Happy 4th of July

I'm gearing up, or maybe gearing down, for the upcoming July 4th weekend. Our holiday starts tomorrow, with the holiday from work and fireworks in the park at our small town.

I love small town 4th of July celebrations. Parades, cookouts, fried chicken, watermelon, music, dancing, and of course, fireworks. Our town does a very nice fireworks display at the large park on the river. Pre-fireworks festivities will begin early with lots of food vendors, games for the kids, a stage for music and dancing, facepainting, and socializing with friends and neighbors. Living in a small town, almost everyone knows everyone else. Gatherings tend to be festive, old fashioned, and clean fun. One thing I love the most about the celebration at the park is the little old ladies and life long farmers, who have lived in our rural area for generations, who will come out to sell their wares, usually fresh garden grown veggies, canned and pickled produce, homemade cakes and pies, handmade quilts and blankets, aprons, and sometimes even small livestock. This is what I love about my town, and about my country.

We'll attend the 4th celebration, and probably spend the day on the lake, swimming and sunning on the dock. I'll pack up cold fried chicken, potato salad, watermelon, a pound cake, lots of bottled water and soft drinks. We'll take our sparklers and bottle rockets to shoot from the dock later that night after the fireworks display. Hopefully I can dig out my daddy's old ice cream maker and sweet talk my hubby into churning ice cream for us. I remember as a child how special it was to help daddy church the ice cream. I know now how my daddy made it look and sound special so he could sit in the shade and tell us what a good job we were doing. Making ice cream was a natural part of our summers, and our 4th celebrations.

Yep, the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. I'm proud to be American and I'm thankful for those who have made my freedom possible. Those who have come long before me, those who currently fight in many ways for our freedom, and those brave ones yet to come.

Have a safe and fun filled 4th of July. God bless America!