Fireworks!

This was to be Ethan’s first real, up close and personal experience with fireworks and his folks wanted it to be both memorable and convenient. So we gathered at Aunt Deb’s.

We all arrived, from points south, just as the morning’s parade was finishing up. After all the greetings (including the dogs) were done, and Ethan had inspected both his bedroom for the night, and Aunt Deb’s new flower beds, we all hiked over to the park. The park was part of the reason this location was chosen for this first fireworks event.

There was a small carnival set up at the park and Ethan had a great time riding the three “kiddie rides”. I sighed deeply to myself, realizing that this is probably the last summer he will be content with just the kiddie rides.

Three rides don’t take very long, so we also spent time playing at the awesome playground just across from where the carnival was set up. One cotton candy later and it was time to hike back to Aunt Deb’s for our cookout, a time for bubble blowing and more just visiting. Ethan also helped Aunt Deb with a bit of weeding. In fact, he was a bit frustrated that she didn’t have more gardening for him to do.

We waited as long as we could but finally, around 8:15, we packed up chairs, blankets, bug spray and Grandma’s sparklers and headed back to the park. It wasn’t quite time, but we couldn’t wait any longer to be where they would shoot off the fireworks. The excitement was just too great.

On the mile-and-a-half hike over to the park we could see backyard fireworks going off all around us. Some were quite impressive and we wondered that people could spend so much money in these days of economic uncertainty. Judging by Ethan’s enchantment, the day will come when he will want to shoot off their own fireworks too.

We were nearly to the park when the sun neared its approach to the horizon. Suddenly the sky to the west turned orange and the whispy clouds strewn across the canopy turned pink slowly fading to lavender.

“Look, Grandma, there are fireworks in the sky - God’s fireworks!” I grinned at Ethan and we stopped to watch the color sweep further and further along the horizon. Suddenly the backyard fireworks were insignificant as we watched blue sky turn pink, then purple, then blue gray.

It was done by the time we got settled on the hillside overlooking the ball field where the canisters of fireworks were set up and guarded by firemen.

We again turned our attention to the backyard displays and then the more spectacular display of the next town to the north.

Before it got too dark, Ethan, John, Becki and I had great fun lighting the sparklers I had brought for the occasion. I remembered, with delight, my own youth and the enchantment of lit sparklers. Ethan seemed enchanted as well. But soon the sparklers were gone and John gathered up the spent wires and disposed of them in a trash can. I promised to buy more for next year.

We again climbed the hill and waited impatiently for the “real” fireworks to begin. The backyard displays were rapidly losing their enchantment and the display from Juneau was too far away.

I had about run out of distracting conversation when we heard the characteristic pop and the sky above our heads lit up with color.

Soon burst after burst filled the sky and we oooed and ahhed along with everyone else as one burst open before the previous one had finished cascading to the ground.

Ethan gave me a running commentary throughout the whole show. But it was o.k. We were getting to enjoy them together and with the whole family.

And then there was a pause and the ground erupted with color and fountains of light and sparklers larger than if we had lit all my six boxes at once. Rockets burst out of the fountains of sparks and soared to burst in the sky, so fast that our eyes could not take it all in.

The display seemed to go on forever and then, suddenly, it was over. For several moments there was silence, and then the crowd erupted with applause and cheers. We stood en masse and began to gather up our blankets, chairs, water bottles and trekked back down the hill and along the road to Aunt Deb’s house.

Another 4th of July was over.

A quick kiss good bye and Bill and I headed back south to our own bed. It will be a while before the family is able to all get together again.

But, once again, I have lasting memories of a day together. Ethan’s joy in the simple carnival rides, and no less joy with a well-designed play ground; our mutual pleasure at all being together for a few hours; the excitement and wonder of the fireworks bursting right over our heads – what a day! But, best of all for me, the awesome display of God’s fireworks which needs no holiday to repeat itself over and over.