Happy Birthday to the US of A

OK, I admit it, I LOVE the 4th of July.   The celebrations of my childhood involved neighborhood potluck cookouts where chicken, fresh fried lake perch, hotdogs & hamburgers were flanked by German potato salad, marinated garden peas & baby onions, coleslaw, jello with various fruits inside, canteloupes  &  deep red watermelon with iced Frosty root beer to drink.  The fish came from Lake Michigan, which had a viable fishing industry into the 60’s, & the produce was all locally grown.  After the evening feast we’d all pile into various family cars, the idea being to get the whole neighborhood into as few cars as possible.  Full dark does not come early in a western Michigan July so the local fireworks  never started until after 9 PM even before day light savings time was the norm.  The fireworks were shot off from a barge anchored  either in Lake Michigan or in the boat turning basin of the St. Joseph River if the lake was too rough.  The show was watched from the bluff above the lake or the river banks & lasted about an hour.

Once I’d left my parents’ house for the wider world the 4th was still a magic day.  I didn’t manage a picnic & fireworks every year but I managed at least fireworks most years.  I watched the DC Mall-works for several years with my daughter from the grass of a highway interchange in Alexandria VA, spent happy years with D&D at the Vienna VA works & one year watched 3 small town works at once from the Buena Vista campground. (The picnic pavilion was on a hill, the view was spectacular.) 

So it’s a sad year in Mudville when I have to work on the 4th & thus miss seeing any  fireworks.  Like this year or so I thought.  Until on the eve of the 4th the local neighbors held a potluck to rival those of my childhood, except there was BBQ pork  instead of fried perch.  I came home from running some errands just as the feed was winding up.  About 5 minutes later & with a thunderstorm moving in the fireworks began.  Yes real honest to China skyworks.  Roman candles, whistlers, bangers & flowers - lots & lots of flowers.  This stuff was most certainly not bought at the local fireworks stand.  The show went on for about half an hour, the thunderstorm moved in forcing an intermission & then there was another 20 minutes or so more.  It was gloriously grand.  Better even than the mall works, better than 3 town works at once, & maybe better even than those nights on the bluff above Lake Michigan when I was young & the whole world was new. 

Happy Birthday to All of the US of A

May there always be fireworks for your birthday.