When I was a kid we use to go to my aunt and uncle’s house in Fairfax County, VA every year for a cookout and to shoot off fireworks. (I lived in Alexandria where fireworks were illegal, but Fairfax County still allows them.) My brother and I were always very excited at the prospect of fireworks. As dusk approached we would take the little black pellets that came with most firework assortments and light them on fire to produce long, black ash snakes. As it got a little darker, we would the light the sparklers. This was a great group participation activity, running around throwing sparklers in the air and getting a new sparkler lit off a dying one. Finally, the main event took off with our older cousins doing the honors — the fountains and cones with all the light and noise and the smell of cordite. Those days are long past. Since we’ve been married, we’ve seen the fireworks display on the Washington Monument grounds a few years here and there (spectacular), but we mostly host a cookout at our house with our friends. This year is no different. We will be having our usual fare — gazpacho, devilled eggs, cole slaw, baked beans, hamburgers, hot dogs, and sausages. And fireworks.
The Fourth of July and Thanksgiving are the last two holidays you can whish anybody. All Americans celebrate them. I whish more business where closed.
While the Declaration of Independance was a promise of freedom and better times, the constitution is when we made good on that promise.
Happy fourth of July to all. No matter where you live “If you are not defending your country make it a country worth defending” A country to live for, not just die for..
While a few may run the show and set the course, it is the many – the “We the people” who not only do most of the work, the lving and the dying but enjoying the freedom.
Happy fourth. With all the computers and cameras may you have more freedom, security, privacy and happyness than our founding fathers could have imagined.
Allen
Amen.
I’m just headed for the dinner at my Ana’s daughters house. Then they have a bicycle and horse parade for the children. They go up and down mainstreet twice. Then the kids have a bunch of games for the kids. The farmers bring their horses in and some have old wagons and stuff. There are only a few for this parade. Then the Wentworth Street Dance Starts, which turns into a drunken affair after about 8 hours. But it is much enjoyed except for the hangovers. The Fireworks are fired off at Dark and goes on for about an hour – the Fire department is in charge of that and they raise money all year-pancake feed and stuff.
Let Freedom Ring!
Thanks for your thoughts, Allen and Al. “Happy fourth. With all the computers and cameras may you have more freedom, security, privacy and happyness than our founding fathers could have imagined.” Amen.