"Happy Birthday, America!"

I have fond childhood memories of July 4th...it always seemed to be one of those fun-filled holidays with picnics and cookouts, and then going out on some large lawn area and watching those fireworks we 'ooooooh!' and 'aaahhhhhh!' over. Even though I must have been close to 5 years old at the time, I can still remember being at my grandparent's home in Enid, Oklahoma, and lighting the little black cylinders that would *poof* and expand into snakes...and dancing around with sparklers and writing stuff in that Okie dusk air...

Of course, I also have more recent memories of all my wonderful past canine companions that were terrified of the night's noises, who would shivver and pace and hide and pant with each loud boom and rat-a-tat-tat from strings of firecrackers. Needless to say with my work shift of needing to be asleep by 7pm, it's not the most restful of nights for me!

While July 4th was the day of the actual signing of the Declaration of Independence back in 1776, the celebration of Independence Day that year took place 4 days later on the 8th. And it wasn't until 1941 that Independence Day was declared a legal federal holiday (I don't mind working it, either, as I get a comp day for doing so!). In 1805 Boston had its first fireworks display. In 1844 the Statue of Liberty was formally presented at the Paris workshop. In 1960 Hawaii was granted statehood. In looking at odds and ends, I also read where "under God" wasn't added to the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954, thanks to the Knights of Columbus. Interesting tidbit, that last one.

Here is a fun link (click photo below) to make your own fireworks display...you get to be the FireMaster as you control "the show" through placement and speed of clicks with your mouse button:
Have a safe and enjoyable holiday!