Attending a cookout at our local gun club. Hotdogs, hamburgers, and free range time for members.
Given that my town canceled its fireworks display several years ago to save money (substituting a “picnic” were it sells food to the attendees,) we have to make our Independence celebratory noise.
Waiting for 13 days.
Church followed by a backyard cookout with the downstairs neighbors.
Going for a picnic to the promenade along the Narrows with the view of Lady Liberty. Not a good spot to see the fireworks, though, only boats and barges, all on parade for the holiday.
BBQ-ing some ribs and chilling some watermelon. Plan to call the kids and family and wish all a happy 4th.
And a happy 4th to you, Neo. And many more.
Going to a friend’s place for a barbecue and to watch their redneck neighbors light themselves on fire.
Fireworks seem a little tame after you’ve been the recipient of close air support in a war zone, but I don’t mind watching other people enjoy. Good company, good beer, good enough.
Tea Party rally and celebration in Boerne, Texas . (It’s pronounced ‘Bernie’, BTW.) Then home to grill some burgers, and watch fireworks across the city from the back porch. That is, if it doesn’t rain, which might be in the cards.
My wife and I will be alone this year. It will be a quiet time of reflection on our great fortune to be citizens of this blessed country.
We are going to treat ourselves with brots and rosti, something we learned to enjoy back in the day when we were young and spry enough to ramble along trails in the Alps.
Then watch the fireworks on TV in the evening while playing John Philip Souza in the background.
Living in Portland, Oregon I thought I would find a returning soldier, throw pigs blood on them and call them “Baby Killer”. But, don’t question my patriotism because “I Support The Troops”.
.
Or maybe I’ll just do something else and this is my opinion of what most in Portland would like to do.
All the inlaws are coming out for a delayed celebration of mother- and father-in-law’s anniversary, and we’re all going to go out for a dinner together at a really nice restaurant.
Our Fourth of July “Community Day-in-the-Park” celebration (here in my small borough outside Pittsburgh in southwestern PA) has not changed since the 1950s.
Morning flag raising by the Boy Scouts, followed by kids races (sack race, three-legged race, wheelbarrow race, etc.). Competition is fierce and winners receive medals. There’s also an “anything that floats” race at the pool.
As the day goes on, there’s watermelon eating contest, men’s horseshoe throw, women’s rolling pin throw, father-daughter shaving contest (with popsicle sticks, not to worry) and Bingo. Eats include sno cones, hot dogs, hot sausage, funnel cakes. There’s a bike raffle and petting zoo. Kids can tour the firetruck and meet the police dogs.
There is also a dunking machine that has been in use as long as I can recall (back to the mid-1960s)…someone sits on a plank over a tank of water…kids throw baseballs and try to hit a lever attached to the plank. If they hit it, the kid on the plank falls in the water.
Love every minute of it. Wouldn’t change a thing.
Let me qualify that…
Our Community Day celebration is patriotic, regressive, sexist and retrogressive…
AND I love it and wouldn’t change a thing!
Happy Independence Day, everyone.
Considering his absolute contempt for our country, and his behavior on Memorial Day and on the D-Day anniversary, I’m wondering what kind of adolescent “flip-off” Obama is likely to give us on the 4th. 🙁
–
Full of ribs and baked beans. Now listening to John Philip Souza on youtube. Man the American spirit just oozed out of his music.
Go to the local American Club (I’m overseas) to play some tennis, swim, eat hot dogs, hamburgers, and ribs, and drink some beer.
Going to Washington’s headquarters at the Ford Mansion at Morristown National Historical Park for the 1:00pm public reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Glorious Fourth. A toast: To Liberty!
I live in the Fireworks Capital of the U.S., home of Zambelli Fireworks International, so we’ll be watching a spectacular display.
A few years ago, on a day that was not anywhere near July 4, I heard big booms in the middle of the afternoon. Turns out it was the funeral of the Zambelli patriarch and a huge fireworks extravaganza was his send off. Not a bad way to go out.
Vanderleun: Huh? What’s in 13 days?
I’d like to honor the Fourth by watering the tree of liberty with the blood of tyrants, but I’d be denounced as a murderer and assassin, then imprisoned. Ah, well. I’ll stay at home with my family and hope for the best.
“Cloward-Piven, anyone?”
While Glenn Reynold’s maxim “I’ll believe it’s a crisis when they start acting like it’s a crisis” is usually applied to Global Warming, it’s apropo here as well. Obama can’t be threat so many claim, or they’d be arming themselves. Sleep long and well; awaken enslaved.
Weekend roadtrip for us. We’re spending the day at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
Lacking total judgement and being of unsound mind……….two days of absolute Dirt Track Racing in Southern Ohio…….of course we cling to bibles and guns……..what did you expect?
4th Of July Parade with the grand kids and a vintage car show then ribs, chicken, corn on the cob, potato salad and watermelon and a fireowrks display. Then we will all settle down to watch one of the most patriotic films made El Cid.
Four slabs of ribs and a Boston butt in the smoker as I type. They went in at 7 a.m. this morning.
