Hello My Friends,

That's right! Summer of 2010 is shouting her last Hurrah! Let's get together and Celebrate all of those hard-working Men & Women who have made this Country Great!

I hope you'll all drop by and Share your Thoughts, Share your Lovely Graphics, or perhaps you'll even be willing to Share your best Barbecue Recipes or maybe that favorite Recipe for Mom's Special Potato Salad, or Baked Beans. Whatever you feel like sharing, let's get together and Celebrate, and be sure and let us know how you and your family will mark this Labor Day, 2010.

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the Labor Movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the prosperity and well-being of our country.

It was the hard times of depression that hit the country in the 1880s, and this led to widespread wage cuts and unemployment in the traditional pattern of the economic cycle. This was when the Knights of Labor came into being and it was through their initiative that Labor Day turned out to be a civic event with parades, public speeches and even political rallies.

The First Labor Day :

Contrary to the present practice, the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, l883. However, it was in l884 when the first Monday in September came to be selected as the holiday, as originally proposed. The Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in l885, Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

The Founder :

There is a difference of opinion regarding the original founder of the day. Two views, both backed by documentary evidence, are prevalent. Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, was the first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold." But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.

Irrespective of the dispute over the name of the initiator it is clear that the Labor Day proposal was initiated in the United States by the Knights of Labor. Accordingly a committee was formed to plan a demonstration and picnic. In 1882 the Knights of Labor held a large parade in New York City. In 1884 the group held a parade on the first Monday of September and passed a resolution to hold all future parades on that day and to designate the day as Labor Day.
However, the state recognition of the day was yet to come.

The Recognition :

Through the years the nation has given increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the movement to secure state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 2l, l887. During the year four more states -- Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York -- created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

National Labor Day was born off the labor movement during the late 19th century. The Day is a milestone in the history of the American Labor Movment.

The founder and longtime president of the American Federation of Labor, Samuel Gompers, once said "Labor Day differs in every essential from the other holidays of the year in any country....All other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day...is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation."

It was in 1884 when Labor Day was first proclaimed to be a federal holiday in the U.S. More than 100 years after, the occassion has gained strength and is still held as the holiday that honours and appreciates the contribution of each worker on whose shoulders the nation rests.

The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take were outlined in the first proposal of the holiday -- a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This set a pattern for the future celebrations of Labor Day.

As for public celebrations, Labor Day is observed mostly through parades. Parades are annually organised in places like Manhatten, Brooklyn and Detroit. In many places rallies and political demonstrations are organised which highlight the problems faced by workers and strives to find ways for the betterment of their lives. Speeches by union leaders and political figures in these rallies attempt to create a general awareness about the condition of American labourers.

However, festive celebrations form the main and the most joyous part of Labor Day observances. Be it Detroit or Manchester, working families take part in rallies, march in the parades and even organise picnics with their loved ones. Meat delicacies, especially barbecues, form the main attraction of the Labor Day feasts. For kids and teenagers, it is often the last opportunity to have some clean festive fun before schools reopen and for many Families, it's the last chance for a quick trip to the Mountains or the Coast.

However you and your family Celebrate, have fun and enjoy the Day as a family, sharing it with one another, and remember the hardworking folks who over the years have made this Country Great.

Have A Happy & Safe Labor Day My Friends,

Phil

Thank you Phil, although saying goodbye to summer is not my favorite thing. I am a Spring person!! We never have special plans around here but just might relax under the elm tree and watch the traffic going and coming trying to find a spot like we already have. There will be campers and boats and fast-moving vehicles - then the sirens telling of an accident somewhere.

Maybe we will fire up the grill and have some hotdogs and hamburgers. My recipe for baked beans is simple but everyone seems to like it.

2 cans pork & beans in a pyrex or baking dish, add some fresh garlic, fresh onions and fresh sweet bell pepper, about ¼ cup (or less) of maple syrup, salt & pepper to taste, mix together and bake about 30 mins. 300-350 oven. You can also cook this on top of stove in a pan - it is better if the vegetables don't overcook.

Sara

Hi Sara,

Sounds to me like the Perfect way to spend the Labor Day Weekend. I thought that Hurricane Earl was going to halt some of the Labor Day plans off of the NC Coast, however He just sideswiped the Outer Banks, and kept on Truckin' on up North. Thank You Lord, it's been a rough enough Summer already for my Friends that live down near the Beaches.

I never get in the middle of the Traffic Jam over the weekend anyway, but I'll be praying for all of those who do.

Those Beans sound delicious, and as long as your Family is together to enjoy them, I'm sure that everything will be Great!

I'm definitely ready to say Goodbye to Summer. I love Spring as well, however I am happiest in the Fall, when the Colors change up in the Mountains, and there's a bit of a nip in the air every Evening. Of course, it's also Football Season!

Hope Your Labor Day Is Happy & Safe,

Phil

Hi Sara,

Your Baked Beans made me hungry, so I dug out this recipe for some Barbequed Veggies.

Here's a little something that I've often fixed on the Grill before, and my Family seems to love them. These tasty vegetables can either be cooked on skewers or thrown straight on the barbecue. Serve them hot or at room temperature. As cold leftovers, they're great with crusty bread.

Marinated Barbequed Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 small eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch thick slices
• 2 small red bell peppers, seeded and cut into wide strips
• 3 zucchinis, sliced
• 6 fresh mushrooms, stems removed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Directions

1. Place eggplant, red bell peppers, zucchinis and fresh mushrooms in a medium bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, basil and garlic. Pour the mixture over the vegetables, cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
4. Place vegetables directly on the grill or on skewers. Cook on the prepared grill 2 to 3 minutes per side, brushing frequently with the marinade, or to desired doneness.

Have A Wonderful Labor Day My Friends,

Phil