So far as I can see, a procession has value in but two ways–as a show and as a symbol, its minor function being to delight the eye, its major one to compel thought, exalt the spirit, stir the heart, and inflame the imagination.
Arthur will be dropping by tomorrow bringing showers and thunderstorms. This afternoon we’ll have heavy rainfall and hail. My July 4th barbecue is now July 6th. The events originally scheduled all over the cape for tomorrow, like parades and fireworks, are either cancelled or postponed. It will be a dreary 4th of July.
Today’s weather is so humid I swear the wicked witch would melt. I can even imagine hearing her cackling as she melts and becomes a puddle on the deck. My air conditioner is blasting wonderfully cool air. I turned it on yesterday afternoon when I began melting. I, however, did not cackle.
July 4th is the holiday which has changed the least over the years. Towns, big and small, still have their parades and fireworks. Barbecues are lit in backyards everywhere, and the air is filled with the smell of food cooking. We used to have hot dogs and hamburgers when I was a kid. Now I have ribs, chicken and sausages. Potato salad is still a necessity. Mine this year will be sweet potato salad, and I’ve found a great fruit salad I might just add. Corn on the cob slathered with butter will round out the meal. I always think of corn on the cob as the great American vegetable.
My sister won a prize in the July 4th doll carriage parade. She was a hula girl wearing a grass skirt. My mother made a similar skirt for the doll carriage and the doll. My sister even got her picture in the paper, but black and white didn’t do her justice. She was Hawaiian colorful. Only once did I take part in the decorated bicycle parade. I didn’t win a prize, but my bicycle was great looking with colorful crepe paper wound around the wheel spokes and hanging off the ends of the handle bars. In Colorado my grand-nephew is going to be in the decorated bicycle parade. I believe crepe paper is involved. He is quite excited at being in the parade. I know that feeling.
On July 4th some movies are a must see. If you want the patriotic route, there is always the musical 1776. I, however, think the best of all movies to watch is Jaws. It even takes place on the busy holiday weekend when, because of the vacationing crowds, the mayor wouldn’t close the beaches that is until the little kid got eaten. The second movie to watch is Independence Day when aliens screw up the holiday by trying to vanquish the population of Earth. As if that would happen!
Today I will stay home. The roads will be crowded with people looking for something to do to occupy their rainy day. I don’t have enough patience to deal with that.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsThis entry was posted on July 3, 2014 at 11:29 am and is filed under Musings. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
Tags: barbecues, bicycle parade, corn on the cob, Crêpe paper, doll carriage parade, hail, humidity, Jaws, Potato salad, rainy July 4th, ribs and chicken, wicked witch
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July 3, 2014 at 11:56 am
Hi Kat,
Our 4th of July festivities have been cancelled except for the children’s events which will be held on Saturday morning. No parade. No fireworks. I wonder what they are going to do with those fireworks that they already bought?
We used to have the biggest parade in the state and now we have nothing because the original organizers are old and burnt out and couldn’t continue. They asked for help with last year’s fund raising etc. Nobody stepped up so no parade. A group organized an impromptu, hometown parade. It was small and just for fun. They got no thanks for it but they did get lots of complaints along the lines of “It isn’t like it was back in the day. How awful! This town has gone to the dogs”.
I got tired of telling people if they wanted it like it used to be, step up and do the work that other adults did for years so that they could have their childhood memories. Lots of agreement. Very little volunteering.
There is a group that’s trying to bring back the big parade for next year. I wish them well.
Rant over. 🙂
Rocky and Piki Dog are at day care enjoying air conditioning which I don’t have at the moment. It’s not bad in the house as long as I don’t move too much. I just finished vacuuming the living room rug and that was hot work. Needed to be done, though. The dogs are shredders of paper and tissues. It looked like a snow storm in here. I almost wish it was. 🙂
Enjoy the day.
July 3, 2014 at 1:07 pm
Hi Caryn,
Wakefield was the place to be all day long. When I was in St. Pat’s drill team we marched every July 4th. People would set up their chairs early in the morning then disappear until parade time. My father’s friend had a house right on the route, and they’d sit on the porch and cheer when I went by them. The fireworks were great. That was where I sister won her prize for her carriage.
The sun is coming out right now so I’m a bit leery of the rain coming this afternoon. My house is lovely. Gracie sleeps and doesn’t pant. She likes the air as well. Right now she is napping on the couch.
I am doing nothing today, but I do see a nap in my future.
Have a wonderful day.
July 3, 2014 at 12:41 pm
Too bad you’ll have rain and thunderstorms tomorrow.
Today I won’t stay home, though the roads will be crowded with people. Our annual free downtown music festival with several stages and up to a million visitors starts today and the weather is just perfect.
July 3, 2014 at 1:09 pm
Birgit,
Perfect weather is what we should be having. It just isn’t right when it rains on the 4th.
I’m not sure I could deal with a million people though the right musician might just tempt me. Have a wonderful day and enjoy that perfect weather!
July 3, 2014 at 1:18 pm
Birgit,
As Kat posts tomorrow about excellent Croc wrestling in Ghana on the 4th July, you will already be parked somewhere as the Quarter Finals start with the spine tingling match up between Germany and France.
So where will you be ? Who will be watching with you ? Have you special plans for such a big match ?
Mrs MDH and I will be back from a 4th July breakfast outing with our oldest and I will be on the edge of my seat as the drama unfurls.
Yours in crocs, Birkenstocks, and one gigantic match ahead
July 3, 2014 at 6:16 pm
(Back from the festival before it’s too crowded.)
Hedley, we are still planing, music vs. soccer. We’ll probably watch the match on a crowded public place in soccer-town Dortmund, so we can go to the nearby annual Guitar Club summer party afterwards. Algeria-Germany was terrible, let’s hope this game is better. Go German team!
Too bad that I’ll miss croc wrestling in Ghana 🙁
Yours without Birkenstocks but with a World Cup shirt and fingers crossed.
July 3, 2014 at 7:01 pm
Birgit,
I will also have my fingers crossed!
July 3, 2014 at 8:02 pm
Thanks, Kat, we’ll need any help we can get 🙂
July 3, 2014 at 1:38 pm
Too bad about the weather. I guess I shouldn’t complain about our strong winds and showers 🙂
Swedes seems to be eating just the same thing but with perhaps other spices when ever it is a holiday here. Pickled herring, pickled salmon or cold smoked one. I just don’t get it, how can they eat it? 🙂 I guess it’s my Serbian, Cosovar, Macedonian, Russian genes that just can’t take that 🙂
I hope Arthur won’t get as bad as they say but they are usually right when it comes to bad news 🙂
July 3, 2014 at 3:49 pm
Crhister,
No rain as yet-it is sunny with a hazy sky. I’m thinking the storm might have shifted, but I haven’t sent the weather report in a while.
I don’t eat pickled anything either. I always wondered how any one could eat it. That herring even looks gross.
Have a great evening. Maybe Arthur is headed elsewhere.