The fourth of July was "my" holiday, dating back to pretty young childhood.
My dad would give each of us kids a dollar to spend on fireworks. For that dollar, we could get a box of snakes, a box of sparklers, one Roman candle, and one fountain. Only in adulthood did I come to realize how big a splurge that was for my dad. When I started my first job, I made as much in a week as he had in a month, back then. Inflation is not new. But I digress.
It was the day when dad would insist that before we started, there was a bucket (all buckets were metal back then) filled with water, into which all sparkler wires would be dropped as soon at the sparkler burnt out.
Later, it was a day to go to the big display with my sweetheart, finding a spot to spread the blanket where it felt like we were in the middle of Star Wars, the original movie. This happened to be in Topeka, Kansas, across from the state fair grounds, where the professionals were setting them off.
Still later, it was a time to mourn that I'd moved to a state that didn't allow fireworks, and that my son would not get to experience the explosive kind of day I had as a kid. So we took the occasional trip back to Nebraska so he'd at least see it once or twice while still "a kid".
The photo above was from one of those trips. Son's not in it, as I believe he might have been supervising setting off some of the pops and bangs.
This was my dad a few months before he passed, his last 4th of July, in my sister's driveway, set up to watch the fireworks, as we did.
In more recent years, I'm not as much into the explosives, and I'm turning into my mother... stay in the house, away from the smoke. Go out and watch the neighbors and their kids do the lighting up.
Lots of memories are wrapped up in the 4th of July. Last year we spent some time that weekend at a lake, where Carl capsized my son's kayak. This year, it was the mini-golf and the dog bar. Our fourth has moved into the "keep the dog happy and calm" phase.
So here's hoping all a safe, sane, and appropriate to your phase of life Holiday!
Life is good. Spark on!
Happy Fourth to you, Barb! All of the kids in my neighborhood, as well as myself, had the same array of Sparklers and snakes as you did….
ReplyDeleteI remember being so excited when it was almost dusk so that we could light everything! The towns fireworks display was always on the 3rd and sponsored by the Lions Club… lots of memories!! Eissa7
Those memories become more precious with the passage of time, don't they?
DeleteHappy 4th! When I was small we'd drive to the local fireworks and park the car darned close to where they set them off. The kids sat on the hood of the car while our parents sat in beach chairs. The choking smoke would filter over us like waves at the beach. Good times.
ReplyDeleteGood times, indeed!
DeletePHOENIX1949
ReplyDeleteHappy 4th!
I've been to many fireworks displays in my 74-1/2 years. Disney's Epcot Center at Christmas time was the most awesome one. Setting off fireworks is illegal in our city but ignored by many. Hot and dry here, a virtual tinderbox, which is concerning -- New Year's Eve fireworks ended up torching a house a few streets over from us. Thankfully the residents got out early on. We pass the burnt shell on the way in and out of the subdivision. Just last month did demolition cleanup work begin which may have been delayed with insurance claims (hopefully they had insurance).
Sparklers at my grandparents' farm was my only hands-on experience with fireworks. Good memories.
We lived on 15 acres with grandparents nearby. Grandma loved her ice cream and almost every Sunday we hand-cranked away. Good memories.
Thankful for a couple of recent rains... we're still in a drought, but hopefully the weekend rains will have helped.
DeleteOH we used to love to sit outside and munch on watermelon, sip on Black Cows (or brown cows – whichever!) and watch the fire works. WE never set off our own, but had a birds-eye view of the professional fire works. So much fun. I remember being 8 yrs. old and being part of the parade (my baton twirling class was participating). It was so hot I almost fainted and had to drop out! But it was still fun. No sense, no sensibilities . . . I wanted to rejoin the parade. LOL – parents declined that request, and rightfully so.
ReplyDeleteToday, content to watch the fire works on TV from the comfort of my easy chair! LOL Am I getting old . . . or just a little smarter?? I choose to think smarter. LOL
Love the pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Hugs
Barb
1crazydog
Memories gain perspective over the years, but to be honest, I love the clean cool indoor air, and can totally get why my mom did, too.
DeleteThe 4th holidays of my youth were spent at the drive-in movie. They had the fireworks displays. Mom would pack a cooler with sandwiches and veggies. We got to play at the playground until dark when the fireworks would start. A g-rated cartoon movie would follow, with a movie for the grown-ups after that. I think the idea was that the kids would poop out, go to sleep and leave time for the movie for the parents. Fireworks were outlawed in Illinois. Sometimes some of the neighbors would bring some back from their trips to MO. Hot dogs on the grill and cold watermelon was lunch on the 4th. Lots of good memories.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a bang up holiday!! 🎇🧨
Sounds like a lovely way to celebrate. Holidays are such a big thing for kids and establishing traditions in their minds!
DeleteDS sure favors your dad. 😉
ReplyDeleteI had never thought my son favored my father... he favors his own dad more (but then I don't often post photos of his dad). But looking at the two blogs, side by side, I can see it, a bit.
DeleteSuch wonderful memories of the 4th. We used to collect pop cans and my dad would cash them in two times a year, the 4th and Christmas. we'd go to the firework stand and I'd buy the $20 bag full of things. We had so much fun.
ReplyDeleteNow we have neighbors shooting off commercial grade ones around houses. A house went up in flames the night before in another city. The house is a loss. The rain came and ended the fireworks for a couple of hours, but now they started up again.
Enjoy your day! (((BIG HUGS)))
The pop bottle collection for us was associated with the State Fair, for spending money.
DeleteSorry about the loss of someone's home! Our fireworks, storm, then more fireworks pattern last night was much the same as yours.
Great memories, my parents did not like personal fireworks at home so we went to the park to see the ones the town did. Happy 4th.
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly easier to let the pros put on the shows, imho!
DeleteThe 4th is hard to celebrate now, having 3 death anniversaries in June😔
ReplyDelete-RunKeeper Dee
((( hugs ))) But at least with such a scenario, we can celebrate making it through those anniversaries... again! Hang in there, my friend!
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