Courage Tile: I make these tiles and sell them individually or in sets of 4. I also sell them at Craft Fairs. This is made with the Courage Set (115330 $19.95) found on page 67 of the current Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog. It's a two stamp set; in addition to this stamp there is a word stamp that reads "Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because it is the quality that guarantees all others.-Winston Churchill" It's a great set! If you are interested in purchasing this stamp set, you can order it from my website www.stampwithdeb.stampinup.net. If you are interested in purchasing the tiles, and/or the coordinating stamped box that holds four of them, email deb@debbiestamps.com for more information.
Today is Presidents Day. Our son is in the United State Coast Guard, so we receive Coast Guard feed updates.
It's interesting to learn that Coast Guard members on Coast Guard Island (CA) will fire the national salute of 21 guns today at noon in honor of Presidents Day. The salute takes about a minute and 45 seconds to complete. The Coast Guard warns surrounding communities that there will be loud noise produced by the blank rounds when fired.
This is a time honored naval tradition which dates back centuries, when it was customary for a
ship entering a friendly port to discharge its cannon to demonstrate that they
were unloaded.
The following information is provided by the United States Navy with the issuance of new regulations on 24 May 1842. Those regulations laid out the specifics:
"When the President of the United States shall visit a vessel of the navy, he shall be received with the following honors: The yards shall be manned, all the officers shall be on deck in full uniform, the full guard shall be paraded and present arms, the music shall play a march, and a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired. He shall receive the same honors when he leaves the ship."
"Upon the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States, the colors shall be hoisted at sunrise, and all the vessels of the navy shall, when in port, be dressed, and so continue until the colors are hauled down at sunset, if the state of the weather and other circumstances will allow it. At sunrise, at meridian, and at sunset, a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired from every vessel in commission mounting six guns and upwards."
"On the twenty-second day of February, the anniversary of the birth of Washington, a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired at meridian from every vessel of the navy in commission mounting six guns and upwards."To read more go to: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq40-1.htm
Other occasions when the salute is fired are in honor of the national flag, the sovereign or chief of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family, and the President, ex-President, and President-elect of the United States. It is also fired at noon of the day of the funeral of a President, ex-President, or President-elect, on Washington’s Birthday, and the Fourth of July.
It's nice to know the history behind the traditions of our armed forces especially how it relates to Presidents Day. Have a nice day!


































