The presidential primaries have sparked many a conversation around our dinner table over the past year, especially so, with our own Senator Bernie Sanders running as a candidate, rousing people and stirring up enthusiasm for the political process.
We've been watching the debates, following the caucuses and primaries, talking about what is working and what does not seem to be working with the government and in the world, what is important for the country, as well as who is best able to lead the country, and what is our responsibility in these times of uncertainty and change.
There's the question of what is a patriot today.
And there's Brexit, the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union.
You know, basic dinner table conversation.
Do you think that people in times past had such an acute awareness of change in the world? It feels like we are in a time of great intensity and rapid change on a grand scale, on so many levels.
Revolution, change and what one is willing to do to make the world a better place seems a very fitting topic for this Fourth of July weekend.
We're not quite at the topic of the Age of Revolution on our homeschooling journey, although we're close to it, and that is evident in the conversations around here with a teenager and a twenty something.
For the little ones, I thought you might like this little finger play called Ten Little Firecrackers. I recorded it for you.
~ begin by holding up ten fingers and placing one down with each count down, making gestures with the fingers to go along with the verse as in standing in a line, walking very straight...
IN JULY.
BY A. S. WEBBER.
10
Ten little fire crackers
Standing in a line,
One thought he’d light a match
Then——
There were nine.
9
Nine little fire crackers
Walking very straight,
One caught an engine spark
Then——
There were eight.
8
Eight little fire crackers
Trying to spell “LEAVEN,”
One went too near the gas,
Then——
There were seven.
7
Seven little fire crackers
Cutting up tricks,
One played with lighted punk
Then——
There were six.
6 6
Six little fire crackers
Glad they were alive,
One went to have a smoke
Then
There were five.
5
Five little fire crackers
Wishing there were more,
One went to find a friend
Then
There were four.
4
Four little fire crackers
Merry as could be,
One played upon the hearth
Then
There were three.
3
Three little fire crackers
Puzzled what to do,
One started the kitchen fire
Then
There were two.
2
Two little fire crackers
Looking for some fun,
One met a little boy
Then
There was one.
1
One little fire cracker
Sat down to cry,
’Tis such a risky thing
To live
In July."
How are things going around your dinner table this July?
