were Puritan Separatists. Their journey to America began with a desire to escape religious persecution under Elizabeth I and the Church of England or Anglican Church.

pilgrims-facts

Personally, I believe being thankful shouldn’t be limited to one holiday. An attitude of gratitude should be an everyday occurrence. Check my blog.

Because it is the season, I want to acknowledge my Thanksgiving treasures today:

my loving husband (who’s the hero model for my novels)

my family and friends  (far and near)

my pets (who brighten every day)

my church (which is my anchor)

and

most especially you, my readers.

As you go about the preparations for your celebration, spend some time thinking about the origins of the holiday and say a special thank you for your Thanksgiving treasures.

And, if you are traveling, Godspeed.

11 09, 2013

9-11

By |2023-09-07T08:28:55-05:00September 11th, 2013|one word Wednesday|0 Comments

If you read Monday’s blog, you recognize today’s word:

TRIGGER DATE

05-1979 World Trade Center pixI’m sure today’s date will trigger memories for you like it does for me.

My husband worked in New York City for many years.

Our photo albums are filled with pictures of our many trips to the city.

None of our pictures can erase the scenes from what happened on September 11, 2001. towers burning

To those who lost so much on that day, I send Abraham Lincoln’s words:

patriotic_memorium 9-11

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