February 14th is right around the corner!
Do you know what that means? That's right! Arizona Statehood Day!
On February 14th, 1912 Arizona joined the union, the 48th state.
(A bit tardy, but better late than never.
Compare:
Iowa, December 28, 1846
California, September 9, 1850
Minnesota, May 11, 1858
Colorado, August 1, 1876)
In honor of the 48th state's birthday, at dinner I asked Alissa if -- in five seconds or less -- she could name the colors of Arizona's flag. (She did admirably, a loyal Arizonan even now.) But it got me thinking: "Why couldn't other state flags be more like Arizona's?"
I'm sure none of you lie awake bothered by this thought. You may have never given it a thought. But I have long-held that our fifty state flags are
not created equal. And while the following is painfully subjective, I think that in the reading you too may start forming an opinion as to what makes a good flag. State-loyalty plays little part in my observations, however, as the three last states I have lived in all bear flags with some noticeable flaws (Colorado, Iowa, and Minnesota).
When I consider our fifty states' flags, the vast majority fall into one or more of the following categories:
The "State Seal Dud"Fully twenty-five of our fifty states' flags fall into this reprehensible category. I know the folks of these good states are well-meaning, but they certainly could have given more thought to their vexillogical issues. Instead, they simply slapped their respective state's seal onto a
single color (blue in 22 cases). (Missouri, West Virginia, and Delaware narrowly escaped this fate by easing one or two additional colors underneath their state seal.)
In fact, the "State Seal Dud" style is so common and uninteresting, that, after posting the above three examples, I couldn't even remember what states they were. (After checking: they belong to Vermont, Nebraska and Minnesota.) I'm sure that many a newcomer to a "State Seal Dud" state gazes excitedly up at the flag just to find himself squinting at the minute lettering (too often in Latin)and wondering what those tiny pictures could possibly represent. State seals are great, but please, put them on your official letterhead, not your flags.
The "Knock-Off"While this second category frequently holds flags that are more interesting (and legible!) to look at than those above, the flag-designers in these states have committed other slight vexollilogical sins: lack of creativity and plagiarism (Scandinavia, anyone?).
In Hawaii's flag (above), it is immediately clear that the flag-designers simply smashed together the flag designs of its two colonizers: U.K and U.S. Historically relevant? Yes. Creative? No.
The cross (St. Andrew's in these cases, or "saltire") is probably the oldest
governmental flag in European culture, so Alabama and Florida cannot be faulted for both employing this ancient emblem. But for pete's sake, these two flags (of neighboring states no less!) are almost identical! Florida making the silly move of "improving" upon the saltire by slapping their state seal upon it, just in case we wanted to try and read their motto from 30 feet below.
Now, while Alabama has been using this particular red saltire since 1896 and Florida only since 1901, Florida actually has the historic claim to this design, the red saltire being the Spanish colonial flag used in Florida, while Alabama only adopted it after stratching their previous flag bearing a cotton plant (what else?).
Also take a look at Iowa's flag (suspiciously similar to the French tri-colour), and compare the flags of North Carolina and Texas.
The "Indecisive"The flag in this category (Oregon's) bears different images on the obverse and reverse.
While some flag-makers of the above two categories clearly didn't have
enough ideas, the poor souls in this group had too many. I wonder if some new-comer, emerging from a building in Oregon, hasn't suddenly thought, "What? Is this facility also used by the local Beavers' Club?"
The "School Art Project"
The flags in this category cannot be faulted for illegibilty, plainness, or unoriginality. These flags consist of bold lines, large letters, brought together in a manner strikingly simple. Too simple. Almost as though a school-child had been asked to design the official emblem of a sub-national governmental entity.
The first flag above, Colorado's, gets points for being so easily recognizable, but the giant "C" is a tad overbold. The second, Alaska's, actually
was designed by a school-child, so I can't fault them too much.
The "Neat-O"Well, my lunch-break is over, so, in closing, here are the state flags that I can enjoy watching as they flap in the breeze.
New Mexico: Simple, recognizable, elegant, and representing its unique cultural heritage.
Wyoming: Striking, bearing the national colors, and representing its western culture. (Could do without the seal, though.)
South Carolina: Historic (originating in the Revolution), symbolic of both the fight for freedom and South Carolina's unique flora (the palmetto tree).
Arizona: Strikingly depicts the sort of sunset seen rarely outside of the Arizona, emblazoned with a copper star representing the state (and its history of copper mining). Maybe I like this flag because when we lived in Prescott, Arizona I thought I could grow up to be a copper miner, complete with funny hat and scruffy beard. Do any of you remember the "copper mine" / cave nearby that we would go and crawl through?
We woke up to around 6 inches of snow. Of course we have the house on the block that gets the drifting, so some spots were more like a foot or two. After Andrew's hard work clearing the driveway the snow looks a lot less threatening. I finished clearing the walkway before my fingers felt like they were going to fall off. Though this was our largest snow fall, at one time, this season, this does not compare to the drifting Alan and I attacked last year!
On a lighter note, here is Lucy trying to help us pack:
Somehow I was able to keep my sage alive! 
And just to help you get in the Spring spirit, here is a shot of the tulips Andrew gave me for V-day. 
Here is Lucy sniffing said Tulips.
And then subsequently batting said tulip.
My own additions were: the loops to hold the longer needles (this also serves to weigh the flap closed), the little pocket to hold accessories, and extra needle space. Also, I only used about 1/2 yard total fabric. The "filler" to make it stiffer was a real find too. I found the Christmas clearance the other week at 
These are frozen bubbles.
This is what an ice hole looks like when it re-freezes.
More later!
The evening consisted of a chicken or pork dinner, music by some local fiddlers, and nice intimate conversation by candlelight. After the meal and a time of relaxing, the director of ministries to families showed a "Making Marriage Work" video. When we got home, Andrew started scrambling around. I didn't think much of it because I knew he was anxious to work on his sermon. Then he walked out in to the dining room holding this:
I was so surprised! He got me beautiful purple tulips, coffee (both ground and a frappaccino), local wine and some Dr. Pepper's to split. Plus a wonderful love letter cut in the shape of a heart. The evening was topped off with the first half of Fiddler on the Roof. The only other Valentine's Day that tops this was last year's proposal :) (and all this was early too!) Today is rather quiet. Andrew is helping out at a funeral. Then it will be back to the sermon writing. I have some house work to do.
Many of you did not really know me then so you probably did not ever see my pictures. I was in Ecuador with 6 other pilots working with 
In case anyone was wondering, yes, I was sporting war-paint, 
This is the basket Nate Saint used to lower gifts to the 
This baby monkey was so cute, but then I felt terrible because the natives ate his mother.
We took a gondola across the one of the 
I decided to brave the local delicacy, 
While in 
This was one of the many beautiful views in the Andes. Overall, the trip was very meaningful, touching and refreshing for my faith. I had admired Nate Saint growing up as I felt called at that time to Mission flying.