deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

In my vast collection of flags, this is the perfect flag. The North American Vexillological Association ranks it as number 1 in the USA. The state flag of New Mexico. (In Navajo: Yooto’ Hahoodzo)

New Mexico was founded in 1610, long before the US. It is a mountain state that is part of the area called the “Four Corners’, an amazingly magnificent land.

Host Nation People lived here for thousands of years before Spanish Europeans came. It was named Nuevo Mexico in 1563 – 250 years before the country of Mexico was founded. It is named after The Aztec Valley of Mexico.

New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the US. It has the second highest percentage of Host Nation People in the country. It is a part of the Navajo nation and also has 3 recognized Apache Tribes.

The near perfect flag is a Red Sun on a field of yellow. The sun is a sacred symbol of the Zia People. It is the only USA flag with no blue or white. It is another example of a contest run by the DAR. In 1920 the contest was won by Harry Mera. He chose the Zia Sun symbol for what it represented. 4 Circles of Life; 4 directions; 4 times of day; 4 seasons. A circle binds them all together.

And of course, where would we be without the famous resident of Albuquerque:

School children in New Mexico after they recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the USA Flag turn to the New Mexico Flag and say: “I salute the flag of the State of New Mexico and the Zia symbol of perfect friendship among united cultures.”