Fond memories of past Independence Days

Another Independence day, July 4th, is in the books, it has come and gone. I have so many fond memories of the celebration. 

When our kids were young we’d get together with friends, have a wonderful afternoon grilling and stuffing our tummies with food, and heading down to Clear Lake park just before dusk. I’m sure that mosquitoes also mark down July 4th on the calendar:They’d be there in full force. The kids would run off together to play, and the adults would sit in lawn chairs waiting for Waseca’s fantastic pyrotechnic display. At dark we all assembled and watched the fireworks. We’d ooooo- and ahhh at the display  in the lit of colors, sounds, and effects; If one was exceptional we’d give it a ten handclapper. 

We would also sometimes go to Austin, my hometown, and attend the 4th of July Spam days parade. It was a long, first class parade, and a big time celebrity was always prominently featured. Grandma Adie would run out with Marc and Katie and gather candy with them from the candy throwers. One exciting year, Mom and Dad were the winners of a contest they entered. The prize, given by Hormel’, was a trip to Hawaii. My mom was ecstatic and my dad, not so much. I remember Dad saying “Wow, they even threw in a case of Spam!”

After the kids were off to college or married, we’d get together at a cabin in Wisconsin on Island Lake. The Denzs, Jack and Mary, were the hosts, and we’d lead up with the Gilbertsons and Buums and take a three-hour drive  to celebrate the 4th of July–for several days!! One year we entered the lake pontoon parade contest. We dressed up like pirates, decorated the pontoon with skulls, crossbone, and chests of gold, and sailed away into the parade. Jack had even constructed a small cannon we had on board. I remember that we did win a prize, don’t remember much after that. We did what all good pirates do on a cruise, so I was in bed early!

Now that we are a bit older, Lisa and I spend the 4th at our cabin on Tetonka. This year I looked at the calendar and saw the 4th was on a Tuesday. That translates to  lights and noises in the sky late into the night from Friday through Tuesday evening. There are cabins on both sides of us and down the shore with Americans who love to celebrate. Once in a while a loud boom will vibrate the cabin. Some of the nighttime fireworks shot off docks are spectacular: Certain neighbors spend a couple of thousand on their celebrations. Our dog Sammy is totally stressed out with the sound of the explosions, both far and near. She would have spent the entire four days under a bed at the cabin, so this 4th we spent our time at our home in Waseca. Sammy is healthy and happy and all is well. 

As I watched the news I saw they were closing down the stone arch bridge in the evening and taking precautions to monitor fireworks shot from moving vehicles in the Twin Cities. They showed videos from last year; it was frightening to watch as fire shot from people’s cars. But why the preventive measures? Because it’s nearly impossible to differentiate between gunshots and fireworks. Also saw a clip from Hudson, Wisconsin, where sellers at fireworks stores were interviewed; turns out, 75% of the sales are people from Minnesota  buying high powered fireworks, because it is illegal to sell them in Minnesota. I have no idea what “illegal" means; guess anyone who chooses can cross the border and buy whatever firework they choose. It’s the choice of every Minnesotan. 

Our 4th of July was very peaceful–had a great meal with family and listened to fireworks in the distance, coming from Clear Lake. Sammy only spent a couple of hours under the bed. 

Spending the weekend at home, Sammy and master took a walk across the street to the park. I found a monarch caterpillar stressed out on a milkweed plant on a 90-degree day. I picked a couple of stalks filled with leaves and placed them in a vase in our shaded garage. It took the caterpillar a while to perk up and begin chomping away at the leaves. In a couple of days it was twice the size and had munched several tasty leaves. I was anxious to watch it form to a clear chrysalis stage and see the orange adult inside. The next morning the caterpillar was gone, no chrysalis was hanging there. I searched and found nothing hanging from shelves or the bottom of containers and boxes. A couple of days later I came into the garage, ready to open the garage door and go out for coffee. There it was, a beautiful orange and black butterfly flying in the garage. I opened the garage door and away it flew to a life of gliding through a clear blue sky. I believe the monarch had gained its independence.