Okay, now that I have your attention, Leanne Banks and I thought we’d share our favorite 4th of July memories and ask you to share yours!
Leanne says:
My fave July 4th memories include sparklers. I loved sparklers. I also enjoyed setting off illegal fireworks a couple of times. Squealed like a little girl.<g> Happy 4th to EVERYONE! xo, Leanne
Cindy says:
My fondest memories of the 4th center around snakes. Not the ones who slither and have beady eyes. I’m talking talking about the small tablets we used to light with a match (or a punk) and they billowed up in a long stream (like a snake) leaving black circles that were nearly impossible to get off the concrete driveway or sidewalks. Snakes smell terrible, they don’t do much, but I love them. And if I ever buy fireworks, you can bet snakes are in the bag!
Hmmm…Cindy has to wonder why is it that Leanne prefers pretty sparklers and she prefers ugly, smelly snakes? Oh well….
If you have a moment to share your favorite memories…we’d love to hear them!
When we lived in Ohio, we were in easy walking distance to a park where they had a big fireworks display every July 4th. It was so lovely walking through the park to the best vantage point in the balmy and steamy Ohio summer air.
I loved the actual fireworks, too, but unfortunately our then-toddler first-born did NOT. He was petrified of them and hated the noise. When his younger siblings came along, they caught this attitude from him, so we didn’t see any more fireworks for about fifteen years – again on July 4th but this time in New Jersey, three years ago.
Lilian,
Our dogs are like your children. They hate fireworks and I think each time we get a new one, they catch the attitude from the old one.
Glad to hear they can finally enjoy the sights (and sounds) of the 4th!
The 4th of July has always been a family event. If we aren’t traveling we hold the family/friends picnic which we are doing today. In 2007, my husband was in Alaska with his brothers fishing and I was with my sister-in-law in Colorado. Marlene and I spent the day at their church picnic. We watched fireworks from Marlene’s deck. There were two types: lightning and fireworks. Last night we went to a minor league baseball game and watched fireworks. We had lightning during the game and a storm after we got home.
Sandi,
Here’s hoping you have another fabulous 4th with your family and that it’s cool in Ohio!
Fun blog! I have sooo many treasured memories of the 4th. It was a big deal in Downieville, CA, where I spent every summer of my childhood.
But Lilian reminds me…when I was in my teens, we had this cute little dog named Cheena. Cheena was a sweetie, but she hated fireworks. And when we would go out of town, sometimes she would stay with cousins about 25 miles away, who adored her. One 4th, she stayed with the cousins and the fireworks started. She got so freaked she ran away. Ran all the way…home. No kidding. Just like that great old movie, The Incredible Journey. We found her waiting on the porch the next day when we got home.
OMG, Chris…what a wonderful story. Soooo glad it had a happy ending!
I grew up in small prairie villages. Every July 1st (which is our July 4th) would start with the parade at ten o’clock. It would end up at the baseball field. There would be stands with a few games of chance for the old guys (with Cupie dolls) and sodas and ice cream for the kids. There was always a double header men’s baseball game, sunshine and foul balls and bottle caps to collect. Children’s races in the long grass. It was followed by the community pot luck BBQ which lasted until sunset and the fireworks. I think there might have been a dance that followed at the town hall. Lovely gentle memories.
Linda,
What lovely memories…it just has that nice small town feel.
Thanks for sharing!
we used to have bottle rocket wars in the middle of the street in front of out house. those were sooo much fun…but now im to much of a home body
Amy,
OMG…my brother and I used to have bottle rocket wars in the middle of the street in front of our house, too!
Our parents never seemed too worried. Thankfully nothing ever went wrong.
Thanks for bringing back those memories.
I remember seeing fireworks for the first time. It was in Los Angeles somewhere–I was too young to remember exactly where now–but I can remember my absolute awe at it. Second best was when my husband and I took our 2-year-old son to see a ballgame, and when the fireworks started, he put his blanket over his face and didn’t emerge until after we got him in the car to go home! This is a kid will ride every roller coaster made.
Susan
Susan,
“He put a blanket over his face”….sooooo cute!
I always loved the bottle rockets too!! We didn’t have fights with them, but dad would always put a pipe out in the road and we’d shoot them off. We lived in the country so it’s probably amazing we didn’t set the woods on fire during the dry times as many as we shot off!! LOL!! We liked the parachutes too, but they almost always came down in a tree (the hazards of living in the country!!). It seems like we did a lot of snakes too. We’d see who’s snake would grow the longest. Almost every Fourth of July I remember getting up early and going to the creek that was down the road about 3 miles or so, swim for a while and have a cookout then go home and shoot daytime fireworks and wait for dark to shoot the pretty ones. Ahhh…childhood. Nowdays I’m happy for a calm, peaceful do-nothing day where I can read or scrapbook and stay OUT OF THE HEAT!!!
Renee
Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you penning this post and the rest of the website is really good.