Sunday, July 4, 2010

Happy Fourth of July to All! By Pat Kinsella Herdeg











We here in Acton, MA celebrated our Fourth early, last night on the Third of July.

This way, we could have an awesome display of fireworks--spectacular!--by a company which would be busy the next day at a much larger venue AND celebrate the 275th anniversary of Acton; we became a town in 1735, splitting off from Concord MA, home of the Old North Bridge Battle for all of you who follow Revolutionary War sites...

Before the fireworks, we sat on a hillside with most of Acton and sang along to a terrific Eagles cover band....my kids said to us, "How do you know all of the words?" We laughed and explained to them that Eagles songs were in their DNA, as they and Billy Joel were played constantly in our house for as long as they were growing up...

But, looking forward to the Fourth of July fireworks tonight in Boston on the Esplanade with the Boston Pops playing and closing with the 1812 Overture with complete with cannons, church bells and fireworks.

How are YOU spending your Fourth?

3 comments:

Pat said...

I will also say that MOST of my July Fourths were spent at Otty Lake in Canada, where we always had our own fireworks display.

Since Canada Day is July First, we always had the fireworks between the first and the fourth, to be fair, and the whole cove would either gather with us or on the end of their docks, to watch as the Roman candles were lit (with the little kids counting as each one lit the night sky), the pin wheels went swirling around a nearby tree, and the grand finale, the school house burn.

We loved the burning schoolhouse, as we shouted out goodbye to teachers and subjects we were ecstatic to have BEHIND us.

While the fireworks we watch now are spectacular, I find that a part of me is always hoping to see a Burning Schoolhouse in the bunch!

CB/Mom said...

I am amazed to not see more comments!! Were are my relatives?
We were in Canada , as usual for the 4th, and Dan, Liz, Jim, Jill, Maddy, Kelly and the Fishers were with us for the fireworks which were held in conjunction with some from Conlin's Island!! [unknowingly]
Much to all our chagrin, the burning schoolhouse fizzled at the end!! [ what that portends is debatible as a school teacher was setting the fireworks off!] CB

Diana said...

One day I would love to be in Boston for the 4th. They used to show most of the concert event on TV but now we only get about 20 min. :(