Our neighborhood has become an extended family and in typical form celebrated the pursuit of happiness with a pool party, cookout, fireworks and jovial beverages.

Cynthia, I forgot that you live near Detroit too. My friends have always recommended Greenfield Village for the 4th, but, somehow, I've never made it.

Molly, I sympathize with providing for the musicians to be able to enjoy the fireworks. Maybe if they do something about the choice of music, I will enjoy it more. I agree that the fireworks themselves were outstanding though.

Dottie wrote: "We watched the Boston Pops and the fireworks there after we came home from the park -- good fireworks show but the background music program gave me pause. Maybe I'm just too old-fashioned."

Locally the coverage starts at 8PM and the Pops play patriotic songs for several hours. The 1812 is done near the end and there are fireworks coordinated with them at the very end. Then the National coverage picks up and re-broadcasts the end of 1812. As far as I can recall, the Pops don't play along with the main fireworks, they are coordinated to pre-recorded music. That way the musicians get to watch the show. But I agree, whomever selects the firework music could do a better job - I don't think conductor Keith Lockhart has any say in the matter. There seemed to be a lot of Country and then some songs about Boston which were chosen for the theme instead of the musicality? The fireworks were better than past years - it was perfect weather.

Barbara wrote: "Remember when they did the fireworks after the 1812 Overture, Dottie? I liked that much better. This music didn't inspire me at all. I think I just miss Arthur Fiedler. But, I really liked Crai..."

The Detroit Symphony does exactly that. what's more they perform at Greenfield Village on the green where they sometimes hold reenactments and they have a battery of historic cannons on a rampart that they fire at the appropriate parts of the score. It is July 4th at its traditional best with great music, great fireworks and a lovely picnic spot.

Marian, how nice for you to have your grandaughter and family near, but very sorry for the stress of job loss for them.

I hiked up Paradise Ridge with old friends and caught a beautiful sunset before the random personal displays from scattered houses began and the city of Pullman, WA set off their fireworks. They seemed kind of tiny in the distance. It was a lovely evening after a hot day.

An old Erma Bombeck fan here. So often, when something controversial is on the news, I wonder what Erma would have to say about it.

We spent the 4th. welcoming a grand-daughter & her family who have moved from N. C. into our old house. Her husband, who spent 6 years in the Navy, lost his NC job when the place was shut down. They were homesick for Ohio & like the idea of their children growing up close to their relatives.

That was the first I'd seen Ferguson also, and I enjoyed him.

We watched fireworks from DC, Boston and New York. I think I liked the Boston fireworks the best. But the DC music was more to my liking.

Mary Ellen

We had 3 other couples over for a joint dinner. I did lasagne (I know, I know, it's supposed to be a barbecue, what can I say?) and they brought salad, befores, and dessert. Then we watched the fireworks over the ocean. Two couples stayed overnight and we had breakfast this morning in the sunny (at last!) patio overlooking the ocean. Lovely, lovely, Fourth.

My oldest son is a fan of Craig Ferguson's late, late show. And, I stayed up to watch it with him when he was home for Christmas. He makes me laugh helplessly. He also had a comedy special on TV that I liked almost as much.

We stayed in Edinburgh, Scotland once in a little hotel whose owner had the same sense of humor. I laughed every time I talked to him and never could nail down what I found quite so funny.

Barbara wrote: "Remember when they did the fireworks after the 1812 Overture, Dottie? I liked that much better. This music didn't inspire me at all. I think I just miss Arthur Fiedler. But, I really liked Crai..."

Exactly -- and even if there had been a few more patriotic offerings in the music montage or even just more traditional versions of those they did include. Cranky old broad, here. That was the first I'd even heard of Ferguson -- Jim knew who he was and got a laugh out of the haggis reference in the dialogue.

Sherry -- your description brings to my mind Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine. An idyllic scene.

We had a cookout at Robyn's "farm" with her neighbors. Then Ken set off fireworks he bought from Tennessee. We saw lots of wonderful, almost professional-looking fireworks going off all around us, from other neighbors. It was a lovely night, a gibbous moon, lots of fireflies competing with the noisy artificial lights, and many neighborhood dogs cowering under beds (or so I imagined).

Remember when they did the fireworks after the 1812 Overture, Dottie? I liked that much better. This music didn't inspire me at all. I think I just miss Arthur Fiedler. But, I really liked Craig Ferguson. I've become a big fan of his. I just wish his late night show was earlier.

We watched the Boston Pops and the fireworks there after we came home from the park -- good fireworks show but the background music program gave me pause. Maybe I'm just too old-fashioned.

We can sit on our patio and see the fireworks from San Clemente Pier, Dana Point Harbour, and farther away, Emerald Bay north of Laguna.

That is, if the fog doesn't roll in.

Ruth,
I love that quote, too.

We are able to watch the fireworks at Sea World from our bedroom deck. They have fireworks quite often during the summer, but there is always a "really big shoe" on the 4th.

Happy 4th to all of you!

Jane

Thank you, Ruth. That's a perfect quote. And, I love the fireworks, Sherry.

I love it!

“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” ~ Erma Bombeck