Pasta salad, baked beans, home grown tomatoes & cucumbers and whatever other folks bring.
Family & friends will be coming over later this afternoon.
Home made ice cream before the fireworks.
Happy 4th to all of you and be safe.
Roofing the house with my son. We’ll work until we are exhausted and/or until it rains, then have dinner and fireworks with family.
Pretty much what I’m doing now: Reading blogs and writing an occasional comment. I also have the Phillies game on downstairs, although I’ll probably have to turn the radio on in this room if I want to find out what’s happening.
Yesterday I trimmed the bushes around the house and did some weeding, then went out to a barbecue restaurant for dinner. Today’s temperature is in the mid-90s, so nothing short of a house fire will make me go outdoors. I did go out to put the flag up this morning, though.
Since I moved to Philadelphia 14 years ago, my husband and I have maintained a tradition of walking Old City early in the morning before most of the hoopla is in full swing. First stop is Christ Church where we sit in George Washington’s pew which later became John Adams’ pew. We always say a little prayer of thanks while we’re there. There are 5 signers of the Declaration buried there and we visit all of the graves, including Benjamin Franklin’s.
We proceed to Carpenter’s Hall, Independence Hall, the Old Pine Church, St. Mary’s Church and the Betsey Ross house. We make it a point to stop at all of the cemeteries to visit the graves of our country’s first naval commanders, chief justices, financiers and all around patriots who had the vision and courage to create this wonderful country. Most of all the courage is what we think about.
This year, we sat in Washington’s pew and looked at each other and said, “what would he say if he came back today?” When we saw the grave of Robert Morris. the “Financier of the Revolution” and the first man to oversee the economy of newly born country, we fully expected to see the ground around the tombstone overturned as we anticipated some spinning in that grave.
But no, everything was quiet on this hot, sunny morning. And we have a renewed sense of well-being for our country as we do every year when we finish our walk. If the Founders could succeed in what appeared to be a hopeless situation, surely we can turn around whatever adversity awaits us in the next year.
Janet:
Interesting story. I live out in the suburbs and don’t often go into the city.
I know someone who works at Christ Church, though. I haven’t seen her in a few months, so I don’t know if she is still there, or whether she was there this morning. She’s also worked as a colonial re-enactor, in costume and making crafts.
Sadly, she’s a flaming lefty.
rickl:
I took my 9-year old son to the Phillies game in Pittsburgh Friday night. He’s a huge fan, and was disappointed to see that so many of his favorites were not playing. You know you’re having a bad day when you lose to the Pirates. He was disappointed but still thrilled to see them in person.
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Airshow, Battle Creek, Michigan.
Attending a cookout at our local gun club. Hotdogs, hamburgers, and free range time for members.
Given that my town canceled its fireworks display several years ago to save money (substituting a “picnic” were it sells food to the attendees,) we have to make our Independence celebratory noise.
Waiting for 13 days.
Church followed by a backyard cookout with the downstairs neighbors.
Going for a picnic to the promenade along the Narrows with the view of Lady Liberty. Not a good spot to see the fireworks, though, only boats and barges, all on parade for the holiday.
BBQ-ing some ribs and chilling some watermelon. Plan to call the kids and family and wish all a happy 4th.
And a happy 4th to you, Neo. And many more.
Going to a friend’s place for a barbecue and to watch their redneck neighbors light themselves on fire.
Fireworks seem a little tame after you’ve been the recipient of close air support in a war zone, but I don’t mind watching other people enjoy. Good company, good beer, good enough.
Tea Party rally and celebration in Boerne, Texas . (It’s pronounced ‘Bernie’, BTW.) Then home to grill some burgers, and watch fireworks across the city from the back porch. That is, if it doesn’t rain, which might be in the cards.
My wife and I will be alone this year. It will be a quiet time of reflection on our great fortune to be citizens of this blessed country.
We are going to treat ourselves with brots and rosti, something we learned to enjoy back in the day when we were young and spry enough to ramble along trails in the Alps.
Then watch the fireworks on TV in the evening while playing John Philip Souza in the background.
Living in Portland, Oregon I thought I would find a returning soldier, throw pigs blood on them and call them “Baby Killer”. But, don’t question my patriotism because “I Support The Troops”.
.
Or maybe I’ll just do something else and this is my opinion of what most in Portland would like to do.
All the inlaws are coming out for a delayed celebration of mother- and father-in-law’s anniversary, and we’re all going to go out for a dinner together at a really nice restaurant.
Our Fourth of July “Community Day-in-the-Park” celebration (here in my small borough outside Pittsburgh in southwestern PA) has not changed since the 1950s.
Morning flag raising by the Boy Scouts, followed by kids races (sack race, three-legged race, wheelbarrow race, etc.). Competition is fierce and winners receive medals. There’s also an “anything that floats” race at the pool.
As the day goes on, there’s watermelon eating contest, men’s horseshoe throw, women’s rolling pin throw, father-daughter shaving contest (with popsicle sticks, not to worry) and Bingo. Eats include sno cones, hot dogs, hot sausage, funnel cakes. There’s a bike raffle and petting zoo. Kids can tour the firetruck and meet the police dogs.
