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July 4, 2006
Happy Independence Day!
Today is our 230th birthday. The beginning of our country. The end of living under English Rule.
Happy Birthday, U.S.A!!!
I have many wonderful memories of celebrating the 4th of July with my family when I was a kid. We would start the morning out, bright and early, by raising the Stars and Stripes and saying the Pledge of Allegience.
Dad would ready the backyard for our annual fireworks display, and Mom would prepare food for the big neighborhood bash that we always had.
We probably entertained 50 people or more every Fourth with fireworks, burgers, hot dogs, tons of soda pop - mostly rootbeer, and for the grown ups, steaks and cocktails and beer - lots of beer! (my dad worked for a brewery, after all!).
The kids would all climb all over the jungle gym and swing on the swing, and explore the woods behind our house. If it was really hot, Mom would put the sprinkler on, and we could run through it. We were a bunch of browned little kids.
When the sun was still up, we would light 'snakes' on the driveway. We would throw "craker balls' at the ground to hear the pop.
Once the sun went down, the kids all got to light sparklers and wave them around until we got tired of them. Then Daddy would start the fireworks display.
We always had Roman Candles and fireworks that would zoom up to the sky and blow up into beautiful designs. We also had fancy fireworks that were nailed onto the trees that would make all kinds of designs. I know my dad spent several hundred dollars on the display each year - and back in the early '60s, that would buy a heck of a lot of fireworks!
Mom always had a birthday cake made for Independence Day, too. A big sheet cake, and she would put a small sparkler on it and light it as she brought it outside to the big picnic table.
Wow, those were such fun celebrations!
Now, of course, fireworks are not allowed in the city, jungle gyms are deemed 'dangerous' and the liability of holding a personal fireworks display would be incredibly huge.
But Independence Day is still a great day to go to watch civic displays of fireworkes, cook out and celebrate the birth of our great nation.
And in celebrating the Forth, don't forget to thank the many hero's of our Armed Forces who have given life and limb for the past 230 years so we can live in freedom.
For a more colorful post, go see my beloved husband's blog, Arrgghhh!.
Posted by Beth at July 4, 2006 9:55 AM
Comments
What wonderful memories. I have much the same ones. For some reason, I remember sparklers vividly. As a child, they were my favorites. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Moogie at July 4, 2006 10:35 AM
Thanks for your great blog. Things are a little low key at our house this 4th. I loved hearing of your memories. They sound a lot like the ones we are trying to help make for our children.
Posted by: Kerri at July 4, 2006 1:49 PM
Love your post, Happy 4th of July!
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 4, 2006 4:13 PM
Your post brought back many wonderful memories of my own. It's so cool that your parents demonstrated that kind of patriotism.
Happy Independence Day!
Posted by: Cranky Chick at July 4, 2006 5:46 PM