July 4 2012

      Another great 4th of July has been celebrated at the Brown house.  Traditions get started in small ways.  For several years we went out to my sister's house in Augusta.  Chris lives in the country and there were fewer restrictions on fireworks.  For a while, we went to Tenkiller Lake and camped.  Then the lure of staying home, swimming in the pool, I don't care for lake water, and simply walking across the street to watch the city fireworks won out. This settled in permanently when the kids became teens and our house was the location of July 4th parties.  This year was the first year for Theresa here. I really like it.
there were fewer people this year was a smaller celebration, but the food was good as always.  Andrew exercised his experience in munitions by making a few custom fireworks.  Those were very loud and colorful.  The grand kids and grand parents loafed away the afternoon in the pool.  In the morning, we went to the parade.  The adults get to visit with all sorts of politicians running for office.  The children have permission to run out in the street to gather the candy tossed out by the politicians.  I believe the candy memory is what is impressed into a child's mind and subconsciously drives the desire to attend parades as adults. My memory is a bit more starchy, the bakeries used to thow miniature loaves of bread.  My mom would try to collect all she could.  She was a frugal woman in many ways.
      This is the first year Wyatt was allowed to light any type of fire works.  He did very well with the smoke bombs.  I have a photo of just his feet as he leaped into the air after lighting one.  However, he didn't pay attention to his father's instructions to lay a fire cracker on the ground to light it.  He tried one by hand and got a scare when he released it more slowly than he should have.  No burns, no broken skin , just a little boy realizing that fireworks are serious as much as they are fun.  His mother obliged him by wrapping his fingers in enormous bandages, they lasted about an hour then came off as soon as the shock wore off.
      Every year I take photos of the fireworks show.  This year I did pretty good.  It took a while to get the setting right, but I am satisfied.  Now to improve next year.  Non of them beat the fire picture though, so that one stays as my header for a while yet.