There is also a dunking machine that has been in use as long as I can recall (back to the mid-1960s)…someone sits on a plank over a tank of water…kids throw baseballs and try to hit a lever attached to the plank. If they hit it, the kid on the plank falls in the water.
Love every minute of it. Wouldn’t change a thing.
Let me qualify that…
Our Community Day celebration is patriotic, regressive, sexist and retrogressive…
AND I love it and wouldn’t change a thing!
Happy Independence Day, everyone.
Considering his absolute contempt for our country, and his behavior on Memorial Day and on the D-Day anniversary, I’m wondering what kind of adolescent “flip-off” Obama is likely to give us on the 4th. 🙁
–
Full of ribs and baked beans. Now listening to John Philip Souza on youtube. Man the American spirit just oozed out of his music.
Go to the local American Club (I’m overseas) to play some tennis, swim, eat hot dogs, hamburgers, and ribs, and drink some beer.
Going to Washington’s headquarters at the Ford Mansion at Morristown National Historical Park for the 1:00pm public reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Glorious Fourth. A toast: To Liberty!
I live in the Fireworks Capital of the U.S., home of Zambelli Fireworks International, so we’ll be watching a spectacular display.
A few years ago, on a day that was not anywhere near July 4, I heard big booms in the middle of the afternoon. Turns out it was the funeral of the Zambelli patriarch and a huge fireworks extravaganza was his send off. Not a bad way to go out.
Vanderleun: Huh? What’s in 13 days?
I’d like to honor the Fourth by watering the tree of liberty with the blood of tyrants, but I’d be denounced as a murderer and assassin, then imprisoned. Ah, well. I’ll stay at home with my family and hope for the best.
“Cloward-Piven, anyone?”
While Glenn Reynold’s maxim “I’ll believe it’s a crisis when they start acting like it’s a crisis” is usually applied to Global Warming, it’s apropo here as well. Obama can’t be threat so many claim, or they’d be arming themselves. Sleep long and well; awaken enslaved.
Weekend roadtrip for us. We’re spending the day at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
Lacking total judgement and being of unsound mind……….two days of absolute Dirt Track Racing in Southern Ohio…….of course we cling to bibles and guns……..what did you expect?
4th Of July Parade with the grand kids and a vintage car show then ribs, chicken, corn on the cob, potato salad and watermelon and a fireowrks display. Then we will all settle down to watch one of the most patriotic films made El Cid.
Four slabs of ribs and a Boston butt in the smoker as I type. They went in at 7 a.m. this morning.
Pasta salad, baked beans, home grown tomatoes & cucumbers and whatever other folks bring.
Family & friends will be coming over later this afternoon.
Home made ice cream before the fireworks.
Happy 4th to all of you and be safe.
Roofing the house with my son. We’ll work until we are exhausted and/or until it rains, then have dinner and fireworks with family.
Pretty much what I’m doing now: Reading blogs and writing an occasional comment. I also have the Phillies game on downstairs, although I’ll probably have to turn the radio on in this room if I want to find out what’s happening.
Yesterday I trimmed the bushes around the house and did some weeding, then went out to a barbecue restaurant for dinner. Today’s temperature is in the mid-90s, so nothing short of a house fire will make me go outdoors. I did go out to put the flag up this morning, though.
Since I moved to Philadelphia 14 years ago, my husband and I have maintained a tradition of walking Old City early in the morning before most of the hoopla is in full swing. First stop is Christ Church where we sit in George Washington’s pew which later became John Adams’ pew. We always say a little prayer of thanks while we’re there. There are 5 signers of the Declaration buried there and we visit all of the graves, including Benjamin Franklin’s.
We proceed to Carpenter’s Hall, Independence Hall, the Old Pine Church, St. Mary’s Church and the Betsey Ross house. We make it a point to stop at all of the cemeteries to visit the graves of our country’s first naval commanders, chief justices, financiers and all around patriots who had the vision and courage to create this wonderful country. Most of all the courage is what we think about.
This year, we sat in Washington’s pew and looked at each other and said, “what would he say if he came back today?” When we saw the grave of Robert Morris. the “Financier of the Revolution” and the first man to oversee the economy of newly born country, we fully expected to see the ground around the tombstone overturned as we anticipated some spinning in that grave.
But no, everything was quiet on this hot, sunny morning. And we have a renewed sense of well-being for our country as we do every year when we finish our walk. If the Founders could succeed in what appeared to be a hopeless situation, surely we can turn around whatever adversity awaits us in the next year.
Janet:
Interesting story. I live out in the suburbs and don’t often go into the city.
I know someone who works at Christ Church, though. I haven’t seen her in a few months, so I don’t know if she is still there, or whether she was there this morning. She’s also worked as a colonial re-enactor, in costume and making crafts.
Sadly, she’s a flaming lefty.
rickl:
I took my 9-year old son to the Phillies game in Pittsburgh Friday night. He’s a huge fan, and was disappointed to see that so many of his favorites were not playing. You know you’re having a bad day when you lose to the Pirates. He was disappointed but still thrilled to see them in person.