Fourth of July

Today is the fourth of July, 2008, and it wasn't a day like the Fourths of July that I remember. First, our picnic was cancelled because of rain, or should I say mud. We thought it would be better not to go to a park right after a half-inch or more fell in the morning, and the skies were still threatening to pour more moisture onto the already soggy ground. And sure enough, it did -- rain again, that is.

But tonight --

I was certain that any and all fireworks displays would be cancelled because of the weather. Well, it is foggy, but it's not raining and hasn't rained for at least two hours. So, I guess the surrounding communities decided to go ahead with their annual extravaganzas. From my deck I could see seven different displays (my deck is also known as the porch, sun porch, lanai, patio, outdoor room). What a show!

The trees are getting taller and the shows are getting less easy to observe. I can only see the high, blossoming explosions. When we first moved here, I could see some of the lower displays. But hey, I still get quite a view.

Then I noticed that there were a couple other displays going on in the front of the house and so I opened the blind in the library and was able to watch two other great displays.

I'm still hearing the boom, boom, boom of fireworks, so I know there are more people shooting them off. I live here in KY and a lot of people buy lots of fireworks and have their own little shows, so I also benefit from them -- they've been going on all week. It's been nice to see so many different displays. I especially like the light, airy, lacy, white-light ones. And I also like the ones that sort of implode upon themselves in a whole bunch of colors. You know what I mean?


I just love fireworks. They not only remind me of when I was young, but they do something that makes me just feel happy.

Oh, and did I mention the lightning bugs. They were out and about and I saw them as well. And remembered when I used to collect them and put them in a jar, or (gross) pull off the lighted part of the bug and push it onto my ring finger like it was a diamond. I do remember that lightning bugs had a strange smell, and that must have been because of their little tail light.

And, once again, I told Alan how much I loved where we now live. I really, really love this place!

The fourth of July

If you're up late on the 3rd you will read this ahead of when you're supposed to. However, if you are reading this on the 4th, you are getting it right.

It's late on the 3rd so I figure not too many will read this homage to the 4th of July ahead of when it's supposed to be read.

I have a confession to make. I always cry on the 4th of July. The beginning of a 4th of July parade makes me cry. The fire-engines in the parade make me cry. The veterans as they pass in review make me cry. The sweet, sweet babies in their decorated carriages make me cry. I just am a cry-baby. But I love a 4th of July parade.

Then, there are the fireworks. I always cry at the end of the big celebration -- that last hurrah firework that goes boom, boom, boom, boom, boom -- ad infinitum -- well, it just makes me cry. Maybe I'm crying because the celebration of our nation's birth is over for another year, and I wonder what the next year will hold and will we still have this wonderful country to celebrate next year.

Oh, I didn't think of those types of things when I was a child -- and I cried even back then. Let's face it, I'm a crier.

If you want to see other writings on past 4th of July celebrations, just click on the 4th of July link on the side of the page and it will take you to those ramblings. Happy 4th everyone. Remember what we're celebrating. It's not just a day off from work, or a day to party, the day was set aside to honor our fore-fathers and what they did so that we can have the best country in the entire world. Think about that.