Monday, June 14, 2010

Happy Flag Day!

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Happy Flag Day to everyone!

My parents have always been very patriotic.  In fact, my Mother has a love/fascination with our flag and anything red, white, and blue.  So, last year I made her a Fourth of July Wind Chime.

Properly Display Our Flag
There is a right way and a wrong way to display the flag.  The American flag should be held in the highest of regards. It represents our nation and the many people who gave their lives for our country and our flag. Here are the basics on displaying  the American flag:
  • The flag is normally flown from sunrise to sunset.
  • In the morning, raise the flag briskly. At sunset, lower it slowly. Always, raise and lower it ceremoniously.
  • The flag should not be flown at night without a light on it.
  • The flag should not be flown in the rain or inclement weather.
  • After a tragedy or death, the flag is flown at half staff for 30 days. It's  called "half staff" on land ,and "half mast" on a ship.
  • When flown vertically on a pole, the stars and blue field , or "union", is at the top and at the end of the pole (away from your house).
  • The American flag is always flown at the top of the pole. Your state flag and other flags fly below it.
  • The union is always on top. When displayed in print, the stars and blue field are always on the left.
  • Never let your flag touch the ground, never...period.
  • Fold your flag when storing. Don't just stuff it in a drawer or box.
  • When your flag is old and has seen  better days, it is time to retire it. Old flags should be burned or buried. Please do not throw it in the trash.
*I got this fun info from Holiday Insights.

I have so many childhood memories of our flag.  My parents put their flag out many times a year, as did my Grandparents.  I grew up in Utah and for many holidays during the year you would wake up to numerous flags dotting the yards.  The local Boy Scout troops would put several flags up in your yard (lining the perimeter), and then they would take them down in the evening.  It was so much fun to see so many flags up, many times a year!

We have two smaller ones we are flying this year, so the kids can put them up themselves. 
Rebecca


PS I know that my flag stripes should start and end with a red stripe, should have 13 stripes and of course I don't have enough stars either, but this was my interpretation (or the thing would have been tooo big!)

4 comments:

Amy said...

What a fantastic wind chime! Great for all the patriotic summer holidays. Very creative!

Rae said...

Great post! Just a note on properly flying a flag "half-staff". When raising a flag to half staff, you first raise it fully to the top, then lower to half staff. When bringing it in from half staff, raise it to the top again before lowering fully. I was taught this by a retired marine who also taught me how to properly fold a flag. For verification, you can go here http://www.gettysburgflag.com/FlyFlagHalfMast.php

BTW, love the chime!

Heidi said...

I made a cute flag using paper chains. Red chains, white chains, and chains that end in blue. I attached cut out white paper stars to the blue. CHEAP. Cute. Easy.

marie said...

I love the flag chimes ... wish I had the "tools/machines" to do it.
TFS :)
Marie