INDEPENDENCE DAY 2011

 

My goodness!  Is it July already?  Wasn’t it just Easter?  After a long hiatus from blogland, I thought I couldn’t let America’s most important holiday slide by without paying tribute.

I’m sure everyone has many memories of how they’ve celebrated the Fourth of July.  Some do the same thing every year.  Some do something different.

Most celebrate with a cookout, barbecue or picnic with family  and friends in their backyards or at local parks,

and follow the festivities with fireworks in their neighborhoods or by watching the town sponsored displays.

In Maryland, backyard fireworks are prohibited, so you won’t see any stands in parking lots doing booming business.   But we can go to any number of the local cities’ beautiful shows.

Or we have the privilege of fighting our way down to the National Mall to experience the fantastic shows put on there every year. 

I moved to this area in 1979.   In 1980 the Beach Boys made their first performance on the 4th of July on the National Mall. 

And that is where I spent the day that year!

Now my memory doesn’t go back that far with complete accuracy, so I won’t even try to remember all the details.

I do remember a very hot, muggy, DC day in the sweltering sun surrounded by thousands of people sitting on blankets.

Some of them, most of them, drinking beer and smoking…stuff! 

The day progressed with a great concert as I recall, and then the sun started baking some, most,  of those people sitting in such close proximity to me who were drinking beer and smoking…stuff. 

The sights and smells turned unpleasant!  Time to move to another part of the mall for the fireworks extravaganza.

Which didn’t disappoint!

The ride home to Virginia on the Metro was a cattle call as it usually is after a huge event downtown. 

But when you’re young,  an experience like that day is more exciting than bothersome.

I’ve gone downtown for the fourth, maybe a couple of times more since then…with my husband and  kids.  But now the kids can go down on their own.

And I’m content to watch those beautiful colors on TV, or down the street from the fairgrounds, rather than fighting the traffic and crowds.

Or I’m content to celebrate America’s most important holiday on my deck with a great meal with friends and family, remembering (or trying to) past 4th’s.

I hope I never grow too old to enjoy the sparkling bursts of explosions in the sky that we are privileged to experience with our senses wherever we live in this great country,

reminding us always that we truly do live in the land of opportunity.

I hope you all have a fun, happy and delicious celebration this year in honor of our country’s birthday!

                                      HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

                               And may God continue to bless us always!

Hope to see you at all the festive red, white and blue parties at Table Top Tuesday and Between Naps on the Porch!

Thanks for visiting!

Sheila