“May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country!”
The day is glorious, warm and sunny. It is a bit stickier than yesterday, but an ocean breeze tempers the humidity. Last night my neighborhood was filled with the sounds of fireworks, with the bangs and the sizzles. The morning is quieter.
I will celebrate July 4th with my friends at a barbecue at their house. They’ll serve hot dogs and hamburgers, deviled eggs, corn and potato salad. I’m guessing that same menu is probably being repeated all over the country today. I know I’ll smell the barbecues in my neighborhood come afternoon. As for me, I’m partial to those deviled eggs.
When I was a kid, I remember sitting on my back steps watching the fireworks burst high in the sky. They were from the next town over which had a parade in the afternoon and fireworks at night. We always went to the parade. My father’s friend had a house right on the parade route, and that’s where we spent the day, on his huge front porch. It was always filled with kids and adults jockeying for seats. The parade seemed to last for hours back then with its bands and floats and militiamen playing fifes and drums. We clapped and cheered. The front screen door slammed every few minutes as someone headed to the kitchen for food or another drink. We had popsicles in so many colors and flavors. On the driveway, on the side of the house, the grill was always on and hot dogs and hamburgers were cooked throughout most of the afternoon as the chef tried to keep ahead of the hungry crowd.
When I was around thirteen, I started marching in that parade with my drill team. When we rounded the corner, I could see the familiar white house with the huge front porch. As we marched by the house, everyone on the porch yelled my name. I tried to be so military, but I always smiled, a beaming smile.
“Thus may the 4th of July, that glorious and ever memorable day, be celebrated through America, by the sons of freedom, from age to age till time shall be no more,” The Virginia Gazette, written after the first anniversary celebration, 1777
Happy July 4th!
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
July 4, 2010 at 11:12 am
Our day is 6th of June but we really never celebrates it. It´s like we can´t find a reason or something like it. Fireworks is seemed as enviorementally wrong too. We really suck at celebrating to be honest 🙂 🙂 🙂 We shouldn´t need a reason, just to have fun is reason enough.
They do try to make something of that day however. They have some artists singing songs from their new albums or some stand up comedian that hasn´t been seen on tv for a while (for a reason too 🙂 ) The show host also tries to be funny sometimes 🙂 🙂
But it has always been a bit wrong to like our country. That has been the nazis job so to speak. The only time that has been ok is when we have won some kind of sports event 🙂 🙂 🙂 The fun thing is that it is our immigrants that sort of has shown us that it is ok to love ones country. If anyone waves our flag nowdays it is them 🙂
Happy 4th of July!
Thanks for the link to Your other blog!
July 4, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Christer,
This is a wonderful day with parades and fireworks and concerts. It is a national holiday so people are off from work (most get tomorrow off as today is not a workday). I love July 4th!!
The fireworks are usually let off over the water or a field. They are part of the tradition.
It seems this country has become more patriotic since 9/11.
July 4, 2010 at 12:34 pm
As a first generation immigrant, I celebrate today with much pleasure. A 7 am bike ride with Big Rick at Stony Creek Metro Park, a little Tour de France (ok, most of it), some rose bush pruning in the garden, a trip out in the car with Maggie the Westie (NOT A CAT), and now the patio, a book, some music and waiting for a Heineken and a BBQ
Life is good – I am blessed
July 4, 2010 at 3:49 pm
My Dear Hedley,
How could I forget that Maggie is a Westie? How nice then that she has new playmates. My friends’ Westie Darci loves to play with other dogs (not Gracie-she plays too rough).
I celebrate America today. There were times when I didn’t, but that was a long ago, when I was young and political. My flags are flying, the bunting is on the fences and I’m off to a barbecue.
Nope, life doesn’t get much better.
July 4, 2010 at 2:29 pm
I like that quote. Glad you found it. I too marched in Parades when I was 14 and up. It was a military drill team and we always marched the same route through downtown Alexandria, Virginia. Huge turnout, then the cookout, then fireworks on the Potomac. I truly miss those days.
July 4, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Z&Me,
I too miss the whole family getting together today the way we did when I was a little kid, but I’ll be with friends who have become family, and I’m happy to celebrate with them.
I haven’t been to the fireworks in a while, and I do miss them. I love ooohs and aaahs!