Originally posted on July 16, 2013 at 12:30 PM

Today is the 44th Anniversary of Apollo 11’s liftoff. On July 20th the Lunar Module Eagle landed on the moon. The 20th of July which I and some others call Apollo Day has become the mid-summer event of choice for reasons of patriotism and for the celebration of technological achievement. I still revere the Founding Fathers (and Mothers) am stirred by the words of the Declaration of Independence and honor the Fourth.

We have heard so much of war and violence over the last decade and a half however that it’s natural enough to seek for a more cerebral, more peaceful means of celebrating the country and thinking people everywhere than by setting off bombs and filling the skies with chemical incandescence. (Yes I know Apollo involved the expenditure of enormous amounts of energy but it was relatively localized and didn’t contribute to the terrorizing of pets and wildlife across the entire continent.) So it’s Apollo Day forward to which I look each year for the celebration of High Summer and the fact that I am Human and an American.

Apollo Day is a pretty much do it yourself holiday. As I’ve said elsewhere you should do something that has to do with the moon; eat a Moon Pie, drink moonshine, Howl at the moon, moon somebody; anything that lifts your rocket. It’s also fun to read or watch something moonish; read a good science fiction novel or a true account of the Moon Landing. While we’re at it, isn’t it interesting and sort of unfortunate that there are so few available movies about going to, landing on or living in the Moon? From the Earth to the Moon, Destination Moon, The Mouse on the Moon, First Men in the Moon and of course Apollo 13 are obvious choices and there are a couple other moon movies around but hard to find.

Refreshments for Apollo Day have varied from year to year. This time I’m probably making a blue cheese spread which I’ll spread on Triscuits and eat with malted rice brew. Sometimes I’ve been fancier. Once I had the event catered by a young woman who made me a moon-shaped cake, complete with gray frosting, craters and an astronaut with a rocket, molded from taffy, standing on the surface. Both of the latter were quite artistic but the rocket was streamlined with conical nose and had tail fins. I mentioned to my daughter that neither feature would be necessary or appropriate on the airless Lunar surface. She responded that I must be the only person who would analyze the aerodynamics of a cake decoration but I mean, Really!—

Happy impending Apollo Day all you Earthlings!

-Glynda